Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20170911

In florida and in parts of the caribbean government and aid agencies are preparing for one of the biggest relief operations the region has ever seen. Hurricane irma has now been down graded to a storm but as it travelled across the caribbean to florida it killed at least 30 people and caused widespread destruction. Our first report is from florida where up to six million homes are still without power. Aleem maqbool reports. After a day of darkness and fury, miami opened its eyes to the aftermath. This city is now littered with the debris of the hurricane. Boats were even lifted clean out of the bay and dumped on the shore. People here are emerging from the shelters and barricaded homes to try to start clearing up. So you got out this morning and what did you find . Sheer devastation, everywhere you look. I mean, the parking lots are flooded, cars, trees falling down. In spite of all the preparation, millions are now without power. The financial district of the city has been badly affected. It was underwater during the hurricane, inundated with massive coastal waves as irma past. And across the city on the state, transformers were blown up by the rains, plunging people into darkness. But of course the impact of this storm has been felt far beyond miami. The big concern has been about the florida keys. Because of damage to roads and some of the more remote parts, we still cannot land but this is where Hurricane Irma hit first in florida and its where some of the worst damage could be. Although People Living in the keys have become used to hurricanes, when irma was reported as one of the most powerful ever recorded in the atlantic, most got to say the land. Many are still unable to return to their damaged homes. From some places in the keys there has been access to, it appears the hurricane utterly ravaged houses and belongings. And that goes for the mainland too, in the city of naples in the west of the state, petrol stations and mobile homes were torn apart. Fort lauderdale saw tornadoes as irma came through, parts of the beach were whipped into the city. Even as the storm was still affecting this area, looters took advantage. With millions told to evacuate and so many in shelters, there was little to stop them. And new places are still being affected. In recent hours jacksonville in northern florida was hit by a massive storm surge, flooding the city. They said the impact of irma would be widespread, and it has been. British troops have arrived to help the relief operation in the turks and Caicos Islands, a british overseas territory, where theres been some criticism that the uk governments response has been too slow. 0ur correspondent nick bryant is one of the first journalists to get to the islands after the hurricane and hes sent this report. The turks and Caicos Islands are amongst the most of the lake in the entire caribbean. The most idyllic. The countrys motto is beautiful by nature but those words now sound like a cruel taunt. In the wake of Hurricane Irma and the aftermath of the 160 mile per hour wins that wrecked so much of this country. That is the bedroom and thats another bedroom. That was the bathroom. Homes and possessions that took a lifetime to accumulate, scattered to the winds in the matter of seconds. Daphne williams had lived here the 27 years, it was the home to five adults and four children. People say seeing is believing and i see it but i cannot believe it. Now her family is homeless and she doesnt know what the next few months will bring. I have no idea but i still trust in god, believe in him that whatever happen, he will take us through. This is a british 0verseas territory. They sing the anthem god save the queen and people have british passports so there has been anger about the absence of the uk led aid effort. People feel not so much like british citizens but castaways. Jackie grew up being told by her mother that the british would be there to help, that the royal navy was just over the horizon. She feels badly let down. My message is step up to the plate, come now and help us. We dont want no more speeches, we dont want no more lip service, or pack your bags and leave because if you are not helping you are hurting the turks and Caicos Islands. 0nly only in the last few hours, a contingent of marines have arrived. Up until now, local people have had to be self sufficient. Inhabitants in what for now is a grim place, trying to restore its beauty, trying to rebuild their lives. The aid operation has also begun in the British Virgin islands. The area has been devastated by Hurricane Irma and a state of emergency has been declared. 0ur correspondent laura bicker is on the largest of the islands, tortola, and sent this report. There is now a sense of desperation and fear in tortola. People are hungry, tired and in need of basic supplies. This was the line of traffic trying to get into the main town on the island. Most are heading to the supermarket for the First Time Since the hurricane, now that more roads have been cleared. Have you got enough food, water . No, cause everybody is fighting, and stealing. A lot is going on right now. People are breaking into peoples homes, going with what they have. Its a state of emergency. Outside the store, some have been waiting for the doors to open for eight hours. As only a few people are allowed in, chaos ensues. Were rolling in, were going in. They are worried that supplies are limited. We need water, we need food. We need electricity. Do you think youve had enough help . I dont think so. We need outside help right now. Please get in line for me police and security guards appealfor calm. But after six days of devastation and enduring the worst storm in living memory, these angry scenes proved too much for some to deal with. Were under control, but we didnt expect this mess today. Weve onlyjust got out of our house today. As we were filming, a local government minister approached. We have lots of food arriving tonight, for my supermarket and for this supermarket, and lots of food arriving every day this week. There are also serious concerns about the safety of residents living amongst the rubble. Local police have been working alongside the British Military day and night to try to round up a number of criminals who escaped from a prison damaged by the hurricane. Its added to a sense of panic, especially as people cannot communicate from one side of the island to the other. Rationed Water Supplies are now being handed out with the help of more british troops. They have been a reassuring presence, a welcome sight. We have seen real spirit and strength on this island in the last few days. But residents are realising that it could take years to rebuild and that theyll have to summon a great deal of determination to help raise tortola from this rubble. Laura bicker, bbc news, tortola. The house of commons is debating the first major parliamentary bill of the Brexit Process. The vote on the bill that will transfer all eu laws into british law and pave the way for brexit is not expected to take place until after midnight. Downing street says its confident that the vote will go the governments way despite widespread criticism of the measure for giving too much power to ministers. There are signs of a possible labour rebellion over the legislation which sets out the path for eu law to be incorporated into british law. Jeremy corbyn has ordered his mps to vote against the bill but this has been met by claims that this would lead the uk to a cliff edge of uncertainty. Lets speak to our Political Correspondent alex forsyth who is in westminster the governments argument for this bill is there cant be a black hole went the uk leaves. We need legislation in place. It is essentially to bring all existing eu laws onto big uk statute but the controversial part is that this bill will allow government ministers to allow changes without full parliamentary scrutiny. The labour party says that is unacceptable and it isa party says that is unacceptable and it is a power grab. As you say, Jeremy Corbyn has instructed his mps to vote against the bill. Not all of them will. Some of them will see it asa them will. Some of them will see it as a frustrating to Brexit Process and we have to get on with it because of the results. You have also some people on the other side who voted to romain who will vote against the bill. Some at this stage, it looks at kit will go through. Remain. Some of the tory benches are saying this is necessary to start preparing the uk for its departure from the uk. Get a flavour the debate. Devote against this bill tonight is one that our constituents that sent us here will not accept. In recent days, i have heard a numberof in recent days, i have heard a number of people including the foreign secretary claiming a vote against this bill will be a vote to instruct obstruct the will of the people. That is nonsense. The majority of those that voted, 52 voted to leave the European Union, and on that basis, we must begin the process and see its throat of leaving the European Union. Even if he andi leaving the European Union. Even if he and i dont agree with it. Leaving the European Union. Even if he and i dont agree with it. |j leaving the European Union. Even if he and i dont agree with it. I am not prepared to cede major decisions on our countrys future to the prime minister, the three musketeers and whoever comes after them. As ever, brexit approving a divisive topic but as i say, i think this bill is highly likely to get the support it needs to go onto the next stage. That is not because the government has convinced all of that on this side of the house that the backbenchers are doing the right thing. Rather, they are keeping their powder dry at this stage, preparing fop brexit battles to come down the line. The vote is expected just after midnight tonight, it wont be a nailbiting one but it is likely to be the first of many late nights in the commons as the government tries to get complex and contentious legislation through. This is a sign of things to come. Indeed, alex. This is a live shot of the chamber. You can see one mp on his feet on the right and one on the left. The debate has been going on all day and we will be here with the result tonight. We are expecting it to be after midnight at some point. Suggestion is it could be between about 20 past and 1230. A number of votes this evening. The major one on the great repeal bill to transfer all the eu legislation and rules to the uk that the uk has lived under the uk that the uk has lived under the last years. This is the real beginning of the Brexit Process. One of the controversies surround the bill is based on a historic figure. Henry viii, who knew a thing or two about trying to take back control from europe. This is all about what are known as henry viii clauses, named after the statute of proclamations of 1539, which gave henry the power to legislate by proclamation. The modern day equivalent gives ministers and officials the power to make changes to some laws without full parliamentary scrutiny. This has set alarm bells ringing in many quarters. There are those who argue that it will undermine the ultimate sovereignty of parliament, and those who worry that eu laws that cover things such as workers rights or Environmental Protection could be changed on the quiet. The government says none of that is going to happen and on all the big issues immigration, customs, agriculture there will be separate pieces of legislation. That is why you are hearing a lot about an old king who is now long dead. The headlines on bbc news Hurricane Irma hammers, or is hammering, floridas west coast, causing flooding and leaving millions without electricity. Ahead of the key parliamentary vote on brexit, the government has urged mps to back what it describes as an orderly departure from the eu. The un says the 300,000 Rohingya Muslims whove now fled myanmar are victims of ethnic cleansing. Britain and sweden have requested a United Nations Security Council meeting on the deteriorating situation in myanmar. It comes after a un senior official said myanmars treatment of Rohingya Muslims is a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. The violence began more than two weeks ago when rohingya fighters attacked police posts in rakhine state. After the governments counter attack, more than 300,000 rohingyas have arrived in neighbouring bangladesh. Reeta chakra barti reports from coxs bazar, close to the border. What is happening in myanmar . Looking across from bangladesh, huge clouds of smoke fill the sky. Military boats patrol the river border. The army is accused of setting fire to Muslim Rohingya villages and of planting landmines in the paths of fleeing people. It denies that it is targeting civilians. We have found evidence to suggest otherwise. This small hospital in coxs bazar has been coping with large numbers of rohingya casualties. In the last week, its had an influx of critically injured people blown up by landmines as they escaped. This person is one of them. Hes 15 years old and unlikely to make it to 16. He arrived at the hospital a week ago with his legs destroyed. He suffered a terrible loss of blood but doctors have no more to give him. His brother in another hospital suffered the same fate. Translation i cant go back to myanmar, we are not safe. I will beg here in bangladesh and that will be better. I used to pray to allah to give me a son but now my sons are gone. Their injuries are so bad, its as if they are dead. Its better that allah takes them. Theyre suffering so much. This woman will pull through, although she too has lost both her legs. She fled myanmar because she said the military had been targeting her community. She was crossing the border with her three sons when she trod ona landmine. Translation they had already gone ahead and i was behind them, and thats when the explosion happened. We had been fired on, shot at, and they planted mines. We have escaped to bangladesh because we have nowhere else to go. This five year old plays with her little brother. She was shot while being carried by her father as the family escaped. The same bullet that hit her killed him. She still cries out for him. She has five other siblings, but in the confusion they were separated. Her desperate mother now cant find them. Translation im in a terrible situation right now. Im really worried. I havent got all my Children Together and ive lost my husband. Ive lost my house. Where do i go . Theres only unhappiness for us. Down the road at the larger central hospital, there are more casualties, crammed into a ward. People on the floor, people in corridors, every space taken. Half of these patients are Rohingya Muslims. This hospital has been inundated since the crisis started just over two weeks ago, and it is struggling to cope. We need medicines, we need surgical equipment, we need manpower, we need everything. And do you not have these . No, no, our government supply is limited. The innocent cant comprehend whats happening to them, but the rohingya people are suffering miserably in this conflict, whatever the myanmar government says. Reeta chakra barti, bbc news, bangladesh. Hello again, and welcome to our look ahead to what the the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. A second helping. You lucky people with me are dia chakravarty, brexit editor of the telegraph, and henry mance, Political Correspondent at the Financial Times. Many thanks for staying on. This is an important evening, especially with the brexit debate. But we will look at the ages now. We will look at the ages now. We will look at the front pages, now. The ft says wall street is breathing a sigh of relief, after Hurricane Irmas westward shift eased fears about widespread devastation in florida, and propelled the us stock market to fresh records. The metro says the holby city actor, john michie, is in mourning, following the suspected murder of his daughter at a Music Festival in dorset. A man is being questioned over her death. The i reports that nurses and teachers are threatening strike action, if theyre told to accept a pay cap for an eighth year. The warning comes after reports that the government will sign off rises above 1 for police and prison officers. The Daily Telegraph claims that bbc radio 4 has won a battle to ease its Public Service obligations, under plans drawn up by the new regulator, 0fcom. The daily express reveals that britain has paid £374 billion into the eus coffers over the past 43 years. The times claims theresa may has asked President Trump to intervene in a trade dispute that threatens thousands ofjobs in belfast amid pressure from the dup. The daily mail leads on reports from its Investigations Unit on the activities of labours shadow chancellor. 0k. Activities of labours shadow chancellor. Ok. We are expecting the vote tonight on the great repeal bill. That will come in about an hour or so. We are hoping that will be an hourorso. Hour or so. We are hoping that will be an hour or so. Anyway, may please with donald trump to help. This is a call to save the belfast economy. Yes, this is interesting. Theresa may has taken up the case of people that build wings in belfast, boeing says that the company gets unfair support from the government. Rita mae has asked for some help, saying it is an economically challenge part of the uk. Theresa may. We know that he is a brexit and, will he do treat me a favour . Will he . What do you think . Who can tell with donald trump . You just dont know. There are quitea trump . You just dont know. There are quite a lot ofjobs, but i think it is worth pointing out that we will probably hear a lot about Northern Irish affairs now that Arlene Foster has a lot of influence, i think, Arlene Foster has a lot of influence, ithink, in keeping Arlene Foster has a lot of influence, i think, in keeping this government in place. Indeed. A lot of influence, Arlene Foster. And their votes will be very important, tonight, one would suspect . Yes. Big it has a working majority of 13 thanks to the dup mps. We might not tonight see too many tory rebels, people can clarke, a big pro european mp. People can clarke, a big proeuropean mp. What are the kinds of things that conservative mps are worried about . They are potentially going to scrutinise it is this thing goes through. Ken clarke. Going to scrutinise it is this thing goes through. Ken clarke. Ken clarke is a big voice, but you also had like anna soubry. They have said that the bill is a bill that has been drafted in such a way that gives power not to the parliament. But as was pointed out, it looks like they will not pointed down, but there will be looking to put in amendments, and that is how theyre going try and fix whatever worries they have with this bill. This is where the henry viii powers that we keep hearing about come into play. Why have they put those in . Why have they put us into the great repeal bill . One of the reasons is time. This deal with the eu might not be sorted out until late next year. It might only get them if you months. So they dont want debate in Parliament Going on all might when they only have a few days to set up customs checks on the irish border, orto customs checks on the irish border, or to work out the payment of annex a bill. They want to have the discretion, because they think is the most efficient way of doing it. It is probably also worth pointing out that this huge amount of powers that went to brussels in the last a0 yea rs, that went to brussels in the last a0 years, the act that it is repealing, the 1972 act, that interestingly also used this henry viii power come in the first place, to transfer all that power from westminster to brussels. We are, in effect, seeing a reversal of that situation when it happened, a0 years ago. A reversal of that situation when it happened, 40 years ago. It is not just a lot of power that we transferred with the european communities act, it has a lot of cash over the last a3 years. Look at this, £33a billion a Staggering Amount that britain has given. That isa amount that britain has given. That is a lot of money. It is. We dont quite know how they calculate that. There is no context, is a . This comes from leave campaigners. There is no contest, is there. The argument here is that we paid so much that we dont need to pay any more. No ex bill, no liability for british Civil Servants working to the eu, we dont know any money to them, or the projects that we agreed to pay for when we were sitting around the table. No accident bill. That is a pretty contentious argument, because in brussels, they will have a hole to fill. We know the money is a big fight in big talks between david davis and michelle wie nair. I think that is the widely accepted idea, now. Michel barnier. But people would like to see we pay for. If we continue to stay apart of some of these organisations, of course we will continue to play, but it will need to be looked into seas that we what we are paying and what we are getting in return. What obligations we are paying for. So will really be in the details. That is fair enough, isnt it . When it nor we are paying for. 0k, isnt it . When it nor we are paying for. Ok, this comes with the change of regulators, from, who are watching us. Indeed. This is that bbc radio, essentially. While, bbc has been told that you had to move ahead with the times and compete with your other competitors. And it isa with your other competitors. And it is a busy market. It isnt as exclusive as it was sometime in the park. The bbc have been petitioning for a while to have a lot more independence in terms of choosing what sort of programme producers. A lot less red tape. So few requirements are there to be taken away from them. As apple, it would bea away from them. As apple, it would be a requirement, now, to produce programmes on subject such as religion, science, arts, etc. It might bea religion, science, arts, etc. It might be a bit weird if the bbc did not have any religious programming or science programming on radio a, wouldnt it . Or science programming on radio a, wouldnt it . I think theyre in books i think their inbox would be full. Com seems to have agreed with some people have said that it, the bbc, is too big and bloated. Laughter. A teacher and this backlash over the wait for the pay rise. This is for nurses, teachers, Police Officers and others. Unions have called for a 5 rise. Cc big discrepancy between what the government is offering to some Public Sectors Workers and what the unions want. What the unions are talking about today at the tuc co nfe re nce talking about today at the tuc conference is about solidarity between all the other workers, and the question of whether they could be supporting each other by striking together . The 5 rise would cost £9 billion a year. That is money that Philip Hammond does not have lying around. Indeed. Just briefly, a lot of people who are users of twitter and on facebook all the time, snapchat, they can to get their news from these sources, as well . Interesting. A good proportion of social media users source venues through these social media sources. 7496 through these social media sources. 7a of twitter users say they get all the news from twitter. And up from 59 . That is a huge hike this technology is essentially changing everything. We have heard so much about how fake news affected us election, and so on, so this raises some interesting questions for us. Andy wright from the Financial Times, do you get all your news from their . I dont. And you write for their . I dont. And you write for the Financial Times. I their . I dont. And you write for the financialtimes. I get their . I dont. And you write for the Financial Times. I get most of it from twitter. Social media, for me, feels like trying to eat sweets to tell yourself. You are eating the tasty little things, but you are not getting a full meal or the balance. So you are having just what your friends are saying, rather than an actual reflection of society. Sizing there is a risk in this. Ok. So the Financial Times is your cabbages and sprouts. So i think there is a risk in this. Something like that laughter. And a look at some of the headlines, there. A giver at that. We will have more on the great repeal bill. Stay with us for that. About an old king who is now long dead. The skies at ease. The temperatures dipping away to about five or six or seven degrees. Then we are often running into choosing. 0f seven degrees. Then we are often running into choosing. Of the original High Pressure will be trained to come in from the atlantic, at least for a time, it tending to kill off some of the showers, at least. Eastern areas are holding onto the sunshine at west. The cloud will feel in and eventually there will be a lot of rain moving into Northern Ireland, initially. This is all tied up with what we suspect will be a very vigorous area of low pressure, throwing the rain and further towards the north and east. That is on the part of the story. The rain is heavy enough in its own right, but it is the strength of when they could well cause significant disruptions as we get on through tuesday and into the first part of wednesday. They are really from the southern part of scotland through east of Northern Ireland and across england and wales will be looking at some pretty strong gusts. Some were in there, there could be a core of winds that seas gusts get up to 75 mph. Asa winds that seas gusts get up to 75 mph. As a system as a way, we will be left with another day of sunny spells. Again, there will be a threat of some pretty blustery showers. Going through to wednesday and pushing into thursday, and into friday, that north westerly will very much be the dominant flow. By friday, we are opening up those isobars tudge. By that stage, after a really blustery and showery day on thursday, there could be fewer showers. Given the direction, i suspect we wont see a heatwave. Isobars a touch. Let me take you to the commons. That is the shadow minister for exiting the eu. Remember that labour mps have been told not to defy the wishes ofJeremy Corbyn. That is to vote down this particular measure. Lets iwobi has to say. Vote down this particular measure. Lets iwobi has to say. Do not need to legislate in this fashion to achieve the necessary aim is that lie behind the bill. And the government, if we are honest, all of us, should not have put honourable members on both sides of the house in this position. Ministers have known for a considerable period of time of the real and genuinely held concerns about the approach the bill ta kes. Concerns about the approach the bill takes. The opposition raised concerns following the publication of the white paper. We reiterated those concerns when the bill was First Published and in a letter to the secretary of state at the start of the month, called again for constructive engagement. And while many on the benches opposite will know all too readily our concerns, those concerns have been raised for some time by voices on the government benches, as will as parliamentary committees and numerous non parliamentary organisations. In short, the government have had ample time to make clear that they are willing to correct the flaws in this bill and bring forward amendments that show they mean it. And yet only now we are told that ministers are in listening mode, and open to ideas very constructive open to ideas for constructive improvements to the bill. Members have noted to take it on trust that conversations will be held and there will be insurances down the line about how ministers would use the powers in these bills. And yet the secretary of state, in his opening remarks, defended the wording of the bill as it stands, and offered no concrete concessions that might reassure honourable members across the house. Given this governments track record, which a number of my honourable friends have highlighted in their remarks, we needed proof of Real Movement and more and vague offers to talk at the committee stage. Mr speaker, many remain bewildered as to why the legislation has been drafted in this form. 0r legislation has been drafted in this form. Or why it there was a desire to publish the bill in draft. The unique challenger disentangling the uk from the eus structures and ensuring that we have a function in stature book on the dead are we leave required a builder to create a consensus across this house. Not one that undermines it. It required a bill that restored power to this house of commons, not a bill that concentrates on parallel power in the hands of the executive. We all agreed, all across the house, that a bill of this kind is necessary, but that does not mean that parliament should except this fundamentally flawed bill. That reason alone, the opposition will be voting against the door this evening. David lidington. Mr speaker, no fewer than 107 right honourable and honourable members have spoken during the two days of this second debate. I hope the house will giving advice to say that any time left to me, i will not be up to respond fully and in detail of those contributions. I do want to put on record my appreciation to all members who have taken part. I do like the honourable gentleman who did not want to single out the memberfor canterbury, did not want to single out the member for canterbury, who gave the house a fine maiden speech. And those of us who were in the chamber to listen or who read the speech in hansard will to listen or who read the speech in hansa rd will recall the to listen or who read the speech in hansard will recall the obvious passion and affection with which she spoke about the different communities that make up her constituency. I would like to say from this dispatch box that i and my parliamentary friends appreciated also the generous tribute she paid to her predecessor, sirjulian brazier. I thank herfor so doing. I wa nt brazier. I thank herfor so doing. I want mr speaker to spend the time that i have two try to address what seemed to mean to have been three chief criticisms of the bill which have been raised in various quarters in the house during the course of the last two days of debate. Those seem to me to be the question of the underlying principles of eu law, the matter of devolution, and the powers of the devolved administrations, and theissues of the devolved administrations, and the issues of the powers that are granted under the bill. I would like to Say Something about how the government sees the way forward. But i want to start byjust reminding the house as to why this bill is needed. And both the honourable gentleman on the opposition front bench and my right honourable, learned friend, the memberfor rushcliffe. Neither could be characterised as ardent champions of the leavers cause. I count myself in theircamp on the leavers cause. I count myself in their camp on that issue as well. But they both said that this bill does not determine whether or not we leave the European Union. That was a decision that the electorate took democratically last year and both the factors our departure and the time frame that governs that had to proceed now according to the processing time frame laid out in article 50 of the treaty on the European Union. What this allows us to do is to have a functioning statutory book and ready to resist the day that we leave. And day after. And regulatory system. The treaty cease to apply the day out we leave. And therefore the rights and responsibilities that currently have effect legally in the European Union, because of european law, will fall away, unless they are imported into United Kingdom law by this bill. And there were many contributions to the debate. Many right honourable and honourable members who spoke eloquently about the concerns that they or their constituents had about the future of various rights, employment rights, environment and so on, that they currently enjoyed. The honourable memberfor blaydon, currently enjoyed. The honourable member for blaydon, in currently enjoyed. The honourable memberfor blaydon, in recent hours of the debate was one such. What i would say by way of response is that those very employment and other rights that have been conferred as a result of eu regulations or judgements of the European Court are continued by this bill on a United Kingdom legal basis as part of what my honourable friend described in her speech is the wholesale adoption of european law. I do have to say to the official opposition to vote against the bill as they are proposing to do is therefore to vote against continuing those rights on a United Kingdom legal basis. It is to report, it is to put those rights at risk. It is to put it is to put those rights at risk. This will not be in the interest of either individuals or businesses. Very good, my right honourable friend. At this bill it has been entirely untrue and commercial. That rate it has been entirely throughout this bill, it has been entirely under controversial. 0ne written to the committee stage, will he be undertaking, when we go there in about a months time, will there be an address of what this bill is about . Is about the discretionary powers that go far beyond this limited ambition that he is describing, and i would prefer that he and the government came back, address those issues, and turned this bill into one that resembles the reassuring descriptions of it being given by the secretary of state for brexit and himself, to members of the government whose word i would actually except implicitly, but who are, in biblical world, where i have known governments to go back on reassuring words in the past. I do want to come and talk to that point. In the political world. Im grateful to the secretary of state. I said we want to invite him to respond to the criticism of his right honourable friend who is surely an absolutely right to describe this as an appalling monstrosity of a bill, and one that did how should frankly throughout. That is not a verdict with which i agree. I think that some of the criticisms of the bill has been exaggerated up to and beyond the point of hyperbole. I will seek to explain why. But i do wantjust point of hyperbole. I will seek to explain why. But i do want just to, in concluding my comments as to why the bill is needed, want to stress that the Time Available to us under the terms of article 50, is limited. And we must assume that in march 2019, this country will leave the European Union, and that that will be the deadline. Therefore, by that date, we need not only to have primary legislation enacted, but we need to have established the new regulatory bodies. We will need to have given effect to the secondary legislation that is proposed under the defined powers laid out in this bill. A number of right honourable and honourable members have said that yes, certain rights may be being preserved, but what about the general underlying principles of eu law . As i said earlier, when we leave, the treaties will cease to apply to this country. But under the bill, the general principles of european law, as recognised by the court ofjustice european law, as recognised by the court of justice before european law, as recognised by the court ofjustice before except they, or as embodied court ofjustice before except they, oras embodied in court ofjustice before except they, or as embodied in extent european legislation, will be retained in United Kingdom law for the poor in of interpreting eu law. Extant. Existing sources of rights and domestic rights of action will continue to operate in United Kingdom law undisturbed by the bill. And this includes rights like the right to equal treatment and non discrimination. Similarly, notwithstanding our exit from the eu, individuals will continue to be able to challenge secondary legislation and administrative action under our domestic law by way of well established grounds of judicial review. So for example, to ta ke judicial review. So for example, to take two important issues that have been raised, all the rights and remedies available under the directive and equality act will remain in force. They will be e nforced remain in force. They will be enforced through the United Kingdom courts, ultimately our supreme court, rather than through the European Courts. Breach of the general principles of eu law. As a consequence of that, writes which currently exist and are exercised, will in future not the available. I think this is an important point the government will have to consider. I think, for the most part, those rights are used when they are given effect through specific items of the European Union legislation, rather than being preyed upon in the abstract. I have to say this to my right honourable gentleman, that it is true, it is true. No, it is true. Look, the point is made and it is an important one. It is true that after exit, it will not be possible for an individual to bring a freestanding orfor the individual to bring a freestanding or for the courts to squash the action, if it breaks one or more principles of the eu law. Except, as those present was have been preserved by the bill which will be the case, if they have been given effect for a specific piece of legislation. It seems to be that this position is something that flows logically from the decision thatis flows logically from the decision that is made by the electorate to leave the European Union because that does involve separating the United Kingdoms legal order from the European Union legal order. I do wa nt to the European Union legal order. I do want to turn to the issue of devolution that has been a subject of much debate amongst scottish members of parliament. Thank you very much. Im grateful to the right honourable gentleman to intervene and help him with the general principles of eu law. The general principles of eu law. The general principles are respect for human rights. Nondiscrimination. Those are principles that we in this country should be enormously proud of. We should be enormously proud of. We should embrace those general principles instead of setting them aside. And this bill excludes anyone from relying upon those general printable is a public authority. Those principles of human rights and nondiscrimination are embodied in uk legislation. That was the situation a0 years ago before we entered the eu and it has remained the situation. It will continue to be the position u naffected continue to be the position unaffected by this bill. 0n the point about devolution, every single decision by the administrations will continue to be taken by them. The only question is how we best allocate to the uk government and to the administrations, the competencies and powers that will be returning to this country. When the devolution acts were drafted, it was in the context of this countrys membership of the eu. The lists of devolved reserved powers. If we look at the common fisheries policy, it includes matters to do with the detailed management of regulation of fisheries at what it also covers eu agreements, the morocco fisheries agreement, for example and it includes the eu and convention on fish stocks. These are International Agreements that one might things is sure to fall naturally to the uk government but this will be a matter for discussion, continuing discussion, between the uk government and the devolved administrations. We should need to come forward with some common framework. For example, to ensure that a scottish farmer can sell some of his produce to customers in england or Northern Ireland without having to worry about two different sets of hygiene and food safety regulations or a welsh paint manufacturer to be able to sell freely anywhere in the uk, without having to be concerned about the different rules on the regulation of chemicals. I am confident that the outcome of our negotiations and continuing discussions with the devolved administrations will see a significant increase in the power is being exercised by those devolved administrations. That remains the governments intention and i can also say to my honourable friend, that yes, ministers across government will continue to talk to and listen carefully to both the views of ministers in devolved administrations and to parliamentarians in the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly and my hopes are the Northern Ireland assembly as well. Mr speaker, the debate has centred, above all, upon the question of delegated powers. I want to emphasise to the house that there are significant safeguards already in the bill itself and sometimes the debate has tended to overlook those. And each of the four clauses that authorise secondary legislation have defined purpose. And a statutory instrument made under such a clause cannot be made to do something else. It has to deliver something which is within the purpose defined in that clause. If you look at clause seven, for example, the power to make a statutory instrument is limited to something that would put right a fairly or deficiency in retained a eu law and i quote, the rising form of withdraw of the uk from that eu. That power cannot be exercised for any other purpose was not a minister cannot make regulations because he dislikes the underlying policy or indeed because he dislikes the underlying eu law, but only when there is a problem of a piece of eu law that has been brought about by this countrys departure from the European Union. A similar condition that replies to clause eight, dealing with our international obligations. There has been a lot of debate about clause nine but of course, the powers under clause nine can only be used for the purpose of implementing that would drawl agreement and not for any other reason. agreement and not for any other reason. Withdrawal agreement. The term consequential has a long established, tightly defined meaning in parliamentary practice and in law. The idea that there is some sweeping power included here to rewrite the law of the United Kingdom is simply wrong. The Statutory Instruments may only be used for the purposes that are set out on the face of the bill. In addition, the government has included sunset clauses. The powers in clauses seven and eight laps two yea rs in clauses seven and eight laps two years after exit day and those in clause nine laps on extra day itself. The bill also includes further safeguards in terms of a list of exclusions from the scope of any delegated legislation lapse. They cant be used to make registry retrospective changes ought to change the human rights act or, to change. Despite those assurances that are incorporated in the wording of the bill, there were still very genuine, sincere concerns expressed in all parts of the house about whether there was sufficient parliamentary control and over how those powers were used. Secretary of state, please face us. There have been members for rush fields, beaconsfield, totnes, the right honourable gentleman is the birkenhead, for vauxhall and from blackly. They intend to discuss those intentions further with colleagues on all sides of the house. We accept that we need to get the balance right, for example, between negative and affirmative procedure and between debates in committee and debate on the floor. And we also, as my right honourable friend has already pledged, we should to discuss further the issues first raised by the right honourable memberfor leeds raised by the right honourable member for Leeds Central about linking the clause nine to the debate on the withdrawal agreement. We have to bear in mind the possibility of that agreement, that that agreement might be declared concluded very shortly after the date. I am most gratefulto my concluded very shortly after the date. I am most grateful to my right honourable friend. He is discussing it things we have to discuss in detail in the committee. Can the government give us a assurance that if more time is needed because in truth we have difficulty getting through the programme within the period, that the government will consider properly making what came available to the house. Making more Time Available. 39 hours and 17 minutes, the black government declared time for the bill to be ratified in treaty. We have shown today that where there is or j are to extent debate further, we are willing to consider that carefully indeed. I hope he will take that assurance in the spirit in which it has been intended. I hope that the house will recognise it is in the National Interest that we take this bill onto the statute book, but we are delivering the democratic verdict to the british people and we are doing it in a way that allows businesses and individuals to their future, confident in what is the law will be on and after exit day and i hope the house will therefore give thought. Lim the question is whether the amendment will be made. The question is whether the amendment will be made. The debate is over and in the next few minutes, we are going to get the vote on the great repeal bill. We will also get the debate on labour questioning of that. If the great repeal bill passes, it will transfer a whole slew, thousands of eu regulations, from eu statute books onto british statute books already nets of brexit. In readiness of brexit in march 2019. It is midnight. Youre watching bbc news. I am clive myrie. 0ur it is midnight. Youre watching bbc news. I am clive myrie. 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