Transcripts For BBCNEWS The Week In Parliament 20171210

News that i was mentioning in fact that has literally just news that i was mentioning in fact that has literallyjust come into us. That has literallyjust come into us. It says that Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffes husband, richard, has confirmed that the court case which was scheduled to ta ke court case which was scheduled to take place this afternoon has been postponed. Of course, he says, one tomorrow doesnt make it christmas, this is Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffes husband, richard. She is not yet on the plane, but it is good to have some hope. He is saying there is no further court appearance, which might have been an opportunity for judges to extend her present time as a result of the remarks that mr johnson made in the house of Commons Committee a few weeks ago in which he said that she had been the teaching journalists, which she denies. Lets stick with politics, with the week in parliament. Hello, and welcome to the week in parliament. Is it finally stage i, peace in our time, after the Prime Ministers failed plan from monday was attacked from all sides . If the price of the Prime Ministers approaches the break up of the union and reopening of bitter divides in Northern Ireland, then the price is too high. But theresa may insisted there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the republic of ireland. We aim to deliver this as part of our overall trade deal between the United Kingdom and European Union. Also on this programme the government says its abandoning a planned cap on social care costs in england. And ministers are urged to take action following president trumps decision to recognisejerusalem as israels capital. Will the secretary of state today completely rule out the state visit from president trump, and send out a clear message that his divisive and reckless actions are not welcome here . But first, it was another high stakes week for the government as theresa may attempted to secure an interim brexit deal. The Prime Minister had travelled to brussels on monday in the hope of getting an agreement that would pave the way for the start of trade talks. Mrs may and the president of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, gave a joint news conference, at which they said their meeting had been constructive. But the talks ran into the ground when the Democratic Unionist Party complained that a possible solution to the issue of the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic would mean Northern Ireland being treated differently to the rest of the uk. So on tuesday, the brexit secretary came to the commons to update mps. We held further talks in brussels over the past two days, and progress has been made. But we have not yet reached a final conclusion. However, however, i believe we are now close to concluding the first phase of negotiations and moving on to talk about our future trade relations. Mr speaker, what an embarrassment. The last 24 hours have given a new meaning to the phrase coalition of chaos. Yesterday morning, number ten was briefing that a deal would be signed. There was high expectation that the Prime Minister would make a triumphant statement to the house. By tea time, we had a 49 Second Press Conference saying the deal was off. Mr speaker, the government who said they would bring sovereignty back to parliament is now being controlled by someone who is not even a member of this parliament. A government that refuses to give parliament any say in the development and negotiating position has now let that negotiating position negotiating position be dictated by the leader of a parliament in the smallest of the four nations of this union. It should come as no surprise that the dublin and Irish Government wishes to advance its interests. Though that has gone about it in such an aggressive anti unionist way is disgraceful, and has set back relations and damaged the relationship within Northern Ireland in terms of the devolution settlement. And in the Scottish Parliament and welsh assembly, it was also made clear that a differential deal was not acceptable. Scotla nd scotland did not vote to leave the eu. The best solution is to stay. However, in a case of continued move towards brexit, there is overwhelming support in parliament and across this country to remain in scotla nd and across this country to remain in scotland in this union. I think therefore it is time for all of us, both here in scotland and across the uk, at this crucial time to speak out for what is in everybodys interest and reject a hard brexit. We cannot allow different parts of the uk to be more favorably treated than others. If one part of the uk is granted continued participation in the Single Market and customs union, we expect the same offer. Well, the state of the negotiations was raised the next day by the labour leader at Prime Ministers questions. Two days after the original cost and moneys channels, after mondays shambles. Is the Prime Minister ready to clearly outline what the position is now with regards to the irish border . Im very happy to outline my position on the irish border. It is exactly the same position that i talked about in the lancashire house speech, that we have taken consistently into negotiations, which is that we will ensure that there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the republic of ireland. We will do that while we respect the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom. And while we respected the internal market and protect the internal market of the United Kingdom. And those labour members who shout, how . , thats the whole point of the second phase of the negotiations. Because we will deliver this, we aim to deliver this as part of our overall trade deal between the United Kingdom and European Union. Theresa may. And on friday morning, there were sighs of relief all round as theresa may and the president of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, announced a deal had been done opening the way for the brexit talks to move on to the crucial subject of trade. News of a breakthrough came after four days of intense negotiations between british, eu and irish officials, and a frantic night of telephone diplomacy involving the democratic unionists. Well, away from the immediate high drama of the brexit talks, there was plenty of other brexit business in parliament. There was some surprise around westminster on wednesday when the brexit secretary admitted that the government hadnt carried out formal assessments of how leaving the European Union would effect the uk economy. The government has not undertaken any impact assessments on implications for leaving the eu for different sectors of the british economy . So there isnt one, for example, on the automotive sector . Not that i am aware of. Is there one on aerospace . Not that im aware of. Is there one on Financial Services . I think the answer would be no to all of them. Doesnt it strike you as rather strange, given the government undertakes impact assessments on all sorts of things all of the time, that on the most influential change we are taking as a country, youve just told us the government has not taken any impact assessments at all looking at the impact on individual sectors of the economy . The thing to say, mr chairman, is when these sectoral analyses were initiated, they are done to understand the effect of various options, what the outcome would be. You dont need to do an impact assessment, a formal impact assessment, to understand that if there is a regulatory hurdle between our producer and a market, it will have an impact. It will have an effect. The assessment of the effect, i think as i have said to you before, is not as straightforward as people imagine. Lam nota i am not a fan of economic models because they have all proven wrong. Meanwhile, in the main commons chamber, mps continued their detailed scrutiny of the eu withdrawal bill, which puts all eu law into uk law to avoid a legislative black hole on brexit day. A labour mp put forward an amendment that would give parliament a say on the so called divorce bill the money the uk will pay on leaving the European Union. It seemed quite peculiar to me that it was for the British Government to tell michel barnier, Jean Claude Juncker and the European Commission how much the government and british taxpayers were prepared to pay, but somehow, members of parliament arent grown up enough to hear about it, never mind the British Public finding out the real settlement. The payment would be part of an agreement. And the government has already, rightly, in my view, said that parliament will have a vote on the agreement. You cannot vote on an agreement without voting on the financing of an agreement. Because the agreement will stipulate the finances. We cannot have the devolved administrations having to pay money towards the divorce bill. It is absolutely ridiculous this parliament might, in any circumstances, suggest that the devolved administrations should have to pay for something which people in scotland didnt vote for, people in Northern Ireland did not vote for as countries. These amendments to the bill show an understandable desire to protect the role of this house, but they are not necessary. The government has always been clear this house will be given a vote on that agreement. The negotiated financial settlement will be part of foul Withdrawal Agreement. The secretary of state, my right honourable friend the secretary of state for exiting the European Union, was very clear on the 13th of november when he announced the Withdrawal Agreement and implementation bill. And that is one of the principal elements of our agreement with the eu. We expect that legislation will include authorisation to pay any financial settlement negotiated with the eu. The bill we are debating today is about ensuring the statute book is operational on exit day, not about paying any settlements. Steve baker. A Foreign Office minister has repeated the governments disagreement with United States President Donald Trump over his decision to recognise jerusalem as the capital of israel. President trumps decision reversed decades of us policy on one of the thorniest issues between israel and palestinians. Theres been a growing chorus of condemnation over the announcement. But the israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed it as historic, and said he was sure that more countries would follow suit. In the commons, labour asked an urgent question on the decision, and the minister made it clear where the uk stood. We disagree with the decision to move the capital tojerusalem. We disagree with the us decision to move its embassy to jury salom and recognise it as the israeli b for a financial settlement to jerusalem. We believe it is unhelpful in terms of prospects of peace in the region. The British Embassy is based in tel aviv and we have no plans to move it. There was a reason before yesterday that no other country would locate their embassy in jerusalem or recognise jerusalem as israels capital. Because to do either thing, let alone both at the same time, is to bring legitimacy on israels occupancy of east jerusalem, a occupation with no basis in law. Regardless of political differences across this chamber. We do share the values of inclusion and respect across these islands. Taking this into consideration, will the secretary of state today completely rule out a state visit from president trump, and send out a clear message that his divisive and reckless actions are not welcome here . Alistair burt said an invitation had been made, but no date had been set. Isnt the reality that the Peace Process has been stalled for 2h years . Since 1993. And what we do need now, following this announcement, is direct peace talks between the state of israel and palestinian representatives . And if we can get from the United Nations a brokered position whereby those peace talks start, actually this could end up being quite a good decision. I have no sense that yesterdays decision made a contribution to advancing the Peace Process. The Foreign Office minister alastair burt. Now, the news was announced in the week of the death of the 1960s model christine keeler, the last of the principal players in one of britains great political sex scandals. She became famous for her part in the scandal, which shook Harold Macmillans government. Duncan smith explains. In 1963, the secretary of state for work, john profumo, was forced to resign after admitting lying to the house of commons after admitting his affair. The secretary of state for war. Christine keeler was a former showgirl and model. She was also sharing a bed with a soviet spy. When keeler began attracting press attention, the story started to leak out. Profumo admitted all. He never returned to the world of politics. Duncan smith. So why was the Profumo Affair quite so damaging . In 1963, lord carrington was a fellow defence minister with jack profumo. For a special programme four years ago that marked 50 years since that tumultuous time, he told me hed asked profumo why hed lied to the commons about the affair, triggering his downfall. He said, well, you see i was accused of being too close to people who knew the soviet naval attache. At the height of the cold war, this was very important and can be very dangerous. I thought that i had to defend myself about that. And i thought whatever i had done with miss keeler was quite unimportant compared with my relations with the soviet naval attache. I thought it didnt matter. I said, i think you have made a great mistake, jack. If you told the truth, he would have been in the dog house for a few months and he would have been back in the government before long. He was an admirable person, profumo. Goodness knows, he worked his guts out after that. Lord carrington speaking to me in 2013. Now, lets take a look at some of the news from around westminster in brief. A new report has concluded that the intelligence service, m15, and the police had opportunities to prevent the Manchester Arena bombing earlier this year. 22 people were killed in the attack carried out by salman abedi in may. The report, which was commissioned by the government, says information had been received about him at the start of the year. Had an investigation been reopened at the time, it cannot be known whether abedis plans could have been stopped. M15 assessed that it would have been unlikely. Across the attacks, including Manchester Arena, David Anderson notes that m15 and other policing got a great deal right. However, in relation to manchester, he also commented that, quote, it is conceivable that the attack might have been averted had the cards fallen differently. The governments been urged to take Emergency Action to tackle homelessness. The founder of the big Issue Magazine argued that, with the Festive Season on the way, there was only so much charities could do. Wherever you go in our cities, whatever crisis and shelters do, there are people out there, many of them distressed and mentally ill. It is an absolute disgrace, it is nothing to do with human rights, we really have to move very quickly. Because these people are dying before our eyes. The last two general elections and the european referendum have one thing in common they were not happy events for some pollsters. Anxious to find out why, the Lords Committee on political polling have been holding an inquiry. But its star witness had a question of his own. Was there a risk that an industry that is middle class and london based, and where the zeitgeist was thinking no one would be daft enough to leave the European Union. If we are going to call this for the leave, we have to be absolutely sure that this is right, otherwise the london professional classes really will crucify us. The environment secretary, michael gove, says the government will make an announcement within days on recognising that animals can feel emotion and pain, providing stronger welfare protection in uk law. Thered been a row with some campaigners over whether animals would still receive Legal Protection when we leave the eu. It is absolutely the case that we are committed to and sharing committed to ensuring, notjust that we recognise the principle of animal centurions, but that we provide appropriate stronger protection in uk law. The environment secretary, michael gove. Now, whats been happening in the wider world of westminster . Heres Alex Partridge with our countdown. It was a late night on monday in the commons, the conservative peter bone showed up at 1am to present a petition on behalf of his constituents. This dreadful prospect of a factory style american chicken farm. Conservative michael fabrica nt is a man of many talents, this week he gave us his unique take on a Black Country accent. I believe that is the correct pronunciation. Falling out of the week is between Philip Hammond and the raf to ban them from using theirjets for official visits until an unpaid bill was settled. During a debate on the irish border and brexit, he enthusiastically explained how a popular irish drink is made. Labours mike gapes. The milk that is taken from cows in the south and from the north, put together in the same factory, and then it is mixed together with whiskey and it comes out as baileys. A portrait of the late bernie grant was unveiled in parliament. He became one of the first black mps elected to the commons. Alex partridge. Mps have been told that a cap on social care costs in england due to come into effect in four years time is to be scrapped. The cap of £72,500 on an individuals care costs was brought in following the recommendations of the Dilnot Commission in 2011 and had already been put into an act of parliament, but the government says there will now be a fresh consultation on the future system of social care. The minister was making the statement following a vote by mps earlier in the year. The Prime Minister has been clear that the consultation will include proposals to place a limit on the care costs individuals face. To allow for further engagement and development of the approach which reforms the care system, we will not be taking forward the previous governments plans to implemend a cap on care costs until 2020. This is a shameful waste of taxpayers money. 0ver £1 million at todays money was spent in commissioning the dilcott review, and it is a waste of parliamentary time. In acting that cap. It is no good for the minister to say the government are consulting on this issue, they consulted on it during the general election and their proposals were rejected by the electorate. Will my children be suffering the same level of misery about my care costs in the next 30 years . In the absence of provision that i may make, and that dilnott might have been encouraging me to make, is it reasonable to expect my social care costs to be paid for by the state and you might then to have to take my housing assets . In a nutshell, one of the debates have to have the space is how about we ensure that people can achieve care when they need it and that it will be paid for, while at the same time achieving intergenerational fairness . Tuesday evening saw the annual Political Studies Association Awards presented byjon snow of channel 4 news. The award for backbench mp of the year went to labours stella creasy, who led what turned out to be a short but highly Successful Campaign to allow women from Northern Ireland who travelled to britain for abortions to have them paid for by the nhs. The award was presented by speakerjohn bercow. She is from my Vantage Point in the chair one of the most outstanding backbenchers i have met. Ladies and gentlemen, i am very proud to tell you what you will have already worked out for yourselves, namely that the Political Studies association backbencher of the year 2017 is Stella Creasey its absolutely wonderful to receive this award on today of all days, when i think i would like to think in june we first showed that even in seemingly impossible circumstances, when getting the government and the dup to agree to abortion rights in Northern Ireland it is possible to achieve regulatory alignment. The person who is going to win campaigner of the year has shown great dignity and grace in the face of the personal abuse that she faced and her campaign, and that was a Successful Campaign, a legal fight to make sure it was parliament that was sovereign in the decision over whether we should leave the European Union, and the winner is gina miller. I was stunned when i got the letter, because i still think i didnt really do anything that special, ijust asked a question. A simple question, to my mind. But that this award is not for me, it is an award for all of us who value democracy. And i. Accountability and scrutiny. It makes our country strong. It is what we value. Our final award of the evening is contribution to the arts and culture, an award for an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the arts and culture, and thereby helped the public better understand and interpret politics over a sustained period. The conversion to the arts and culture award goes to an individual whose illuminating body of work has reinvigorated political drama, establishing him as an of the most lithic and critically acclaimed playwrights in modern britain with the house, ink and labour of love to name but three, im delighted to announce the award to james graham. Thank you. The joy of being a theatre maker or a screenwriter of tv drama or film is that we do not have to do the hot tag, we dont have to do the immediate response. We can sit back and try to take a longer view. Im absolutely amazed that there is an audience for this. I started writing really unfashionable political plays about anthony eden when i was 21 forfringe theatres in london. I was always told there was no audience for it. And i was totally baffled and surprised and thrilled this year to have three political plays in the west end with audiences coming. And it proved to me at least, regardless of what i am doing, it proved thatjust because people are angry or disillusioned it doesnt mean that they are disengaged, and they really want to make that sense of things. Thats it from the week in parliament, a week which really did mark the end of the beginning. Looking forward to stage 2 already. Dojoin Keith Macdougall for a round up of of all the parliamentary news on monday. But from me, alicia mccarthy, goodbye. Good afternoon. The office still has a one good afternoon. The office still has a one and amber weather warning in place. Still snowing for many, it has been all day for some. The snow will use down into the evening, still through the central zone, where we continue to see further flurries. The rain could turn to snow in southern counties. But the gales are easing. Ice will become the major concern in scotland and Northern Ireland. Temperatures in many parts of scotland havent got above freezing today. Understandably there will be a widespread frost here. Where snow is lying on the ground, we could get to minus double figures to start your monday morning. A very cold monday morning commute, and just about anywhere, be wary, icy conditions around on some of the roads and pavements, especially where minor roads arent treated. Lovely, sunny day for most. There will be exceptions, the south east, a low pressure system producing outbreaks of rain and strong to gale force winds. Further wintry slurry is in scotland and Northern Ireland. But temperatures for most onlyjust above Northern Ireland. But temperatures for most only just above freezing. This is bbc news. The headlines at three the uk is facing more heavy snowfalls with an amber weather warning issued in many parts of the country. Drivers are being asked to be prepared. Some roads will be better than others and with any forecast, it can change. So i think its a case of keeping your eye on whats on the media and we will do our best to keep what we can open, but with the snow that is forecast, there will be problems. Theres been travel disruption across the country birmingham and stansted airports have closed because of heavy snow. The bbc has learnt that Nazanin Zagari ratcliffe the british woman imprisoned in iran, will not have to appear in court today. It follows recent talks between Boris Johnson and the iranian president earlier today. The brexit secretary has warned that the uk could still refuse to pay its divorce bill if it doesnt get a trade deal with the eu. So, number one,