Coming up, mps guilty of misconduct could face a by election under new cross party could face a by election under new cross party proposals. Could face a by election under new crossparty proposals. Hopefully, we will signal the beginning of the end of the poisonous, patriarchal culture that has characterised so many of the relationships of this house. The government acknowledges that patients are the Liverpool Hospital suffered unnecessary harm. On the half of the government, i wa nt to on the half of the government, i want to apologise to them and i know the whole house would want to extend oui the whole house would want to extend our sympathies to every one of them. And matt hancock suffers an identity crisis. I look forward to munich heading with my constituents over matt hancock for many years. But first, mps who are found to have bullied or harassed their staff could be suspended and voters could force them to face a by election. The leader of the house of commons proposed it to tackle the problem at the house of westminster. They include a new independent complaints procedure, pipelines, and mandatory training. Angela lets presented the findings to mps. The working group was formed to bring about change. It isa was formed to bring about change. It is a vice, not a privilege to be treated with dignity and respect at work. And this ambitious report is a major step towards a safer and more professional environment. Everyone in Parliament Must be able to Work Together cooperatively, respecting the expertise of the house and bonnet our balancing our responsibilities as elected representatives in a safe and secure and constructive workplace, so that everyone , out and constructive workplace, so that everyone, our constituents and staff and staff of this house, can benefit from working for the common good in this extraordinary place. This is a significant, substantial document that hopefully will signal the end of the poisonous, patriarchal culture that has characterised so many of the relationships of this house. Victims of Sexual Harassment and now have a process to make formal complaints, independent of the Political Parties, and that is perhaps the key feature of what is being designed and delivered today. The media spotlight can be very harsh and even a member of parliament on the basis just an accusation made, but it can also be very harsh on a complainant and we have to bear that in mind stop loop but publication of the accuseds name might bring forth corroborating evidence in what otherwise might be one persons word against another. Bat publication. One persons word against another. Bat publication. So, my honourable friend will appreciate this has been an incredibly difficult balancing act on what we all made clear is that the commitment to protecting the interest of a complainant would be at the heart of this and that means very often that complainant does not wa nt very often that complainant does not want and will not in fact come forward with a complaint if they then run the risk of being hounded in the media and having effectively a trial in the full glare of the public spotlight. And that was one of the or areas that we sought to address. What that does inevitably mean is that there are compromises. Core areas. What this means is that there are discussions about the sieges, where it should become the right balance between the Public Interest to know about a perpetrator and the interest of the complainant to have their privacy and confidentiality respected. Would she respect that not only do we need the consent training that she has referred to, that it does need not tojust be referred to, that it does need not to just be mandatory referred to, that it does need not tojust be mandatory but referred to, that it does need not to just be mandatory but that they do need to be sanctions for those members persuaded not to take it up . Because quite frankly, those who are most resistant to take up that training are probably those who need it most. The training we need to counter unconscious bias, what constitutes bullying, there will be sanctions and will be seeking means to encourage people across the states ta ke to encourage people across the states take them up voluntarily were we cannot make it mandatory. One of the worst forms of bullying in the playground is when a bunch of kids gang up playground is when a bunch of kids gang up on another child. And that is sort of what we do every afternoon prime ministers questions. We have, when someone is called that we do not like, there are growing so members across the chamberas if to are growing so members across the chamber as if to suggest that they are less important than anybody else, and we pay somebody when it is from our own side and all too often, the whips on either side are deliberately trying to shut down people on either side of the chamber. Shout. If we are really going to tackle bullying, after going to tackle bullying, after going to tackle bullying, after going to have to tackle the whole culture of the way that we do business . Well, i am very sympathetic to what he is saying and what this procedure seeks to do is to change the culture in this place. We all have our own personal opinions about different activities and what is right and what is wrong, but what is very important is how the complainant feels, and by having this independent procedure it will be possible for an individual to go and talk to somebody to receive support and guidance, and where necessary , support and guidance, and where necessary, to have an investigation if it is felt that this is something thatis if it is felt that this is something that is serious and needs to be addressed. I think that itself, once we see the impact that that has on people, not necessarily members of this place, could be anybody who works on the parliamentary estate, once people start to see that there are consequences, i once people start to see that there are consequences, i think that will have change on the culture in this place. Andrea leadsom. The Health Minister has apologised to patients and staff at Liverpool Community health nhs trust after an investigation found that patients had suffered unnecessary harm and cost cutting had led to severe Staff Shortages and bullying. The government found the trust to be dysfunctional from the outset. What happened to patients of Liverpool Community is before anything else, a terrible personal tragedy for all of the families involved. The report also makes clear the devastating impact on many of the front line staff as well. On the half of the government, i want to apologise to them and i know the whole house would want to extend our sympathies to every one of them. Todays report says that patients of Community Services suffered unnecessary harm because the Leadership Team was and i quote, out of its depth. Lets be clear what lies at the heart of this, unrealistic cost cutting by the trust without regard to the consequences, the trust without regard to the consequences, which directly led to patients being harmed. The report exposes Serious Problems about the scale of cost cutting being imposed on nhs trust, the motivation was the drive to achieve foundation restate his. The staff who blew the whistle about poor care and its measures to save money. What guarantee can the minister for that this is no being no longer being prioritised over patient care . The minister said the new regime had been put in place for hospital inspections, which put more emphasis on staff and patient surveys. The report also nominated that the noted that the trust had set an aggressive cost Improvement Plan in part of efforts to save £5 billion. Ahead of the committee an insurance it could not happen again. Assurance. Clearly, we continue to cut staff and funding from Community Services, there are terrible consequences for patient care. Will the minister assure the house that he will be working closely alongside the Care Quality Commission to identify other trust in which these kinds of issues are likely to arise because of the workforce and funding pressures that are being faced . The report by a doctor follows a long Running Campaign via one labour mp. Doctor follows a long Running Campaign via one labour mpi doctor follows a long Running Campaign via one labour mp. I would like to thank the doctor as well, and paying tribute to his thoroughness and independence and thank him most sincerely on behalf of the staff and the patients in liverpool who suffered really badly at the hands of this, i want is a dictatorship, regime, whatever it was, but it was done in our name, in the name of the nhs, and they do deserve just as. All organisations and individuals make mistakes and we re and individuals make mistakes and were there is an opportunity to learn and improve, we will do all we can to provide support. Justice. We however there is any kind of cover up or we however there is any kind of cover up or blinkered denial is what has happened, members of this house and victims of that wrongdoing have and victims of that wrongdoing have a right to expect accountability. The member for west lancashire has done the nhs a great service. I will place a copy of the review in the house of commons library, the government is acting in full on the findings. The financial watchdog, the National Audit office, has been ask by the government to investigate the finances of a charity. The Company Provides vehicles for disabled people, the move follows reports that they have reserves of nearly £2. 5 billion and pay as its chief executive £i. 7 million a year. The work and pensions secretary was concerned about the figures. While the remuneration of its directors is a matter, one has to question from the outside whether this is really right. A view endorsed by the charity commission, who said yesterday that the trustees may wish to consider the reputational issues raised by the salaries being paid to their commercial partnerss executives. Together with the current focus on the use of public money, i have today ask the National Audit office to give consideration to undertake an investigation into this matter. I would be keen for them to look at how taxpayerss money is being used by the charity. What we are interested in in parliament is the finances behind it, the excessive profits and the scandal that a no risk scheme, and the charity itself, holding 2. 4 billion in reserves, quite unnecessarily. Isnt it the case that not only have the taxpayer being over paying over the years, but also disabled people have been overpaying from their benefits to pay for this scheme . Surely, they could be getting exactly the same benefit for a lower amount of money each week and that money could be given back to disabled people to help them pay for their other living costs . I raise the issue the other day that my constituent natasha, who was in it receipt of lifetime benefits, that was removed and she was at risk of having it removed from her. Iwould just like was at risk of having it removed from her. I would just like to ask the minister, and grateful she is having an investigation. Will ship a particular attention to the conduct of the trustees . The honourable member is right to be emotional because for many people, this is an emotional matter, particularly just after christmas. And again, those are matters that need to be pursued and those trustees need to be held to account. You are watching thursday in parliament with me, mandy baker. Now, before christmas, the commons passed a motion calling on the government to improve transitional arrangements for women born on or after the sixth of april 1951. The women who have lost out because of state pension changes. The government had 12 weeks to respond and on this the last day before the half turn recess, the pensions minister told the commons that revoking pensions legislation would carry a huge cost to the public purse. Any further transitional arrangement would come at great cost. The government has considered many options and all the proposals would be wrought with substantial legal problems as well as financial ones. Any amendment to the current legislation, which creates a new inequality between men and women, would unquestionably be highly dubious as a matter of law, causing younger people to bear a greater share of the cost of the Pension System in this way would be unfair and undermine the principle of intergenerational fairness which is integral to our state pension reforms. Statements statement sadly does nothing to help 1950s born women. Action, not words are needed if the government is to restore some of the faith and dignity that many people feel they have lost as a result of the governments refusal to act and to introduce proper transitional procedures. These are women, the women of britain, who built this country. They deserve nothing less. The original debate in november had been called by the snp. There is a clear majority in this house in support of the 1950s women. In the more plaster and passing the buck the government should bring forward proposals that address each motion, transitional arrangements for women bought on or after the first of april 1951 who have been adversely affected either state pension age, that is the will of the house and clearly it is expressed time and time again. |j house and clearly it is expressed time and time again. I can only assume the minister doesnt really get this because the consequences and the strength of feeling, not just amongst the 1950s women but amongst colleagues is extremely angry. But maybe i can offer some help. Maybe if the honourable gentleman was to meet with myself and the moral member of shaw on a wicker share the findings of consultation with the atp state pension equality for women because maybe then mr speaker if we could talk him through the problem and encourage him to do the right thing and acknowledge the problem and come up and acknowledge the problem and come up witha and acknowledge the problem and come up with a respectful amsa. All of the Political Parties are involved here, the conservatives, labour and the 13 years did very little and the coalition is we dont think any of us coalition is we dont think any of us have a clean hand but secondly, i would urge the minister to address three possible options labours cost neutral option for 64, to give some indication of transition and what the minister accept if the parliamentary ombudsman took some cases and concluded the communication had been absolutely shocking by all the political government . The honourable gentleman walked through the lobby with myself in 2011 to pass the 2011 act when the liberal party was a party of financial discipline. So i will, with respect, ta ke i financial discipline. So i will, with respect, take i believe we took the right decision at that particular time. The so called cost neutral option i can assure the honourable gentleman is far from that. It is neither workable board is at cost neutral and certainly it is at cost neutral and certainly it is the case that on an ongoing basis, the government is sticking to the position it put forward since 1995, the leather government put forward to 19 years and the Coalition Government took it in 1911. There were accusations in the lords that conditions in prisons have never been worse than they are now. There are currently more than 84,000 people injail in england and wales, compared with just 45,019 91. She is demanded action. 75 of the 10019 prisons in england and wales have populations in excess of the 35 normal accommodation standards, latest figures show a 12 rise in both assaults and self injury in prisons. The chief executive of the lea k tells prisons. The chief executive of the leak tells me that in 13 years in the sector, she has never known conditions so bad. When is this brexit paralysed government going to treat prisoners and Prisons Reform asa treat prisoners and Prisons Reform as a National Priority . How bad is the tough to get . Will the noble earl tell us when he lost when he will visit the prison to see conditions for himself . The demands on our conditions for himself . The demands on our prisons conditions for himself . The demands on our prisons are a conditions for himself . The demands on our prisons are a long term issue, not a short term problem, and we do intend to address them with a programme of new prisons. I may say that the question of capacity in our prisons have been with us well over 15 years. Indeed, we are not quite at the same sort of ceiling of use as we were even ten years ago. As regards grubbing levels, i regret to say that even since 2004 they have remained persistently at about the same level on a measure in percentage terms of between 24 and 2596 percentage terms of between 24 and 25 but as i say we are seeking to address these issues with our programme of new establishments. Address these issues with our programme of new establishmentsm the government contends that we have the government contends that we have the fifth highest incarceration rate in the eu, exceeded only by poland, hungary and the Czech Republic and love ikea . And if not, what is it proposed to do about it . The government is not content with such a situation and is addressing more widely the issue of how and when we can develop non custodial sentences toa can develop non custodial sentences to a great extent. One of the pressures on the existing prison population has been the development of sentencing with regard to historic sex abuse where long term sentences have been imposed on a large number of people and that has put further pressure on the prison population. There were also concerns about the high turnover of staff at the top of the ministry ofjustice and the impact it would have on the governments ability to make improvements. The ministers have got to learn about prisons which isnt an easy task and so, get a situation where good reforms are overlooked and mistaken reforms are implemented. Does he think a solution to this . Speaking from a personal perspective, i hope there isa personal perspective, i hope there is a solution in the form of some consistency and constancy in ministerial appointments in certain particular departments. But i quite understand that the noble lord is concerned. What i could say is we are concerned within the ministry of justice a consistent policy with regard the present improvement. Gay marriage is being banned in bermuda, just six months after it was brought in. Officials in the british overseas territory voted on wednesday to overturn the law. The foreign secretary borisjohnson has decided not to intervene to block the move. Labour mp condemns that is a backward step for the lgbtq writes. Does the minister not really worrying that when she tells the russians to respect lgbt writes in chechnya or when she tries to convince india or pakistan or indonesia to change the law and to benefit lgbt indonesia to change the law and to benefit lg bt people, indonesia to change the law and to benefit lgbt people, those countries will just benefit lgbt people, those countries willjust laugh at her benefit lgbt people, those countries will just laugh at her and benefit lgbt people, those countries willjust laugh at her and said look, the first territory in the world to repeal same sex marriage is british bermuda and they did it with your express permission we are disappointed that the right to marry has been removed. But we also have to recognise that the act provides legal recognition of same sex relationships and the recognition thatis relationships and the recognition that is required under the European Court of human rights. |j that is required under the European Court of human rights. I respect the rights of overseas territories to set their own laws but in her discussions with the duminy government, while the minister communicate that their wrist discomfort with this decision on both sides of this chamber . The first slaves were bought bermuda in 1620. Oppressed, segregated, discriminated against. And that is why leaders like nelson mandela, desmond tutu and barack obama have not just fought for race rights, they fought for rights of lgbt people. This country has been one of the World Leaders on the subject. Sorry if this isnt the issue on which to refuse assent, i dont know which to refuse assent, i dont know which is. Ultimately, isnt it the case that it would also be a profound step if britain were to ta ke profound step if britain were to take this action in relation to bermudan democracy . Well, i do agree that those are the issues which needed to be balanced in this circumstance and thats to withhold assent really requires very limited circumstances and really would need to be based on a legal or constitutional issue, and having considered the circumstances very, very carefully, the secretary of state decided that these circumstances, it would not be appropriate to use this power. Harriet baldwin. And now for something if not completely different, a little bit different. It isnt compulsory the committee is to spend all their time on the Committee Corridor of the palace of westminster. They can travel around, taking evidence from other parts of the uk or even abroad. The Digital Culture media and Sport Committee have been investigating fake news and they decided to take a trip to a bastian of the genre, washington, dc. There, a huge cast had assembled, among the representatives of google, facebook, the New York Times and cnn. Youtube was asked about the brexit referendum. We found no evidence of our services being used to interfere in the brexit referendum and were happy to co operate any further efforts. What about fake news . Identifying and managing content on youtube is the number one priority for us this year, it is mission criticalfor the business, it is critical to our users, to our creators, to advertisers, and the us as a company. So we invest tremendous resources both in terms of technology and the people working on theseissues technology and the people working on these issues are executive team, is actually engaged, we meet hours every week to erupt how we can improve our systems to make sure that the policies on youtube are followed, that we are quickly identifying content that violates the policies and removing it, so it isa the policies and removing it, so it is a top priority for the business. Juniper downs of you tube. Finally, the rectory secretary of state for the rectory secretary of state for the media and sport digital impressive digital brief by watching his smart front up, the first mp to do so. That hancock features picture galleries and videos of him and also allows users to sign up as friends and chat with other fans of the app. There have been concerns about the apps Privacy Policy and whether it complies with the Data Protection act. The shadow culture secretary had a question. What action of the secretary of state think should be taken against a app which breaches key conditions of the Data Protection act and the Privacy Communications regulators and isnt gdp are compliant . I think all apps should be complied with the law and a delight to say that my app years. Exactly because the app im talking about isntjust, exactly because the app im talking about isnt just, doesnt just belong to him, it is named after him, and the general protection for public need protection from the privacy being invaded by matt hancock, their personal information being shared with third parties by matt hancock and their private photos being accessed by matt hancock. The undertone to fall while he undertake to ensure that it complies with all regulations in future explain why he thinks that other apps shouldnt . More importantly i think we should use Digital Communications to communicate with our constituency in all their modern forms and friendly iam all their modern forms and friendly i am delighted by the response that the app has had so far, given i could imagine, and i look forward to communicating with my constituents over matt hancock for many years. That hancock, delighted with matt hancock. That is all we have time for but dojoin me hancock. That is all we have time for but do join me at the same time tomorrow for a round up of the whole week here at with an stuff. For now, from me, mandy baker, goodbye. Hello there. Its fortunes to start the day, cold with frost and the risk of ice across North Western areas, some snow showers around as well, we refer the east we have the band of rain will be bringing with it some pretty wet weather and some dusty winds as well but the rain and the cloud keeping temperatures up here for the early rises of around five or six degrees in the centre of london first thing friday morning. Looking at the charts for friday, the band of rain, the cold front is pushing eastwards bringing some disruptive snow to france to anyone heading that way, get that in mind. On the cold fronts the area will be getting colder and dragging in a number of snow showers across the north and west. For friday, rain clearing away from east anglia in south east england fairly quickly in the morning followed by wintry showers, would bring a covering of snow potentially at lower levels for a time on friday and may well stay quite cloudy towards those is in coastal areas, mr the sunshine the rails and eastern england, so that north, watch out the icy stretches first thing in the morning, plenty of sunshine around but also a number of sunshine around but also a number of shower was, falling snow inland, around the coast of sleep and remixing. The bridges between four and seven degrees, filling cold in the wind. Looking at the weather charts through friday evening and overnight, clear skies four times a temperatures dropping away, a frost and the risk of icy patches and then we get this atlantic front moving into the cold air, the rain turned to snow, potentially at low levels in scotland, potentially quite heavy snow for a time, but ultimately, as we go through saturday, the wind will start to turn to more of a south westerly direction, the snow will push higher and higher into the hills of Northern England and scotla nd hills of Northern England and scotland before turning back the rain and will be left with a soggy saturday really across england and wales. Heavy outbreaks of rain, south westerly wind, turning milder, bridges to 11 in cardiff, the cold weather still with us hanging across all the most parts of scotland, the potential for a windy spell of weather as we get the weather front developing just putting a squeeze on the size of ours through saturday night, it is one to watch and it could windy for a time but by the time we get to sunday, looking at north westerly winds coming with us, plenty of sunshine across a locally chilly start of the date and we will see a number of snow showers again, perhaps the rain and sleet begin around coastal areas and quite chilly in the north west. Welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. My name is mike embley. Our top stories with the olympic Opening Ceremony hours away, the un waives sanctions to allow a Senior North Korean official to visit the south. But no games for 47 russian athletes and coaches accused of doping. Their appeals are rejected just hours before the Opening Ceremony. Scrambling for the votes to spend hundreds of billions of dollars. American lawmakers argue over another government shutdown. The reason why two reuters journalists are on trial in myanmar new revelations about military killings and a mass grave. The joy of a new superhero film, with an almost entirely black cast