Coming up in the next half hour Opposition Mps have another go at persuading the government to suspended implementing the new benefits system. All of this, mr speaker, is reason to pause universal credit roll out. The Foreign Office updates the commons on the latest situation in the syrian city of raqqa, now that the so called Islamic State group has been forced out. And mps hear about new challenges for our police force. Having seen this and been out of my own staff, in seems increasingly like uniform social work rather than policing. But first. Last week we saw the highly unusual spectacle of a government defeat in the commons by 299 votes to zero. The vote was on pausing the implementation of the new universal credit benefit system, though it wasnt binding. Conservative mps were ordered by their party to abstain. Afterwards, Opposition Mps condemned the government, saying ministers were reducing the commons to a talking shop. In the absence of a ministerial statement, the speaker permitted an emergency debate on the roll out of universal credit. And there was quite a lot of anger on the opposition benches. In wallasey, the roll out will begin halfway through november. Six weeks later, it is christmas. The dwp will not be open on christmas day, which means many of my constituents will have to wait until the new year for any assistance. Which is why our local food bank is looking to collect 15 tonnes of extra food to deal with the demand. Does she agree with me that its time this parliament listened and the government listened to what parliament is saying and acted to alleviate is saying and acted to alleviate this obviously avoidable hardship . On december 13, when the scheme rolls out in swansea, i am anticipating mayhem for far too many vulnerable people. It doesnt take a mathematician to work out that if you transfer 12 days before christmas and the payments take between 35 and 42 days to appear in your bank account, there are there are going to be a lot of swansea residents in dire straits at the worst possible time. All of this, mr speaker, is reason for the government to respect the will of the house. This countrys elected representatives and pause universal credits for service roll out. I stand ready to work with them in the National Interest to address these issues and avert a disaster and avert a disaster that is universal credit. The decision of whether or not to vote as a matter the decision of whether or not to vote is a matter for members and their parties. As you noted last week, it is a legitimate one to take. Universal credit was fully legislated for in the welfare reformat 2012 and its subsequent sis and was subsequently debated by parliament. Ijust want to ask the minister, if he thought we had such a good debate last week, why did his party abstain from voting . Well, mr speaker, im going to come to many of the things that came out of the debate. As i said, it is legitimate as a decision to vote, or otherwise, in such a debate, but there is much to take from a debate like that. It was a very high quality session of this house. Strong leadership would have seen action last week, strong leadership would have accepted the parliamentary arithmetic, would would have accepted the mood of the house and our constituents and would have accepted it needed to act. Last week, we saw the desperate weakness of a government unwilling to defend its flagship Social SecuritySocial Security policy in the lobbies. In what must be a near unprecedented scenario, they completely misread the house. If the labour party truly believe what they were saying, that they do indeed support the principle of universal credit, they would be working with government to make sure the roll out is a success. Rather than scaremongering and trying to block the good reform to our benefit system. We also need to, i believe, change the six week period. It is a very substantial period, it isnt in the spirit, its not in the values of universal credit. It ought to be that four week period. Right from the off. So i think the government is demonstrating it is listening and a key part of that has been the introduction of the free of the free telephone service. I dont want the roll out to be stopped, but for it to go on, i think there needs reform. The conservative mp, chris green. It was in january 2014 that the so called Islamic State group, or daesh, seized control of raqqa in syria. Declaring the city to be its capital, is embarked on a campaign of violence and brutality against the inhabitants. Later that year, america launched air strikes. The uk followed suit once parliament had approved military intervention, after a fierce debate in the commons. Now, nearly four year later, is has been forced out of raqqa. Raqqa was officially liberated on the 20th of october. The Syrian Democratic forces supported by the Global Coalition against daesh began operations to liberate raqqa injune 2017. Military operations are ongoing, the liberation of raqqa this month follows significant daesh territorial losses in iraq, including mosul in july. Daesh has now lost over 90 of its territory it once occupied in iraq and syria. The ministers statement was instigated by a labour mp. You will recall that in november 2015, the then Prime Minister, david cameron, made the case for the liberation of raqqa, cameron, made the case for the liberation of raqqa, which has now been achieved, as central to endorse been achieved, as central to endorse the air Strike Campaign from the raf which had been taking place in syria since that point. He asked what the next steps would be to defeat is and the evil ideology underpinning it. The minister himself as always been assiduous on this matter. I do say to the government that their failure to offer a statement to this house following the liberation, not only does it suggest a lack of respect for parliament and the british people on whom we were asked to make the decision to send the Royal Air Force into a theatre of combat, but also there is a worried that it suggests a complacency and lack of it which has too often been the hallmark of the aftermath of the government on both colours in attempting to maintain stability in the region following conflict. The minister reassured him that the foreign secretary would be making a full statement shortly but, in the meantime, he told mps what the uk was doing now. In terms of stabilisation, in immediate terms we have stepped up by humanitarian support, secretary of state announced an additional £17 million and ordered to restore crippled Health Facilities deliver much needed medical support and relief and crucially to clear lethal landmines and explosives because in leaving the city, daesh have left a reminder the city, daesh have left a reminder of the killing machine behind them. Let me thank the minister for his opening remarks. I wholeheartedly agree with his sentiments and for once we are in union that the victory against daesh in raqqa once we are in union that the victory against daesh in raqqa is a vital blow against an evil death cult and it makes a mockery of their pretensions to establish caliphate pretensions to establish caliphate in syria or elsewhere. It shows them to be the weaklings and the cowards that they are. Will the minister agree with me that britishjihadists need also to be captured where possible and tried for the heinous war crimes, some of which can only be faced in International Crown court such as the hague. Things such as genocide for the whole were to witness, ratherthan, and i quote, the only way of dealing with them witness, ratherthan, and i quote, the only way of dealing with them in almost every case almost every case will be to kill them. This of course will only fuel is recruitment. To make it very clear, is the defence secretary said on the 12th of october, those who go to syria put themselves in themselves in danger. Those who go to syria to take action against the United Kingdom and and the United Kingdoms interests put themselves in particular danger. And if they are involved in conflict or they are involved in planning actions which will take the lives of british systems, they run the risk of being killed themselves. Of course, those who surrender to forces, those in the area, must expect to be treated by the laws of Armed Conflict and be treated properly and humanely in terms of being brought to justice. Those who return to the United Kingdom, as indicated earlier, but also been questioned about their activity and brought to justice. I welcome the news that raqqa has been liberated from daesh. Especially Paradise Square that the terrorists carried out public beheadings. I want to thank the minister for all the work that he has done in securing a Un Resolution to locate and prosecute daesh. Some members of this house received and continue to receive considerable abuse for the decisions that we took back in november 2015 to support the extension of the raf mission to syria. Does the liberation of raqqa and this considerable setback to daesh show that we were absolutely right . The minister agreed, saying that the commons decision to support air strikes was the right one. You are watching tuesday in parliament, with me, mandy baker. If you want to catch up with all the news from westminster on the go, dont forget our sister programme, today in parliament, is available as a download via the bbc radio 4 website. The European Council president , donald tusk, has described the uks departure from the eu as the toughest stress test. Addressing the European Parliament he told meps that if eu failed that test, it would be a defeat for brussels. Suggestions of hope for a deal are just not good enough. The chancellor knows the economic perils our country faces if there is no deal. He described it rightfully as a worst case scenario. Can i urge him in the interests of our country to have the courage of his convictions, stand up and face down his opponents in cabinet and confirm today that like us, he will not support or vote for a no deal brexit. Mr speaker, as the honourable gentleman very well knows, our clear objective, our priority, is to achieve a deal with the European Union. Our preference would be for a deal that gives a comprehensive trade, investment and Security Partnership between the uk and the European Union in the future. And as part of such a deal we will seek an Implementation Phase that gives British Businesses and indeed Government Agencies proper time to prepare for the new circumstances they will face. Can ijust say if he cannot stand up to his opponents on a no deal brexit, can he please stand up to them on the issue of the transition period . Business leaders yesterday made it clear that they need the certainty now that there will be a sensible transition period. And yet the Prime Minister yesterday sowed more confusion in her statement, giving the impression that the transition is to be negotiated only after we have settled on what she described as the future partnership with europe will be. Businesses cannot wait, they need to plan now. Jobs are in jeopardy now. If the Prime Minister is not willing to stand up to the reckless brexiteers in her party, will the chancellor make it clear in the way the Prime Minister failed to do yesterday, and as Business Leaders have been calling for, we need the principles of any transition confirmed by the end of this year. Mr speaker, the honourable gentleman is correct to say that this matter is urgent and pressing. And that is why we were so pleased that last week at the European Council the 27 agreed to start internal preparatory discussions in relation to an implementation period. And im confident that we will be able to give businesses the confidence and the certainty that they need. Can i urge the chancellor to reject the representations we have just heard from the shadow chancellor, would he not agree with me that you cannot agree a price until you know what youre paying for. And only a fool would write out a blank cheque of taxpayers money. My honourable friend is absolutely right, we should not be giving away our negotiating position when we are going into one of the most important negotiations this country has ever been involved in. And that is why we need to make sure we are prepared for all eventualities. The chancellor in his efforts to secure a good brexit deal and transition period, has the confidence and support not only of right honourable members of this side of the house but across the whole of British Businesses. And that includes of course businesses in broxstow. Unlike the Party Opposite which inspires complete fear with their marxist mayhem which they would put into policy if they were elected into government. But could my right honourable friend confirm that it really is in the best interests of British Business to secure a transition period as a matter of some urgency . Would he agree to make sure that he will do all he can to get that transition period . Yes, mr speaker, British Business has make clear that it wants the earliest possible certainty about the implementation arrangements. And it has also made very clear that it doesnt want any any marxist mayhem now, theres always a Considerable Police presence in the palace of westminster, but today one Committee Room boasted no fewer than four chief constables and an assistant commissioner. The Home Affairs Committee was gathering evidence on its enquiry into the future of policing. One of the questions was whether the pressure on resources was making it harder to stop the volume of crimes increasing. What is the kind of Tipping Point that says at one point would be the stress indicators that start to say service is kind of at a level where we are feeling that stretch. And, you know, i often use the kind of boiling of the frog analogy. The water is starting to feel quite hot this summer and i think there is a kind of real stretch in the last 18 months, i think, that the service hasnt felt or other West Midlands police hasnt felt. I think different forces kind of experience this in different ways. And there is a kind of stretch here that feels more profound than it has done. Do you think you are at the Tipping Point now . I have kind of used the analogy of there are some red lights but not white flags. Is there anything else in terms of you know, when you have considered the statements you have to make, the 2 pay rise for officers recently announced and all the other pressures, is there any other budget pressures that you havent mentioned that you foresee coming down the line . I think one of the areas that causes me concern is what is happening to our local authorities. And the pressures that they are under because of austerity. And therefore any neighbourhood based services that that they are providing also being at risk so we are seeing things like youth offending teams being looked at, their own preventative arrangements in terms of officers and staff. I think that is a very real concern for me. We also recognise in west yorkshire, for example, 83 of my time in terms of delivering services is not about crime. I would agree about the issue around partners, im currently averaging in a force the size of staffordshire, 13 missing people a day. On average, 16 calls for service for mental health. Issues called into the control room where we are deemed to be the most appropriate first responder. I dont think that always turns out to be the case. So those pressures on the Public Sector across the piece mean that we are sometimes involved in things that perhaps it is not our primary role. I have previously described it at times, it feels increasingly like uniform social work. Peers have called for the murder of a journalist in malta to be thoroughly investigated. Daphne ca ruana galizia was killed by a car bomb on the island last week. In recent blog posts, the journalist had accused senior maltese politicians of corruption. In the house of lords, a Home Office Minister briefed peers. My lords, the uk is looking to identify how best that we can support malta at this time. We have not received any requests for uk officers to support the investigation into the murder of Daphne Caruana galizia. Should a request be received, the government would of course consider it. My lords, the United Kingdom has a very historic relationship with malta which is of course a member of the commonwealth. And a member of the eu. After her murder, miss galizias son said, and i quote, the state in malta has become indistinguishable from organised crime. She was of course investigating corruption at the highest level, probably involving the mafia, who may have been the people that killed her. So could her majestys government encourage the involvement of europol as i believe it is important. Laughter. For all of europe that the rule of law is observed and seem to be observed throughout the continent. My noble friend is absolutely right that we have a long standing and close relationship with malta. And we have offered some initial advice to the maltes