Transcripts For BBCNEWS The Week In Parliament 20201003

Hello again and welcome to the week in parliament. A week of confusion, rebellion and anger. We want to see this virus beaten of course we do. But it would be nice, just nice, if this house was shown some respect Boris Johnson told us to follow the rules but apologised for struggling to explain them. I cleared that matter as fast as i could. It is very clear you shouldnt mix indoors, either at home or in a hospitality setting. Also in this programme, the distressing human cost of failings in the nhs. Losing louis is something i will never fully recover from. I feel his loss every day. But first more and more of us are living under local lockdown restrictions as the pandemic goes on. Borisjohnson says we are at a critical moment with rising numbers of cases and deaths. Things are so serious hes resumed regular downing street briefings, flanked by professor chris whitty and sir patrick vallance, who became household names during lockdown. Back in march, mps rushed through emergency legislation to give ministers across the uk sweeping powers to deal with the crisis. Six months on, the commons voted to renew the coronavirus act, but not before the speaker had his say about the government using its new powers to make laws without parliamentary scrutiny. Sir Lindsay Hoyle said that all too often ministers published the details of laws only hours before imposing them. The way in which the government has exercised its powers to make secondary legislation during this crisis has been totally unsatisfactory. I am now asking the government to rebuild the trust with this house and a not treat it with the contempt that it has shown. Sir Lindsay Hoyle channelling his inner bercow there. But he did help the government by ruling out a vote due to parliamentary rules to give mps more of a say before new laws are imposed. It was a vote the government could have lost but with dozens of conservative mps in revolt, the Health Secretary beat a hasty retreat and offered a concession during the 90 minute debate to renew that coronavirus act. Today, i can confirm to the house that for Significant National measures, with effect in the whole of england or uk wide, we will consult parliament wherever possible, we will hold votes before such regulations come into force. But of course, responding to the virus means that the government must act with speed when required. And we cannot hold up urgent regulations which are needed to control the virus and save lives. Labour said that with a heavy heart they would not block the the renewal of the act. But today, we say to the government things cannot go on as they are. The incredible efforts of the british people have not been matched with competence and grip by the uk government. Announcements about measures made overnight, with no proper notice and no proper power of review. Government ministers on National Media with absolutely no idea of what the rules are, the public are being let down on a grand scale. But one labour mp didnt think much of the governments concession. Its not worth the paper its not been written on. We would like to see something in writing about what this consultation will really look like. My honourable friend is absolutely right. I think the lesson from this government is that you always need it in writing necessarily delivered. I have to say as i listen to what you have said, minister, im not convinced we will see that proper scrutiny because, if i heard you right, first of all, it would only be for matters which are significant. Now, who will make the judgement as to whether the issue is significant . Frankly, it is nothing more than a gentlemans agreement. This act in its current form allows clumsy and asymmetrical authoritarianism, powers to restrict Mass Gatherings might have been necessary, but broad Police Powers under schedule 21 capturing potentially infectious people have led to unlawful prosecutions 100 of the time. But the leader of the tory revolt who acts as the shop steward for the pa rtys mps was satisfied. I believe the outcome we have reached is in the interest of parliament, in the interest of better government, and most importantly, it gives the british people reassurance that measures which restrict their liberty interfere with their family life and very often threaten their livelihoods will not be implemented without important questions being asked and answers given in advance. This deadly virus presents unparalleled challenges to all of us entrusted with governmental powers. But that is all the more reason as to why the decisions need the insight of scrutiny and the legitimacy of parliament oversight. It is not only about scrutiny allowing this house to debate and vote. It is also about giving my honourable member, the minister, the credibility to continue to do the work that he is doing. It also exposes the very difficult decisions and trade offs he has to make when he is balancing the spread of this virus versus other restrictions we have to undertake, so i welcome the opportunity so i welcome the opportunity for further debates much longer i hope and votes too. Many mps were unhappy that this debate was limited to an hour and a half. By the Standing Order of the house, this debate is 90 minutes and neither the speaker nor we have the choice over that. The secretary of state did say the time couldnt have been extended. Yes, it could. And i wouldve agreed to it. 90 minutes. 90 minutes is an utter, utter disgrace it is actually disrespectful to the house, and it is disrespectful to colleagues. And i am sorry, secretary of state, if i sound. Actually, im not sorry that im angry, because a lot of people in this place are angry. We want to see this virus beaten, of course we do, but it would be nice, just nice, if this house was shown some respect sir charles was one of seven conservative mps who voted against the renewal of the act. Its less than a fortnight since the government brought in the rule of six to make the covid restrictions more straightforward. But with different rules in operation in Different Council areas across the uk, the overall picture has become more complex. The Prime Minister himself apologised for his inability to explain new restrictions that cover almost 2 Million People in north east england. He had apparently misspoken. The confusion offered an opportunity for the labour leader, sir keir starmer, at Prime Ministers questions. Mr speaker, one of the major problems, as weve seen in the last 2a hours, is widespread confusion about the local restrictions. And i dontjust mean the Prime Minister not knowing his own rules. Having sat opposite the Prime Minister in pmqs every week, that didnt come as a surprise to me. He said a conservative Council Leader in a locked down area had also complained people felt forgotten and let down. Mr speaker, if the Prime Minister doesnt understand the rules, and his own Council Leaders are complaining about mixed messages, how does the Prime Minister expect the rest of the country to understand and follow the rules . I actually think that the people in this country do understand and do follow the rules. And he mentions the restrictions in the north east. I cleared that matter up as fast as i could. It is clear you shouldnt mix indoors, either at home or at a hospitality setting and avoid socialising outdoors. And we need to apply the rules in the north east because that is where it is spiking. I think people do understand why we are doing that. I think people do get it. I think people want us to defeat this virus and they want to see us doing it together i spoke to the leader of Newcastle Council yesterday, and he said the other big problem apart from government messaging is the lack of economic support being provided to local communities under restriction. Newcastle council indicate that by the end of the year, 10,000 jobs in hospitality will have been lost. Many businesses are forced to stay closed, Prime Minister, but for these extraordinary restrictions, these are viable jobs. These businesses are doing the right thing. Why has the government decided that these jobs arent worth saving . As i said repeatedly, were putting our arms around the whole of the uk economy and were doing everything we can to save everyjob. I must say, i saw the leader of newcastle and was surprised by what he said because actually to the best of my knowledge they were calling for the measures that we put in. With rebellion in the autumnal air, even theresa may abstained on a vote on the governments brexit policy. The former Prime Minister had previously said she couldnt support the internal markets bill as it would damage trust in the United Kingdom and even put the future of the uk at risk. Mps approved the bill, which allows the government to override the Northern Ireland element of the brexit divorce deal with the eu. It also aims to ensure trade continues freely across the uk and gives westminster a say in some areas currently devolved to the governments in cardiff, belfast and edinburgh. Borisjohnson insisted to mps the bill actually gives scotland more powers an argument that failed to persuade the snp. Here we go again yapping, bumbling, mumbling, but no answer. Since he cant answer the straight question, i will tell the Prime Minister. Order i expect the Prime Minister to be heard. I certainly want to hear the leader of the snp. Thank you, mr speaker. We are very used to scottish voices being shouted down by the tories in this place. A tory government breaks international law, and breaks devolution, has shattered any remaining trust in this broken westminster system. I think the right honourable gentleman demonstrates once again that his ambition is simply to ferment grievance where no grievance should exist. All of this bill does actually is devolve power back from brussels to edinburgh, it gives powers back to edinburgh, which he should welcome. The internal market bill now goes to the house of lords for further scrutiny with a bumpy ride expected. Time now for a brief look at what else has been going on in the world of politics. A senior United Nations official has criticised the idea of sending people seeking asylum in the uk to Ascension Island in the south atlantic. Some countries do process claims offshore and ministers considered the idea but rejected the island as too far away, although they are looking at options closer to home. We have seen reports in the newspaper this morning that the home office has been exploring sending Asylum Seekers 5,000 miles from the uk to an island 1,000 miles off the coast of africa, which has about 800 people population, no substantial healthcare system, no support system or administrative system in place. Does that strike you as a remotely practical responsible or ethical proposition . This is the australian model. I think we have already seen the australian model has brought about incredible suffering of people who are guilty of no more than seeking asylum. It has also additionally, i think, cost and continues to cost an incredible amount of money. The work and pensions secretary has told mps that ministers are in active discussion over continuing a £20 a week increase in universal credit payments. Therese coffeys comments came as a coalition of charities, Campaign Groups and Church Leaders urged ministers to make the extra help, announced at the start of the pandemic, permanent. Wouldnt it be inconceivable to cut everybodys benefit before the pandemic is over . As it stands, i think its fair to say that the legislation does automatically come to an end. But i will be open with you in that a lot of these discussions on what we continue to do with welfare support are still in active discussion with the treasury. Could highly paid footballers chip in a weeks wages to support Community Clubs . The idea was floated bya labourmp and got a warm reception from the sports minister, who has promised government help for clubs in the national league, the fifth tier of the english game. I wonder has the minister thought of more innovative ways of raising finance by creating some sort of Community Trust where we ask the top earning hundred footballers in this country, some earning £350,000£500,000 a week, just donate one weeks wages to a trust which then can be distributed amongst those struggling clubs to ensure communities can still enjoy their football . Both now and in the future, i encourage all stakeholders in sport to do the right and play their part. And he is making some good points about voluntary donations, as well as what we will be requiring and expecting from sport at various levels. Some retired footballers go on to well paid careers in broadcasting. Match of the day presenter gary lineker has signed a new five Year Contract worth £1. 35 million a year £a00,000 a year less than he had been paid. The bbcs new director general faced some hostile questions from mps on the culture committee, but he defended linekers salary. Of match of the day and on iv drip on numerous football commentaries, but i also listen for outstanding analysis, proper curation of that. I like and i honestly think people are turning in for the debates on whether the handball was a handball, to talk of one recently. All of that is important to the analysis and by the way, that is why our competitors pay their sports pundits multiples often of what we pay. Sometimes, the most powerful parliamentary exchanges are those involving members of the public. Mps on the Health Committee heard harrowing evidence from a campaigner whose baby died after a series of failures. Nearly two fifths of Maternity Units in england are still performing below the Safety Standards expected although the former Health Secretary, who chairs the Health Committee, did begin with words of reassurance. I think it is important to start by saying that nearly 700,000 women give birth with the nhs every year in england and the vast majority are completely safe, but that doesnt mean that things cant improve. The committee went on to hear the story of one woman left alone in labourfor hours. When the registar did finally arrive, there seemed to be some conflict between the midwife and the registrar, and he left without giving any real instructions. At this point, i became concerned as i could hear my sons heart rate and i felt something was wrong. I raised this with the midwife and asked for a c section because i knew i could not deliver my son without helpful intervention. I was told not to worry and it was too late for a caesarean section. Around 11pm, the midwife performed an episiotomy and at 11 12pm, my son was born. There was happy cheers from my sister and my partner paul, who were with me. He was placed on my chest, as i wanted skin to skin, and his cord was cut. But at this point, he was taken from me. He was taken behind a curtain in the same room as us, but the curtain was pulled across so you couldnt see what was going on. We then heard alarms ringing and people shouting for help. This commotion went on for some time, and after 30 minutes, a man came from behind the curtain. He didnt introduce himself, and he just told us that our son had died. He then walked away. Losing louis is something ill never fully recover from and i feel this loss every day. I also see the impact his death has had on my parents and my sister. They havent just had their own grief to deal with, theyve had to see some women that are completely heartbroken and devastated. The lead investigator into several failing Maternity Services said there were some brilliant units, and others which were improving. My problem is that there are a few that are in the left hand tale of that distribution performance that arent able to or wont learn and improve. And my concern is that we understand those and im sure there are all sorts of reasons to do with clinical isolation and leadership and Organisational Culture and so on. But to do that, we have to learn to stop them. I dont think that were very good at spotting a small number of units that are in serious difficulties, and perhaps dont even recognise it themselves. To what extent recruitment and retention issues of staff impact on the quality and safety of Maternity Services, in your experience . That was certainly a feature at Morecambe Bay and its been a feature of other investigations that ive been involved with not necessarily in Maternity Services. Its one of the products of this thing that ive been loosely calling clinical isolation and its there are locations where it is very difficult to recruit staff, and that can become a serious factor in their standards slipping. Scotlands first minister has found herself under severe pressure over the inquiry into her governments handling of complaints against her predecessor, alex salmond. A Holyrood Committee looking at the issue has been frustrated with the lack of evidence being submitted by the government, and said its unable to continue holding evidence sessions. A conservative msp was ejected from the chamber after this contribution. In this chamber injanuary, the first minister said the salmond inquiries will be able to request whatever material they want and i undertake today that well provide whatever material they request. Will the presiding officer ask the first minister to explain why she lied to parliament . Well, i recognise the point of order. First of all, befire i address that, can i suggest to mr mundell that using words like lie are not appropriate in this chamber . Oliver mundell refused to apologise. With due respect, presiding officer, i think its disrespectful to the parliament for the first minister to make a promise and not keep it, but i cant withdraw the word, no. I think mr mundells made his point. Im afraid, mr mundell, i have to ask you to leave the chamber. I dont think the language is acceptable. Thank you. Applause. At first ministers questions, the acting tory leader kept up the attack, accusing Nicola Sturgeon of a shabby abuse of power. We have the head of the Civil Service having to be recalled to the inquiry because she cant remember or wont answer key questions, a tranche of government e mails related to the inquiry deleted, Committee Hearings having to be suspended because they cant continue due to obstruction, and a Committee Chairwoman having to write to the court to get information that the first minister promised 18 months ago that she would undertake to provide. Two years ago, Nicola Sturgeon told the media with regards to the salmond case i relish the prospect to answer all and every questions. Well, on todays performing, the question is when is she going to start . Ive not been invited to give evidence to the committee, so here it is. Ill turn up to the committee next week and give evidence to the committee if the committee invites me. The committee can call me anytime it likes. I will turn iwill turn up i will turn up on the day after, the Committee Room asked, and i will give evidence to the committee. It having hasnt yet asked me to do so. Now, in a similar way to the uk government being put under pressure to offer mps more of a say before imposing coronavirus restrictions in england, Nicola Sturgeon found herself facing a similar challenge. New rules have been increasingly announced via late night press releases, twitter and tv interviews. And parliament has so far not had an opportunity to give its consent to local restrictions unless they have already expired. This is no way to govern. Parliament is supposed to provide checks and balances to government power. Without this, we risk a real democratic deficit. And will she agree to bring future regulations to a voting vote in parliament before they are imposed . Yes, i will undertake that, where it is possible, we will seel to bring a vote to parliament. With the greatest of respect to people across the chamber, this in an infectious virus. We have to act quickly and flexibly if we have sudden spikes or outbreaks that are putting health and life at risk. To wales now, where the first minister has asked borisjohnson to tell people in locked down areas of england not to visit holiday areas of wales as tourists. Mark drakeford revealed he had written to the Prime Minister after pictures emerged of crowded scenes on mount snowdon. Many of these will have been visitors and there is nothing set out in the guidelines at the moment that stops someone from a covid hotspot somewhere in the country from travelling to areas with low community transmission. Why is it the case, first minister, that you cant travel within the uk, but you can travel from manchester . Im going to begin by agreeing with him. Those were alarming pictures. But he said there werent examples where the virus had gone out of control in holiday areas after being imported from elsewhere. I dont think it is right for us to institute a settled Border Control to prevent people from elsewhere visiting wales. I dont think it is right for us to institute a set of Border Controls. I think that would lead us into all sorts of difficult territory, but i do think that as we act to prevent people who live in hotspots in wales from travelling to england and taking the risk of the virus so the Prime Minister in his capacity as a Prime Minister of england in this case ought to do the same to prevent people from travelling elsewhere in england to whales or other parts of the United Kingdom because of the risk that poses. I wrote him yesterday that he needs to do that. Wales. At stormont, Northern Irelands first minister stressed the importance of getting the Public Health message across after some students at Queens University halls of residence in belfast tested positive for covid 19. We have now put in place a Digital Campaign targeted at Young People Working in our organisations and using social media using coolfm and indeed something called mobster, which the member might be able to tell me what it is, but im not quite sure what it is im sure many of our young people would be able to tell me but apparently, we are going to use mobster to do some targeting for 16 to 25 year olds, including students based on their location data. So obviously if they are in queens of the university of ulster or whatever we are obviously able to get some m essa 9 es obviously able to get some m essa g es to obviously able to get some messages to them. Arlene foster. Finally, that annual challenge for mps of how to Mark National poetry day. Fortunately, Jacob Rees Mogg was available. Mr deputy speaker, we should take, as i said before, pride in this royal frame. The earth of majesty, this fortress built for nature. This happy breed of men, this precious stone. Against the envy, this earth, this realm, this england and had William Shakespeare lived in a later day, he wouldve said this United Kingdom. That is what we should take pride in. Jacob rees mogg. Inevitably. That was the week in parliament. Ill be back with more tales of this happy breed of men and women and more plots, blessed and otherwise, on Bbc Parliament at 11 oclock on monday evening. I hope you canjoin me. Until then, from me, david cornock, bye for now. Hello there. Scotland, Northern Ireland didnt fare too badly on friday with some good spells of sunshine around, some pleasant sunset scenes as well. But for england and wales, it really was pretty atrocious. Wet and windy all courtesy of storm alex and it looks like all areas willjoin in with the heavy rain this weekend, including scotland and Northern Ireland. Could cause some transport disruption, some flooding in places, and the winds will be quite a feature too. So for saturday, it looks thoroughly wet to start the day across much of england and wales, eastern scotland, that rain also drifting a little bit further westwards at times. But meanwhile, it will be clearing a little bit from the south east so here, we could see some brightness into the afternoon, but it stays windy. South wales into south west england, those temperatures pretty disappointing the low teens for most of us, could see 16 in the south east. But its the rainfall amounts we are most concerned about this weekend. Saturday into sunday morning, amber Warnings Issued for parts of wales, the south west of england and also for the east and north east of scotland. Areas here, certainly over the high ground, could see in excess of two inches of rain, so flooding is likely to be an issue here. As we move through saturday night then, that rain really piles its way westwards, affecting Northern Ireland as well. Winds will be quite strong across the south west. Temperatures a little bit lower than what we had for the previous night, typically around 9 10 degrees. Now, this new area of low pressure will be sitting right across the uk as we head on into part two of the weekend. It will be sending bands of cloud and rain around the country, mainly around its periphery, where we will also see the strongest of the winds Gale Force Winds at times here but in the centre of it, winds not quite as strong. And we should see some sunshine and that will set off a few heavy, maybe thundery showers. And again, those temperatures pretty disappointing in the low teens for most. As we move out of sunday into monday, our area of low pressure begins to fill somewhat, begins to weaken a little bit, but it is still going to be enough to generate showers or longer spells of rain, certainly around the edges. Fairly strong winds, too, though those winds will continue to ease down. Central areas will see the lightest of winds with some sunny spells through monday afternoon, but that could set off some heavy, maybe thundery showers again. Temperatures again low teens for most, but we could make 15 or 16 in the south east, given some sunshine and light winds. But it remains unsettled as we have through the new week, certainly for england and wales, with a high chance of heavy showers and sunny spells. Welcome to bbc news. Im james reynolds. Our top stories President Donald Trump has been taken to hospital for treatment after being diagnosed with coronavirus. He left the white house unaided, wearing a mask. On twitter he said he was doing well. I am going to walter reed hospital. I think i am doing very well, but we are going to make sure that things work out. The first lady is doing very well. So thank you very much. I appreciate it. I will never forget it. Thank you. Hes already been treated with an antibody cocktail and vitamins. His doctors earlier said he was fatigued but in good spirits. Well look at the possible health risks the president is facing