Transcripts For BBCNEWS Thursday In Parliament 20170421

To thursday in parliament. On this programme as Election Campaigning gets underway, questions about Election Expenses from 2015. The commons unites to condemn the detention, torture and killing of gay men in chechnya. There are calls for the government to act to make sure food prices dont go up after brexit. And, find out what this conservative has been doing in the bathroom and why its going to land him in a whole heap of trouble when he gets home. To my horror, ifound. Laughter. A Plastic Container of olay anti wrinkle, anti ageing lotion. But first, and snp mp is demanding the government urgently explain whether or not the Police Investigation into Conservative Mps Election Expenses swayed a decision to call an early General Election. 1a Police Forces have sent files to the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to allegations of breached Spending Limits in the 2015 General Election. Pete wishart wanted to know more before this years Election Campaign got into full swing. Before we rise, mr speaker, we have to have an urgent statement on the status of all these conservative members of parliament who are currently under Police Investigation for electoral fraud. It seems that there might be up to two dozen Conservative Mps facing the possibility of being prosecuted while we are in the middle of an Election Campaign. The public, i believe, deserves to know what happened under these circumstances and will it be possible for them to continue as candidates in this General Election if that was to pass . Now, there are a lot of people who suspect that with the first charging decision to be made on the 20th of may, that this is the real reason for the snap election, and we need to hear from the government if this played any feature in its deciding and determining the state of the election. I would like to hearfrom the leader of the House Of Commons on this issue. The honourable gentleman made a serious point to me about the Police Investigations. I want to reiterate, mr speaker, what the Prime Minister said yesterday that we stand behind all our candidates at the forthcoming election, who will be out campaigning for a strong and stable government in the national interest. A number of Police Forces have conducted investigations and many have been dropped. Now, its right these matters are investigated properly, but the battle bus was directed by the national party, as was the case with other Political Parties, and we are confident that individual colleagues acted properly. The Shadow Leader of the commons returned to the Electoral Campaign and the reasons given by theresa may for calling an early election. The Prime Minister wants stability and to strengthen her hand in the negotiations, but blames the Opposition Parties for calling a General Election. But it is her dithering and confusion and watching her back. Firstly, what an allegedly arrogant statement, that she should presume to know the outcome of an election. Secondly, what has her government been doing for the last nine months . Thirdly, can the leader of the house confirm that if the government wins, that we are not entering into a Rolling Programme of Snap Elections during negotiations . I think all of us in the house, whatever political perspective we bring to these matters, want to see Public Services of a kind in which we can all take pride, in which we think work effectively for our constituents, who are vulnerable and in need of help. It is the belief of this government and this party that the foundation for effective Public Services has to be a strong and growing economy. And the plans put forward by the right honourable gentleman, the leader of the opposition, would render any such chaotic government incapable of funding Public Services, because they would have bankrupted the british economy, raised taxes on ordinary Working Families and piled yet more public debt onto the next generation, a betrayal of young people. A conservative asked about Government Bills that wouldnt now become law because of the early election, including a bill to bolster security in jails and crack down on the use of drugs and Mobile Phones in prisons. Can the leader of the house confirm that the prison and courts bill has now been abandoned for this parliament and will have to start its passage again through the house in the next parliament . And can he tell us which bills will be going through the rather grubby process of the wash up, which is a rather unsatisfactory way to pass laws . The bills that were introduced to this house quite late in the current parliamentary session, and which received carry over motions, so that they could be debated in what would have been the Third Session of the current parliament, will fall, including the prisons and courts bill. I referred in my statement to some of those measures that we will be addressing during the wash up period next week. There are, as my right honourable friend knows, my honourable friend knows, there are discussions going on through the usual channels about how to handle particular pieces of legislation, and i dont want to prejudice what the outcome of those discussions will be. A leading brexiteer, who is standing down at the election, reflected on the task ahead for mps. The next parliament has a very difficult task. The government has to implement the will of the people, as expressed on the 23rd Ofjune Last year. The opposition has to scrutinise the government in a constructive, but nevertheless, relentless way, to ensure that we get the best deal. But finally, can i just paraphrase nancy astor. I shall miss this house, i shall miss this house more than the house will miss me. Gisela stuart. Now, britain must deliver the strongest possible siren message over the brutal persecution of gay men in chechnya, a Foreign Office minister has said. Sir alan duncan, who was the first openly gay conservative mp, said the reported torture and killing was the and contempt and pledged to raise the issue with allies in europe and the commonwealth. The arbitrary detention and ill treatment of over 100 men in chechnya, because of their sexual orientation, is of deep concern to the uk. Credible reports suggesting that at least four people have been killed and many have been tortured are particularly shocking. Statements by the Regional Government in chechnya, which appear to condone and incite violence against lgbt people are utterly despicable. The question had been raised by a labour mp. We are talking here about detention, were talking about beatings, we are talking about abuse, electric shock treatments, and i do not say this lightly, mr speaker, but some have described gay concentration camps. And, mr speaker, the guardians shaun walker i think expressed really the horrors that we are seeing. He described the situation of an individual, at least once a day, captors attached metal clamps and sent powerful electric shocks through his body. If he managed not to scream, others would join in beating him with sticks or metal rods and demanding to know the names of other gay men that he knew in chechnya. So, if we have any doubts, mr speaker, of the brutality of this regime towards the lgbt community, we need not have them. So, he asked, what had the British Government done to put pressure on the russian or chechnya and governments . We in the government fully condemn this. We do use all engagement with russia to make our voice clear. I did so personally with the Deputy Foreign minister of russia, when i met him two or three weeks ago, vladimir titov. We spoke on general human rights matters, but also chechnya. And may i say, mr speaker, that i hope this house will be fully united in giving the strongest possible siren message to russia, and to chechnya in particular, that this kind of activity is beyond contempt and not acceptable in the world in which we live. It is nothing short of officially sanctioned policy from the chechnyan authorities, but the russian government, who bears ultimate responsibility for its citizens safety, appears to be looking the other way. And that is scarcely any better. We do need and we are speaking today with a strong and unified voice, but it does seem to me that whilst i applaud, of course, the right honourable gentlemans raising this matter as the Deputy Foreign secretary, i do think that it needs to be escalated, and as a result of the urgent question today, i hope that we will get an undertaking from the government that it will be raised at a much higher political level. It seems to me that this is a matter that the Prime Minister really should take an initiative on and she should call in the Russian Ambassador and demand some answers. This reminds us we are phenominally lucky in this country, those of us who are gay, in particular gay because i remember meeting in russia in 2009 a lesbian activist who was 83 years old. I asked her how she got away with it, and she said, well i think President Putin thinks that women dont have sex after the age of 80 how wrong can you be, she said. But the serious point here is that we should of course pay tribute to those people who are standing up and are at risk of their own lives, and im glad that the government is acting to try and do that. But isnt this all part of a piece . President putin appointed kadyrov, as president in chechnya. He then got elected and 98 of the vote, that doesnt of course seem at all bizarre, does it . But he and putin have both repeatedly abused human rights. Theyve used violence to excess, theyve always resorted to violence when there is another opportunity of providing a peaceful means. Whether we like it or not, kadyrov actually has the fundamental support, in some terms, of his nation, as a region of the russian federation. So, how do we undermine that is also about investment and also about foreign aid, in tackling human rights across the world. So, will the Deputy Foreign minister commit now, here on the floor of the house, in fighting for human rights, lgbti and other rights, in places like chechnya, to ensuring that his foreign aid budget doesnt change after the General Election . Well, i think we should all commit to fighting prejudice whereever we find it and i hope that when we stand in the election on june eighth, that will be part of all of the views we hold as we present ourselves to the electorate. Sir alan duncan. The government has a debt of honour to give all elderly british citizens living abroad an annual rise in their pensions, according to a long standing campaigner on the rights of expats. Around one million uk pensioners are now resident in overseas locations, many in sunny Retirement Destinations such as spain, france and the caribbean. More than half of them dont receive yearly increases in their State Pensions. In a debate, sir roger gale read from a letter hed recently received from a 91 year old british Citizen Living in canada. I was brought up to believe that britain was a fair country. Its a disgrace. It has to end. Its terrible to meet pensioners over here who say they have to come back to britain because they cant manage. And joe lewis, the 90 year old, who also lives in canada and has recently lost his wife, will be moving back to the United Kingdom as he can no longer cope with his frozen pension. The mp said the uk government had done deals with certain countries, meaning some expats did receive rises in their pensions. So this leads, mr deputy speaker, to the ludicrous situation where a british pensioner living on one side of the Niagara Falls in canada receives a frozen pension, while another living just a mile across the falls in the United States has a pension rate up rated every year. Additionally, some caribbean islands enjoy up rated pensions, while other small countries and overseas territories do not. Mr deputy speaker, we are now, and i trust that we will remain, in government. And so we should have the opportunity to finally address and put to rest a debt of honour that must be paid. The vast majority of frozen pensioners live in the commonwealth. Around a quarter of a million of those affected live in australia and almost 150,000 in canada. These people are not immune from the effects of inflation, yet are forced to cope with their rising Cost Of Living on a static income. As you can imagine, this has a major impact upon their lives. But the reality is that these 550,000 british citizens, british citizens, the same as every one of us here, the same as all of our constituents who are uk citizens, they do not have an mp. They do not have a Single Person who is directly representing them and fighting their cause. We, as a country, have always prided ourselves on being a caring country. We are one of the highest net providers of foreign aid in the world, and rightly so. We must, however, ask the question as to why we do not feel the need to adequately support our own pensioners who have retired abroad . An increasing number of modern countries operate pensions in line with inflation to pensioners living overseas, regardless of where they reside. Today, we must consider why the uk is not doing the same. Despite those pleas, the minister said the cost of giving all uk pensioners overseas an annual up rating was too high. But i think its reasonable to say that the decision to move abroad, for most people, is a voluntary one. And remains a personal choice, dependent on the circumstance of the individual. Its a voluntary choice to live abroad. Those who are eligible for a uk State Pension can have their pension paid whereever they choose to live. The rules governing the uprating of pensions are straightforward, widely publicised and have been the same for many years. The governments position remains consistent with that of every government for the last 70 years, and the annual cost of changing the long standing policy will soon be an extra half £1 billion, which the government believes cannot be justified. Now it was back in 2015 that the Car Maker Volkswagen was found to have installed what are known as Defeat Devices in its diesel models, so that they would pass emission tests. The matter has been under investigation by the transport committee, who have interviewed the companys top uk executive, paul willis, twice. Compensation for uk customers is a critical issue, and mr willis was full of apologies on behalf of the company when he first gave evidence to us in 2015. Since then, as ive said, his tune has changed dramatically. In fact, it is now vws position, stated to us by mr willis to the committee a short time ago, that the company has done Nothing Wrong in the uk, or indeed in the rest of europe, and he told us that because the company has done Nothing Wrong, no compensation is due. Well, this, mr chairman, is treating the uk with contempt. Let me remind honourable members of the current position in other countries in relation to compensation. In the us, volkswagen has agreed to provide each owner with between 5000 10,000. A deal agreed in canada will give owners between 4000 6000. And here, nothing, nothing at all. Owners who have had their cars fixed have reported problems. I am receiving, almost daily, numerous communications from members of the public, report that their vehicle has been impaired since they had the fix applied. Many people have told me of the stress of suddenly finding their vehicle was not working after the measure was applied, and there are instances of the vehicle going into limp mode or a state where the vehicle would not go above a certain speed, and in one case, this was on a motorway, the other cars having to swerve to avoid a collision. In many instances where concerns were raised, the customers were told it was a coincidence and they were asked to pay hundreds or even thousands of pounds for the fault created by the so called fix to be investigated and put right. This morning, i got an e mail from a constituent on this very subject, who has a diesel vehicle. Neil says in his e mail, for the past two decades, ive driven a diesel car, on the advice that this type of fuel was the best environmental choice. I am now in a position of being considered the demon of the roads oweing to thepollution, in particular Nitrogen Oxide released by these cars. This is due to the car companys fraud use of pollution cheating systems. He goes on to say, i would like to be sure that i will not be the one who ends up footing the bill to change my polluting diesel, and asks if there are any uk schemes being planned to help people who are the victims of the scam. The government continues to challenge volkswagens unacceptable view that they do not need to compensate british motorists that have been affected by the Manipulation Emissions test. Ruskin said that endurance is nobler than strength, and my enduring determination to ensure that we not only closely monitor the progress of volkswagens implementation of technical upgrades, and overseeing that they appropriately deal with the issues and complaints related to those changes, that we will press to for them to do what they should have done all along. Admitted theirfailure, and offered recompense for it. It is, in the end, as straightforward as that. The transport minister, john hayes. Youre watching thursday in parliament, with me, alicia mccarthy. Labour says food prices are on the rise and is warning things will get worse if there is a bad brexit deal. The accusation came at environment questions, but the minister rejected the claim, saying the amount the poorest households were spending had been stable for a decade. A labour mp began by quoting figures from the office for national statistics, or ons. The ons are reporting a surge in food prices that is likely to continue to rise. Children are returning to school after the easter holidays hungry. Elderly are being admitted to hospital for malnourishment, and still this government refuse to properly measure the levels of hunger and food poverty in our country. Isnt it true that because they refuse to measure it, because then they would have to admit some culpability . Now, the honourable lady is wrong. We do mention it. We have a long standing living cost of food survey which has run for many, many years, and which include a measure for Household Spending among the 20 poorest households. I can tell her that Household Spending in those poorest households has remained steady, at around 16 , for at least a decade. Contrary to what the minister said earlier, recent Inflation Figures revealed that food prices are rising at the fastest pace in three years, adding £21 to the average Household Shopping Bill in the last three months alone. When will the Secretary Of State get a grip on this soaring Cost Of Living affecting millions of families . Well, as i pointed out earlier, the question that was raised, we saw the biggest spike in food prices in 2008, because of Energy Prices then. Food prices fell by around 7 between 2014 16. It is true that they have seen a modest increase over the last 12 months of 1. 3 . It is quite common in Food Processing plants for 70 of the employees to be eu migrants. It is not clear where their staff are going to come from in the future. Is the minister committed to defending this sector in the Brexit Negotiations to come, and so avoiding price rises from this driver as well . Well, i can reassure the honourable gentleman that ive had regular meetings with food processors. Indeed, just two days ago, i had a meeting with the new president of the Food And Drink Federation and this is an issue raised by them. It is the case that around 30 , according to ons, of employees in the Food Processing sector are from other European Union countries. But i would simply say this, the Prime Minister has been very clear that she wants to safeguard and protect the rights of eu citizens that are here and that she would expect that to be reciprocated as well, and that could be agreed early in the negotiations. Does the minister recognise that its absolutely crucial that the needs of the Agricultural Sector are placed at the heart of Brexit Negotiations . Because isnt it clear that if the government doesnt get its act together, a bad brexit deal is going to leave british farmers and Food Producers facing the double whammy of cheap food imports and tariffs on their exports . I would simply say to the honourable lady that access to the uk market is incredibly important for European Countries as well. While we export around £11 billion of food and drink to the European Union, we import some £28 billion worth of food from the eu. That is why Farming Unions across the eu are telling their governments that they must have a Free Trade Agreement with the uk. The environment minister, george eustace. Mps have approved a motion cancelling the Manchester Gorton by election which was due to be held on may the 4th. The seat became vacant following the death of veteran labour mp sir Gerald Kaufman earlier this year. The leader of the commons said the planned vote had been overtaken by the decision to hold an early General Election on june the 8th. The motion therefore requests you, mr speaker, to convey to the clerk of the crown and the desire of this house, that he issued a Writ Of Supersedeas to the writ Issued On Tuesday The 28th Of March for the by election. This will put beyond any doubt the authority of the act of the returning officer to cancel the by election process that is currently underway. I understand that this approach is supported by other Political Parties in the house, as it avoids unnecessary expense and uncertainties that the candidates involved. David lidington. Finally, a conservative mp is probably going to be in some hot water when he arrives home, after a tactless comment about his wife and her beauty secrets. During environment questions, sir Henry Bellingham attempted to make a point about micro beads, small bits of plastic found in many bathroom and Beauty Products which cause environmental damage when they work their way into the seas and oceans life. Sir henry explained hed been doing some investigating of his own. I was recently rummaging through my wifes collection of shampoos and to my horror. Laughter a plastic, a Plastic Container of olay, anti wrinkle anti ageing lotion. Complete with exfoliating micro beads. Now obviously neither Secretary Of State nor her minister would ever have need to use such a product, but will she get on the telephone to Procter Gamble and tell him that selling this sort of product at the moment is completely outrageous and it should be withdrawn from the market at once . The pursuits of the honourable gentleman are truly extraordinary minister . Mr speaker, what i find extraordinary is that Lady Bellingham is a flawless picture and would even need these products, so im sure that, im sure that my honourable friend will be Buying Flowers later today to make up for this Therese Coffey suggesting a way for sir Henry Bellingham to avoid some marital hot water when he gets home. And thats it from me for now, but Dojoin Me On Friday Night at 11pm for a full round up of whats been another quite extraordinary week here at westminster, as campaigning gets underway forjunes surprise General Election. But for now, from me, goodbye. Hello. If you think were finished with winter weather, think again. Next week it will turn much colderfor a time. Frost and even some wintry showers around for some of us. Well talk about that weather change in a moment. But this is the fairly quiet picture as friday begins. I say fairly quiet because we have got Rain Affecting Parts of scotland with a stronger wind. Itll be a mild start for much of the uk and where wed like some rain across those parts of england, wales, into the Channel Islands that have been so very dry, it is looking mainly dry as the day begins. Variable cloud, a few bright or sunny breaks. Now, from the thickest cloud in wales, especially north west england, Northern Ireland and south west scotland, a bit damp and drizzly in places, especially coasts and hills. Some more persistent rain with the stronger wind across the northern half of scotland. Thats cleared away from the Northern Isles at this stage, so were left in a colder, Showery Air Mass during the day. Quite windy, some of those showers might have a wintry flavour. Through the day we take outbreaks of Rain Southwards across scotland, eventually reaching into parts of Northern Ireland. Well keep plenty of cloud, north west england and wales, into the west midlands, maybe the odd spot of light rain or drizzle. Well keep some sunny spells, though, east of the pennines, east midlands, east anglia, Southern England often cloudy but some bright or sunny spells and some warmth in that sunshine when it makes an appearance. Some of us 18 or even 19 celsius. Now, on through friday evening, a lot of dry weather to come going into saturday morning. Just this zone of thicker cloud, patchy light rain or drizzle edging southwards. To the north of that, colder, colder start to saturday, parts of northern england, especially scotland with a touch of frost. On through the weekend, not a significant change any time soon. Thats confined to next week. For the weekend it will be mainly dry. There will be a lot of cloud around at times but some bright or sunny spells. Close to this weather front, still a bit of damp and drizzly Weather Edging its way southwards during saturday. North of that, sunny spells, a few showers running into northern scotland. South of that, were Keeping Temperatures up here, so a bit of warmth as the sun makes an appearance. But it will be a cooler feel across many parts of the uk, and particularly where youve got the breeze. But as ever, if the sun makes an appearance it will feel quite pleasant. Similarly so on sunday. A lot of dry weather for england and wales. For Northern Ireland until late in the day. But parts of scotland, especially the further north you are, Turning Windier and wetter as the day goes on. Looking fairly promising for the london marathon, there will be some warmth as the day goes on but for the start, single figure temperatures, and if its overcast, thats pretty much ideal i think for the runners. Now, going from sunday to monday, particularly by the time we get to tuesday, that weather change i was talking about, colder air pushing south across the uk and a stronger wind and some of those showers will be turning wintry. Welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in North America and around the globe. My name is mike embley. Our top stories a gun attack on the Champs Elysees in central paris leaves one policeman dead, two more seriously wounded. Officials say the gunman, who was shot dead by police, was known to security services. Mesdames et messieurs, you have to stay back, please. The area is dangerous because of shotguns. Please stay back. A massive Security Operation gathers pace. The so called Islamic State group claims it was behind the attack. President hollande says all signs do point to terrorism. Translation we are convinced that the investigations will show that this attack was terrorist in nature. The anti terror group has been deployed, and it will lead the inquiry