Theresa May addresses MPs in the Commons amid calls for second Brexit referendum | ITV News

letting down all sixteen to eighteen year old when will the secular state category speak to the treachery and raise the rate is the only answer to the crisis we're speaking of further education 500 million pounds is going into two levels when they're rolled out in 2020 I I have got superpowers as the Secretary of State I would remind the Honorable gentleman that we have book consider all funding to Fe I am very aware of the challenges they're face which is why we're looking at the resilience of the Fe sector right now sentence of fewer than 20 words Michael fabricant some 3,000 parents have signed a petition against King Edward the sixth policy of now attracting students by catchment area rather than 11 block what's my right honorable friends view on their petitions Mr Speaker I do think it's right that parents are consulted on these important matters but I also think it is important that with our selective schools of grammar schools that are very popular with parents oh they should also be extending their reach and making sure they're accessible to a wider group of pupils in one short sentence think I'm doing air Thank You mr. speaker despite the government's warm words had teachers tell me they don't have enough money for children with special needs what comfort can the sector's they give to the head teachers of maintained schools in my constituency of Bristol West the children with special educational needs will have the funding they need in 2019 speaker I do recognize the issues around the tightness of funding on special is one of the reasons of course that we announced the package that we did yesterday which includes additional revenue funding but not only that it also includes provision for more capital funding for facilities for more places for more training for educational psychologists and making sure that all teachers have the support and training that they need order statement the Prime Minister mr. speaker with permission I would like to make a statement on last week's European Council before turning to brexit let me touch on two significant conclusions from the other business of the council first we expressed our utmost concern over the escalation we have seen at the Kerch straits and the sea of azov and Russia's continued violations of international law we agreed to roll over economic sanctions against Russia and we stand ready to further strengthen our support in particular for the effective area affected areas of Ukraine and second we also agreed to work together on tackling the spread of deliberate large-scale and systemic disinformation including as part of hybrid warfare on this eye out line some of the world leading work that the UK is doing in this field and I was clear that after we've left the European Union the UK will continue to work closely with our European partners to uphold the international rules based system and to keep all our people safe and that is why it is right that our brexit deal includes the deepest security partnership that has ever been agreed with the EU mr. speaker at this council I faithfully and firmly reflected the concerns of this house over the Northern Ireland backstop I explained that the assurances we had already agreed with the EU were insufficient for this house and we had to go further in showing that we never want to use this backstop and if it is used it must be a temporary arrangement some of the resulting exchanges that this council were robust but I make no apology I make [Applause] I make no apology for standing up for the interests of this house and the interests and the interest of our whole united kingdom in response the eu-27 published a series of conclusions they made clear that it is there and I quote firm determination to work speedily on a subsequent agreement that establishes by the 31st of December 2020 alternative arrangements so that the backstop will not need to be triggered the house will forgive me but I think this bears repeating the backstop will not need to be triggered they underlined that if the backstop were nevertheless to be triggered it would apply to M Pereira Li they said that in this event the EU would use its best endeavors to negotiate and conclude expeditiously a subsequent agreement that would replace the backstop and they gave the new assurance in relation to the future partnership with the UK to make it even less likely that the backstop would ever be needed by stating that the EU stands ready to embark on preparations immediately after signature of the withdrawal agreement to ensure the negotiations can start as soon as possible after the UK's withdrawal mr. speaker in these conclusions in their statements at the council and in their private meetings with me my fellow EU leaders could not have been clearer they do not want to use this backstop they want to agree the best possible future relationship with us there is no plot to keep us in the backstop indeed president macron said on Friday quote we can clarify and reassure the backstop is not our objective it is not a durable solution and nobody is trying to lock the UK into the backstop as formal conclusions from a European Council these commitments have legal status and should be welcomed they go further than the EU has ever done previously in trying to address the concerns of this house and of course they sit on top of the commitments that we have already negotiated in relation to the backstop including ensuring the customs element is UK wide that both sides are legally committed to using best endeavours to have our new relationship in place before the end of the implementation period that if the new relationship isn't ready we can choose to extend the implementation period instead of the backstop coming into force that if the backstop does come in we can use alternative arrangements not just the future relationship to get out of it that the treaty is clear the backstop can only ever be temporary and that there is an explicit termination clause but Mr Speaker I know that this house is still deeply uncomfortable about the backstop and I understand that and I want to secure to us to go further still in the reassurances we secure discussions with my EU partners including presidents tusk Juncker and others have shown that further clarification following the council's conclusions is in fact possible so discussions are continuing to explore further political and legal assurances and we are also looking closely at new ways of empowering the House of Commons to ensure that any provision for a backstop has democratic legitimacy [Applause] this is very irregular the statement must be heard there will be a full opportunity for exchanges but the statement by the Prime Minister must be heard and heard with courtesy the Prime Minister for empowering the House of Commons to ensure that any provision for a backstop has democratic legitimacy and to enable the house to place its own obligations on the government to ensure that the backstop cannot be in place indefinitely but is now only just over 14 weeks until the UK leaves the EU and I know many members many members of this house are concerned that we need to take a decision soon my right [Applause] my right honourable friend the leader of the house will set out business on Thursday in the usual way [Applause] [Music] but I can confirm today that we intend to return to the meaningful vote debate in the week commencing 7th of January and hold the vote the following week mr. speaker mr. speaker when we have the vote when we have the vote members will need to reflect carefully on what is in the best interests of our country I know that there are a range of very strongly held personal views on this issue across the house and I respect all of them but expressing our personal views is not what we are here to do we asked the British people to take this decision four hundred four hundred and seventy two current members of this house voted for the referendum in June 2015 with just 32 voting against and the British people responded by instructing us to leave the European Union similarly similarly 438 current members of this house voted to trigger article 52 set to set the process of our departure in motion with only 85 of today's members voting against now we must honor our duty to finish the job I know I know this is not everyone's perfect deal it is a compromise but if we live net the perfect be the enemy of the good then we risk leaving the EU with no deals of course of course we have prepared for No Deal and tomorrow the cabinet will be discussing the next phase in ensuring that we are ready for that scenario but let us not risk for jobs services and security of the people we serve by turning our backs on an agreement with our neighbors that honors the referendum and provides for a smooth and orderly exit avoiding No Deal is only possible if we can reach an agreement or if we or or if we abandon brexit entirely and as I said in the debate earlier this month do not imagine that if we vote this down a different deal is going to miraculously appear if you want proof look at the conclusions of this council as president Janka said it is the best deal possible and the only deal possible and any any proposal any proposal for the future relationship whether Norway Canada or any other variety that has been mentioned would require agreeing this withdraw agreement the leader of the opposition as well as some others are trying to pretend they could do otherwise this is a fiction finally let us not break faith with the British people by trying to stage another referendum another vote which would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics [Applause] because it's order there are as many members of this house including an illustrious chair of a select committee who are heckling noisily and mr. Angus Brendan McNeil you're a cheeky chappie but we need much less of the cheek and more by way of courtesy and listening to the Prime Minister the Prime Minister thank you another vote which would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics because it would say to millions who trusted in democracy that our democracy does not deliver another vote which would likely leave us no further forward than the last and another vote which would further divide our country at the very moment we should be working to uniting and let us not let us not follow the leader of the Opposition in thinking about what gives him the best chance of forcing a general election for at this critical moment at this critical moment in our history we should be thinking not about our party's interests but about the national [Applause] let us let us find a way to come together and work together in the national interest to see this brexit through Mr Speaker I will work tirelessly over these next few weeks to fulfill my responsibilities as Prime Minister to find a way forwards over the last two weeks I've met quite a number of colleagues and I'm happy to continue to do so on this important issue so we can fulfill our responsibilities to the British people so together we can take back control of our borders laws [Music] [Applause] while protecting the jobs the security and the integrity of our precious United Kingdom so together we can move on to finalizing the future relationship with the European Union and the trade deals with the rest of the world that can fuel our prosperity for years to come and so together we can get this brexit done and shift the national focus to our domestic priorities investing in our NHS our schools and housing tackling the injustice this is that so many still face and building a country that truly works for everyone for these are the ways these are the ways in which together this house wills best serve the interests of the British people and I commend this statement [Applause] Thank You mr. Speaker I thank the Prime Minister for advance copy of her statement on Ukraine as NATO has said we need both sides to show restraint and deescalate with international law adhered to including Russia allowing unhindered access to Ukraine's ports on the sea of azov Mr Speaker we face an unprecedented situation the Prime Minister has led us into a national crisis and if any more evidence was needed of why we face this grave situation the Prime Minister demonstrated it last week's summit there were some warm words drafted and the Prime Minister even managed to negotiate those away to replace by words about preparing for No Deal mr. speaker the Prime Minister boasted I had a robust discussion with President Janka but that cannot hide the cold reality that she achieved nothing standing at the despatch-box last week the Prime Minister said I have made some progress mr. speaker she has not made any progress at all the prime minister said so herself while still in Brussels and I quote the EU is clear as am i that this is the deal the European Commission has been categorical it will not be negotiated the EU Council has given the clarification that were possible at this stage so no further meetings with the UK are foreseen the deal is unchanged and not going to change the house must get on with the vote and move on to consider the realistic alternatives there can be there can be no logical reason for this delay except that in taking shambolic government to a new level the Prime Minister no longer has the backing of her cabinet the international trade secretary suggested that the Prime Minister's deal no longer has the backing of the cabinet it's worth quoting his words and I quote I think that it is very difficult to support the deal if we don't get changes to the backstop I don't think it will get through I'm not even sure if the cabinet will agree for it to be put to the House of Commons so we had the spectacle of the last few days with numerous cabinet members coming forward with their own alternatives the international trade secretary suggested that a two-year transition is to No Deal is an option the work in pension secretary says the government needs to try something different and build a consensus in Parliament the Attorney General is reported as saying he wants her gone and for the deal to be renegotiated while the International Development Secretary is allegedly liaison with the ERG to launch an alternative option others are reportedly working on a second referendum but even if cabinet no longer backs the deal then who knows what the options would be so can the Prime Minister answer this one does her deal still have the confidence of the cabinet to is cabinet collective responsibility still in operation [Music] three does it remain government policy to avoid a no deal outcome mr. speaker an unacceptable deal is on the table no amendment has been secured renegotiations have been rebuffed and not even mere assurances have been offered and the Prime Minister's shoddy deal no longer even has the backing of the cabinet the Prime Minister ran away from putting a deal before Parliament because even our own cabinet has doubts and she herself admits Parliament won't back it so we left edging ever closer to the 29th of March deadline without a deal and without even an agreed planning cabinet to get a deal the Prime Minister's has cynically run down the clock trying to manoeuvre Parliament into a choice between two unacceptable outcomes her Deal or No Deal the country workers and businesses are increasingly anxious even yesterday the CBI said uncertainty is throttling firms and threatening jobs not in the future but right now the British Chamber of Commerce has said there is no time to waste a responsible prime minister would for the good of this country have put this deal before the house this week this week so we could move on from this government's disastrous negotiations this mr. speaker is a constitutional crisis and the Prime Minister is the architect of it she's leading the most shambolic and chaotic government in modern British history even cabinet no longer functions a prime minister whose authority has been lost a cabinet a cabinet disintegrated into cliques and factions and a Conservative Party so fundamentally split that it's very existence is being discussed it is clear mr. speaker the Prime Minister has failed to renegotiate a deal failed to get any meaningful reassurances there is no excuse for any more dither or delay this government this government mr. speaker has already become the first government in British history to be held in contempt by Parliament the debate on the meaningful vote was pulled at the last minute and the Prime Minister has now wasted five weeks having achieved nothing not a single word renegotiated not a single reassurance gained this last week has embodied the failure chaos and indecision at the heart of this government's shambolic handling of brexit today they've been dragged kicking and screaming to announce a date to restart the debate but mr. speaker it is Nissa mr. Ennis you're a distinguished ornament of a government department a representative of the executive branch be good man you could do so much better when you try mr. jeremy corbyn but Mr Speaker it is disgraceful that a month has been wasted since we were due to vote on the 11th of December there can be no further attempts to dodge the accountability of government to this Parliament mr. speaker thank you mr. speaker the right honorable gentleman asked me three questions during that response does the deal still have the confidence of the cabinet yes does carbonate collective responsibility still apply yes does does the cabinet want to avoid No Deal yes the government wants to ensure that we leave the European Union with a good deal and that is this the real indecision is the indecision at the heart of a Labour Party that has no plan and no and an ash the national crisis is an opposition that is irresponsible that pushes party interests for the British people [Music] it's rendering Mitchell it is clear mr. speaker is it not a deal which my right honourable friend has so assiduously negotiated is most unlikely to secure the support of this House of Commons in these circumstances does she not think it would be wiser to seek an extension to article 15 order having the order wiping the right honourable gentleman shouted our live-in gently say to a government with don't stand near the chair and shout at your colleagues if you're going to do that leave the chamber we'll manage perfectly adequately without you mr. Andrew Mitchell to see to seek an extension to article 50 rather than to leave with No Deal friend but I don't think it's right to be seeking that extension of of article 50 I think what we our faith what Parliament will be faced with is a decision to exercise its responsibility to deliver on the referendum vote to deliver brexit I continue to believe that this is a good deal yes we're seeking those further reassurances but I continue to believe that we can leave with a good deal and that this is it mr. Ian Blackford thank you Thank You mr. speaker and I thank the Prime Minister further advance site of a statement but I have to ask where is the leadership the phrase which is often used we thought the Prime Minister had reached rock bottom but she's still digging mr. speaker we have for sitting days left in this place before the Christmas recess we are then left with the narrow window when we return in January to finally free forward I took the government's per exit timetable it cannot be done after two years of negotiation the Prime Minister has designed a deal that she knows that she cannot deliver it doesn't have the support of this house mr. speaker it is time to call time on this government laughing stock companies and their workers do not know if we're going to be crashing out of the European Union in three months time we've just over 100 days 100 days to prepare for the risk of an ordeal that most sensible folk would reject as being unacceptable the Prime Minister is playing a game of brinksmanship the European Council President Donald Tusk was clear when he said I have no mandate to organize any further negotiations what more does the Prime Minister need to hear to know that our deal is dead this is embarrassing the Prime Minister might be prepared to be embroiled in the shambles but the rest of us are not Parliament needs to take control of this situation and seek to find a solution that prevents arrested jobs and prosperity it's the people of our countries that we are talking about today Prime Minister tells us that there are no other options that is not the case standing before Parliament really act another referendum on EU membership is an act of desperation from the Prime Minister knowing that she cannot get her one deal through this place the Prime Minister wants to silence debate having taken away Parliament's voice her rights are meaningful votes now the Prime Minister wants us to take the right of the people to vote away their democratic right to have their say their democratic right to change their mind Mr Speaker I plead to the prime minister to put all options back on the table stock operating and isolation reach out and speak with the opposition parties we all have a responsibility to protect our citizens it is time Prime Minister to move beyond narrow party politics it is time to operate in the interests of all our nation's I ask the Prime Minister to bring forward the meaningful vote on her deal before the Christmas research there's no reason to delay let us have that meaningful votes this week rather lastly will she do the right thing and meet with me another opposition party leaders this week collectively this mr. speaker is the true test of this government's world if we are to believe that we are a partnership of equals then no today we must be heard [Music] thank you well first of all I'm happy to say to the right honourable gentleman if he wants to come to talk to me about this issue I'm happy to talk to him about it but we do have a fundamental difference of opinion that was revealed in the response of his party to what I said in my statement I believe we should deliver leaving the EU for the British people he believes we should stay in the EU so that's a fundamental difference that we have there he talked about putting jobs and prosperity first this deal does just that but it delivers on the referendum while protecting jobs and prosperity he says he doesn't want to leave with no deal well the only way to ensure that you leave with leave without having no deal is to support a deal and can I just can I just remind the right honorable gentleman generally that 56% of Scots voted for pro brexit parties named Cheryl Gillan the Independent Commission on referendums published earlier this year and recommended that any second referendum on a subject should be specified in the legislation enabling the first referendum say that the requirement for or possibility of a second referendum and the reason for it is clear to the electorate before the first vote takes place would the Prime Minister agree that no such provision was made and that calling for a second referendum at this stage is merely a ruse to try and reverse the result [Applause] Thank You mr. speaker can I say to my right honourable friend that I'm grateful to her for pointing that out to the to the house of course it is absolutely the case that there was no suggestion when the referendum was put to the people in 2016 that that might be a second referendum people were told they were led to believe that their vote would be delivered by the government of the other time subsequently and that's what I believe it is certainly in our interest as a government to do to deliver on that vote and leave the European Union once Vincent Cable the Prime Minister may be aware that the the bookmakers has been offering 66 to 1 against deal passing Parliament but even money on a referendum and even money on the hood then winning it could it be that the cabinet ministers who were gnomes repairing for a referendum are not being disloyal to her but simply better at maths [Laughter] I'm not sure I'm not sure the right honourable gentleman should spend too much time in the betting shots I'm not sure the odds on the Liberal Democrats are very good at all so William cash Thank You mr. speaker but will the Prime Minister confirm despite the European councils own so-called legal endorsement to the withdrawal agreement which they states is not so good for renegotiation they're less respects the UK itself this agreement has not been initialed all signed by herself as Prime Minister and is only a draft being no more than a political agreement under which nothing is agreed until everything is agreed including the backstop and therefore she can still walk away I can certainly confirm while more friend that obviously this is a deal that has been negotiated between the UK and the European Union but it does have to go through certain processes in order to be ratified part of that is ratification here in the United Kingdom Parliament and parties ratification and the European Union European Parliament and of course it is those processes that lead to the final agreement and the withdrawal agreement is Nigel dogs where I'm sure the Prime Minister will agree that EU council conclusions and declarations are of course political statements and they've talked about clarifications reassurances but rewrite renegotiating contradicting or reopening the legal texts indeed they even struck out language saying that the backstop didn't represent a desirable outcome for the eu-27 so will the Prime Minister today tell us exactly and precisely what she is actually asking for to deliver on the key concerns about the legally binding and ethnic nature of the backstop with no right for this country to exit on its own terms what I am asking for is to ensure that we can deal with the concerns that the right honourable gentleman and other members of this house have expressed about the issue of whether the backstop will could be indefinite or would be indefinite so that's two ways to deal with that the first is to ensure that old arrangements support in place to ensure the backstop is not triggered in the first place and the second is to ensure that if it is triggered then it is only temporary and it is further assurances as I said in my statement political and legal assurances in relation to those issues which can be achieved in a number of ways but it's further political and legal assurances in relation to those issues that I'm seeking just in greening on Thursday it will be a hundred days until Britain leaves the European Union at the moment we have no deal and no plan B this is a constitutional crisis because this house is not being allowed to express its will on behalf of our communities who around the country are telling us that they reject this deal that is why MPs want to be able to vote against it so can I say to the Prime Minister that it's though it's pointless criticising other members in this house who are coming up with other solutions whether a second referendum whether Canada whether Norway we are as a parliament trying to find a solution through the political cul-de-sac and mess that we now find this country in it was clear back in the summer that the Prime Minister's deal was not going to succeed she now isn't just listening she's not allowing debate totally unacceptable well she agreed to bring her vote with all this house before Christmas so that she could reflect on the outcome over the Christmas break [Applause] I say to my right honorable friend I know that she and I I think have a difference of opinion in relation to the issue of a second referendum but can I say to my right honourable friend but of course I've indicated when the vote will be brought back to the house there will be necessary for the usual channels to agree what the business motion would be and how many what level how many days of debate would be available for that we are not trying to stop debate what I am trying to do [Applause] [Music] was I what I am doing is recognizing and reflecting to the European Union the concerns expressed here in this house and seeking ways in which we can ensure that members of this house have sufficient confidence that those particular concerns have been addressed mr. Hillery been you very much indeed mr. speaker the Prime Minister went to the European councils seeking legal assurances and returned with none and the next council meeting scheduled is in the third week of March now that cabinet ministers are openly speculating about what should happen when her deal is defeated can she tell the house what purpose it serves to continue to pretend that we might leave the European Union without an agreement when she knows better than anyone else have damaging and disastrous it would be and when she told the house just now that it would risk the jobs services and security of the people responded on this point previously we do have this house has a responsibility and it will have a responsibility to come to a decision on this matter and to determine whether to leave the European Union with a deal or what or to leave without a deal or there will be those in this house and will try to ensure that actually we stay in the European Union I think that would be wrong I think we should be leaving the European Union because that's what people voted for in the biggest exercise of democracy in our history and I believe that we should be leaving with a good deal and this is it mr. Olynyk robbed the final steps of contingency planning for departure on WTO terms are essential in case EU intransigence continues can the Prime Minister confirm that all of those necessary actions are now being taken to see us through any short-term disruption including acts at action to prepare for extra checks at the border by version of flow to friendlier ports liberalisation of tired schedules and cutting taxes for businesses he's trying to tempt me into some budgetary decisions there which as he will know would not be appropriate at this is a despatch box but what I would say to him is that we are making the plans for the contingency arrangements for No Deal as I said in my statement the cabinet will be meeting tomorrow to discuss what further steps need to be taken we have already stepped up those preparations as my right honorable friend indeed was responsible for himself when he was the brexit secretary of state but further stepping up of those No Deal preparations has gone on to address exactly the sorts of issues that he's looking at such as the flow of traffic into different ports here in the UK to ease the disruption disruption will take place in No Deal in the short term we want to take every step that we can to mitigate that and that Cooper the Prime Minister ruled out of customs union the Prime Minister ruled out Norway ruled out Canada ruled out parliamentary votes on her objectives ruled out parliamentary votes on the options he's ruling out now extending article 50 and yet everyone knows she does not have support for her plan and she has no assurances from the EU that she asked for if she carries on like this she's the one that will take us over a No Deal this Christmas businesses and departments across the country are going to be spending billions of pounds now preparing for No Deal doesn't she have a duty and a responsibility No Deal to say she will extend article 15 and have a proper discussion in Parliament say to the right honorable lady first of all she says that we ruled out certain things to the British people in the vote that took place in 2016 the majority and one of the key issues in that was bringing an end to free movement which some of those suggestions that she has as alternatives would not allow to happen so actually we're trying to reflect the views that would took place during that vote and the decision the decision the decision as to whether we go forward with the deal or not will be one that this Parliament will take Thank You mr. cook while my right honourable friend continues to negotiate changes to the backstop would she agree with me that if those efforts were unfortunately to fail and if we are to avoid leaving without a deal which we must add all costs avoid it must now be critical will she not agree that we build a consensus in this house and forge a compromise that delivers brexit whilst protecting British jobs and interests well I agree with my right honorable friend that the aim of everything that we are doing and the aim of what this house will do I believe should be to ensure that we deliver on that vote and do it in a way that protects jobs and prosperity for people up and down this country that's exactly what we're working for and I hope that every member of this house will consider that when it comes to looking at whether or not we should support this deal I believe we should because it does exactly what my right honorable friend has suggested this candle let me tell the Prime Minister what is irresponsible delaying a vote on her agreement not because she's going to get any changes to it but because she wants to run down the clock and intimidate to avoid No Deal this isn't acting in the national interest but in her personal interests and I say to the Honourable lady but what I believe would not have been my it would be for me not to have listened to the concerns that were expressed in this house I did listen to those concerns and I am working and discussions are continuing with the European Union in relation to how we address those concerns and then it will be for Parliament to decide but that will be at that point Parliament members of this house will have a responsibility to determine whether or not they would know the decision that they come to will be about whether or not to deliver on the vote of the referendum in a way that jobs that protects jobs and our security Sir Michael Fallon given that the Prime Minister has listened and is still trying to improve the deal would that deal not be more palatable if the timetable for starting on and agreeing the terms of future trade was as firm and as legally binding as the timetable for paying over all the billions my friend makes a very important point we have achieved obviously from the council conclusions there has been some further progress in relation to the EU's commitment to the starting the next stage of negotiations but my honourable friend has raised an issue which is exactly one which I think it is important for us to continue to discuss with them about getting that absolute confirmation and certainty he refers to legal certainty as to when those negotiations can start and when it is the determination of both parties to ensure those negotiations end we bought that trade deal in place and I wanted him place by the under Semba 2020 Neil grey very much mr. speaker she said for two years but no deal is better than a bad deal of course now we know why we know why her deal is a disaster we'll never pass this house so as she desperately tries to light the clock tell tick down well she published her No Deal planning I have been clear and I remain clear that no deal is better than a bad deal but I believe this is a good deal John read word he now published the tariff schedule for the UK for a WTO exit will that include zero tariffs on all components coming in for manufacture here to provide yet another great boost to Britain as a big manufacturing center [Applause] obviously I say to my right honourable friends that these issues are ones that would have to be addressed in relation to a No Deal to a No Deal scenario we are continuing to discuss as a government the plans that we need to put in place to deal with the possibility of a No Deal in order to mitigate the disruption that would occur in a No Deal situation and obviously we will be looking closely at the tariff schedules Bradshaw how much will it cost the NHS our other public services and thousands of businesses up and down this country as they are forced to activate their No Deal contingency plans because of her reckless time-wasting irresponsible government is about ensuring that contingency arrangements are put in place that is the responsible thing which which any government in this situation would do to ensure that those contingency arrangements are in place until we have the outcome and know with certainty what is happening on the 2000 whether we're leaving with the deal or with No Deal we need to make those contingency arrangements that's the right thing to do estimate way after tomorrow's cabinet meeting where No Deal preparations will be high on the agenda will the Prime Minister please arrange for a minister to come to this house to give a statement this week and then every week until we leave the EU so that we know what's happening so the country can be reassured business and end that is vital they are happening and this house needs to know what is happening I think what I say to my right honorable friend that obviously she's raising the important point of information being available to this house and to members of this house on the planning that is taking place of course there are a number of ways in which that is expressed to the house the Secretary of State for exiting the European Union appears before the Select Committee and responds to issues on that and of course these are matters which have been addressed in debates with within this house but I understand the point she's making about wanting to ensure that members of this house are aware of the arrangements are being put in place Frank filled this house doesn't need more time to debate but to vote on the various options before it might she not therefore agree that we vote as soon as possible on the amendments the speaker will choose of those tables and if she's unwilling to do that my dear opposition parties think how they can use their time they have to debate on the floor of the house to actually make that bring forward that vote and if members actually agree with this line of action might they sign the motion that's on the order paper in my name his question obviously the intention needs to have a proper number of days for debate when the vote is brought back in in January at that stage at that stage of course how the matter is put before the house will depend on the further discussions that have taken place with the European Union and as we've always said any any motion on this issue is of course amendable by members of the of the house and it told the United Kingdom doesn't want the backstop we're told the European Union doesn't want to enter the backstop it what on earth is stopping the European Union giving us a legal guarantee but such a backstop would only last for a very short [Applause] right on the friend it is exactly it is exactly that further legal further political and legal assurance that we're looking at in relation to this there have been very clear statements from the European Union in relation to this those have been reiterated after the not only in the council conclusions but after the council conclusions as well the best way to stop the back stop coming into place of course is to have a firm date for introducing the future relationship that is currently the intention is that is currently 31st of December 2020 and will be continued continuing to discuss what further assurances we can get on this point mr. pres Lesley and precisely will the Prime Minister be securing this miracle on 34th Street sir guarantee from the European Union that she's going to come back with on the back stop and before the 7th of January if she does come back with that will the house be debating it on a fresh government motion and in terms of her commitment to come back on the 7th of January to start the debate is that a promise gentlemen first of all the nature of the business motion will of course and the nature way in which the debate is to be dealt with by this house will of course be discussed with the usual through the usual channels I said we would be starting that debate in the in that first week with the vote in the following week the right Andhra general asked me about the timetable discussions are continuing with the European Union and I expect those to continue into the new year dr. sarah Wollaston here's what would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics and that is to run down the clock and to end up forcing to a deal a which 48% didn't want because they didn't want to leave the European Union but also the majority of those who voted for brexit don't want the mathematics of this just simply don't stack up the majority in this house and in the wider country doesn't want this deal and so can I ask the prime minister to get on with it so that we can actually vote on this and then look at practical alternatives trade my own prevent that as I've indicated in my statement we will bring that vote back in the second week in January the debate with debate it's our intention that debate will start in the previous week in the first week of first week of January I think it is important as I said earlier that I have listened to the house I suspect honourable members had I not listened to the house and been starting the work to try and get those further assurances from members of this house then that would have been an issue that people would have raised I think it's right that I am the government of doing exactly what we said we would which is working with the EU for those further political and legal assurances the Speaker we know nor what the plan is having failed to win support for the deal in Parliament and having failed to get any meaningful change to it at the European Council last week the Prime Minister no simply wants to run down the clock and intimidate Parliament absolutely to choosing between a bad deal and the disaster of no deal I put it to the Prime Minister that it is wrong to threaten and intimidate Parliament enlist more importantly it is reckless to take options off the table as she's tried to do today that could prevent the disaster of New Deal for the country what over the point at which this house faced the meaningful vote it would be a decision for members of this house as to whether to accept the deal or to whether to you know there's some who would prefer to see action taken so that we don't leave the European Union I think that would be wrong I think it would be right what I believe is right is that we deliver on the referendum and the question would be for members of this house as to whether they accept that responsibility to come to a decision at the moment they've been lots of ideas around this house about what should happen know alternatives that are no alternatives that actually deliver on the referendum that deliver on the referendum in a way that protects jobs that's what the deal does but it will be a decision for individual members of this house to bear the responsibility that they have revealed the Prime Minister will be aware that those of us who have large manufacturing companies in our constituencies in my case Johnson Matthey and Royston who do integrated manufacturing European bases with short supply lines they're getting on to people like me saying look it's very urgent that we have a deal now when she's negotiating and discussing in Europe with people like mr. Juncker does she have the feeling that there is that urgent need to get a deal and that they are prepared to listen to what she says and really put in ask it because I must say that when I saw him looking so relaxed and really being rather patronizing I felt that wasn't really putting in the sort of shift she has can I say to my humble friend that indeed the I think very clear message that comes back from the European Union from the Commission and EU leaders is that they do want a deal we have obviously negotiated this deal there are those further assurances I'm working to achieve and it has been made clear by President Juncker and others that those further discussions can indeed take place this several Roberts the prime minister knows that no better deal will be found in Europe and that no majority will be found in Westminster she also knows no deal is disastrous she delayed a vote because she knew her deal would fail to get the support it needed she can employ the same logic again well she confirmed that she holds the power to seek an extension for article 50 it is of course it is of course well first of all the government does not the government holds the power to seek an extension for article 50 any extension of article 50 would have to be agreed with the European Union the but I I have been clear I have been clear that what I believe is the right course of action having triggered article 50 having undertaken the negotiations is that we ensure we leave the European Union on the timetable that we've already set out Nicky Morgan you very much indeed mr. speaker the Prime Minister and her statement talked about empowering this house but the trouble is is that she is asking this house to accept a deferral for several weeks of the meaningful vote on the draft withdrawal agreement on the basis that further assurances can be agreed with the European Union but there is nothing in what she has said today what has been reported in the EU Council those further assurances are likely to be given and I say this is somebody who was going to vote for her draft agreement on the basis that she has set out the businesses need certainty and the country needs reassurance I honestly do not think the businesses and employers and our constituents will understand why this house is going on holiday when we should be having the meaningful vote this week to my right honorable friend I believe it is what I believe is right is that what the government is doing is having heard the concerns that are expecting expressed by members of this house what what the government is doing is taking those concerns to the European Union yes we have further statements from the u EU with legal status in the council conclusions than we've had before but we are seeking yet more and further assurances from the European Union I think that's the right thing to do then that can be debated properly by this by this house and the vote taken Johanna cheering last Thursday the Attorney General told the House that he was reviewing the question of whether article 50 could be revoked by a simple vote of this house or by legislation this Thursday the Scottish case has been referred back from the Court of Justice to the courts in Edinburgh to look at this issue can the Prime Minister confirm for us that the government's position on how you article 50 could be revoked whether legislation or simply a vote of this house is required will be set out to the courts on Edinburgh on Thursday can I say to the Honourable lady that I will look into that issue and get back to her on the specifics of that issue in terms of the stance that the government is taking in relation to the case that is going to the court in Edinburgh as but I know the Honourable lady has had considerable interest in the revocation of article 50 I would simply remind all members of this house that the revocation of article 50 is something that this government has said we will not do because rebek revoking article 50 means staying in the European Union johnathan generally you mr. speaker and I was one of the members who would and will support the Prime Minister's dil but I have to say Prime Minister that what's coming back to me from business from industry from the city is that we are now hemorrhaging support and investment on a daily basis and it's getting worse which is why I add two other honourable members in saying please do think again in holding this vote in holding a series of stand alone resolutions which mean that we can take of you and move on I understand the concern that he's expressing in relation to business business once certainty business wants the deal business welcomed the deal when we when we negotiated the deal and I think they still taking that they're taking that approach he referred to a lot of I think being referred to as indicative votes a number of motions that could be brought before this house there are no plans for indicative votes I have no plans for indicative votes but can I just say - can I just say to my honourable friend and to other members of this house that actually what is necessary is for the house to reflect on what members want in terms of their responsibilities in terms of their responsibilities in terms of their responsibility to come to a decision on this matter and at the moment there are as I indicated earlier a number of views around this house some want to stay in the EU some want to go for a second referendum some some would support a No Deal some would support looking at other arrangements all of those arrangements any of those arrangements as I said that would relate would require a withdrawal agreement because they were would require us to make clear the basis on which we're restoring from the European Union Angela Smith for his use of the word nebulous but there are many people in this house who would take issue with her use of the word meaningful because there's nothing meaningful about two votes which forces members of this house to choose between her deal and no deal so when is the Prime Minister can stop digging start listening and building a consensus with members across the house to get us out of this map it's always going to be the case whenever the vote came before this house that people would have members of the house would have a decision as to whether to support the deal that had been negotiated with the European Union or not with the consequences that failure to support that deal would bring and that is it's the same whenever that vote is taken and dr. Julian Lewis does the Prime Minister recall telling the house on the 3rd of December that the 3 to 4 billion pound set aside in the budget for contingency no deal planning was about to be allocated in the next few days to relevant departments has that allocation been made and is the money now available for essential contingency plan yes I do recall saying that I say my honourable friend that of course the 1819 financial year allocations are in place and money is being spent what we I think he was referring to and I was referring to with 1920 allocations negotiations on those are well advanced a number of departments have settled and we expect to be in a position to confirm all of those shortly George house last Friday a constituent said to me that although she had voted to leave in the referendum in 2016 she now wanted to register the fact but she'd now changed her mind as she Potter for the sake of her grandchildren if it emerges that a significant number of people who were previously voters have reached the same conclusion which would be more democratic now and then the opportunity to change their mind or pressing on regardless and I I also hear from people who in the opposite position they voted to remain and now say they would vote to leave the European Union the fact is that simple fact is that if there were a second referendum which if there were a second referendum which came out with the same result what those honorable members who wish people to be given the chance to think again continue to say that there should be a referendum if it came out with a different result I think there'll be many people who would say actually how many referendums shall we have and the referenda show this is this is we had the referendum and I believe it's our duty to deliver on it Nana Seabury problem is mr. speaker there is a consensus in the country and that consensus is is that this is one wholly unholy mess and a solution has to be found and the Prime Minister still hasn't told us what her plan B is does she not understand if we leave the European Union not having a people's vote knowing what brexit looks like and then it turns out that the people of this country knowing what wrecks it looked like didn't want us to leave the European Union it would be the biggest betrayal of democracy in this country the people of this country especially the young people would never forget nor forgive us especially this party my own right honorable friend I know she has taken a particular view in relation to this issue but I continue to believe that what we should be doing is delivering on the vote it was overwhelming as I indicated in the figures that I said in my state out of my statement it was the overwhelming view of this Parliament that people should have a vote in the referendum it was the overwhelming view of this Parliament that article 15 should be triggered article 50 leads to leaving the European Union it is now our duty to deliver that how does the Prime Minister have the gall to accuse those of us who want more democracy of breaking faith with the public when she has turned faith breaking into a new and then she granted one she promised no means she promised a meaningful vote last week and then cancelled it but you cannot break faith with the British public by asking for their views why can she not understand that a people's vote would be the first opportunity for people to vote on the facts not on the fantasy and the publication going to saves the Honourable lady that there are many people up and down this country 17 4.4 million people I think up and down this country who would say that if the the vote that took place in 2016 was not honored by this Parliament that would be breaking face Savita Bottomly the outcome as our animal friend has said is either we leave without having an agreement to leave and transition and future arrangements or we go somehow back to having a attempt by some to reverse the rule of the referendum or we have to deal with the agreements which would be negotiated now it's quite clear from Freddie says asked when The Times on Thursday saying that seven people out of eight in the country and I suspect here as well would prefer to have the had the deal with the agreements in preference either to dropping out without a deal or going back to another referendum so I could save the Prime Minister I think most people support her and we should too and that actually reflects that actually reflects the comments that I'm given around the country when people say to me and write to me and indicate they want us to get on with it to deliver and then enable us as a government of the Parliament to get on with addressing the domestic issues that matter to them day to day Suga Ramona mr. speaker let us be clear is the long list of broken promises of leave campaigners she appointed to her government which has done irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics now she has been here given three statements and on each occasion this house is clear it will not vote for her plan but she continues to refuse to listen can I ask her a very specific question if we get to the March EU council and there's no consensus in this house on a route forward will she now commit and she said No Deal is not something she would countenance will she now commit at that March 2019 Council to request an extension to article 50 to stop No Deal from happening I've indicated my approach in relation to the extension of article 50 mean what's in manual Mac or said on Friday recent comments from the Commission have been rather more hostile and anything but nebulous martin's el Myers reported to have told officials quote losing Northern Ireland is the price of brexit there sir been very brief tu ambassadors on the on the on the deal that so the UK must align their rules but the EU will retain all the controllers and at the weekend of further EU officials report in The Times to said to use a christmas-themed we want all parties and factions in the British Parliament to feel the pollak Midwinter does this sound to my right on a friend like people negotiating in good faith I've always been clear throughout this these have been tough negotiations but we but we have held our side and got achieved a deal that actually delivers on the vote of the British people delivers it in a way that protects jobs and security and I believe protects our prosperity for the future Steven Doughty you mister speak is it not the truth that all the prime minster talks about democracy she prevented the cabinet having a votes she's prevents in Parliament having a vote and she doesn't want the public to have a vote on this deal so she wants to talk about democracy and she should think very very carefully about that but will she not admit that she's acting out in a completely reckless fashion with jobs with business with investments and with our constituents features because on the 2nd of January when the vast majority people in this country will go back to work this Parliament will not be sitting the government will still be stalling for time trying to come up with a magic solution and people simply be asking what is going on he I have to say he asked me a question in relation to what I was doing and I have to say my answer to that question is no serife idli we've had our peoples vote in Lincolnshire yeah here and they are people by the way yeah now I express an unfashionably supportive view of the Prime Minister today I think actually that this matter is resolved the hall and many of us who have been skeptical about the deal so far could be persuaded to vote for it if there was a legally legally binding protocol saying that as is normal with international treaties if a temporary arrangement ceases be temporary then either side can unilaterally withdraw and in any event under international law we would have the right to abrogate those parts for treaty if they prove not to be temporary so I saved the Prime Minister keep calm and carry on yeah [Music] mr. Fitz comments and also reflect the fact that I think he has himself in the amendment that he puts down to the motion reflected the view that he has just expressed and there are many ways in which we can achieve what everybody I think who is concerned about the backstop wants which is to make sure that if it is used it is only temporary I want to try to make sure it's not used at all it's a promise aware that many people in our country feel that they work on over the red last referendum by combination of fraudsters cheats foreign money and dissembling about the real truth of the challenges our countries faced schedule to know but many of us fuel is tragic to see her so isolated isolated from her party from this Parliament and the people in the country will she change her mind as I have done and go for a people's boat and a People's Choice all the facts not on the theory no I've I've already made my views clear I mentioned it in this statement in relation to the concept of a second referendum I think we should be delivering on the referendum that took place in 2016 so you go Squire Brenda said she's going to be stepping up work to mitigate any disruption in the event of a no deal and the cabinet will be discussing that tomorrow given the fact there are just over 100 days to go we have the Christmas in the New Year break can she informed this house and the watching country how many meetings of Cobra there will be how many she will chair and whether there will be meetings throughout the Christmas and New Year break of cabinet ministers and Cobra to plan for this I say to my own friend have already been fought like the meetings taking place that will move to a more regular rhythm in in January as we continue to step up the preparations for No Deal Prime Minister ruling out a second referendum when we haven't actually implemented the first can I also congratulated that she didn't get her hair by president Younker the way he seems to do to everybody but can I just ask her has she had a word with her chancellor of the exchequer who really when he called people who voted me seventeen point four million people he implied they were extremists have you had a word with him to make sure that he is not going to take that attitude to decent people across the country nobody everybody in this government recognizes that people went out this Parliament gave people the decision whether or not to leave people went out in seventeen point four million people chose that we should leave the European Union they did so for a variety of reasons ending free movement was for many of them but just also for many of them I think that concept of wanting a United Kingdom able to stand independent in the world make those trade deals around the rest of the world but free of the bureaucracy of Brussels was another reason why people wanted to do that they did that with their hearts and with their heads and with the best of intentions and it's our job to actually deliver on the vote that they gave Jacob Murray Smaug mr. speaker now I congratulate the Prime Minister on winning the confidence of the Conservatives in this house and I saw her and assure her that she therefore commands my confidence to on the issue of the second referendum better known as the losers vote I support the Prime Minister's opposition to this not only because it is undemocratic and would be divisive but also because it would be very hard to deny a second referendum in Scotland if we had a second referendum on membership of the earth can I say my my honorable friend I think makes a good point we have a record and Dave over the years on a number of referendums we have accepted the decisions that people have taken we have not gone back to them with a second referendum and I think he's absolutely writing may I thank him for his remarks at the beginning of this question we be told there's going to be a thirty four day delay from when we were supposed to have the meaningful vote last Tuesday until the new date now on the 14th of January that's clearly not going to be any substantive changes to the withdrawal agreement we all know what the outcome of that vote would be and it's irresponsible for the prime minister to prolong this uncertainty while not ruling out a no deal press it further to the question from my honourable friend from Exeter can I ask her again what is the cost to our country of pressing the button on the No Deal contingency plans which we know many businesses and public services across the country including our NHS now have to trigger before Christmas say to the Honourable ages same answer that I gave to the right uncle friend the member for Exeter which is that these are plans that it is sensible for government to make as contingency arrangements in the circumstances that we have if the Honourable lady and other members of this house wish to ensure that we don't leave the European Union without a deal and the only way to do that is to support a deal maybe Ford Thank You mr. speaker 27 prime ministers across Europe have agreed unanimously to offer the UK the deepest trade agreement they have ever offered five of those Prime Minister's upon sister parties to the British Labour Party seven of them from sister parties to the British Liberal Democrat Party there's our Prime Minister agree that for the best way to avoid a hard brexit the best way for parties opposite to avoid that is to look again at the deal that has been offered by Prime Minister's of course yes can I can I echo the comments of my own real friend I think she's absolutely right and I understand there are those in those sister parties two parties on the opposition benches who have been talking to them and encouraging them to see that this is a deal that does deliver a far wider and more ambitious trading arrangement and has ever been offered to any other third country who Stella Creasy mr. speaker for weeks now the Prime Minister's been clear about what her deal is for weeks now the European Union has been clear about what deal they will offer for weeks now this house has been clear about what they will reject but it's not true that nothing has changed because it's very clear what little support the Prime Minister had left on her own benches is ebbing away by the hour because when we know the chair if you want gentlemen but it's not happening is it because we know the quicker we take the deal the longer we will have to prepare for whatever the outcome of that vote is and the British public watching us go away on holiday without having made any progress on this will not forgive any of us for goodness sake Prime Minister stop wasting all of our time get on table weapons and let us prepare for what comes next and I say to the Honourable lady it is not correct to say that no progress has been made but I want to see further progress being made and that's what I'm going to be working on dreamtone arranged mr. speaker the drop with rule agreements 585 pages long and whilst I appreciate I don't necessarily agree with the case for not producing the full plan for a managed No Deal brexit if the withdraw agreement does fail in this house how quick it will it be to that full no deal preparation being published after the withdraw agreement is rejected the the formal position as I'm sure my humble friend will recall is that if that deal is rejected then the government has a limited period of time number of sitting days with which to bring forward its proposals for the next stage for dealing with that situation before this before this house and that is a timetable obviously which we would meet Peter Kyle this lengthy statement that the Prime Minister made today it was interesting that the one passage he leaked to the press yesterday was her antagonism towards the idea of a people's vote it is entirely consistent with her approach to this in the start where she took this house to the Supreme Court to stop us having a say at the beginning withdrew the vote last week at the end can I just beg the prime minister that in the next few weeks if she is going to pause and stop and prevaricate can she use that time to start listening engaging to people in this house and to the anxieties her felt out there in the public for the very first time can she and listen I've made the point about listening to the house that's why that further discussions are taking place but as I said in my statement I am happy of course to speak with with people in this house I've been speaking with quite a few of my colleagues over the last last couple of weeks and I'm happy to continue to speak with colleagues about how we can ensure that we do deliver for the vote that we deliver and that we deliver a good brexit so those from Swain shouldn't her recent experiences at the council serve as a powerful to corrective to any illusion anyone could have that we could have remained members of it my right honourable friend I think makes an an interesting point and I suspect that what he saw actually fed into the concerns that many of those seventeen point four million people had when they voted to leave she's having Goodman this afternoon on a cross-party basis sixty members of parliament have written to the prime minister asking her to rule out No Deal she knows the costs what possible reason can she have for not doing it now the only way to rule out No Deal is to agree a deal [Applause] Nick Herbert Thank You mr. speaker the Prime Minister is surely right to seek further assurances on the backstop which after all is what many right honourable and honourable members on both sides of this house asked her to do is it not the case that most honourable members who are supporting now having voted in most cases to trigger article 50 but nevertheless they are supporting now a second referendum I'll doing so working on the heroic assumption that remain is likely to win had they stopped for one second to consider the possibility but leave might win or worst of all that we would have another very narrow result that would give uncertainty to this country for months and years well I write honourable friend makes a very important point about the uncertainty that would come to this country I believe a second referendum would be as I've said before I've described it as as divisive it wouldn't necessarily be decisive but I do think that many people who assume that it would come with a remain decision actually underestimate the character of the British people whose view I think for many people would be we gave a very clear message we wanted to leave and we'll vote even in even greater numbers to do so the reason why the EU are clinging limpet lake to this agreement is that they know they have got concessions in this agreement which will enable them well it comes to the future tree arrangements to extract even more concessions from the UK government and would she not be far better not walk away with 939 million in her pocket her hands free and able to do the kind of work which any governments you want to do to make this country prosperous what has been made clear to the government is that it isn't the case that in all circumstances we've in in a no deal circumstance we would not have any financial liabilities there would be some financial liabilities for this for this government of course the 39 billion is the negotiated settlement in relationships withdrawal agreement but the would be financial liabilities even in a no deal situation Heidi Allen mr. speaker it's actually not just the backstop that worries colleagues myself included for me actually it's the lack of legal certainty over what our future trade deals might look like because that political declaration is not legally binding so any one of EU country leaders including our own should we have a different leader could rip it up and we could be sparring to a no deal breaks it at any time the Prime Minister said it's not about our views I actually I agree with her and that's why she's appealed to the country directly with her deal it's why I must represent my constituents but if she really believes in the views of constituents being the most important thing then surely the right thing to do dare I say the democratic thing to do is to be honest and grown-up and display proper engaging with people and that means checking with them that they are content with her deal my humble friend I think the arguments she puts about listening to people equally be put about listening to people in relation to the first referendum that was held on 2016 can I also say to my own girlfriend though that she raises an important point about the nature of the political declaration and that concern is another issue which I have been raising with the European Union because I want to ensure that an honorable and right honorable members of this house are able to have full confidence in that future trade agreement Angus Brendon Neil she made a deal with the EU about Ireland 70 quite rights to keep it at a cage of her own making to make sure the UK cannot backslide at its commitments because last week the eu-27 will have noticed the sleek it way her government changed the laws move the goalposts when dealing with Scotland in the Supreme Court the realities were once italia said it ruled the waves now we see the Firoz as we've seen with Scotland the --use big fear is that when given the chance but China will waive the rules and is away on holiday before it makes any vote on any deal can I say to the Honourable gentleman I think he's referring to the bill the Scottish Parliament brought forward which was challenging the changes that were made in relation to mr. all act but I think that that in relation to the relationship between the withdrawal act and the Scottish Scottish Parliament and decisions in relation to Scotland honourable members from the SNP were aware and indeed the Scottish Government was aware of the position when they brought that bill before the Scottish [Applause] and religion and kill mr. speaker despite assurances from the Prime Minister that the backstop would be temporary I remain very concerned that if this House approves the deeply flawed withdrawal agreement we risk being trapped in the backstop inevitably come a right on will friend confirm the income tax was introduced in 1799 as a temporary measure to pay for the Napoleonic Wars I'm I'm interested in the historical in the historical links that he that he draws on this on this matter but I think in relation to the the relation to the backstop it is as I say this is an issue that I recognize that he and others have concerns about and I continue to work to provide the assurances which I hope would be enabled my honourable friend to be able to accept a deal and make sure that we leave the European Union with a deal Moreno's members of her cabinet this weekend have said that if her deal is voted down then it should be for Parliament to decide what happens next does she agree there is there is a process which is set in the legislation that if the deal is voted down then it is for the government within a certain period of time to bring forward its proposals to the to Parliament that a motion will be put before Parliament and following an amendment that was tabled and agreed by Parliament a couple of weeks ago that motion would be amendable dr. Phillip Lee he was to speak it judging by the tone and content of today's statement it would appear that the Prime Minister is still implacably opposed to what I think is the only democratic solution to this impasse for the sake of clarity could she confirm that she is so opposed that she would prefer a No Deal what I what I want to see happening and what I prefer is for us to leave the European Union on the basis of a deal on the basis of a good deal and I believe this is a good deal don't break both the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition no there's no point in kicking this can down the road nothing is going to happen over Christmas and the new year can I ask the prime minister to bring forward her meaningful vote this week and ask the lead of the opposition to bring forward his motion of no-confidence this week and then this week we can move on to where we know we are going and that is a people's vote I say to the right honourable gentleman now though there are further discussions continuing the EU and those will continue into the new year I thank you mr. speaker and I wanted to commend the Prime Minister's dogged determination and so many people on the streets of Taunton Dean this weekend commended the Prime Minister for attitude and would she agree with me that given that this is the only deal on the table everything must be done to make it acceptable which means everybody pulling together for the sake of the nation but particularly for the sake of our younger generations which don't seem to be mentioned enough and this was reiterated to me at the University Center of Somerset just the risk this weekend because we do have to leave them with an economy that is fully functioning and viable my own rent is absolutely right that we do need to ensure that we're protecting the economy for the future and that is what this deal does and I think the young people that she's referred to at that University Center in Somerset would want to see an not just a government but also in opposition that is putting their interests in the national interest first rather than the opposition putting its party interests first the last few weeks of short this deal is for Norway today's statement doesn't change that does the Prime Minister now regret not working cross-party to build consensus in this house exact and why will she not accept there is a way out of this hopeless situation by extending article 50 working together without the political posturing for a deal that works for everyone this is about we have negotiated a deal that works for everyone I would simply say to be honourable I say to the Honourable lady simply simply this in June 2016 a vote was held and people voted to leave the European Union in March 2019 29th of March the date set for us to leave the EU it will be nearly three years since that vote I think people want us to get on with leaving the European Union and that's what we'll do Rachel McClane does the Prime Minister realise that when John Claude Jonker called her nebulous he fundamentally underestimated the attitude of the British people who completely disagree that's what I found in my constituency of radish this weekend mr. speaker we're what people have praised is the Prime Minister's determination to get a deal that works for mine constituency can she display that similar determination in ruling out second referendum which arm is so insulting to my constituents and suggest that they don't know what they voted for the first time out well I think my humble friend makes a very important point that those who many of those who advocate a second referendum are many people who voted to leave in the first in the referendum in 2016 would say exactly that they knew what they were voting for they voted for what they believed was right for this country and actually they want to government that delivers at so Wilson Speaker I must the Prime Minister before a third day was better than the one that we have now to which she can't give a straight answer because I think she knows the answer is nor what undermines the integrity of our democracy Prime Minister just to ask eventually members of this house to knowingly vote for something that will make that constituents blue-ray not laws in this house they want the people to have the final say and whether they actually want that to up and in the first place Prime Minister is your deal better than the one we have now moon if it is can we have the vault on the meaningful vote this week I've set out when the meaningful vote will take place the honourable gentleman again referenced people being poorer under this deal than they are today they are not going to be poorer under this deal and they are today that is that is the economic analysis is very clear about this and the economic analysis is clear that the best deal the best approach in turn that delivers on the referendum and protects jobs in the economy is the deal Jim cleverly Thank You mr. speaker members a number of members opposite need some on this side of the house have been talking about people who have changed their mind and how much it's important that we respect people's opportunity to change their mind would she agree with me that whilst there is no evidence that a meaningful number of people have changed their mind with respect to the referendum result it is very clear a number of members opposite have changed their mind because previously they said they were going to respect the outcome of the referendum right they clearly now no longer wish to do so and if they want to stop grexit they should be honest with this house and their constituents and just say so and I say to my honourable friend I absolutely agree with him and it is the case that both the Conservative Party and the Labour Party campaigned in last year's election on the basis that we would respect the referendum and deliver on the referendum result I believe that's important I believe that that should be the position that is being taken by the opposition as well to reflect their manifesto and to reflect the promise that they gave to the British people dr. Lisa Cameron Conservatives have had the opportunity to decide twice in the past two years on the Prime Minister's own position in what way it is it's undemocratic to give the people a second exit well can I say to the Honourable lady that the first of all I think it is important that we recognise when we have a referendum in this country that we not don't say to people this is a sort of well if it comes out with the result most people in Parliament want then we'll accept it and if not we won't actually we accept the results of referendums in this country and I believe a given that the majority of members of this house stood last year on a manifestos to respect the result of that referendum we should do that has been learnt see a World Trade Organisation terms from the 29th of March not even including the opportunity for tariff free trade under article 24 of the GATT and the immediate opportunity to negotiate and conclude free-trade agreements with both the EU and the rest of the world hardly sounds like an outcome to be avoided at all costs and certainly not a disaster the extent of any disruption of the move to the WTO terms depends on the policies of our European Union partners if it becomes clear on Wednesday their preparations appear to make transition more difficult not easier will she therefore make sure that the 39 billion pounds we would otherwise pay to the EU the first charges on British businesses affected by their policies and will she show the first flash of steel by and clear she is going to at least consider the 1.2 billion pounds of sunk costs in the Galileo project might come into that consideration I say to my right honorable friend that in the financial settlement the work on the financial settlement that took place that has led to the thirty nine billion thirty four to thirty nine billion which is significantly less than the one hundred billion that was being talked about at the European Union level at one stage did of course take into account the all the aspects of the United Kingdom's contributions that have been made into the European Union over over the number of years of our of our membership and it is as a result of the tough negotiations that the UK undertook that we have seen that some of money being significantly less than the one that the European Union initially thought of Katherine Makino's on Friday I visited the Newcastle West End Food Bank to drop off a Christmas donation they're now distributing about eleven tons of food a month to people in crisis half of whom are children her own government's announced this shows that we will be worse off under every brexit scenario but particularly if we leave without an agreement her No Deal threat makes no sense she won't give the details she won't give the economic analysis of the costs so will she just take that threat off the table and get give the reassurance that this government her government will not let the poorest in society pay for this brexit impact the Honourable lady when looking at the negotiations of this deal we wanted to ensure that we could protect jobs and that we would protect our prosperity of the future and that's exactly what we have done but I repeat what I have said to other honourable members it's not possible simply to wish away and no deal without having an alternative to no deal and that means either either having a deal or not having brexit at all and I believe that delivering on brexit is what we should be doing and what this house should be agree mr. Philip Davis can I urge the government to get off its knees in these negotiations and can I will the Prime Minister remind the EU this house and perhaps even the cabinet's that we are the United Kingdom and that we are we are perfectly capable of standing alone we are not some kind of small third-world backwater that is dependent on the benevolence of the European Union the way that the EU have treated her in these negotiations is embarrassing for the Prime Minister and humiliating for the United Kingdom can I tell her that if she were to go along to the EU now and tell them in the face of their intransigence she told them to get stopped the huge proportion of the British people would be absolutely right behind her in this great battle between Parliament and the people it's absolutely critical that the Prime Minister is on the side of the people can I say to my honourable friend but I believe that being on the side of the people is about ensuring that this government delivers on brexit and that's what we'll do Lena Moran Prime Minister David Cameron has been taken on board to the backseat drive this progress given their original architecture I was slightly concerned may I ask the Prime Minister what exactly is the former Prime Minister's role in this when exactly was the last time she spoke to him and one of my 50 giving yeah he is not giving advice the last time I spoke to him was when we actually agreed the withdrawal agreement when I spoke to two former Prime Minister's as a matter of courtesy to indicate that to them what had been negotiated with the European Union mr. Robert album Thank You mr. speaker I welcome the guarantees the Prime Minister has given today about having no second referendum of any kind I also welcome her standing up to mr. Luger could I just say in plain words to the Prime Minister that if she went to the European Union and said young said you can stick the 39 billion pounds of taxpayers money where the Sun to Sun don't shine unless we get movement a legal movement on the back stop she wouldn't be called a nebula should be called the Iron Lady and I say to my friend again I'd simply say to my own girlfriend that I think as I've said to other members of this house it is important for us to remember that actually there would be whatever the circumstances while leaving the European Union there would be some financial obligations for us and as a as a country that does meet its legal obligations I think it would be important for us to continue to do so Chris Bryant the time in the world isn't going to make the slightest difference to the arithmetic in this house and the truth is by delaying another 28 days from today in holding the meaningful vote the Prime Minister is playing into the hands of the European Union she's playing into the hands of those who want to undermine our security she's playing into the hands of those who want to be our economic rivals and she's achieving absolutely nothing for this country she could invite every single member of the House round to her gaffe for Christmas Day Boxing Day and New Year's Eve and she's still going to lose the vote so why doesn't she get on with it this week because I am seeking those further assurances to from the European Union I've listened to the house and that's what I'm doing did you gram the speaker I very much hope that the Prime Minister can agree with the eeoa legally-binding annex to the withdrawal agreement on any intended use of the backs of and I believe that could unite many members of this house but given that they too like us were elected on a manifesto of respecting the referendum result shouldn't any further reassurances be the moment for labour members to join with us in supporting a practical compromise and ending uncertainty okay I agree with my own friend that I think it is important that when it comes to the vote but members from across this whole house put the interests of this country first put the interests of delivering on the referendum and doing it in a way that does protect jobs and our security which is exactly what I believe this deal does Jim Shannon Minister the some of your junior administered it losing the payroll I've told other MPs that the backstop cannot be change because of at the if it wasn't it changed Leo Apotheker would lose the Republic of Ireland election we do need to have good relations with the Republic of Ireland but Prime Minister you are the Prime Minister I know your responsibility is for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland so can the Prime Minister remind the members of her payroll team that northern artists part of the United Kingdom and that there's no onus on any member or junior minister who could be a cheerleader for the tea shock yeah can I say to my humble friend that the reason the reasons why we have negotiated what we have and the reasons why we as a government we are committed to Northern Ireland and to not having a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland that's nothing to do with the views of the tea shock it's nothing to do with the views of the government of the Republic of Ireland it's about the commitment that we believe we should be giving to the people of Northern Ireland dr. Andrea Morrison okay sensibly and pragmatically continues to apply the union customs code after praxis and given from the beginning of the new year the new UK customs declaration system and the REC system that will replace certificates of origin is it not the case that the European Union would not be acting in good faith if it insisted on its backstop potentially out to 20 1999 as as cited in the withdrawal agreement being very clear with my honourable friend that the backstop is as we have said in the withdrawal agreement and has been further confirmed by the council conclusions last week is intended to be temporary because article 50 does not allow for a permanent arrangement to be put in place but it is the case of course that the existence of alternative arrangements which would enable us to deal with the issue of providing that there is no hard border between North Island and Ireland would it ensure that the backstop need not be used and if it was used that it could be replaced and could be replaced quickly by those rearrangements that's reversed mr. heft my constituent who is currently stockpiling insulin and does she believe that urgent measures need to be put in place for these vital sorts of provisions the Department of the Department of Health of course them are putting arrangements in place making contingency arrangements for no deal that is part of the preparations that are taking place which it is entirely right for the government to do Alberta Custer securing the rights of British nationals living in the eu-27 and the rights of EU nationals here in the United Kingdom is a matter of the utmost importance for every member of this house in the absence of any other alternative legal document will the Prime Minister conform only hard deal absolutely guarantees in law the rights of our fellow Brits in the EU and EU nationals here yes I'm very happy to give that confirmation to my honourable friend and he's right to raise this as an issue it was an issue at the early early stage of negotiations where many members of this house raised the question of citizens rights now what we hear is a lot about the backstop but people of course are missing to mention that that crucial issue of citizens rights is reflected in and is protected and the guarantees are given in the withdrawal agreement Seema Malhotra mr. speaker the Prime Minister continued to put on this pretence there's some how when the people voted they only gave permission for her deal or for no deal she knows that when we leave the European Union if we leave with no deal we will lose access to 40-plus international trade agreements covering trade with 70 countries to EU criminal databases to the EU single market which over 70% of UK's exporting businesses trade with and indeed there could be a delay to new medicines reaching patients in the UK of two to three years she knows that there are other legal and political options so isn't it time for her to give herself a much better Christmas to have a vote in the House this week on her deal and then allow Parliament to start to work together on how we move forward I say to the Honourable lady that it was the vote that took place in 2016 that determined that we should be leaving the European Union I believe we should be leaving the European Union with a good deal this is a good deal I believe that alternatives that have been put other alternatives that have been put forward in some cases don't deliver on the vote of the referendum and in other cases maker backs the use of a backstop is more likely give in faster but mr. speaker the Prime Minister recall last week my question was around how we ensure that the backstop is clear cannot be forcing you care can be kept indefinitely due to vetoes and extraneous issues what comfort did you take from some of the comments of other European is for example the Chancellor of Austria and the two prime minister of Denmark this might actually something that we can secure as a United Kingdom it's absolutely right I think crucially a number of European Union leaders made very clear their view in relation to the backstop being temporary or not being used at all and they did make clear that they were willing to listen to further proposals in order to give greater clarification to that point that's exactly why I think it's right that we carry on talking to the European Union on this matter this is Marian fellows [Music] so women's empowerment here in Parliament why doesn't the Prime Minister empower em piece here before Christmas and why won't she empower the people with their certain people sport yeah save the Honourable lady I refer her to the answers I've given to those questions earlier president Yonkers not ruffling the hair of female colleagues I think the promis'd had got away lightly there and we know that he follows what said in this house very carefully he will have heard her today saying no revocation of article 50 and no second referendum and I suspect he does get some succor from some of the things that are said in this chamber can she now States for president Janka the exact date when the United Kingdom will be leaving the European Union legislation it's the 29th of March 2019 doctor speaker the Prime Minister's not interested in the will of the people apart from one day in 2016 and with her minority government being the first ever to be found in content and by pulling the plug on the meaningful vote at the last minute last week she's little regard for the sovereignty of parliament either give me that she's returned from her latest travels empty-handed due to her own red lines why won't you know MPs vote on her deal this week I will consider extending article 50 it is the season of miracles and goodwill but no one no one it's all beliefs this is all going to be neatly concluded by the end of March I've answered those questions previously as I've just said to my honourable friend the member for Torquay I think it is important that we follow up on the opportunity to seek these further political and legal assurances in relation to the concern that people have on the back stop and also as I indicated also to my honourable friend the member for South West Cambridgeshire that it is important that we look at the status of the political declaration which is another issue which people have raised members sitting now actually cited to give a people's vote in 2015 because I suspect but if they had decided to keep the vote just to themselves that they would have voted overwhelming to remain in the European Parliament which means that now there's inbuilt bias against delivering brexit so please steer course straights Prime Minister the country expects us to deliver brexit a people's vote is simply an opportunity to try and overturn the Democratic vote well my honourable friend is absolutely right and that's exactly what this government is doing steering a course to deliver on what people voted for we gave them the decision we asked them to make that decision they made that decision and we should respect it Plan B are no deal yes what I'm working on at the moment is to ensure that we can get the assurances necessary to deal with the concerns people have on the deal that has been negotiated Mr Speaker I like to think of myself as a friendly fellow and I have no particular inclination to fall out with colleagues on either side of the chamber based on the details of the brexit deal the one thing I've learnt in politics mr. speaker is it's perfectly reasonable to look at identical information and come to completely different conclusions but on values that's where I disagree and does the Prime Minister agree that to have a second referendum would fund early fundamentally undermine the principle of democracy I I believe though there are many people who voted if not for the first time at all certainly for the first time for some considerable number of years in that referendum they did so in the belief that the politicians were going to listen to them and I think their belief and their faith in politics and politicians and our democracy would be shattered if they were asked to think again we should deliver on the vote that took place I gave mr. speaker I listened very carefully to the words the Prime Minister use when asked about indicative votes in this house she said we have no plans when asked whether she would revoke article 50 she said this government will not do if this house voted to instruct the government to revoke article 50 would she resign and make way for another government that will carry out the wishes of this house is the Honourable gentleman if this house voted to revoke article 50 it will be going against the wishes of the people in the referendum in 2016 that Worman speaking more than 3/4 of my constituents voted to leave the European Union can the Prime Minister imagine anything more patronizing than the idea that they need more democracy to have another go and does she agree with me that their instruction was very clearly that we should be getting on with it I absolutely agree with my honorable friend his constituents thought when they voted that the government were going to deliver on their vote and that's exactly what we should do renin would be divisive it is not referenda per se that are divisive in fact the 2016 referendum would not have been divisive if the promises made were deliverable that the division in our country today only come from two and a half years of practice fantasies now hitting the wall of bricks of reality Breck Satya see the Prime Minister's deal is a betrayal and remain as a furious because the whole brexit argument was based on lies does the Prime Minister agree that in our democracy we should never be afraid of a public vote but we should always oppose fantasies and false promises like ensure the Honourable lady no member of this house is afraid of a public vote members of this house put themselves up the public vote some on a number of occasions in order to be elected into this house but I also say to the Honourable lady arguments were put there were two sides of the argument at the in the referendum there were people people who people voted people voted on their belief as to whether or not we should stay in the European Union and I believe that we should deliver on the vote that people gave Richard wraps you mr. speaker many here including one or two senior members of the cabinet now refer to the will of MPs which is nothing more than a fig leaf to remain can I ask my right on the friend that it was the will of the majority of MPs in this place to give the people a vote they did so now we must honor it and if we fall back on WTO terms so bit leaders Prime Minister get this country free its end my own offenders absolutely right that it was the will of MPs in this house that the decision as to whether to stay in the European Union be given to the people of this country we did that and they voted to leave and we should do it the house may be interested to know that Larry the cats at number 10 just tweeted bricks it he said brexit updates giving people a vote equals breaking faith does the Prime Minister agree I think I've made I think I've made a point clearly through that this afternoon that I believe we should keep faith with the people by delivering on the vote that they gave in 2016 will quints cute Mr Speaker I wanted to support this deal I want to support this deal I thank the prime minister sincerely for listening to concerns in particular around the back stock does my right or a friend agree with me that it is absolutely essential that we give her the time necessary to secure the concessions that this house wants to see because I guarantee the Prime Minister if she secures them I will stand Foursquare behind her thank my honourable friend and I thank him for pointing out that actually having listened to the house it's right that I'm able to have that time to argue that case with the European Union and seek those further assurances that would give the confidence not only to I all will fend but to all the members of this house the damage being caused to manufacturing particularly automotive by her failure to rule like No Deal yes that manufacturing industry was welcome to the fact that we heard negotiate a deal welcomed the trade arrangements that we would negotiated in the future partnership and I want to be able to deliver on that for them it's me mr. speaker ahead of the 2016 he you membership referendum the government spent over nine million pounds of taxpayers money on a leaflet delivered to every UK home advocating that we remain but also crucially saying that whatever the outcome of that referendum that that would be enacted last year 589 now elected honorable and right honourable members of this house stood on election manifesto pledges to deliver that referendum results will my right honourable friend confirm to this house that we will be leaving the European Union on the 29th of March next year Deal or No Deal I'm happy to confirm that we will be leaving the European Union on the 29th of March next year and I'm grateful to my humble friend for having pointed out the significant number of members of this house who stood on that manifesto commitment to deliver on that vote the people took in 2016 Stephen Kinnock I minister repeatedly claimed that the Norway plus option would require a backstop but on the 3rd of December her Attorney General told me from that dispatch box that he could see no reason why Norway plus would not satisfy the stated objectives of the backstop could she please confirm that she agrees with her Attorney General on that point aníbal friend that the the issue is whether or not you have the customs union with partly about whether or not you have the customs union within the norway plus model but the point is that any the point about the backstop is it is there to deal with the period from the end of a transition period into the new relationship the new relationship being one that will deal and with the guarantee to the people of northern ireland that there will be no hard border in any alternative arrangement it would be necessary to have that negotiation norway plus is not something that can just happen or we this house might want to say it happens actually norway plus would require that negotiation and therefore because we would have to negotiate to be a member of after first in order to get that arrangement in place and in doing that therefore there would be a risk that there will be a period of time when no arrangement was in place and that would require a backstop because it was growing concern among my constituents of the prospect - the second vote hadith growing anger they feel that their vote has been stolen from them bearing in mind that bearing in mind that bearing in mind the advocates of a second vote talked about chaos confusion of uncertainty would my honourable friend agree with me that that would be the result of a second vote on the small eternal agree with my honourable friend that i think there is concern i think there should be concerned about the divisive nature of a second referendum if that were to take place and also concerned that as he has said from his constituents and for many other people up and down the country they trusted that the politicians were going to deliver on their vote that they gave in 2016 and we have a duty to do so journey day B it is clear the Prime Minister has refused to rule out a No Deal she's refused to extend article 50 and she's refused to allow the option of a people's vote can she now tell the house her plan if her deal does not make it for a parliament honorable lady that as I've said to a number of other honourable members if she and others want to ensure that there is not a No Deal situation then they have to either accept that the alternatives are accepting a deal or no brexit I believe we should be delivering on brexit and I believe we should be doing it with a good deal for the UK Peter Grant Thank You mr. speaker can i chair that I mean that may Minister but it's not will name peace in this place you have manifest his commitments to honor the Scottish government has manifested commitments to honor and utterly undemocratic for anyone to try to stand and there we could be feminists to tell us how many people in this place stood on a manifesto that supported the chaos of a new deal and given that the answer is London surely that should be the first option that is taken off the table and then we can talk about what kind of deal they can get and if it can't get a decent deal they're not leaving should be put back on the table surely giving most choices to the people is more democratic than forcing them out on an audio leg so that nobody voted for of course we can ensure that we don't leave with no deal we can do that by ensuring that we leave with a deal and a good deal for the whole of the United Kingdom James I was on her feet we are now convinced that the Prime Minister still agrees with the South but is listening to very few other people last week no less a person than her predecessor Sir John major called for an extension of article 50 but stubbornly she still refuses to listen to any advice on this please will the Prime Minister listen for once I have been listening that's exactly why I'm discussing with the we're having further discussions with the European Union in relation to the issue of the backstop to seek the assurances that members of this house want Liam Byrne my Minister has said today that she's determined to frustrate another voters and people and she's done her level best of her straight a vote in this Parliament don't you understand why so many people in here think that she is trying to confront this house and bully this house with a last-minute choice between her deal and no deal even when she knows the catastrophic cost of no deal dissuades about industry so can I ask the Prime Minister to clarify for the house this afternoon a simple fact comes to a meaningful folks in January this house will indeed be able to rule out no deal and if necessary extend article the motion that comes before the house will of course be amendable when it comes before the house in in January but I have to say to the honourable gentleman this is about ensuring that we can get the assurances from the European Union that's what we're working on that we bring back to this house having listened to the concerns that have been raised by members of this house Alison Hugh yes thank you very much mr. speaker the premise Turner statement says that she is working on the the tackling the spread of deliberate large-scale and systematic dissing does that include the destination of what leave and things printed in the side of buses we will ad a number of things were said on both sides of the campaign's during the referendum on the European Union I think the tasks that we have before us now is not try to relive that referendum but actually just go on with the job of delivering on it talking to both sides in my constituency on Saturday they're wondering why since the PM knows about our own brexit supporting mp's change of heart in her why she won't now ask Barry for their conclusion on her botched deal so I asked the Prime Minister does she regret spending so long appeasing the 19:22 instead of building a deal that works for the 48 and the 52 I think I'm right in the in the referendum his constituency actually voted to leave the European Union I think those people who voted to leave will want the government to deliver on that Thank You mr. speaker mr. speaker no I'm not constituency voted the way they did and it was 58 to 42 but they're playing Europe for the mishaps above what we were we lost our jobs in manufacturing as a result of going to finance it away from manufacturing 34 of the 43 local authorities are still 13 percent behind wages from 2010 still not recovered that's why we bolted they've seen what's been said they've listened to what has been said but you're not giving them to chance to vote on this offer now your view is terrible it is not your team it will be worse off and so it's a no - you gave us a choice we should have a choice did vote in this house today on your aqua I haven't made any offer well that's a bit of a debate but not a matter for me but the Prime Minister can defend her own offer and I'm sure she will the Prime Minister Thank You mr. speaker can I say to the Honourable lady that of course this house will have a choice it will have a choice when the meaningful vote is brought forward to be able to look at whether or not it accepts the deal that is on the table and and what it wants in terms of the of the future that choice will be available just as the choice was available to her constituents and others mine and others up and down the country in 2016 to decide whether I'll stay in the EU Jack Jamie mr. speaker 62 members from four parties across this house of today written to the prime minister on the mounting concerns being expressed in our great manufacturing industries automotive aerospace shipbuilding steel bus building the food industry the Prime Minister we are walking towards a cliff we're walking towards a cliff and if this uncertainty continues what are our already bad decisions being made for Britain will continue and dramatically so in the first quarter of next year we have to have a degree of certainty without which the future for many companies and workers would be catastrophic why does the Prime Minister not rule out now any question of a No Deal Britain's we have of course been engaging with manufacturing industry including the automotive industry which is very important to to this country and to jobs in this in this country they manufacturing industry supported and welcomed the deal when the deal was negotiated and I say to the honourable gentleman that he wants to support manufacturing industry he wants to ensure that they have that certainty in the future then he can support the deal we're streeting to speaker the Prime Minister has pointedly not said that her deal is better than the one we already have what sort of prime minister puts the deal to Parliament knowing it would make our country worse off than it would otherwise have been and what sort of Prime Minister could possibly countenance the reckless chaos of a No Deal reps it isn't that an insult to the office of Prime Minister gentlemen can I say to the honourable gentleman his question appeared to be based on the premise that it was possible that we should be looking at staying with inside the European Union the people voted for us to leave the European Union what the economic analysis shows is that the best option in leaving the European Union that meets that requirement and protects jobs is the deal Tricia Gibson of the opposition the Prime Minister has said herself firmly against putting this issue back to the people clearly because she feels as does the leader of the Opposition that the result this time will be different does she agree with me that for both part for both of the main parties in this house we have come flukes are cooling we have ended where we have began and that is running scared of you Kip to the honourable lady she she suggested that I thought we shouldn't have a second referendum because I thought it might come out with a different result actually no I don't think it would come out with a different result but but I just believe that when we said to people in 2016 here is the choice it we give you that choice and we will abide by that choice we should stick by our word slaughter the height of irresponsibility for the primaries to pretend she can win a vote on her deal when every member in this house including her knows that she can't nor if they're a majority for No Deal so when they are both voted down what next that question is fundamentally important for the future of this country and she can't or won't answer it she shouldn't be in office as we continue to work on the further assurances in relation to the deal he knows full well the vote will come before the house the house will have its vote and thereafter if the deal is not supported then the government will bring forward its proposals for the future steps that we were taking with George the prime minister claims to know what leave voters voted for in 2016 but when I've surveyed thousands of my constituents over half of leave voters said that they wanted to stay in the single market almost that many said they wanted to be in the customs union and now that they've seen the shape of the deal on the table these are leave voters 16 percent said they've changed their mind and wanted to remain in the European Union so how can the Prime Minister not listen to voters I hope that she will spend the time over the next few weeks actually listening to voters who voted and not to her own rebellious backbenchers ad that I do listen to to voters I speak to voters and I talk to them under the overwhelming view that is given to me by voters it's they actually want to ensure that we get on with delivering on the vote in 2016 [Applause] [Music] Diana Johnson any scenario whereby it would be in the national interest to extend article 50 can I say to Emily I've answered the question on extending article 50 I believe it it's important for us to deliver on the vote that people took we have it in our legislation that we will leave the European Union on the 29th of March 2019 Martin Whitfield who's the prime minister think will be held responsible if there's a no deal the executive Parliament's or the people who voted in 2016 members of members of this house will have a decision to take in relation to the in relation to the deal and whether they want to leave the European Union with a deal Rachel Maskull economically corrosive delaying this deal for each day that passes our economy is sliding down and people are becoming poorer businesses are losing confidence in the light of the political arithmetic meaning that this deal will fall what discussions did the prime minister have with her European cotton counterparts this weekend about alternatives including the extension of article 50 the Honourable lady if she is concerned and wants to give certainty to business then she has one step that she could take which would help which would do that which is to back the deal dr. Philippa Whitford very much mr. speaker in light of the impact of the loss of EU citizens in the NHS a 90 percent drop in nurses coming here and a trebling of the number of EU nurses leaving the Prime Minister has saw in recent months to make clear to EU citizens they are welcome and they are secure however in a response to the member for Southwest assure she implied that they would only be secure if her deal passes can she clarify because she has just scared over three million people I know she has a very personal interest in this issue the withdrawal agreement sets out the agreement that has been reached between the United Kingdom the European Union which is in relation to EU citizens here in the UK and UK citizens in the European Union as a government we have been clear that we will protect the interests of European Union citizens here in the United Kingdom if there is a if there is a No Deal situation but of course I cannot at this stage guarantee what would be the situation for UK citizens in the rest of in the European Union 27 that is a matter for those come those countries in the European Union to set forward and there the reciprocal arrangement the guarantees both sides is what is in the withdrawal agreement live effort two speakers it's the Prime Minister's own red lines that has brought us to this situation and she's now about to squander billions of pounds worth of taxpayers money on preparing for No Deal when she knows there is no majority in this house for No Deal so that is completely unjustifiable now if we need more time to negotiate extending article 50 is the way forwards and she's yet again put another red line and stopping us taking a logical step of giving ourselves more time to sort out this situation isn't that the right way forwards honorable gentlemen life I have responded to a number of questions in relation to this if this house of course will have a decision to shape as to whether to accept that deal that is that is on the table you know I'm not working to get those further assurances as I've said but this house will have a decision as to whether to accept that deal and if that deal is voted down then we will have to look at the the government will have to come forward with its proposals for the next steps but he talks uses this phrase that a lot of people use about red lines actually what the government has been doing is respecting the votes that people were gave in 2016 on issues such as bringing an end to free movement and making sure that we leave the European Union Stephens can a prime minister publish how many additional civil service jobs would be required either with hob Deal or No Deal unsecured could we measure that against a number of several service jobs have been cut since the EU referendum I'm very happy to write to the Honorable gentleman with the figures for the number of civil servants who have been employed and four numbers who are continuing to be employed in terms of dealing with these this leaving of the European Union because it's not of course we are making contingency arrangements for no deal but there are also a lot of a range the preparations are taking place which have involved the employment of more civil servants which are actually about preparing for the deal more in this embarrassing reckless brexit we find ourselves perilously close to it was begun to cry opposition within the Tory party putting party before country now we have a prime minister putting her own interests above both party and country when will the Prime Minister agree that with no majority for her deal no deal or any other deal that the only democratic way forward is to put this back to the people for a people's vote [Music] the party in this house that is putting party before country is the Labour Party that run who are putting the interests of trying to bring about a general election before the interests of actually getting a deal that works for this country Deirdre brach only 8% of my constituents in Edmond lawfully boated to remain and they're extremely concerned about the prospect of a No Deal so I'll repeat the question my honourable friend for Adrienne shocks us which the Prime Minister signally failed to answer will she publish her no deal planning we are making preparations for no deal these preparations are being stepped up we're continuing to step up those preparations we've already published a number of issues in relation to no deal planning through the technical notices that have been issued and we will be continuing to make sure that the information that is provided externally that is is necessary is that which it is necessary to ensure that people who prepared for the possibility of an ideal scenario need a kin can I thank the Prime Minister for making it very clear in her statement in her words that no deal risks jobs services and security and can I ask her to act as the leader of this great country and rule out No Deal now gentlemen the only way to rule out no deal is to ensure that there is a deal of enables us to leave the European Union when they made the Prime Minister has used a mantra ad nauseam it's her Deal or No Deal she's almost repeated again just now but she kept it but she must be aware over the Economist magazine amongst many many of us have said but a No Deal breaks it wrecks the economy why is she prepared to wreck the economy and will she justify about to British people honourable gentlemen I believe that the best route forward for the United Kingdom is to leave the European Union with a deal with a good deal I believe this is a good deal and one of the things that's not contained the prime minister's statement in from the council conclusions is about future the single market and she should know that they're leaving the single market rests a few thousand jobs in Scotland so if any idea how many jobs have been lost in the Queensland bills and the steals the acceptable if they're single marketable gentlemen will be aware that within the political declaration it is clear that we will have a more ambitious trading relationship with the European Union than any other third country we will become a third country when we leave the European Union we have negotiated that deal that future trade relationship and that political declaration is the instructions to the negotiations for the future we've negotiated that precisely with in our minds the need to ensure that we protect jobs and that's what that deal will do Karen buck speak about three quarters of a million jobs at risk of a No Deal British quarters the UK trade Observatory 42,000 of them in my own borough of cities of Westminster it isn't it absolutely clear this is the most disastrous outcome and that the Prime Minister is playing Russian roulette with people's jobs given one of the very few options that can command a majority in this house is a measure to stop No Deal isn't it the height of irresponsibility to make us wait a month for a meaningful vote which will certainly be lost and not to commit to taking whatever action is necessary including suspending article 52 make sure we do not drive the British economy off a cliff the Honourable lady the the house will have a decision to take and it is in it will be in the hands of this house as to whether or not it wishes to support a deal you can't wish No Deal away you can only ensure if we're not going to leave with no deal then we have to have an arrangement we have to have a deal with which to leave the European Union mr. speaker the Prime Minister talked about integrity in our statement and talked about the millions who trusted in democracy what does she say to those same billions of witness the dark money scandal vote leave breaking the law the cash for votes and the hurt government gerrymandering the brexit committees and a legitimate vote of the Scottish Parliament village of legitimate bill of the Scottish Parliament being avoided getting Royal Assent by her court action or her ruling the vote on appeal halfway through the debate we lose the integrity on those matters yeah people deserve their say I say to the the Honourable gentleman that I believe it was the case that this issue of the continuity bill in Scotland was too discussed whilst this matter was discussed with the government at the time the government made clear its position in relation to that continuity bill in relation to the in relation to this matter there were discussions with the Scottish government throughout the withdrawal act going through the withdrawal that going through this going through this house and we have ensured at every stage that we have been consulting with engaging with the Scottish government and indeed with the Welsh government on these matters that Western speaker we have endured months of obfuscation and prevarication Farge and more fudge made in Maidenhead the Prime Minister described perfect as the enemy of the good but she will also accept a good leadership demands the demonstration of the courage of one's convictions Prime Minister we are in a serious crisis business demands action urgently a I ask that it is totally irresponsible and unacceptable to delay the vote until week commencing the 7th or 14th of January we need a vote now and if we do not have that vote before Christmas please extend article 50 because businesses demand it what businesses have been clear that they want is that they want to see us leaving with the deal they've welcomed the deal that we've negotiated and is therefore in members hands to recognize that when they come to the vote the murders saying beyond a shadow of a doubt in all circumstances whatsoever that when her deal is voted down she will not bring forward any other option other than leaving without the deal what I have been clear about is the the decision that members of this house will have to take if the deal is voted down it's very clear we have the process set out in legislation which the government will follow karamaneh hands we heard the news at many in the academic community we're treating the immigration rules for EU Nationals would be based on salary and perceived skill levels can the plane minister please elaborate elaborate on how categorization of skill level will be done and can she explain how we will continue to attract talented young researchers who are in far less than 30,000 pounds we've been clear for some time now it wasn't at the weekend that we said that we were going to the skills-based immigration system we've been clear for some months now that we're going to a skills-based immigration system the figure of 30,000 was the figure that was set out in the map report Neal Coyle Thank You mr. speaker the premise describes a new vote on Europe is somehow an act of bad faith this is the primaries who tried to deny Parliament and meaningful vote at all then pulled the vote when she knew she would lose this is the Primus who claims it's her way or no way despite the option revoking article 50 and this is the Prime Minister who told 10,000 people from other EU countries living working and contributing in my constituency that they had somehow jumped the queue is she in any position at all to lecture anyone about what it means to act in good faith on this issue repeat to the Honourable gentleman the points that I've made about the vote that took place in 2016 about the duty that we have in relation to that [Music] plausible pass a force for parcel parcels and goods that move their vote what does Tallman the other one either let's be exit deal also SS you see Corbridge crisis and bells toll but unemployment is raising workers are worried about the future do you have a Christmas message for the minister or do you want it a bit back to 2017 general election the honourable gentleman that I believe that it is right for this country to leave the European Union that's what people voted for I believe it's right for us to leave with a good deal I believe we have a good deal Parliament has expressed members of this house have expressed some concerns about a particular aspect of that and I am working to reassure them on that particular point and then I hope it will be possible for members of this house to recognize the importance of protecting jobs and to support a good deal for leaving the EU Daniel's Eichner Thank You mr. speaker the 48% seem to count for nothing anymore they did not vote for this descent into chaos some many cautions that you should not leave unless you know where you are going so is it not time in the national interest to revoke article 50 not least to allow those who claim to speak of the 52% to sort out what they actually want revoking article 50 means staying in the European Union and it's not possible to revoke article 50 to go back into the EU and then come back out again in a few months time the judgment of the European Court of Justice was absolutely clear on this point revoking article 50 means staying in the European Union in time but it is essential that the public making faith in that process so can the prime minister give me one good reason why we should respect the result of a referendum that was mired by extensive cheating and Ruby honourable gentlemen the the referendum took place the government was clear at the time a parliament was clear at the time this was a choice for the British people the British people chose and I think we should deliver on that choice yes the point of audit mr. Jeremy Corbyn speaker I've listened very carefully to all of the answers the prime minister gave during this lengthy exchange today I listened very carefully to what members on all sides of the house have said and it's very clear that it is very bad unacceptable that we should be waiting almost a month before we have a meaningful vote on a crucial issue facing the future of this country the Prime Minister has object Lee refused to ensure there's a vote to vote took place on the date she agreed she refuses to allow a vote to take place this week and is now I assume thinking the vote will be on the 14th of January almost a month away this is unacceptable in way whatsoever so mr. speaker as the only way I can think of of ensuring a vote takes place this week I'm about to table a motion which says the following that this house has no confidence in the Prime Minister Zhu due to her failure to allow the House of Commons to have a meaningful vote straight away on the withdrawal agreement and framework for future relationships between the UK and the European Union and that will be tabled immediately mr. speaker thank you said it requires no response from me but it's on the record and I moved to the next a point of order which is from the Honourable and leonard lady point of order joanna Chetty - a couple of questions from my honorable friends the prime minister has implied that Scottish National Party MPs and the Scottish Government we're aware at the time the bill was brought that the UK withdrawal from the EU legal continuity Scotland bill was out with the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament I'm sure the Prime Minister has inadvertently overlooked the fact that last week the UK Supreme Court passed judgment in the case the Attorney General's reference about this case and found an actual fact that the bill was within the competence of the service were that passed I'll save one section section 17 and that it was only the subsequent enactment of the EU withdrawal Act which retrospectively took curves away from the Scottish Parliament to meet that the bill was no longer missing as parents mr. speaker Tory members of the Scottish Parliament topping peddling misinformation about the Supreme Court judgments and have been a number of inaccurate media reports over a few days I am certain that the prime minister would not mean to perpetuate misunderstandings about a judgment of the United Kingdom Supreme Court and I seek your guidance and how I can put the matter Street and on the record in this respect thank you well let me say to the owner eliminated lady that I think that she has found her own salvation she's aware of the device one might almost gave us to call it a ruse of an attempted but in practice bogus point of order to get across a particular point which is dear to her head and her heart and she's succeeded in that mission with admirable clarity and eloquence the point is on the record and it will be read in the official report and I however have a sense that the Honorable unknown lead lady will seek to spread copies of the official report far and wide in her own constituency and doubtless beyond so far as ministers are concerned including the Prime Minister it is of course incumbent upon any minister who thinks he or she may inadvertently have given incorrect information to the house to correct the record whether in this case it is decided to do so is not a matter for me but I hope that she feels that she has have achieved her objective thus afternoon point of order mr. Tom break keep mr. speaker mr. speaker over the weekend it became very clear that the Prime Minister has some strong views on certain things one of them being Tony Blair which I know she shares with the lead of the Opposition and also the merits of a people's vote against something that she shares with the leader of the Opposition however mr. speaker however intense the Prime Minister's antipathy towards a people's vote is is it in order for her to leak chunks of her speech in advance of her coming here to the house to make the statement which contains the same chunks of her speech as was leaked to the press at 10:30 last night well I think the right honourable gentleman for giving me notice that he wish to raise this matter certainly I agree wholeheartedly and without equivocation with the proposition that announcements of government policy should be made in this house and should not be pre announced to the media this is not just a courtesy expected of the government but an important principle I think it fair only to add in response to the right honourable gentleman however that the government might in this case argue that the number-10 press release to which the right honourable gentleman referred contain no announcement of government policy it merely reiterated what the prime minister told the house last week I do understand the sense of disquiet even irritation that the right honourable gentleman feels that I think in the name of even-handedness it is reasonable for me to put that second point on the record to sit alongside and to be judged against the first yes of course I will come to it I'm saving him up I don't want to squander the Honorable gentleman to early morning order mr. Frank field given your record mr. speaker of being a real champion of backbenchers against both front benches is there a way which those of us who want to move to a vote on what the options are opened to the country if we don't support the government motion which has been delayed by now a month would have the opportunity of doing expressing our views to see whether there's agreement in the house where one or more lines of attack before we rise for Christmas I indicated last week that there were two means by which the votes could be deferred without rehashing all of that for the right honourable gentleman others he will recall that I thought that there was a preferable way to do it and a much less preferable way to do it the government chose the course that he did and as things stand it's a course appears to be set I also explained to the house and with a view to people outside this house that whatever the chair might think about matters of procedure the chair must operate within the powers of the chair manifestly the chair cannot act ultra virus the clear evidence is and the precedents all support this that an order of the day in respect of a piece of government business can be moved only by a representative of the government that is to say a minister or a government whip so I was able to express some disquiet on behalf of many members across the house at the sudden deferral of the vote that I was not in a position to bring about the continuation of the debate or the vote upon it when the right honourable gentleman asks what recourse he has is there any recourse he has I suppose what I would say to the right honourable gentleman is that it's always possible for members to table motions in this house I'm not exhorting him to do so and nor am i discouraging him from do so doing so the road on return was extremely experienced and he knows that that option exists he has a motion on the paper he can seek to gather support for that motion or if another motion that is judged to be pertinent to his objectives is tabled and he can seek to garner support for such an approach my role is to serve this house I would be perfectly happy to chair debates over the Christmas period I would be perfectly happy to come back on the 2nd of January and to sit in this year millions of people are going to be working on the 2nd of January we could do that but it's not for me to say when the house should sit when it should debate and when it should vote that has to be determined by others but I am here to serve them if a house decided that it wanted to proceed at a different rate at a faster pace it would be my responsibility to be here and I would gladly accept that responsibility a photo orders to Frankfurt further to that point of order mr. speaker would you be in order if one or more of the opposition parties gave their time early in the new year so that we could reassemble and vote on the six or so options you might actually choose would that be in order even if the government hadn't moved their own amendment my sense is that for the date upon which the house sits to be changed would very likely require a conversation I am speaking I say to the right honourable gentleman for the avoidance of doubt off the top of my head it almost certainly would require a conversation and agreement between the usual channels and if the were such an agreement and nothing is impossible the right honourable gentleman will know that there is a supply of opposition days but the government will normally give an indication of when there will be an opposition day and that is usually a matter of negotiation between the two sides it's not something on which the speaker can rule but I don't say that what he is suggesting is impossible and what I am suggesting is that there seems to be some distance to travel between his aspiration and its realization a point of order mr. Angus Brendan McNeil further to the point of order by my learning quoting from endless Southwest about the response the Prime Minister give me to my question from the statement and when the Prime Minister has been in a very overlook facts of the battle in the UK withdrawal from the EU bill of the Scottish Parliament when would a convention suggest in this house that the parameters that be expected to correct the record as a courtesy to the house to be accurate given particularly her office that she holds in the United Kingdom if an error is judged to have been made the correction should be made with dispatch in other words if a member if a member I say to the Honorable gentleman I believes that he or she has earned there should not be delay the record should be corrected without delay I'm extremely grateful to colleagues if there are no further points of order we come now to the statement by the Secretary of State for business energy and industrial strategy the ever-present and unfailingly courteous Secretary of State dr. Greg Clark very much indeed mr. speaker with your permission I'd like to make a statement on the good work plan published today which sets out the government's vision for the future of the UK labor market and how we will implement the recommendations that arise from the Matthew Taylor review of modern working practices the Taylor review was commissioned by the prime minister to examine the current labor markets and the framework of employment law and to help us understand the opportunities of future working practices as well as to identify areas where it is not working for everyone the government responded to the review in February accepting the vast majority of the recommendations and alongside this response we also launched for consultations to seek views on how best to implement those recommendations I'm very grateful madam Deputy Speaker to everyone who took the time to respond their insights have been invaluable in informing our policy developed the good work plan that I'm publishing today sets out a program for ensuring that the UK labor market continues to thrive in the future the UK labor market has had a very positive record in recent years since 2010 with we have higher employment and lower unemployment in every region and every nation of the United Kingdom wages are now growing at their fastest pace in almost a decade and this success has been underpinned by an employment law and policy framework which combines flexibility with protections for workers new ways of working and the rise of new employment models offer great opportunities including innovative products and serve for consumers as well as new ways in which individuals can find work earn a living and develop their talents our industrial strategy set out a long-term plan to embrace the opportunities presented by these changes and to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK good work and developing better jobs is at the center of the vision of the industrial strategy so I'm proud to be the first secretary of state to take responsibility for promoting the quality of work as well as the creation of new jobs and I've written to the independent industrial strategy Council to ask for their participation in the best ways to measure the quality of work across the United Kingdom and are very pleased that Matthew Taylor serves as a member of the new industrial strategy Council another core element of the quality of work agenda is to ensure that we address the challenges for employment law and policy that the Taylor review identified most employers in the United Kingdom do the right thing and ensure that their workers benefit from the rights and protections to which they are entitled we will not allow these high standards to be breached by a minority who try to deny workers their just entitlements and among these reforms are steps to improve clarity for both employers and workers Matthew tailee recommended that the government should do more to help individuals and businesses understand their rights and obligations he highlighted that the existing employment status tests have contributed to a lack of clarity for both individuals and employers we agree with this conclusion and we will legislate to make improvements that reflect the reality of modern working relationships Matthew Taylor also recommended that renewed efforts should be made to align the employment employment status frameworks for the purposes of employment rights and tax to ensure that the differences between the two set of systems are reduced to an absolute min again we agree and we will be bringing forward detailed proposals to align the two frameworks we're also committed to addressing what Matthew Taylor termed one-sided flexibility we're too much risk has been transferred to the individual sometimes to the detriment of the financial security and personal well-being and will bring forward legislation to give all workers a right to request a more predictable contract and address the obstacles that employees can face in building up continuous service will legislate to end the injustice faced by waiters and waitresses and other staff in the hospitality industry who have tips left for them by customers diverted to their employees another fundamental reform that Matthew Taylor proposed was the repeal of the so-called Swedish derogation which exempts Agency workers from equal pay requires therefore the government is today bringing forward legislation to prevent this type of contract being used to avoid meeting the legitimate rights of agency workers we're also today laying legislation to extend workers rights including the right to a written statement and making this available to all workers from day one we're also bringing forward legislation to provide workers with a longer reference period for the calculation of their holiday pay and reforming regulations to make it easier for employees to have their voice heard in the workplace this demonstrates how we're putting the good work plan into action immediately we also recognize the vital role that effective enforcement plays in ensuring confidence to challenge when the law and regulations are broken and in creating a level playing field between businesses matthew taylor called upon the government to improve access to justice in the workplace and we've already committed to extending state enforcement on behalf of vulnerable workers to the underpayment of holiday pay the good work plan sets out how this approach would mirror the tough financial penalties an enforcement approach that already applies to the underpayment of the national minimum wage we're also taking steps to improve the effectiveness of employment tribunals quadrupling the penalties that they can impose for the persistent breaches of employment law we want to continue to improve further the enforcement landscape and in the light of forthcoming policy changes would also consider the case for creating a new single labor market enforcement agency to better ensure that vulnerable workers are more aware of and can exercise their rights and the businesses deal with a single body on matters relating to their workplace the good work plan sets out a vision for the future of the UK labour market a labour market that rewards people for hard work that celebrates good employers and its ambitious about boosting productivity and the potential for everyone in the UK to improve their earnings I'm very grateful madam DEP - speaker - Matthew Taylor and his panel as well as to the many other individuals and organisations who have contributed to the review of modern working practices and our subsequent consultations their input has been invaluable in helping the government ensure that the UK labour market is ready to embrace future opportunities without detriment to workers rights I'd also like to thank the business energy and industrial strategy work in pensions and Scottish Affairs committees for their continued contributions to the scrutiny of the recommendations and indeed the recommendations that they have made alongside the good work plan today the government is also publishing its response to the first full strategy from the director of labor market enforcement so David Metcalfe strategy was published on the 9th of May made 37 recommendations on labor market enforcement and raising awareness of employment rights the government responds accepts the vast majority of these recommendations and sets out the steps of the government's will take forward to raise the awareness of employment rights improve intelligence-gathering on abuses of those rights and to strengthen enforcement efforts I'll be placing a copy of this document in the library of the house the Home Secretary now will look forward to working with Sir David as the government implements the recommendations that we've accepted and as he prepares to set clear strategic priorities in the 2019-20 labor market enforcement strategy madam Deputy Speaker as Matthew Taylor himself concluded the British model works we have high employment low unemployment and a long-standing and proud record of high standards for workers we will consistently be in the vanguard of reform to maintain this reputation as new technologies and new opportunities for workers become available this response to Taylor is in keeping with these high standards and I commend the statement to the House Rebecca Long Bailey thank you madam Deputy Speaker and I thank the secretary for advance sight of his statement but behind the Secretary's declaration of high employment lies a dark truth nearly 4 million people are in insecure were 1.1 million working in the gig economy and at a time of low wages stagnating productivity an endemic financial insecurity across the UK I'd hope for something big today proposals that not only made our workforce feel secure would also ensure that its human capital was genuinely valued as the linchpin of Britain's industrial strategy now a labor inspector it's abolishing the Swedish delegation and ensuring that workers keep their tips we're just some of Labour's policies to transform our labour market so I am pleased that after a hard-fought campaign by this side of the house and our trade unions that these points have finally made an appearance in the government's good work plan however is the T you see stated today despite these small victories the remaining reforms as a whole won't shift the balance of power in the gig economy so turning very briefly madam Deputy Speaker to just a few of these proposals firstly the good work plan states at the outset that the Prime Minister has committed that we will not only maintain workers rights as the UK leaves the EU but enhance them even this opening paragraph I'm afraid is a little constructive with reality shall we say the government's withdrawal agreement simply fails to live up to this commitment on workers rights and as the Institute for Public Policy Research have stated the non-aggression Clause will not maintain current protections in full enforcement procedures would be ineffective and if the EU raises standards there would be no requirement for the UK to follow suit therefore can the secretary confirm today that should standards on workers rights within the EU increase UK standards will follow suit secondly it appears that the critical point of employment status is equally ambiguous people on the margins need to know if they're employees workers or neither do they qualify for unfair dismissal and redundancy or not now the government commits to legislate to improve the clarity of the test but there's no detail so can the secretary confirm the legal principles upon which each status is likely to rest thirdly on zero-hour contracts the government will allow workers to request a more predictable and stable contract now that all sounds rather lovely but the secretary must know that an ability to request stable hours exists now what doesn't exist is an obligation upon the employer to meet this request indeed the government's paper is silent on the latter so perhaps the secretary will confirm that the proposed draft legislation will address this deficiency because madam Deputy Speaker if it fails to do so then sadly as the tea you see poetically puts it today zero-hour contracts workers will have no more leverage than Oliver Twist the fourth critical issue is enforcement again there is very little detail in the government's plan the issue here is not one of simply shuffling the deck but of ensuring that the enforcement agency has power and resources so in light of already swinging cuts to bodies like the HSE can the secretary confirm what financial commitments are being made to ensure that this proposal is in fact financially supported finally so far as increased penalties for successful employment tribunals claims whilst on against the principle I do fear this is just window dressing as the tea you see have stated the current system for enforcing employment tribunal awards is not fit for purpose 35 percent of successful claimants do not receive any compensation so can the secretary confirm how increasing fines will address this and what additional action he is taking to address the efficacy a tribunal award enforcement madam Deputy Speaker the horrific tales of insecure workers swirl around doors like passages from a Charles Dickens novel from delivery forced to urinate in bottles 2-0 our staff giving birth in workplace toilets madam Deputy Speaker the government's proposals were an opportunity today to improve the lives of these workers but sadly they fall dramatically short and those workers face a Dickensian future unless the government takes serious action to protect and enforce the intrinsic value of their human capital within our economy states in the response from me honorable Adi I would have thought that she might have congratulated Matthew Taylor who was someone that some that worked for her party in the past and has devoted himself with his panel to a report that I think most people have concluded is a very substantial one and has made a series of far-reaching recommendations that we are enacting today and the central basis of his report is to reflect on the fact that we should build on success he refers to the UK's successful record in creating jobs including flexible jobs that open up work to people with different needs a very important step forward that I would have thought that she would welcome he points out that when it comes to the condition of employees and workers in this country so far from the Dickensian caricature that she she fell into the trap of describing Matthew Taylor himself noted that if tax levels and tax credits are taken into account the average take-home pay for families in this country with a full-time member in employment is higher in the UK than in the rest of the g7 we have higher employment that at any time in our history we have lower unemployment that at any time forty years and the Honorable lady should have welcomed this now she she mentions the she went to zero hours contracts what she didn't mention was that the the number of people did you entered the gig economy by which I think she was referring to zero hour contracts actually at the the moment there are two point four percent of workers who have flexible zero hour contracts the number is falling it's fallen from over nine hundred thousand a year ago and the key thing is that two-thirds of the workers do not want any increase in hours nearly twenty percent of them are in full-time education and so Matthew Taylor concluded correctly that actually two banners the Honourable lady would zero hours contracts would do a disservice would be against the interests of the people who benefit fraud in terms of the of the scale of the response the last the last set of measures that change and reformed employment rights to the extent that this package done do does was in fact in the the nineteen ninety-six employments right act over twenty years ago not coincidentally are under the last Conservative administration reflecting the fact that it is always conservatives in government that put in a protection for words when the the party opposite shown again today can can criticize but they don't take the opportunity themselves to make the reforms that they mentioned she mentions the the alignment of the the test for employment and for taxation Matthews head was very clear in his report that it would it is a complex matter and would take some time to bring into effect that we should consult carefully on it and the select committees have have endorsed that recommendation we have said that we are committed to ending that paraty and to to bringing to a conclusion that difference and she should welcome that and finally she mentions the the European Union and refers to the fact that the once we leave the European Union we will be able to set our own employment policies prominence has been very clear there not only will we not reduce the protections that workers enjoy but that we will increase them today shows we are laying the legislation this very day that goes far in advance of rights that are currently available in the European Union she should have confidence in the ability of this house and this country to lead the world in employment rights and I'm proud that we are doing it on this side of the house very much welcome my right on the fence statement on how he and the government plan to take forward the tailer of view and he's right there's too much risk in many circumstances has been transferred to the individual I'm a little puzzled as to why there's still so little action to strengthen protection for pregnant women action look was promised around two years ago following a women and equality Select Committee inquiry into maternity discrimination which highlighted more than 50,000 women a year leave their jobs because they're pregnant can they update the house on what protect what is being done to enhance those protections and make sure that more women who are contributing so much to our economy are able to stay and work even when when they're pregnant and afterwards well I'm very grateful friends the chairman of the Select Committee and she will be pleased to to note that the the package that we have announced today is not the the first or the only set of powers that strengthen their protections that workers will have we are will respond very shortly my on the phone will respond shortly and enthusiastically to the recommendations that she has made and I hope that she will welcome these further extensions of protections for pregnant women Droog Andrea thank you madam Deputy Speaker and can i advant can I thank the Secretary of State for advance site of the statement there are a couple of things to welcome from the statement today first of all the action on Swedish delegation in the SNP we've long called on the government to repeal this loophole and ensure agency workers are protected and treated fairly therefore it's welcome news from the government that they're closing this loophole that is for far too long allowed unscrupulous employers to circumvent equal P entitlements we're also pleased to say see an increase in fines for employers who breach workers rights it's been long in the waiting that but then there are measures that miss the mark or are missing completely from this statement there is nothing to tackle zero are contact contracts perhaps the most disappointing of all is the absence of meaningful action to tackle these I find it extraordinary that a government say they could have a good work plan yet utterly fail to tackle zero hour contracts nor do these measures address the damage they're regressive trade union act has done to workers rights which was designed to strike at the heart of trade unions abilities to organize and support workers and these benches we believe that a modern and progressive approach to industrial relations and trade unionism is at the very heart of being able to achieve fair work also does nothing to ensure people are paid a real living wage in addition to expecting people to work for less than the real living wage this government is presiding over a period of wage growth decline in contrast this contrast this with the Scottish Government who have got behind the real living wage accreditation scheme which has led to over a thousand employers now paying the real living wage nearly 82 percent of workers in Scotland and he's failed to take any action to end the discrimination of young people in the labor market as my own herbal friend from Glasgow Central has long called for it does nothing to tackle the unpaid work trial shifts the government calls us a good work plan but still refuses to end the practice of unpaid trials multiple friend from Glasgow cites unpaid trial work periods prohibition bill needs support the these measures also offer nothing for the gig economy workers or the protections they need the Secretary of State could do this by supporting the progress more durable friend from Glasgow south wastes workers definition and rights bill to defined in law the status of workers there is much more work that this government should be doing a workers rights and they need to bring that forward such a state's well I'm grateful to the Honorable member he he will know that the Scottish Affairs Committee had its inquiry the future of working practices in Scotland that was very warm in its endorsement of the key Matthew Taylor report recommendations that the that we are implementing today so I hope that he will continue to to support that he mentions zero hours contracts and of course this was one of the central pieces of analysis that Matthew Taylor did and what he concluded on the basis of a rigorous and extensive research across all parts of the United Kingdom and I quote as follows he said that to ban zero hours contracts in their totality would negatively impact many more people than it helped it seems to me that if you are if you Commission an independent report when it has the authority and the the depth of research that has gone into that report it makes such a clear recommendation then you ought to act on it and that is what we are doing in the in the response that we have made to the Taylor report he mentions the the the national living wage and he didn't in so doing mentioned the fact that since it was introduced it benefits a hundred and seventeen thousand people in Scotland with a a gain of over two thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds since its introduction but I note that in Scotland of course the the decision by the Scottish Government to increase taxes on working has meant that that over a million Scots are actually receiving less in take-home pay than they otherwise might so I I think that if you are looking at the welfare of workers in Scotland you need to look at what they pay in tax as well it gives me no pleasure to point out to the Honorable gentleman that of all of the parts of the United Kingdom nations and regions under the SNP Scotland has had the slowest rates of job growth in the whole of the United Kingdom and indeed if Scotland had matched the UK's rate of job growth there would be nearly 200,000 more Scots with a job so it is right to to build on the analysis that matthew taylor has set out how we can build on the success while extending protections i look forward to working with the with Derek Mackay in the Scottish government because many aspects such as education policy are relevant to people's ability to earn more through our industrial strategy we will work together but a little more humility from the Honorable gentleman in his criticisms might be apropos doublespeak amidst all the brexit for but I have to say this is the best news I've heard from the government this is an example of us truly being the Workers Party Kingdom I strongly welcome what he said about agency workers and the Swedish delegation many constituents have suffered in my constituency because of that Swedish delegation could I just ask him about apprenticeship workers 1/5 of apprenticeships at level 2 & 3 were not paid the apprentice minimum wage we highlighted this in our principles in our education Select Committee the HMRC is prosecuted fewer than five employers and David Metcalfe of the labor market Enforcement Agency has said we should increase the fines and do more criminal prosecutions against the company on top of this excellent work that he's done when he also ensure that apprenticeship rights are first and foremost in his work to my right honourable friends for his endorsement and he like me is sometimes frustrated that some of the the great reforms that are being made in response to in this case a very good report are going on a place where legislating this very day sometimes they don't get the attention that they merit and my rajma friend has given me the opportunity to draw the houses attention to them today he's absolutely right about apprentices a key part of the industrial strategy is to increase the quality and the number of apprentices and he's made a distinguished contribution to that it is absolutely vital that they should be paid what they are do in terms of the minimum wage we've doubled the enforcement budget for HMRC and the measures that we've set out we're working very closely with David Metcalf we'll make sure that there is a very clear is very clearly understood by every employer that paying the minimum wage whether for apprentices or others is not optimal it is essential if they are to to trade in this country Rachael Reeves the phase of Work and Pensions select committees are concluded that workers frequently rely on employment tribunals to enforce their rights and recommended punitive fines on employers for breaches of the law the government is increasing the potential payouts for those who get to tribunal and I warmly welcome that but the government are refusing to reduce tribunal fees will the Secretary of State pledge to look at that again and will they listen to Sir David Metcalf the director of labor market enforcement who says today that he is disappointed that the government have rejected his recommendations for greater penalties for non-compliance in paying the minimum wage and can I just say madam Deputy Speaker will the Secretary of State tell us how many more cases need to be won against employers like uber Hermes and Addison Lee before the government lands and names and shames and properly punishes these businesses who wrongly classify their workers as self-employed and deny them the rights that they are entitled to the Honourable lady the chair of the Select Committee for her comments and her welcome for the the increase in penalties that is being made it is absolutely essential that we send a message that people's employment rights are non-negotiable and they must be paid we work very closely with Sir David Metcalf he's a man for whom I have the greatest admiration the reason for not increasing at this stage the penalties available to authorities for against the the non-compliance with the national minimum wage is that they were increased about 18 months ago and we have said we haven't ruled it out but we have said that we will look at the effect of that and considerate she will be aware that the the big increase in penalties for employers that persistently breach the the verdicts of employment tribunals will be would be very welcome again of course we'll keep under review the the employment tribunals regime to make sure that people do have access to to the justice that they need but I think she will conclude and I hope when her committee consider they the report and their response that they will agree and and endorse what is a very substantial package that goes beyond in many ways in many respects what was proposed both by Matthew Taylor himself important though his contribution has been and indeed her committee we've gone further than I think many people exited have expected and that is quite right given the importance of employment rights in this country John hull thank you madam Deputy Speaker in 1961 under another Conservative government we signed at the social Charter which is a Council of Europe treaty which is still in force and which enshrined workers rights when he confirmed that the rights that he is now talking about follow in that same legal tradition such as states I'm delighted to to have a history lesson from the for the Honorable John I didn't think he was there at the time to to to witness this important it's a breakthrough but I think it is important to to remind ourselves that's my right honourable friend I did that this party has always believed that free enterprise should be associated with high standards for consumers for workers and for members of our community it is very much in our traditions and has not required the imposition from outside this Parliament we embrace our responsibilities with enthusiasm Frank Field has the set of state knows we've had reports from select committees and reports from Andrew Falls in myself on how the gig economy works to the detriment of care workers Hermes couriers uber drivers the DPD couriers parcel force drivers and devil delivery drivers who are forced into self-employment against their will when his package of reforms hits the statute book will he be able to give all those work as a guarantee that no one in this country who nobody will be forced into self-employment against their wills grateful to the right honourable gentleman and his committee for the proposals that they make if I can just say - to the house the the right older gentleman and indeed be the chair of the base Select Committee suggested a bill so that these measures could be enacted straight away we've acted in the spirit of that and this day we are we have tabled a large number of strategy instruments to bring them immediately into effect my ambition is exactly as he says that the that the flexibility that is offered in the gig economy is one that is offered rather than it is compelled that flexibility in the work in the words of Matthew Taylor should be a two-sided rather than one way that is the intention of this this package of reforms his committee I know will be rigorous in scrutinizing the effect but that is precisely the intention of the reforms James Leavitt thank you madam Deputy Speaker the Honourable lady opposite mentioned that Dickensian era that Edwardian era so would my right honourable friend agree with me that when you consider the minds and calories Act 1842 that took children out of mines and calories the artisan laborers dwelling Improvement Act of 1875 which cleared the slums and paved the way for Peabody Trust homes which is still loved to this day and the workmen's compensation Act of 1897 which imposed a duty on employers to compensate their workers injured that this is the party this is a statement we don't have clearly during a statement the honourable gentleman is asking a question and then everyone will have a chance to ask their questions in the same way Mr cleverly thank you madam Speaker I won't start from the beginning but I will I will conclude I real quickly that with the Workers Compensation Act of 1897 which compelled employers to compensate their workers for injuries at work that this is the party in government which has had a over a century of tradition of protecting and enhancing workers rights and that the proposals that he brings forward today are in a long tradition of looking to the future but realizing the importance of the people whose work underpins our economic growth is absolutely right continuing the historical theme and if I could if I could add the Sherry's factory factory acts that were so foundational to making sure that the the the Industrial Revolution was not something that could trample on workers rights but they should be protected and I would bring it even further up to date and pay tribute to to Lord hate William Hague's Disability Discrimination Act in 1995 I think is also in this firm conservative tradition that I am proud to be taking forward today what the minister says in the two-and-a-half years since the prime minister promised to act on workers rights we've had a review we've had a consultation on the review we've had a consultation on the consultation and now we have a plan but no legislation in their press release they refer to building on the government record but they have aren't yet they haven't yet presented a bill so can I offer the minister my ready-made private member's bill which would actually immediately end at Swedish derogation offer insecure workers a proper rights for contracts and finally give people in precarious work the security they need well horrible ladies misinformed the legislation has gone down today I thank you madam Deputy Speaker flexibility in our labor markets is to be welcomed but exploitation isn't sadly this is a distinction that's too often missed by the opposition front bench in their pursuit of ideological dogma what assessment is my right honourable friend made of the impact of banning of exclusivity contract since it pauses in Syria our contracts well my honourable friend is absolutely right that we we need to make sure that there is flexibility to be able to benefit from new technologies and the opportunities that they give but it should be about choice for for workers choice for people to to decide to whom and where they should supply their labor and the the the reform that we made to ban the exclusivity of zeros contracts was something that was a very important reform that in 13 years of government the party opposite didn't go near Jaime stone I don't have a speaker I do welcome the announcement about the Swedish derogation it would be churlish not to do so but madam David Speaker I was surprised that there was no mention in statement of people with disabilities if this country's to punch above our weight in an increasingly competitive world then we're going to have to empower people with disabilities like never before it would be folly not to use their skills and knowledge in the future how will the secular state ensure that the 21st century economy works for our disabled people well I think the the Disability Discrimination Act which was a landmark piece of legislation and one of the the aspects of enforcement and and clarity that the the new regulations and legislation will bring in is the the rights to to be free from discrimination including on grounds of disability and to make sure that is first of all very clearly understood and second is more effectively enforced so this is a further step - to promote that very important set of rights for workers Kevin Foster thank you madam Deputy Speaker I must have very much welcome the tone and content of the sector State statement today as we aware tool Bay's economy is very dependent on things like the tourism industry where literally there are many gig workers still undertake gigs but also those who are in part-time wages who work how does he see what the plans that he's setting out today striking the balance between the need to have an industry that could employ seasonally and flexibly but also ensuring workers can have a certain certainty in their employment speaks from great experience and he knows and the the report in these reforms seek to capture the right balance to make sure that the the tourist industry for example which which to a certain extent is sees more can operate in a way that it is possible to - to take people into employments during times of peak demand and therefore be able to prosper during the year but in so doing recognizing that people have a legitimate reason to want to build a career in the hospitality sector to give them the the right to request a stable contract to emphasize and I'd like to remind the house of the emphasis that Matthew Taylor puts on good work looking at the how we can increase the level of skills and opportunities for advancement in work that is a very important part of the industrial strategy you very important part of the reforms that we're making and as well as the protections from workers giving greater opportunity

Channel: ITV News

Views: 37,479

Keywords: Theresa May, Politics, Brexit, House of Commons

Id: rtXCS2EDHIY

Length: 193min 10sec (11590 seconds)

Published: Mon Dec 17 2018