Urgent question on the Prime Minister's refusal to give clearance to the report on Russia by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.

Urgent question on the Prime Minister's refusal to give clearance to the report on Russia by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on being at the Dispatch Box as deputy Prime Minister.

How is it that the Government are allowing special advisers at No. 10 Downing Street, speaking on behalf of the Government, to tell outright lies? My right hon. Friend should be familiar with the fact that on Saturday such a special adviser—whom I believe to be Mr Dominic Cummings—told The Mail on Sunday that a number of hon. Members were in receipt of foreign funding to draft what is known as the Benn Act, something which in itself is totally untrue. Moreover, he went on to say that that was going to be the subject of a Government investigation, which is also completely untrue because, mercifully, this country is not yet run as a police state by Mr Cummings.

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on being at the Dispatch Box as deputy Prime Minister.

How is it that the Government are allowing special advisers at No. 10 Downing Street, speaking on behalf of the Government, to tell outright lies? My right hon. Friend should be familiar with the fact that on Saturday such a special adviser—whom I believe to be Mr Dominic Cummings—told The Mail on Sunday that a number of hon. Members were in receipt of foreign funding to draft what is known as the Benn Act, something which in itself is totally untrue. Moreover, he went on to say that that was going to be the subject of a Government investigation, which is also completely untrue because, mercifully, this country is not yet run as a police state by Mr Cummings.

I worry that the Government characterise those who are suffering from the loan charge as in some way egregious tax avoiders, when it is abundantly clear that in the case of my constituents they acted on advice, openly, and in the belief that the scheme was approved by HMRC. I also worry that HMRC is behaving towards taxpayers in a fashion that is new, and in many cases, tax advisers say, unprecedented. I also think that the retrospectivity is deeply questionable.

I worry that the Government characterise those who are suffering from the loan charge as in some way egregious tax avoiders, when it is abundantly clear that in the case of my constituents they acted on advice, openly, and in the belief that the scheme was approved by HMRC. I also worry that HMRC is behaving towards taxpayers in a fashion that is new, and in many cases, tax advisers say, unprecedented. I also think that the retrospectivity is deeply questionable.

Motion that an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, that she will be graciously pleased to direct Ministers to lay before this House, not later than 11.00pm Wednesday 11 September, all correspondence and other communications (whether formal or informal, in both written and electronic form, including but not limited to messaging services including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Facebook messenger, private email accounts both encrypted and unencrypted, text messaging and iMessage and the use of both official and personal mobile phones) to, from or within the present administration, since 23 July 2019 relating to the prorogation of Parliament sent or received by one or more of the following individuals: Hugh Bennett, Simon Burton, Dominic Cummings, Nikki da Costa, Tom Irven, Sir Roy Stone, Christopher James, Lee Cain or Beatrice Timpson; and that Ministers be further directed to lay before this House no later than 11.00pm Wednesday 11 September all the documents prepared within Her Majesty's Government since 23 July 2019 relating to operation Yellowhammer and submitted to the Cabinet or a Cabinet Committee. Emergency debate following a Standing Order No. 24 application. Closure motion. Agreed to on question. Main question agreed to on division (311 to 302).

Motion that an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, that she will be graciously pleased to direct Ministers to lay before this House, not later than 11.00pm Wednesday 11 September, all correspondence and other communications (whether formal or informal, in both written and electronic form, including but not limited...

Motion under Standing Order No. 24. Application agreed to (not fewer than 40 Members standing in support).

Motion under Standing Order No. 24. Application agreed to (not fewer than 40 Members standing in support).

In the light of the Prime Minister’s answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Hertfordshire (Mr Gauke), could the Prime Minister please explain why it has proved impossible to find any official or Minister prepared to state that the reasons for Prorogation were to pave the way for a Queen’s Speech, in the course of the current legal proceedings in which the Government are involved? Would the Prime Minister like to reconsider the answer he has just given to the House?

In the light of the Prime Minister’s answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Hertfordshire (Mr Gauke), could the Prime Minister please explain why it has proved impossible to find any official or Minister prepared to state that the reasons for Prorogation were to pave the way for a Queen’s Speech, in the course of the current legal proceedings in which the Government are involved? Would the Prime Minister like to reconsider the answer he has just given to the House?

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many EU-exit related statutory instruments have been approved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many EU-exit related statutory instruments have been approved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what Bills need to be passed by Parliament by 29 March 2019 in order for the UK to leave the EU.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what Bills need to be passed by Parliament by 29 March 2019 in order for the UK to leave the EU.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate the Government has made of the length of time required for the full implementation of all EU-exit related Acts of Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate the Government has made of the length of time required for the full implementation of all EU-exit related Acts of Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate the Government has made of the number of EU-exit related statutory instruments that are required to be approved by 29 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate the Government has made of the number of EU-exit related statutory instruments that are required to be approved by 29 March.

Presentation and first reading (Bill 318). To be read a second time on Monday 21 January.

Presentation and first reading (Bill 318). To be read a second time on Monday 21 January.

Presentation and first reading (Bill 319). To be read a second time on Monday 21 January.

Presentation and first reading (Bill 319). To be read a second time on Monday 21 January.

Urgent question on how any motion under section 13(1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 is to be put before the House of Commons for decision.

Urgent question on how any motion under section 13(1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 is to be put before the House of Commons for decision.

Motion that this House has considered CCTV for communal areas of care homes. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered CCTV for communal areas of care homes. Agreed to on question.

I welcome the news that the Government are again considering prisoners’ right to vote. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State may find that this is a matter on which public opinion and the mood in this House has shifted. It is high time that we remedied something that places us in a very small category of countries. Most countries manage to allow their prisoners to vote—certainly those sentenced to short terms of imprisonment—without the world coming to an end, and it is an important tool for both civic participation and rehabilitation.

I welcome the news that the Government are again considering prisoners’ right to vote. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State may find that this is a matter on which public opinion and the mood in this House has shifted. It is high time that we remedied something that places us in a very small category of countries. Most countries manage to allow their prisoners to vote—certainly those sentenced to short terms of imprisonment—without the world coming to an end, and it is an important tool for both civic participation and rehabilitation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many nationals of other EU member states have won appeals to prevent their removal from the UK in each of the last 10 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many nationals of other EU member states have won appeals to prevent their removal from the UK in each of the last 10 years.

At a time when my right hon. Friend so rightly emphasises the need for our solidarity with France, will he see what he can do to ensure that the Franco-British Council, set up over 40 years ago by both nations’ Governments to promote civil society partnership, can continue to do its important work in fields as diverse as defence and community cohesion, because without a very small amount of funding from both Governments, it will not be able to do that?

At a time when my right hon. Friend so rightly emphasises the need for our solidarity with France, will he see what he can do to ensure that the Franco-British Council, set up over 40 years ago by both nations’ Governments to promote civil society partnership, can continue to do its important work in fields as diverse as defence and community cohesion, because without a very small amount of funding from both Governments, it will not be able to do that?

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether it is her policy that proposed changes to the subsidy regime for onshore wind power will apply to all parts of the UK; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether it is her policy that proposed changes to the subsidy regime for onshore wind power will apply to all parts of the UK; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost of maintaining the High Speed 2 network over the 60 year appraisal period set out in his Department's publication, The Economic Case for HS2.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost of maintaining the High Speed 2 network over the 60 year appraisal period set out in his Department's publication, The Economic Case for HS2.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to announce its decision on the route of Phase Two of High Speed 2 between Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to announce its decision on the route of Phase Two of High Speed 2 between Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds.