Summary

  • MPs and peers met for the first day following the half-term recess. MPs began the day with questions to ministers from the defence team.

  • Chancellor George Osborne hinted that a new rule aiding and abetting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance will be included in the budget next month during a response to an urgent question.

  • Prime Minster David Cameron announced a Europe-wide initiative to push airlines and internet companies to do more to prevent people becoming radicalised.

  • The Serious Crime Bill completed its final stages in the House of Commons.

  • Peers also met at 14.30 GMT and after oral questions considered the Modern Slavery Bill at report stage.

  1. Goodnightpublished at 22:59 GMT 23 February 2015

    And that brings an end to today's business in the Houses of Parliament.

    Parliament will be back at 11.30 GMT tomorrow as MPs return to question Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and his ministerial colleagues.

  2. 'Improving outcomes'published at 22:59 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ms Ellison admits that "we just haven't seen the movement in [oesophageal and stomach cancers] as with other cancers".

    She agrees to consider Mike Weatherly's proposals, but argues that the many of the government's initiatives, including the Cancer Task Force, are working to "improve outcomes."

  3. Goodnight from the Lordspublished at 22:51 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    The end of the first day of report stage debate on the Modern Slavery Bill brings tonight's proceedings in the Lords to a close.

    Peers return tomorrow from 14.30 GMT for questions to ministers.

    The main business includes consideration of Commons amendments to the Consumer Rights Bill.

    The House will also consider regulations on mitochondrial donation, which MPs agreed earlier this month.

  4. Government responsepublished at 22:50 GMT 23 February 2015

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    Health Minister Jane Ellison is now responding to the debate for the government.

    Jane Ellison
  5. Six changespublished at 22:45 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
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    Mr Weatherly calls on the government to implement six changes:

    1. speeding up the process of seeing a GP to stop patients putting off receiving health care

    2. improve testing at the point of access with GP

    3. educating patients in symptoms of oesophageal cancer

    4. streamlining the referral system to allow quick testing and diagnosis

    5. allocating extra resources for endoscopies - a nonsurgical procedure used to examine a person's digestive tract

    6. greater hospice care for end of life

  6. Oesophageal cancer survivorpublished at 22:44 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
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    Mike Weatherly

    Mr Weatherly tells MPs that after he had his oesophagus and a third of his stomach removed, due to an ongoing digestive problem, he was diagnosed with cancer.

    Over half oesophageal cancer patients die within six months, he tells MPs, and 85% will die within five years.

    While he has recovered since his diagnosis in 2012, he lists this mortality rate as one of the reasons he is leaving parliament after only one term.

  7. Adjournment debatepublished at 22:29 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Mike Weatherly stands to open today's final business, an adjournment debate on oesophageal cancer.

  8. Bill passedpublished at 22:29 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative Bill Cash's amendment to allow girls "at risk of" female genital mutilation to be referred to the police is defeated by 282 votes to 227, a government majority of 55.

    The bill has now completed all stages in the House of Commons and will now enter parliamentary ping pong, external, which sees the bill return to the house of Lords for further scrutiny.

  9. Amendment acceptedpublished at 22:14 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs accept their first amendment of the night, on their fifth division, by a landslide.

    Labour MP Ann Coffey's amendment to require an assessment of the evidence of the extent of sex-selective abortions is accepted by 491 votes to two.

  10. Child abduction warning notice amendmentpublished at 22:02 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs reject Rotherham Labour MP Sarah Champion's amendment, to ensure that no police officer below the rank of superintendent can issue a child abduction warning notice, by 305 votes to 212 - a government majority of 93 again.

  11. National Referral Mechanismpublished at 21:54 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Lords
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    Peers are considering an amendment, proposed by Labour's Lord Warner, which would create a National Referral Mechanism (NRM) to identify trafficked, enslaved or exploited people, provide assistance and support, and ensure their rights are protected.

  12. Labour amendment rejectedpublished at 21:42 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs reject Labour's amendment by 305 votes to 212, a government majority of 93.

  13. Anti-slavery commissionerpublished at 21:42 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Over in the Lords, debate continues on the Modern Slavery Bill, focusing on the role of the proposed anti-slavery commissioner.

    The bill would create an anti-slavery commissioner who would have responsibility for ensuring a more coordinated response from the police and other agencies.

    The bill says that the commissioner "must encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of slavery and human trafficking offences [and] the identification of victims of those offences".

  14. Amendment rejectedpublished at 21:36 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour MP John Mann's amendment falls as well. This time by 296 votes to 233 - a government majority of 63.

    Next up, a vote on Labour's proposals to make it an offence not to report suspected child abuse to the police.

  15. Amendment rejectedpublished at 21:20 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs reject the sex selective abortion amendment by 292 votes to 201, a government majority of 91.

    But before they're allowed to sit down for too long another division is called, this time on Labour MP John Mann's proposal to waive the Official Secrets Act when releasing information to a historic child abuse investigation.

    MPs file out of the chamber and into the voting lobbies. The result is expected at around 21.30 GMT.

    House of Commons
  16. Unintended consequencepublished at 21:02 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Sarah Wollaston

    Health Committee chair and GP Dr Sarah Wollaston says she cannot support the amendment.

    If enacted it may have the unintended consequences of preventing women confiding in their doctor that they "feel under pressure" to abort their child because of its gender, as they may fear they will be criminalised.

    "We may see the complete reverse of the intention of this amendment," she warns.

  17. Sex selective abortions legalpublished at 20:53 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP David Burrowes stands to speak in support of the amendment. He tells MPs that the law "does not expressly prohibit gender-selective abortions".

    The law instead prohibits abortions carried out without "two medical practitioners forming a view in good faith where the health risk of continuing pregnancy outweigh termination", making sex selective abortions a matter of "professional misconduct".

  18. Modern Slavery Bill debate resumespublished at 20:51 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Debate on the Modern Slavery Bill resumes with consideration of an amendment to require the anti-slavery commissioner to encourage "good practice" internationally, as well as in the UK.

    Crossbench peer Lord Alton of Liverpool is opening debate on the amendment.

    He calls for countries to "move beyond the parochial" and recognise common interests.

  19. Picture: Baroness Grey-Thompsonpublished at 20:26 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Grey-Thompson
    Image caption,

    Baroness Grey-Thompson speaks during a debate on access to hotels for disabled people

  20. Amendment textpublished at 20:25 GMT 23 February 2015

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The amendment would insert the phrase: "Nothing in section 1 of the Abortion Act 1967 is to be interpreted as allowing a pregnancy to be terminated on the grounds of the sex of the unborn child" into the Serious Crime Bill, putting it on statutory footing.