House of Commons
Parliament

The house adjourns until tomorrow when MPs will begin debating the European Union Referendum Bill among other things. 

We'll guide you through all the business from 11.30 am tomorrow.

Goodnight.

House of Commons
Parliament

Answering for the government Mark Francois says the awarding of city status is made by Royal Prerogative but that Southend has a strong case. He says he does not know when the next opportunity to bid for the case will be.

Mr Francois goes on to say that the future for inward investment in Southend remains bright. He adds that the Chancellor has announced a new round of city deals which represents an opportunity for Southend "to take greater control of its own economic destiny."

House of Commons
Parliament

Sir David Amess is telling the commons he believes more can be done to help Southend reach its full potential and he is keen for it to do more to attract tourists.

He asks the government to consider helping regenerate the pier in Southend and moves on to promoting Southend as the alternative City of Culture in 2017. 

Mr Amess finishes by asking the minister to make him very happy by doing everything he possibly can to ensure Southend receives the investment it needs which he says includes declaring it to be a city.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Sir David Amess opens the final business of the day - his adjournment debate on inward investment in Southend.

House of Commons
Parliament

Financial Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke says implementing the Smith Commission will make the Scottish Parliament one of the most devolved in the world and that the Scotland Bill marks the formal step that will make this happen in full.

Mr Gauke goes on to say that earlier today the Chancellor and Chief Secretary to the Treasury met with the Deputy First Minister of Scotland. He says they had a productive meeting and agreed to immediately start work on the fiscal framework which will ensure the Scottish parliament has the tools it needs to manage its new spending powers.

House of Commons
Parliament

Summing up for the government, David Gauke is paying tribute to the MPs who made their maiden speeches today.

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow Constitutional Reform Minister, Wayne David, tells the House, "Today I speak very much as a Welshman", but he adds that many of his constituents' concerns are shared by working people across the country. 

He says the Scotland Bill has shortcomings, which is why Labour will be putting forward amendments at committee stage to strengthen the bill. Mr David says Labour wants to see housing benefit devolved in full to Scotland. 

House of Commons
Parliament

Wayne David has stepped up to the dispatch box to sum up for the opposition. As is usual, he begins by praising the maiden speeches of new members.

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP MP Pete Wishart pays tribute to his colleagues who have made their maiden speeches today and says how significant it is that they are making them during the Scotland Bill debate.

Mr Wishart tells the House this is the third Scotland Bill he's "had the pleasure to speak in". He says it feels compeltely different and puts it down to the lack of Scottish Labour members. He says having heard their contribution "we can see why they're in such a diminished state in this house".

Mr Wishart then says he "extends the arm of friendship" to Labour to join the SNP in a progressive alliance, but the groans coming from the Labour benches suggest they don't accept.

He closes by appealing to the House to give the Scottish people what they want, claiming the SNP "have the strongest mandate".

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Emily Thornberry has taken issue with some words in the Scotland Bill. She quotes, "it is recognised that the parliament of the UK will not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters without the consent of the Scottish Parliament. 

She asks, "What does that mean? Does that mean we won't normally legislate... unless the UK parliament doesn't like it?"

She points out that the House of Lords constitution committee described the use of the word "normally" as very unusual and "undefined" in legislation.

She accuses David Mundell - who is talking - of not listening to her. 

She goes on to argue that the word has little or no legal effect, and says, "in other words, it's a gesture". 

She finally demands, "Do tell us what normal means."

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Nick Thomas-Symonds asks that Wales is not forgotten in this debate and that its "voice is heard".

He goes on to warn the government about being thorough in the process of the bill, adding "history would tell us that if there are individual issues that are left untouched they usually come back at a later date".

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Simon Hoare is speaking in the Commons on the Scotland Bill, asking the SNP MPs not to "freeze us out". 

He says they must be clear that those speaking for the Union are no less "sincere".

MPs are considering plans to devolve more powers to Scotland as the House of Commons debates the second reading of the Scotland Bill. If you missed the opening speeches you can catch up with them here.

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP MP Kirsten Oswald tells the House that if "a measure of our society is how we treat the most vulnerable then we have a long way to go".

She says her constituents want greater powers for Scotland "so we can make the changes we need... so we can make sure we no longer neglect those of us who are struggling".

House of Commons
Parliament

MP for Stoke-on-Trent North Ruth Smeeth is making her maiden speech and telling the SNP they may be surprised to know that she was born in Edinburgh.

She tells the House that she is proud of her work with Hope not Hate.

She argues that "nationalism comes in many guises" and "we need to stand united for a better world for the good of our communities".

She adds: "I'll be fighting for the Union."

House of Lords
Parliament

Peers approve the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill at second reading without a vote.

They also agree to consider the finer detail of the bill in a committee of the whole House at a later date.

Which concludes today's business in the Lords. Peers return tomorrow from 14:30 BST for questions to ministers.

The main business will be the second reading of the Psychoactive Substances Bill, which aims to ban "legal highs".

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP MP for Livingston Hannah Bardell is making her maiden speech touching on the "old and new" of her constituency. She refers to the 'old' business of oil from coal and shale, then credits new industries in Livingston with the development of sonar scanning and bionic prosthetics.