House of Commons
Parliament

The work and pensions minister wraps up the debate, saying "we will await the result of the court case in due course" and with that, MPs conclude their business for the day.

Join them again tomorrow from 11.30am for Business, Innovation and Skills questions, followed by another second reading of a new government bill- this time the National Insurance Contributions (Rate Ceilings) Bill- and a motion relating to HS2. 

We'll see you then.

House of Commons
Parliament

Work and Pensions Minister Shailesh Vara asks his parliamentary colleagues to appreciate that it is "not appropriate" for the government to comment directly on individual schemes and on an issue that is currently being scrutinised before the courts, but will try to respond in a "general way".

A trust, under trust law, is at "arms-length" from anything that government can do, he says.

House of Commons
Parliament

Many MPs have stayed behind to listen or contribute to the adjournment debate.

Kat Green acknowledges it is "rare" for so many to be present for a debate on such a "specialist subject" and hopes that their presence in the chamber is a demonstration of "collective" pressure on British Airways to act.

She urges the minister to likewise put pressure on a "previously government-controlled company".

House of Commons
Parliament

British Airway's pension scheme has total liabilities of £29.2bn according to their most recent report. 

In 2011 BA's Pension Scheme (APS) had its inflation-linked annual increase to payments changed from using the retail price index (RPI) measure of inflation to the consumer price index (CPI). The move was met with anger by BA pensioners who claim they had been promised increases at RPI in 1984- the consumer price index generally rises by a smaller amount than the retail price index.

In 2013, BA launched legal action to block trustees of the scheme from increasing BA's payments to retirees.

House of Commons
Parliament

The House empties as Labour MP Kate Green introduces her adjournment debate entitled 'British Airways and pensions uprating'.

House of Commons
Parliament

After fifteen minutes of voting, MPs approve the Trade Union Bill at second reading by 317 votes to 284- that's a majority of 33.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs divide on the government's Trade Union Bill at second reading and flock to the division lobbies to vote.

House of Commons
Parliament

Business minister Nick Boles rises to speak for the bill, calling it a much-need "modernisation" of the laws governing trade unions.

The bill gives trade union members more information on what happens with their "hard-earned cash", he argues, and only allows it to be used for political purposes with their "explicit consent".

The fundamental aim of the bill is to provide a "fairer balance between rights of unions and their responsibility with the rest of society", he says.

House of Commons
Parliament

The shadow business minister declares it is no hyperbole or exaggeration in saying that the bill functions as one of the "greatest threats" to working people in this country and to fundamental civil liberties in a generation.

"This bill seeks to solve a problem that does not exist", he argues and not only "demonises militancy" but every trade union member, including doctors, nurses and teachers.

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow Business, Innovation and Skills Minister Stephen Doughty gives the opposition's response to the Trade Union Bill, declaring he is "proud" to stand and have stood alongside trade unionists throughout his political career.

House of Commons
Parliament

Introduced by the Speaker as "the exotic bird [who] has returned to its nest", Conservative MP Boris Johnson takes to the floor.

The bill, he argues, offers protection for two sets of working people - those who "utterly depend on public services for their everyday lives" and those who work in public services who "engage in pointless costly strike action" on account of a "politically motivated minority".

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Harry Harpham MP accuses Conservative ministers of putting forward a "naked ideological attack on basic freedoms" in a bill seeking to "secure political advantage" and "silence those who oppose them".

The former miner raises the point that "unions would be unable to form the functions for which they exist".

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Wes Streeting opposes the bill as a "paritsan attack on her majesty's opposition" and "de-legitimising trade unions".

This is not a bill against striking tube drivers, he says, but low-paid public sector workers, seeking to voice their worries to the government.

House of Lords
Parliament

Baroness Williams of Trafford finally brings the smoke and carbon dioxide alarm regulations to a close after promising to address the many issues raised by a rather irate chamber this evening.

The regulations are passed without opposition and the Lords adjourn for the evening.

Join us tomorrow for debates on the size of the House of Lords and on the role and capabilities of the UK Armed Forces.

But for now, good night.

House of Commons
Parliament

House of Lords
Parliament

Baroness Williams of Trafford is responding to the debate for the government after fairly prolonged criticism of her department's handling of this policy.

The minister says that the regulations are due to come in on 1 October this year as this is the time of year that many students will be moving into private rented housing.

Responding to the Labour frontbench questions about extending the regulations to the social housing sector, Baroness Williams says that the government feel that social housing authorities are "so good" in ensuring health and safety that they were not seen as an issue of concern.

On many of the issues that have been raised by peers, Baroness Williams promises to write to them with further information.

House of Lords
Parliament

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath responds to this debate from the Labour frontbench by saying that the government needs to think about extending the regulations to public sector housing.

The Labour shadow minister echoes other peers in calling for a campaign of much better publicity of the new regulations, saying the minister "should recognise that her department has not done a good job" on this issue so far.

House of Lords
Parliament

Labour peer Lord Beecham also rises to speak to the regulations.

Lord Beecham says that the lack of awareness about the new regulations amongst both tenants and landlords is an issue that needs to be addressed as a matter "of some urgency".

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP MP for Glasgow East Natalie McGarry defends trade unions as the "first point of support for professionals" and attacks the bill that "treats abstentions as no votes" in industrial action ballots as "undemocratic".

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Ruth Smeeth opposes the bill as a "vicious and unprovoked assault" on trade unions and the vital role they play in combating political and religious extremism.

Without the financial and organisational support of the trade union movement to the Labour Party, she says, a neo-fascist MP could have been elected to parliament. It was the trade union movement that led the charge in diluting the BNP influence in the European Parliament and in preventing the rise of the EDL in areas of the UK, she argues.

They also form an important role in community cohesion, she says.