Abortion amendment among Queen's Speech vote tests
Northern Ireland women to get abortion funding
(about 2 hours later)
The minority Conservative government is facing a series of challenges as it attempts to get its Queen's Speech through Parliament.
The chancellor has said the government intends to fund abortions in England for women from Northern Ireland.
The Speaker has selected three amendments, including one with cross-party support over access to abortions for women from Northern Ireland.
More than 50 MPs from the major parties had backed a call for Northern Irish women to have abortions for free in England - they currently have to pay.
These will be voted on before the final Queen's Speech vote later.
In Northern Ireland abortions are only allowed if a woman's life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious risk to her physical or mental health.
With support from the Democratic Unionist Party, the Tories should have the numbers to see off the challenges.
The government has been under pressure since agreeing a deal with the DUP.
The government has come under pressure over abortion - which is only allowed in Northern Ireland if a woman's life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious risk to her physical or mental health - since agreeing the £1bn deal with the DUP.
The concession came ahead of a vote on the issue in the Commons after an amendment on the issue was selected for debate on the Queen's Speech.
More than 50 MPs from all the major parties have signed the amendment, co-ordinated by Labour's Stella Creasy.
Since the election Theresa May no longer has a majority of MPs so has to rely on backing from the 10 DUP MPs - but even then she remains vulnerable to a rebellion from her own side.
It calls on the government to allow women in Northern Ireland to have abortions for free in England, instead of being charged as they are now.
Philip Hammond was responding to a question from the Conservative Sir Peter Bottomley, who asked why "only the poor should be denied lawful abortions".
He was among MPs from various parties to sign an amendment, co-ordinated by Labour's Stella Creasy, calling on the government to allow women in Northern Ireland to have abortions for free in England, instead of being charged as they are now.
Mr Hammond told him that Justine Greening, the minister for women and equalities, "either has made or is just about to make an announcement by way of a letter to members of this house explaining that she intends to intervene to fund abortions in England for women arriving here from Northern Ireland".
Ahead of the Queen's Speech debate, Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom told MPs the Equalities Department and the Department of Health were "discussing and looking very closely" at the issue of abortion in Northern Ireland.
Ahead of the Queen's Speech debate, Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom told MPs the Equalities Department and the Department of Health were "discussing and looking very closely" at the issue of abortion in Northern Ireland.
This was in response to former Conservative women's minister Maria Miller who asked for a statement on the matter.
This was in response to former Conservative women's minister Maria Miller who asked for a statement on the matter.
Another Queen's Speech motion, from the Labour leadership, will call for several of the opposition's manifesto pledges to be adopted, and for a Brexit that delivers the "exact same benefits" of the EU single market and customs union.
Pressure has been building since the government agreed the £1bn deal with the DUP. The minority Conservative government is facing a series of challenges as it attempts to get its Queen's Speech through Parliament.
There will also be a vote on an amendment from Labour's Chuka Umunna, which calls for the UK to remain in the single market and customs union after Brexit - although this is not the policy of Mr Umunna's front bench.
Mr Corbyn, whose party made gains but still finished 55 seats behind the Conservatives in the election, said: "Theresa May does not have a mandate for continued cuts to our schools, hospitals, police and other vital public services or for a race-to-the-bottom Brexit.
"We invite MPs from across the House of Commons to take on board the strength of public opinion and desire for change in our country and vote for our amendment to bring forward policies to invest and improve public services, and put money in the pockets of the many not the few."
In Wednesday's Queen's Speech debate, the government saw off Labour calls to scrap the public sector pay cap by a margin of 14 votes.
Votes on the Queen's Speech establish whether a government commands the confidence of the House of Commons. If the Conservatives were to lose them, it could trigger another general election.
Mrs May fell eight seats short of an absolute majority at the general election, meaning she is reliant on the support of others to govern and get legislation through the House of Commons.
With the backing of the DUP's 10 MPs - all of whom backed the Tories in Wednesday's pay vote - the prime minister has a working majority of 13, but is facing calls to reach out to other parties on Brexit and other issues.
'Future leader'
Several ministers have suggested they will listen to the concerns of MPs about the impact of continued austerity on the morale and recruitment of NHS workers in particular.
Downing Street and a number of cabinet ministers, including Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, suggested the pay cap is now under review, saying they would await the recommendations of the professional pay review bodies in the autumn before deciding on future pay rises.
Mrs May, who is due to attend a meeting of fellow world leaders ahead of next week's G20 summit, says the "confidence and supply" arrangement with the DUP brings stability to the government as Brexit talks unfold.
But former education secretary Nicky Morgan has cast doubt on her long-term future, telling the BBC's Newsnight that the party could consider the question of succession as early as October 2018.
"Once that shape of Brexit is concluded, once those deals are very much on the table, the Conservative party must not miss the opportunity at that stage to think about who we want to be our future leader," she said.
