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| Johnson facing Commons revolt after 26 Tories back amendment for Huawei to be excluded from 5G - live news | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen | Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen |
| Philip Hammond has warned that the country should be braced for a “significant dip” in the economy as it deals with coronavirus and urged the new chancellor to intervene to help small businesses. Ahead of the budget tomorrow, Hammond, who served as Theresa May’s chancellor said the impact of the illness would be “real” on the country and he expected an economic slowdown. | |
| He suggested Rishi Sunak, who was promoted by Boris Johnson last month, should consider helping small firms with cash flow problems by postponing deadlines for VAT payments, national insurance and PAYE deductions. Hammond told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme: | |
| Boris Johnson is definitely facing a Commons revolt this afternoon, my colleague Dan Sabbagh reveals. He says it is understood that the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, has selected the Huawei amendment to the telecommunications infrastructure (leasehold property) bill being debated this afternoon. | |
| Some 26 Conservative MPs have signed the amendment tabled by the former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Dan reports. | |
| Even though Labour is gearing up to support the rebels (see below), this would not be enough to defeat the government. Taking into account the non-attendance of Sinn Fein MPs, and the three deputy speakers who do not normally vote, Johnson has a working majority of 87. | |
| But if there is a vote (it is always possible that Duncan Smith could pull his amendment in response to verbal assurances from the minister at the despatch box), it will be the first proper revolt that Johnson has faced on a Commons vote since the general election. | |
| There is an urgent question at 12.30pm, so the debate will probably start at around 1pm. | |
| In the Commons Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has just told MPs that the government is considering reviewing the list of people allowed to provide medical services in the light of coronavirus. | In the Commons Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has just told MPs that the government is considering reviewing the list of people allowed to provide medical services in the light of coronavirus. |
| Last week Prof Chris Whitty, the government’s chief medical adviser, told a committee that greater use could be made of medical students. | Last week Prof Chris Whitty, the government’s chief medical adviser, told a committee that greater use could be made of medical students. |
| This is that the health minister Jo Churchill told MPs a moment ago about how she was planning to give MPs an exemption from some health bureaucracy to allow them to have more time to focus on coronavirus. She was responding to a question from Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, who asked if the government would suspend requirements for GPs to fill in forms relating to appraisals, and the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) during the crisis. Churchill replied: | This is that the health minister Jo Churchill told MPs a moment ago about how she was planning to give MPs an exemption from some health bureaucracy to allow them to have more time to focus on coronavirus. She was responding to a question from Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, who asked if the government would suspend requirements for GPs to fill in forms relating to appraisals, and the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) during the crisis. Churchill replied: |
| In response to a question from Ashworth about the distribution of PPE (personal protection equipment) to GPs, she said two thirds of this had been rolled out already, and that the rest would be arriving imminently. | In response to a question from Ashworth about the distribution of PPE (personal protection equipment) to GPs, she said two thirds of this had been rolled out already, and that the rest would be arriving imminently. |
| In the Commons Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, asks if government will lift the bureaucratic requirements on GPs so that they have more time to focus on coronavirus. | In the Commons Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, asks if government will lift the bureaucratic requirements on GPs so that they have more time to focus on coronavirus. |
| Jo Churchill, the health minister who is replying, says that she is considering this. | Jo Churchill, the health minister who is replying, says that she is considering this. |
| The PACAC hearing has not quite finished, but Sir Mark Sedwill has managed to get through it so far without setting off many ripples across the pond of news. | The PACAC hearing has not quite finished, but Sir Mark Sedwill has managed to get through it so far without setting off many ripples across the pond of news. |
| In the House of Commons chamber Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has just started taking health questions. | In the House of Commons chamber Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has just started taking health questions. |
| In response to a question about public health grants to councils, he said that local authorities could plan with confidence on the basis that their budgets could be going up in real terms, and that a full announcement would be made shortly. | In response to a question about public health grants to councils, he said that local authorities could plan with confidence on the basis that their budgets could be going up in real terms, and that a full announcement would be made shortly. |
| Q: The government wants to repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. But under the Act, a committee is due to be set up this summer to review its operation. Will that still go ahead? | Q: The government wants to repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. But under the Act, a committee is due to be set up this summer to review its operation. Will that still go ahead? |
| Sedwill says in one sense this answer to this is the same as the answer on the democracy commission. (See 11.16am.) Options are being offered to ministers. The act could be repealed wholesale. Or non-controversial parts of it could be retained, he says. | Sedwill says in one sense this answer to this is the same as the answer on the democracy commission. (See 11.16am.) Options are being offered to ministers. The act could be repealed wholesale. Or non-controversial parts of it could be retained, he says. |
| Q: Is there a cut-off point when you have to decide whether or not to have the committee reviewing the act? | Q: Is there a cut-off point when you have to decide whether or not to have the committee reviewing the act? |
| Sedwill says he thinks that would have to be set up between June and November. He says it has not been decided yet what would happen. | Sedwill says he thinks that would have to be set up between June and November. He says it has not been decided yet what would happen. |
| Q: Do you think it is best just to revert to the royal prerogative if the act is repealed? | Q: Do you think it is best just to revert to the royal prerogative if the act is repealed? |
| Sedwill says it is possible. But the question is whether the royal prerogative (ie, the PM’s power to decide the date of a general election) would resume automatically if the FTPA were repealed, or whether that would have to be actively restored, has yet to be decided. | Sedwill says it is possible. But the question is whether the royal prerogative (ie, the PM’s power to decide the date of a general election) would resume automatically if the FTPA were repealed, or whether that would have to be actively restored, has yet to be decided. |
| He says elements of the FTPA were good. It gave clarity about the length of a parliament. But other aspects of it did not work well, as people discovered last year. | He says elements of the FTPA were good. It gave clarity about the length of a parliament. But other aspects of it did not work well, as people discovered last year. |
| Q: Can you tell us what the government’s democracy commission will involve? | Q: Can you tell us what the government’s democracy commission will involve? |
| Sedwill says officials have been working on options, but ministers have not taken the final decisions yet, he says. | Sedwill says officials have been working on options, but ministers have not taken the final decisions yet, he says. |
| Manzoni says there were 800 people working for the Department for Existing the European Union when it closed. | Manzoni says there were 800 people working for the Department for Existing the European Union when it closed. |
| He says they moved to the Cabinet Office initially. | He says they moved to the Cabinet Office initially. |
| Then around 100 went to the Foreign Office. Large numbers of staff also went to the business department and to HMRC, he says. | Then around 100 went to the Foreign Office. Large numbers of staff also went to the business department and to HMRC, he says. |
| And some of them joined David Frost’s negotiating team. | And some of them joined David Frost’s negotiating team. |
| Sedwill says some of the former DExEU staff have been working on coronavirus, because they were already working on contingency planning. | Sedwill says some of the former DExEU staff have been working on coronavirus, because they were already working on contingency planning. |
| Q: Is there any precedent for all ministers being shared between two departments (as they are now, between the Foreign Office and DfID)? | Q: Is there any precedent for all ministers being shared between two departments (as they are now, between the Foreign Office and DfID)? |
| Sedwill says he is not aware of one. But he says in the past some ministers served the Foreign Office and DfID. | Sedwill says he is not aware of one. But he says in the past some ministers served the Foreign Office and DfID. |
| Q: We now have joint ministers serving the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development. To whom are their officials accountable? | Q: We now have joint ministers serving the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development. To whom are their officials accountable? |
| To both departments, Sedwill says. He says the costs are shared out. | To both departments, Sedwill says. He says the costs are shared out. |
| Q: If someone had expressed support for jihadis online, would they be acceptable? | Q: If someone had expressed support for jihadis online, would they be acceptable? |
| Sedwill says of course in those circumstances security vetting would be removed. | Sedwill says of course in those circumstances security vetting would be removed. |
| He says he does not want to comment on Andrew Sabisky, on his views or on the vetting that he received. | He says he does not want to comment on Andrew Sabisky, on his views or on the vetting that he received. |
| Q: Was Andrew Sabisky a spad or a contractor? | Q: Was Andrew Sabisky a spad or a contractor? |
| Sedwill says he was a contractor. He was on a day rate, Sedwill thinks. | Sedwill says he was a contractor. He was on a day rate, Sedwill thinks. |
| He says it is not unusual for contractors to be used. | He says it is not unusual for contractors to be used. |
| Q: Did the PM approve his appointment? | Q: Did the PM approve his appointment? |
| Sedwill says the PM does not approve contractors. | Sedwill says the PM does not approve contractors. |
| Q: Was Sabisky vetted? | Q: Was Sabisky vetted? |
| Sedwill says it is normal for people to be vetted. In certain cases this is not necessary. But he says in this case he thinks security clearance was done. | Sedwill says it is normal for people to be vetted. In certain cases this is not necessary. But he says in this case he thinks security clearance was done. |
| He says Sabisky would only have been at meeting for which he had appropriate security clearance. | He says Sabisky would only have been at meeting for which he had appropriate security clearance. |
| Q: What vetting process did Sabisky go through with regard to security? | Q: What vetting process did Sabisky go through with regard to security? |
| Sedwill says he will write to the committee about this. | Sedwill says he will write to the committee about this. |
| There are different checks he says: a basic security check; a counter-terrorism check; a more advanced security clearance; and developed vetting, which used to be called positive vetting, which is the highest check, used for people with access to security matters. | There are different checks he says: a basic security check; a counter-terrorism check; a more advanced security clearance; and developed vetting, which used to be called positive vetting, which is the highest check, used for people with access to security matters. |
| Sedwill says he does not want to elaborate on what developed vetting involves. | Sedwill says he does not want to elaborate on what developed vetting involves. |
| A few minutes later William Wragg, the committee chair, says he has just found the developed vetting form online. | A few minutes later William Wragg, the committee chair, says he has just found the developed vetting form online. |
| Sedwill says the form may be online, but he does not want to say what background checks are involved. | Sedwill says the form may be online, but he does not want to say what background checks are involved. |
| Labour’s Lloyd Russell-Moyle goes next. | Labour’s Lloyd Russell-Moyle goes next. |
| Q: The Conservative spad website says the No 10 communications director would be ultimately responsible for all hiring decisions. Is that correct? Or is the PM ultimately in charge? | Q: The Conservative spad website says the No 10 communications director would be ultimately responsible for all hiring decisions. Is that correct? Or is the PM ultimately in charge? |
| Sedwill says the website is not a matter for him. | Sedwill says the website is not a matter for him. |
| Q: Will the government benefit from having more weirdos and misfits in government? | Q: Will the government benefit from having more weirdos and misfits in government? |
| Sedwill says he likes Gus O’Donnell’s take on this; O’Donnell, a former cabinet secretary, said anyone willing to work long hours for less money than they would get elsewhere could be considered a weirdo or a misfit. | Sedwill says he likes Gus O’Donnell’s take on this; O’Donnell, a former cabinet secretary, said anyone willing to work long hours for less money than they would get elsewhere could be considered a weirdo or a misfit. |
| Sedwill says he would not necessarily use these terms. But he supports the idea of trying to bring in new people into government who might have something to contribute. | Sedwill says he would not necessarily use these terms. But he supports the idea of trying to bring in new people into government who might have something to contribute. |
| Sedwill says that in principle he approves of Dominic Cummings’ desire to bring more ‘weirdos and misfits’ into government. | Sedwill says that in principle he approves of Dominic Cummings’ desire to bring more ‘weirdos and misfits’ into government. |
| Q: A new spad website has been set up. How is that being handled? | Q: A new spad website has been set up. How is that being handled? |
| Sedwill says that is nothing to do with him. That is a Conservative party matter. He says it is up to politicians to identify advisers they might want to recruit. | Sedwill says that is nothing to do with him. That is a Conservative party matter. He says it is up to politicians to identify advisers they might want to recruit. |
| Q: So who pays for it? | Q: So who pays for it? |
| The Conservative party, says Sedwill. | The Conservative party, says Sedwill. |
| He says Jack Straw, who he used to work for, ran a recruitment process when he was looking for special advisers. | He says Jack Straw, who he used to work for, ran a recruitment process when he was looking for special advisers. |
| He says after ministers have identified people they want to hire, the civil service then brings them into the system. | He says after ministers have identified people they want to hire, the civil service then brings them into the system. |
| Q: Do you decide salaries? | Q: Do you decide salaries? |
| Sedwill says that is a government minister. Various rules apply. | Sedwill says that is a government minister. Various rules apply. |
| Sedwill says anyone operating on behalf of the PM has to operate with his authority, and ultimately with his approval. | Sedwill says anyone operating on behalf of the PM has to operate with his authority, and ultimately with his approval. |
| And he says the PM is the ultimate arbiter of the ministerial code. He says he can only advise the PM on this. | And he says the PM is the ultimate arbiter of the ministerial code. He says he can only advise the PM on this. |