At-a-glance: Wednesday at Westminster

PARLIAMENTARY AGENDA DOWNING ST PRESS BRIEFING

YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT DAILY POLITICS

WEDNESDAY IN PARLIAMENT

The key points from Prime Minister's Questions from 1200 GMT as Gordon Brown faces his weekly grilling.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown began by sending his condolences to the family and friends of a serviceman killed in Afghanistan last Friday.

Responding to a question from Alistair Carmichael, Lib Dem Orkney and Shetland, Mr Brown said he would press for a framework document for peace in the Middle East at a conference at the end of the month and pledged a £500m aid package for the area.

Mr Brown congratulated Glasgow on winning the Commonwealth Games bid.

Conservative leader David Cameron asked why the public had not been told about illegal immigrants working as security guards.

Mr Brown said it was because the "home secretary acted immediately" to introduce checks - but Mr Cameron said the public had not been told because it was "politically embarrassing" and he accused the government had been "caught red-handed putting spin before public safety."

The prime minister said the Tories had opposed new rules on security guards.

Mr Cameron asked when the PM had been told about the problem with illegal immigrants.

Mr Brown said the home secretary had been dealing with it and it was "an operational matter". He said the home secretary had taken the action needed to deal with the problem.

"I am sorry the leader of the opposition thinks everything should go through Number 10," added Mr Brown.

Mr Cameron accused Mr Brown of lacking candour and openness.

Mr Brown said "the key issue is what is actually done," adding: "We did our duty. Not press releases but action".

Responding to a question from Labour MP Kevan Jones, Mr Brown said he would support any recommendation from the military authorities for a medal for those killed or injured in Afghanistan and Iraq. end

Acting Lib Dem Vince Cable asked the prime minister to confirm that the government has spent £24bn on bailing out mortgage bank Northern Rock.

Mr Brown said he could not comment on media reports to that effect as the papers on which they were based were "confidential".

Mr Cable dismissed the confidentiality argument as "bogus" and urged Mr Brown to guarantee any loans would be paid back with interest by the end of this Parliament.

Mr Brown said it was a "secured" loan but information on it "should remain commercially confidential".

Ann McIntosh, Tory MP for the Vale of York, asked what the government would do to keep food at a "reasonable price" and make sure farmers received fair payment. Mr Brown praised farmers but said a strong economy was the key.

Ealing North Labour MP Stephen Pound asked if it was "morally right or legally possible" for people resident abroad to fund British political parties - a reference to Tory donor Lord Ashcroft. Mr Brown said: "No it should not happen".

Peter Luff, Conservative, Mid Worcester, asked what foreign office minister Lord Malloch Brown had done to deserve a "grace and favour residence". Mr Brown said the peer was "doing a great job for the government".

Lib Dem MP John Hemming asked why more children under five were taken into care and adopted in England than Scotland. Mr Brown said social work legislation was different in the two countries.

On binge drinking, Mr Brown said he was meeting the retail industry in the next few days to discuss curbs on sales to young people and he wanted to meet the drinks industry to discuss possible curbs on advertising.

Dennis Skinner, Labour, Bolsover, hailed government efforts to put the unemployed back to work in the coalfields.

John Baron, Conservative, Billericay, asked about the health of nuclear test veterans. Mr Brown said most veterans had suffered no health effects but he would look at any new information.

Simon Burns, Conservative, Chelmsford West, returned to theme of illegal migrants working as security guards in the final question of the half hour session, asking when the prime minister had known there were problems.

Mr Brown repeated that it had been dealt with by the home secretary, who he said he had acted in a "calm, efficient and dignified way".

...HOUSE OF COMMONS...
Gordon Brown says security will be stepped up at railway stations, airports and ports as part of government attempts to tackle terrorism. There will be new security barriers, vehicle exclusion zones and blast resistant buildings, but air passengers will be allowed more luggage from 2008. Rail travellers at large stations will also face having their bags screened. His statement came amid confusion over his security minister's views on detention limits for terror suspects.

Travel terror security stepped up

The Chairman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, Edward Leigh, says he believes in the run-up to the Olympics Games, the Department for Culture Media and Sport, will "start panicking" and "throwing money at it'. Mr Leigh was speaking to the Permanent Secretary of the Department, Jonathan Stephens, who was appearing before the committee. Mr Leigh said he didn't have any confidence in the department's ability to plan ahead. Mr Stephens replied that he was keen for the spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, to continue to review the work that had gone on since the Olympics budget was announced. The budget for the 2012 Games has been put at just over £9bn, nearly 4 times the estimate at the time of the London bid. Alicia McCarthy, Today in Parliament.

2012 chiefs face costs criticism

...HOUSE OF COMMONS...
The government will "very shortly" issue a statement of principles governing its approach to any Northern Rock takeover bid, Chancellor Alistair Darling told MPs. He said the government "does have a very real interest and anyone seeking to acquire Northern Rock or any part of it would want to know where the Government stands."

...HOUSE OF LORDS...
The Leader of the Lords, Lady Ashton, has paid tribute to the "stature" of the defence minister Admiral Lord West who was forced to backtrack after telling the BBC he was not convinced of the need to extend the 28 day limit on holding terror suspects without charge. Lady Ashton told the House of Lords that Lord West had said to her that when speaking on the radio "you sometimes don't say quite what you intended to". Lord West had asked her to repeat to the Lords what he had said this morning after his Downing Street meeting. She said that was his position - adding that she knew he would be "nodding in agreement with that". Lord West was sitting on the government frontbench, just behind Lady Ashton, and to the amusement of Peers, he did indeed nod his head. Rachel Hooper, Today in Parliament

PARLIAMENTARY AGENDA: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 2007

Commons: From 11.30am: Northern Ireland questions. At noon questions to the Prime Minister, expected to be followed by security statement from Gordon Brown. Then Queen's Speech debate, on the economy and pensions. Chancellor Alistair Darling, Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain, shadow chancellor George Osborne and shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling. The day ends at 7pm after a short debate on HM Submarine Affray, called by John McDonnell.

Lords: From 3pm: Ministers will answer starred questions on subjects including legal options for farmers who lost money as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak originating at the Pirbright animal research centre site. The Queen's Speech debate then continues, on consumer affairs, industry, energy and economic affairs. Business Minister Lord Jones of Birmingham and junior work and pensions minister Lord McKenzie of Luton.

Full list of Tuesday's select committees

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WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON'S LOBBY BRIEFING

Gordon Brown's official spokesman said individual organisations would be responsible for implementing many of the new security measures announced by the prime minister in his Commons statement. Some would be local authorities or private firms, but the government would be ready to offer tailored advice. Ministers would have to look at it case by case, he added. There was also continued discussion of security minister Lord West's comments - No 10 had earlier denied he had had a change of mind on the 28 day terror detention limit as a result of a meeting in Downing Street.Nick Assinder

Downing St briefings

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DAILY POLITICS: 1130-1300 BBC TWO

Andrew Neil and Jenny Scott will be joined on Wednesday by Lib Dem hopeful Nick Clegg. The team examine the performance of Gordon Brown's most senior ministers, and will also show prime minister's questions live, with instant analysis.

Daily Politics website

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YESTERDAY IN PARLIAMENT: RADIO 4

Wednesday's edition of Yesterday in Parliament covered proceedings in the Commons and Lords on Tuesday, including trade union bosses saying some migrant workers were effectively slave labour.

Listen to the latest programme

At-a-glance: Tuesday at Westminster

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