which left 12 people dead. german prosecutors have released a pakistani asylum seeker, who'd been detained earlier, saying they had insufficient evidence to link him to the crime. at least 26 people have been killed and dozens more injured after a series of explosions tore through a fireworks market on the outskirts of mexico city. similar incidents destroyed parts of the market in 2005 and 2006. president 0bama has permanently banned new oil and gas drilling in us arctic waters — and introduced significant new curbs in the atlantic. the move — one of his last major environmental protection actions — could prove difficult to reverse for the incoming trump administration. now its time for tuesday in parliament. hello and welcome to tuesday in parliament.

the main news from westminster. senior mps quiz theresa may over whether parliament will get a vote on her brexit plan. it is my intention that parliament had every opportunity to consider these matters and we must ensure we deliver on the vote of the british people which was a vote to leave the european union. again was that a yes or no? i gave the answer i gave. rupert murdoch's bid for full control of the broadcaster sky — the former labour leader wants it to be stopped. this bid shows that the murdochs have learned nothing and think they can get away with anything. if it was wrong for them to own 100% of sky in 2012 it is wrong today. and a lesson in good manners. i reached my breaking point and grabbed her mobile and threw it across the aisle.

i saw it bouncing off the head of what could have been a frenchman, it could have been anyone. but first, the lorry attack in berlin was on the minds of mps as they met for the last sitting day before the commons breaks up for christmas. 12 people were killed and 48 injured when a lorry ploughed into a christmas market in the german capital. the german police are calling it "a probable terrorist attack". in the commons — before the day's business got underway — the health secretaryjeremy hunt was the first to speak about events in berlin. as we wish each other a merry christmas, the whole house will this morning remember the people of berlin as they face up to yesterday's horrific suspected terrorist attacks. germany and its capital, berlin, have been beacons of freedom and tolerance in modern times. all our thoughts and prayers are with them today. comments echoed by theresa may. i would just like to take a moment

to reflect on the appalling news that came in from berlin and ankara yesterday. and we have seen very vivid images in our newspapers and television and i think they have shocked us all and i just wanted to express our condolences and i'm sure the condolences of all of us with those who mourn. it was theresa may's first appearance in front of the liaison committee — which is made up of the chairmen and women of the commons committees. no surprises that the main subject up for discussion was brexit. among other things, they wanted to know if mps would be given a vote on the final deal with the european union. is it your intention to ensure that parliament has a vote on the final deal when it has been negotiated? the parliament is going to have every opportunity to vote through the great repeal bill on the various aspects of the relationship that we will be having with the european union. that wasn't quite the question.

the question is when the final deal is negotiated with the 27, is it your intention to ensure that parliament has a chance to vote on that deal, yes or no? it is my intention to ensure that parliament has ample opportunity to comment on and discuss the aspects of the arrangements that we are putting in place. i'm not sure i understand why it is so difficult to answer a question as to whether parliament will have a vote or not, given that we know the european parliament will have a vote on the deal, why can't you say that the british parliament will also have a vote? what i am saying is that there will be an opportunity for parliament of course to consider and as more details do become available, how this is going to operate. there is a question about the timetable in relation to the agreement of the deal and the necessity, how that timetable will operate in relation to the european parliament as well. what i am also clear about is ensuring that when we come to the point we are actually delivering on the vote of the british people, that we will be leaving the european union.

the prime minister was challenged over whether she would use brexit to reduce immigration. if you are to stand any chance of meeting your net migration target, you would have to get eu net migration down to what, 50,000? we will be putting into place the immigration arrangements for people coming from within the european union that we believe are in the interests of the united kingdom. so does that mean that if you conclude that it is not in the interests of the united kingdom to get net migration from the eu down to 50,000, you will ditch the net migration target, or would you give the net migration target priority over what is in britain's best interests in the negotiations? this government will retain its intention of bringing net migration down. to the tens of thousands? we set out very clearly for some time now that we believe it is sustainable levels and sustainable levels are in the tens of thousands.

and we do that for very good reasons, because of the impact that we believe immigration does have, that research has shown it does have on people, particularly those at the lower end of the income scale. 0n keeping pay down. i understand the reasons behind it, i understand the reason. the question is what is your objective going forward? you have a net migration target to get below the tens of thousands. i'm asking you whether you are planning to meet that net migration target through the brexit negotiations and if so, what are you aiming for on net eu migration? if you've got to get it down from 189,000 to at least below 100,000, who do you want not to come? and you have asked me about the brexit negotiations and i have been clear about the brexit negotiations. the vote on the 23rd ofjune from people was that they wanted us to have control of immigration, to put in place controls on immigration for people coming from the european union. we also want to ensure we get the best possible deal for trading with and operating within the european union. 0ne mp was not sure she had

given a clear answer on giving parliament vote. is it your intention that parliament should vote on a final deal once it's been negotiated, this was a question put to you earlier. it was a question put to me earlier. and what i have said is it is my intention that parliament should have every opportunity to consider these matters. what i'm also clear about is to ensure that we actually deliver on the vote of the british people which was about to leave the european union. again, was that a yes or no? i gave the answer i gave, chairman. ok, i'll leave you to decide that one. and questions on another pressing issue, social care. there is now around 1 million people who should be entitled to social care who are not receiving it, putting great pressure on them and their families. the reason, real—term spending on social care fell by 9% of the last parliament.

to use the form of words with which you might be familiar, do you agree that for social care, crisis means crisis? as i have said, previously, i accept that there are pressures on social care. that is why the government has made available the opportunity for local authorities, as was set out in the local government finance settlement last week, the opportunity for extra money to be available to be spent on social care. but there is also a question not just about those short—term pressures, but in the medium term, ensuring that we are seeing delivery and best practice being introduced in terms of delivery of social care across the country. you talk about fewer people being able to access social care. actually there are many local authorities around the country where we are now seeing more people accessing social care. clive betts told her he would be very interested to see those figures. four years ago rupert murdoch failed in his ambition to take full control of the broadcaster sky.

he abandoned his plan because of the public outcry over phone—hacking at one of his newspapers, the news of the world. but now mr murdoch is having another go at taking 100% ownership of sky, via his company 21st century fox. there has been no formal notification of the takeover bid. when that happens, the culture secretary karen bradley will have ten days to decide whether to refer the proposal to the broadcasting regulator, 0fcom. karen bradley told mps that because of her "quasi—judicial" role she would not be able to comment further. but ed miliband — who's been very critical of rupert murdoch before — told the commons it was an urgent matter. we're going into recess untiljanuary ninth. and the bid may be notified to government at any time. and it is very important, mr speaker, that the house understands the reality that in even launching this bid for 100% of sky,

the murdochs are seeking to turn the judgment of this house, the regulator and indeed the country, on its head. in 2011 this house unanimously urged the withdrawal of the bid for sky by rupert murdoch. in 2012 0fcom published a damning assessment of james murdoch's behaviour in the running of news international. mr speaker, that report only stopped short of declaring sky as unfit and improper to hold a licence on the basis that the murdochs were a minority owner of sky, not 100%. and james murdoch was no longer playing an executive role at sky. today, james murdoch is back as chairman of sky and chief executive of 21st century fox. this bid shows the murdochs have learnt nothing and think they can get away with anything. if it was wrong for the murdochs to own 100% of sky in 2011 and 2012, it is wrong today. i do not for one second underestimate the huge public and parliamentary interest in this proposed merger. as well as the importance of this issue to the parties concerned. but the important thing is that i must ensure, given my quasi—judicial role, that i protect the integrity of the process and ensure that as and when, if the formal

notification is given, that that is properly considered. i will be making no further comments on the merit of the bid at this stage. while there may well be a case for asking the regulator to look at this bid, will she also recognise that this represents a £12 billion investment into a british company and is a vote of confidence that britain will remain a centre of international broadcasting after britain leaves the european union. we have seen this bid before. i know christmas is a time for tv repeats, but this one was not hit the first time around and it is no more popular now. mr speaker, last week the minister of state told the house categorically that the prime minister had not discussed this bid in her recent new york meeting with rupert murdoch. will the secretary of state repeat that assurance ? how does she know, can she tell us what was discussed?

because after all, leveson recommended that those meetings should be minuted. yesterday, mr speaker, rupert murdoch wrote to the guardian to say, i have made it a principal or my life never to ask for anything from any prime minister. we willjust pause to take that in a moment, mr speaker. you will recalljohn major's testimony to the leveson inquiry in which he recalled rupert murdoch asking him to change his party's policy on europe. and warning that, if we couldn't change our european policies, his papers could not and would not support the conservative government. does the secretary of state believe rupert murdoch, or the former conservative prime minister? he has asked specifically about the meeting that the prime minister held in september. she had a prearranged meeting with wall streetjournal editors. mr murdoch dropped into that meeting and i can assure him

that the proposed takeover was not discussed. mr philip davies. thank you, mr speaker. i'm not entirely sure that a company controlled by rupert murdoch trying to buy another company largely controlled by rupert murdoch is of the great public interest that the secretary of state seems to think it is. this really is all about the party opposite not liking rupert murdoch. if this was richard branson in the same situation, they wouldn't be saying a word about it. a substantial number of my constituents have contacted me over the last week regarding this bid. and they are all of the same opinion, but mr murdoch has too much of an influence over our media. many would like to see his bid being referred to 0fcom for that very reason. karen bradley apologised, saying she could not make comment on the process or the merits of the bid. you're watching tuesday

in parliament, with me, kristiina cooper. the foreign affairs committee is investigating the uk's relations with russia. with events in ukraine and syria — as well as russia's engagement in cyber—warfare — there's much to discuss. but at the start of the session, the europe minister, sir alan duncan, gave his reaction to the murder of russia's ambassador to turkey. we obviously fully condemn this, it is a heinous attack and you can be assured the foreign office in the proper way has been in contact with our turkish and russian counterparts to express our condolences. the committee moved on to russia's interference in international affairs. there's a strong suggestion being investigated by the cia that the us election was interfered with by russia. and for example today there was memorandum of agreement signed by president putin's party with an austrian party. there is an undermining here of the values of liberal open—minded western models whether in the us or the european union.

and russia is pursuing asymmetric warfare to undermine solidarity of nato and the european union. i think there is no doubt that using modern technology, they are interfering in many parts of the world. we saw that in montenegro as well where there was a serious interference. undeniably i think russian inspired in the democratic process in montenegro. we saw that in montenegro as well where there was

a serious interference. undeniably i think russian inspired in the democratic process in montenegro. quite what the effect was, what exactly they did in the united states, it is unclear. but i think there is no doubt and we have got to accept that as a fact, that cyber warfare is now a part of modern life and the russians are using it as best they can in the political dimension. notjust in the commercial one but there is political interference. we had our difficulties with alexander litvinenko, there have been impediments and also issues which we feel strongly about such as ukraine and subsequently aleppo. we need to balance the respect they deserve with firm talk about the things on which we thoroughly, of which we thoroughly disapprove. so i hope that the balance of language and action is finding its feet perhaps more than it has done in the past and our attitude and it is in the paper i gave the committee, is one of very firm views were we think they are behaving

improperly such as challenging other countries with their territorial integrity and showing them the proper respect which are great nation is due. that is the balance that perhaps we could strike better labour's anne described a meeting between the ambassador to london and the committee. he was asked about bombing hospitals. his answer to that is that there were no hospitals in aleppo. so, we asked "what are they then?" he said they were jihadist training camps. how do you develop a dialogue when people are dealing with so—called "their facts" as opposed to our facts? yes, i mean, you know, i like to think that we and our

politics live in a rational world and we value the truth. one of the things that we stand by is knowing when someone is not telling the truth. in this conflict there are clear and obvious occassions when people are not telling the truth. they are saying that black is white when it isn't. i think on the issue of aleppo there are many such examples and it is very distressing. and that is where we have to show courage and leadership to have clear views and stand our ground. that is what i hope the uk is doing. and we are having to do so, let us be absolutely frank, with russia in a number of areas. aleppo and ukraine are two main examples. we will not be pushed around and be told what we believe to be

the truth is not. we will try to tell the truth and advertise the truth and make it clear. that is what we do and what is our main weapon of diplomacy. alan duncan. the government has admitted there are problems with how the lease hold system works in england and wales. conservative and labour mps told the commons that they had seen ground rent levels rocket for constituents and that had became untenable. we are seeing a national scandal. it is the ppi of the housebuilding industry. every now and then a practice comes to light which is totally unconscionable and which every reasonable person looking at it would say they cannot allow this to continue. parliament must act. this is one such occasion. the practice that has developed is to sell new homes on a long—term lease, with a misleading low ground rent and buy—out price. this has become common

in my constituency over the last few years. it is not a tradition in my constituency contrary to what has been said. it now seems to be part of the business model for a great many developers. it's a very clever way of selling more units, drop the asking price a little to reflect the fact that it is a lease hold, and fail to make it clear in the long—run the homeowner will be paying more than they would have done else wise. if a quarter of a million—dollar house has a ground rent that doubles every ten years, over 60 years, the successive leaseholders will have paid £157,500. for that to still be 1% of the value, the house would have to be worth £80 million. that is in the first 60 years of a lease. there are too many crooks and bullies. for the government to feel comfortable with the legislation as it stands is unacceptable.

we need not only better regulation and better protection and advice, we need legislation. there are millions of citizens out there looking to their politicians, of whichever party, to remedy their distress. would my honourable friend agree that many people entering these lease holds are entirely unaware that the landlords have the power to increase ground rent dramatically. if this is acceptable, at the very least tenants going into these agreements should have very clear information about what the landlords can do and what their rights are and how they can challenge them. when one has worked hard to save up to buy a home, budgeted to be able to pay the cost needed to service any loan, and any other costs expected, one should expect security to be able to plan for one's future. the ha rd—working people, those who are doing the right thing by investing their hard—earned cash into buying a home, are being ripped off left, right, and centre. madam deputy speaker,

the government must act urgently to stop this gross exploitation of ha rd—working homeowners are finding they cannot sell their homes. it seems to me and to the secretary of state to be one of those cases where there is a gulf between the letter of law and our sense of what is right. some of the things we have heard in today's debate and media have highlighted some truly appalling behaviour. the secretary of state and i have been looking closely at issues raised in recent weeks and i can tell the house that we are both absolutely determined to stamp out unacceptable and unfair and unjust abuse of the leasehold system. the house of lords. the day started with some housekeeping news. the leader of the lords, lord fowler, announce a new enquiry into how to reduce the size of the chamber. lord cormack on the size of the house.

the motion sought agreement that the house believed its size, and i quote, should be reduced, and methods explored by which this could be achieved. 61 members spoke during the debate, and the motion was carried unanimously. speeches made that day said we should not delay such an examination. accordingly, i am setting up a six—member lord speakers committee drawn entirely from backbenchers to examine the possible method through which the house could be reduced in size. i am pleased to announce that lord burns has agreed to chair the committee and others would be lord beeth, baroness browning, crawley, taylor and bolting, and lord wacum. they will get to work as soon as we resume after christmas. this is not an easy task.

but hopefully, if this issue can be settled, the public will be better able to recognise the true value of this house. one of the roles the lords take seriously is statutory limits. one of the roles the lords take seriously is statutory instruments. they have been discussing a measure to increase the number of penalty points imposed when a driver is caught with a mobile phone. 0ne peer said using a mobile phone was a breach of good manners, and gave a good example. i hope the house can indulge me. i will give my own experience with my goddaughter, aged 21, who i took with her parents to the theatre in paris. that was just about the time there was a well—known singer in france giving us an evening. and just as the star came on and the lights went down, my goddaughter saw fit to send a text to somebody, which created a light on the machine. and i quickly reminded her, i said,

you may upset some people here by putting on that light, please turn it off. she ignored me. she went on doing it. despite his requests, she continued using the phone. i reached my breaking point. so i grabbed her mobile and i threw it into the audience across the aisle. and i saw it bouncing off the head of a... it could have been a frenchman, it could have been anybody. it went back into the aisle. she was totally astonished by my behaviour. laughing. and her aunt who was there with us said well done. "i have been wanting to do that for a long time." and i could tell you, i could tell that my goddaughter, the other day, who is now 25, she was 21 at the time, she had her mobile, and i remarked, is that the same one i threw into the audience.

she said, "yes, it is, actually." she said "that was a good lesson and i have neverforgotten it." lord falkland on throwing mobile phones and the need for good manners. well, that's it for tuesday in parliament. the lords are sitting for one more day but the commons has broken up for christmas. there will not be a round—up until the new year. but it is only good manners to point out that alicia mccartney will be here on wednesday night with a review of the last two months of the year. but for me, christina cooper, it is goodbye for now, and a very happy christmas. hello. you have probably heard already, but as we go towards the christmas weekend, it looks as if things will turn exceptionally stormy, especially in the northern half of the british isles. i will show you why injust a second. by the weekend, we will show you a pressure chart with more isobars

on it than this. a breezier day on wednesday than many of us have seen for a while. two weather fronts to deal with. a lull in proceedings. this more northerly feature will drift away out of the western side of scotland where it will produce a bit of rain. it will weaken as it comes into the north england and england and wales and into the south—west. by the afternoon, maybe the cloud will thicken again in southern parts of england and wales to produce a really miserable end to the day. it is the shortest day, of course, and i think it will get darker awfully quickly in the afternoon given the amount of cloud we will see. temperatures are at least 10—11 degrees. something of that order. brighter skies behind. as it comes to scotland and northern ireland, cold air dominating the scene. the added strength of the wind here. wintry showers will fall to low levels. showers will keep going in northern ireland and scotland. this area will gradually move off to the near continent

allowing a bright and crisp start to the day across the greater part of england and wales. another blustery one for scotland and northern ireland, wintry showers falling to a low level. it will feel very fresh indeed. eventually showers will go up through northern and western parts of both england and wales as well. generally speaking, further south, a decent day in prospect. although not overly warm. and then it is on into friday where we bring in the second named storm of the season, this is storm barbara. and notice the number of isobars in northern and western parts especially of scotland. that is why the storm has been named and why we have the amber warning from the met office. the strength of the wind. how strong? look at this. close to the centre of the storm could see around 90 miles an hour. to the south, england

and wales, the gusts could reach 70 miles an hour. that is disruptive and possibly damaging at the same time. as we move towards christmas day itself, the exact track of this storm is in doubt at the moment. that is why we are just giving an indication. it could produce some severe gales and therefore some disruption. welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is mike embley. our top stories: explosions tear through a fireworks market in mexico — at least 29 people are killed and dozens more injured. so—called islamic state says one of its militants carried out the lorry attack in berlin — which left 12 people dead. police have released a man detained earlier, for lack of evidence. the body of the russian ambassador killed in turkey is flown back to moscow. six people are detained — as the investigation gathers pace. violence erupts in dr congo after

president kabila's mandate ends. several cities have seen demonstrations — with reports of more than 20 people killed in kinshasa.