homes to pay for care under these plans, and there are three important points. i have already taken intervention from the minister. 0k, intervention from the minister. ok, i will take an intervention from the minister if he explains how you pay... i will take the intervention... i will take the intervention... i will take the intervention on the basis that he answers the question from myself and my right honourable friend the memberfrom my right honourable friend the member from the my right honourable friend the memberfrom the run my right honourable friend the member from the run there, my right honourable friend the memberfrom the run there, if my right honourable friend the member from the run there, if you can answer the question, how on earth do you pay when your house is worth less? let's have the answer! i am surprised that the honourable lady recognise the point i made about— lady recognise the point i made about geographic impact that i made, but the _ about geographic impact that i made, but the government has published a build back— but the government has published a build back better plan which contains, which contains, which contains— contains, which contains, which contains specific case studies of the impact, of the impact of this measure. — the impact, of the impact of this measure, and there was aware she

should _ measure, and there was aware she should look— measure, and there was aware she should look for answers to her question _ should look for answers to her cuestion. ,, , should look for answers to her question-— should look for answers to her cuestion. ,, , ., , �*, question. she is wasting the house's time, question. she is wasting the house's time. because _ question. she is wasting the house's time, because he _ question. she is wasting the house's time, because he is— question. she is wasting the house's time, because he is not _ question. she is wasting the house's time, because he is not answering i time, because he is not answering the question. there are three important points the minister did make in his opening statement today. the first was, it is impossible to say what the impact on waiting lists will be from this, that is the first thing the minister told us today. the second was that spending for local authorities would be considered in the budget, so there is no detail at all in what many local authorities will get, and we are being asked to vote for a tax increase without a plan to fix social care. the third point, in answer to the chair of the select committee's point, is that councils will pay this levy as employers, so they will face increased costs, but without any guarantee they will get additional money to fund care. this is not a plan to fix social care. and there is no plan for care workers who have been underpaid and undervalued before the pandemic, and

before being sent out onto the front line by this government without the ppe that they needed to protect them. £8 billion has been cut by tory governments in the years before this pandemic, ignoring the rising demand with care workers paid less than they can live on. i am not interested, this government is not interested, this government is not interested in bringing employers and unions together to bring forward a positive plan, they are not interested in making the care sector a sector of choice. we know that half a million care workers are needed by 2050, there are 100,000 vacancies before the pandemic, but this is only set to increase with the gmb predicting 160,000 vacancies for care workers by the end of the year, one in tenjobs unfail. labour plans will prioritise older and disabled people, shifting the focus towards preventive care, and the emphasis will be home first, because

thatis emphasis will be home first, because that is what people want. the minister referenced a plan a second a-o minister referenced a plan a second ago go. _ minister referenced a plan a second ago go. he — minister referenced a plan a second ago go, he has been asked repeatedly from his_ ago go, he has been asked repeatedly from his bench is how this money will be _ from his bench is how this money will be spent, and i return to every one of— will be spent, and i return to every one of the — will be spent, and i return to every one of the interventions, he has said wait— one of the interventions, he has said wait for the forthcoming white paper, _ said wait for the forthcoming white paper, waits for the forthcoming bill. paper, waits for the forthcoming bill isn't — paper, waits for the forthcoming bill. isn't it true that this is the biggest — bill. isn't it true that this is the biggest blank cheque any government has asked _ biggest blank cheque any government has asked us to pay and it would be irresponsible for us to do so withoul— irresponsible for us to do so without them telling us how they will spend it?! the without them telling us how they will spend it?!— will spend it?! the truth is the tories are _ will spend it?! the truth is the tories are all— will spend it?! the truth is the tories are all tax _ will spend it?! the truth is the tories are all tax and - will spend it?! the truth is the tories are all tax and no - will spend it?! the truth is the . tories are all tax and no strategy. when it comes to the nhs and social care, as here the public clapped them, this year the tories tax them. there are far too many outstanding questions with no detail published yesterday. what other tax rises on working people are set for further down the line, given the prime minister refused to rule them out yesterday? will council tax have to rise to make the sums add up, and

how will the government relieve the burden on councils and care homes, again on which there was no detail yesterday and no detail today? the independent care group has said it is not clear how the money is going to the front line. that means providers are squeezed and working conditions and pay are impacted. mr deputy speaker, there just does not add up. i will take an intervention. i thank my honourable friend, and we all recognise the significant crisis faced _ all recognise the significant crisis faced within the social care system, but isn't _ faced within the social care system, but isn't it— faced within the social care system, but isn't itjust another broken conservative manifesto promise, because — conservative manifesto promise, because they pledged to approach this in— because they pledged to approach this in a _ because they pledged to approach this in a cross—party consensus manner? — this in a cross—party consensus manner? in _ this in a cross—party consensus manner? in the manner in which this has been _ manner? in the manner in which this has been brought forward, out of the blue taxation measures on some of the poorest— blue taxation measures on some of the poorest working people in this country. _ the poorest working people in this country, does nothing to build that consensus — country, does nothing to build that consensus and just broadens that gap that we _ consensus and just broadens that gap that we know many families face in meeting _ that we know many families face in meeting the costs of social care? my meeting the costs of social care? honourable meeting the costs of social care? ij�*i: honourable friend meeting the costs of social care? m: honourable friend is meeting the costs of social care? mi honourable friend is exactly meeting the costs of social care? mi: honourable friend is exactly right, and the conservatives walked out of

cross—party talks in 2010, and despite offers my honourable friend the memberfor despite offers my honourable friend the member for leicester west, despite offers my honourable friend the memberfor leicester west, they have never resumed. so much for the plan. what does this mean for ordinary people finding it? well, the tax onjobsjust ordinary people finding it? well, the tax on jobs just doesn't lead down those needing care or working in the sector. it is a tax on all those in work. as daily covid cases continue to climb, the only shielding that this government is interested in is preparing the wealthiest few from paying more tax. a private landlord renting out multiple properties will not pay a penny more, yet their hard—working tenants, working for a living, will be hit hard. it is deeply unfair. i thank the shadow secretary of state for giving _ thank the shadow secretary of state for giving way. would you agree that the question on everybody's mind is, when _ the question on everybody's mind is, when it— the question on everybody's mind is, when it is— the question on everybody's mind is, when it is my— the question on everybody's mind is, when it is my operation going to happen? — when it is my operation going to happen? and yet the secretary of state _ happen? and yet the secretary of state for — happen? and yet the secretary of state for health does not seem to be able to— state for health does not seem to be able to answer that basic question,

when _ able to answer that basic question, when we'll— able to answer that basic question, when we'll be waiting lists be over? when _ when we'll be waiting lists be over? when will— when we'll be waiting lists be over? when will we have to stop waiting for that _ when will we have to stop waiting for that crucial operation? that when will we have to stop waiting for that crucial operation?- for that crucial operation? that is exactly the _ for that crucial operation? that is exactly the question _ for that crucial operation? that is exactly the question that - for that crucial operation? that is exactly the question that all - for that crucial operation? that is exactly the question that all of i for that crucial operation? that is l exactly the question that all of our constituents ask, but as the minister has failed to say today, when the backlog will be cleared, you have got to wonder whether this plan will give any money for social care. mr deputy speaker, for this government, the incomes of working people just are not of interest. i asked the excellent staff at the house of commons library to examine the impact on a typical worker in constituencies like mine in leeds west, like the minister's in hereford, unlike the chancellor's as well. let's imagine our work is a new police constable, a single mum with two children earning £26,000 a year. she rents a home in the private sector, she is eligible for universal credit. what has this government done for her? the honourable members laugh! but they will not be laughing when they come to their surgeries and ask why this

government is taking money away from them! i think the honourable lady should listen to this. what has this government done for her and her family? the chancel has frozen her pay this year, the chancellor has frozen her income tax personal allowance. the chancellor is taking £20 a week from her and herfamily on universal credit, and her council tax bill has gone up by £80. and now the chancellor is coming back for more, and he is asking for 1.25% of her income or national insurance. mr deputy speaker, why does this government keep coming after the same people time after time after time, asking ordinary working—class people to pay more of their incomes. because if you added up the total cost to her and her kids, and this is all of our constituents, the total cost will be an extra £1234

next year. and this isn'tjust a one—off. analysis shows that 2.5 million working households will be hit by the tory double whammy of cuts to universal credit and to the increase in national insurance. put that on your leaflets at the next election! i will give way to the honourable lady, i am interested to hear what she would say to her constituents. i hear what she would say to her constituents.— hear what she would say to her constituents. ., , , constituents. i would be interested if the honourable _ constituents. i would be interested if the honourable lady _ constituents. i would be interested if the honourable lady would - constituents. i would be interested if the honourable lady would lead l constituents. i would be interestedl if the honourable lady would lead us know at _ if the honourable lady would lead us know at which point a massive global pandemic— know at which point a massive global pandemic appeared on any of the commitments made during the 2019 general— commitments made during the 2019 general election, and whether the labour— general election, and whether the labour party would continue to have unfunded _ labour party would continue to have unfunded promises that we have to borrow— unfunded promises that we have to borrow from the markets or whether they would _ borrow from the markets or whether they would continue to kick the can of a gnarly— they would continue to kick the can of a gnarly problem down the road, where _ of a gnarly problem down the road, where i_ of a gnarly problem down the road, where i have had constituents of mine _ where i have had constituents of mine worried about social care all summer. — mine worried about social care all summer. it — mine worried about social care all summer, it is a problem that people have ducked for generations, and we are doing _ have ducked for generations, and we are doing it— have ducked for generations, and we are doing it in a way that we can afford — are doing it in a way that we can afford. �* , , ., are doing it in a way that we can afford. �* , i. . afford. burying your head in the

sand! i afford. burying your head in the sand! i know— afford. burying your head in the sand! i know what _ afford. burying your head in the sand! i know what her - afford. burying your head in the i sand! i know what her constituents will say when _ sand! i know what her constituents will say when they _ sand! i know what her constituents will say when they see _ sand! i know what her constituents will say when they see their - will say when they see their paycheques, after seeing less and less money, because of decisions by this government, and they are choices, difficult ones, and this government is choosing to attack ordinary working—class people. on this side of the house, we would ask the wealthiest in our communities to pay more. this government make a difference choice, they can justify that to their constituents. i will give way to the chair of the select committee. i give way to the chair of the select committee-— give way to the chair of the select committee. i bring my honourable friend back _ committee. i bring my honourable friend back to _ committee. i bring my honourable friend back to the _ committee. i bring my honourable friend back to the paragraph - committee. i bring my honourable friend back to the paragraph that l committee. i bring my honourable friend back to the paragraph that i asked _ friend back to the paragraph that i asked the — friend back to the paragraph that i asked the minister about, paragraph 36 seenis _ asked the minister about, paragraph 36 seems absolutely key, because there _ 36 seems absolutely key, because there is— 36 seems absolutely key, because there is in— 36 seems absolutely key, because there is in any clear money from this levy— there is in any clear money from this levy towards social care. that is what _ this levy towards social care. that is what the — this levy towards social care. that is what the government minister said, _ is what the government minister said. that — is what the government minister said, that it would be revealed in the spending review. the government will make _ the spending review. the government will make sure that local authorities have access to sustained funding _ authorities have access to sustained funding for— authorities have access to sustained funding fortheir authorities have access to sustained funding for their core services, we expect— funding for their core services, we expect cost— funding for their core services, we expect cost will be met through council— expect cost will be met through council tax, social care precept. expect cost will be met through counciltax, social care precept. so

on top— counciltax, social care precept. so on top of— counciltax, social care precept. so on top ofall— counciltax, social care precept. so on top of all the other hit that working — on top of all the other hit that working families are going to get, can they— working families are going to get, can they expect an above inflation rise in— can they expect an above inflation rise in council tax next year to pay for the _ rise in council tax next year to pay for the government's failure to fund social— for the government's failure to fund social care _ for the government's failure to fund social care properly? i for the government's failure to fund social care properly?— social care properly? i think many councils and _ social care properly? i think many councils and people _ social care properly? i think many councils and people who - social care properly? i think many councils and people who work- social care properly? i think many councils and people who work for| councils and people who work for them and provide social care at a local level will be incredibly worried about what they are hearing from this government, council costs are going to go up while they are getting no additional money. so, in contrast, i will give way in a moment, i have taken a lot of interventions, more than a minister. in contrast, who has been shielded by the chancellor? which types of income will pay no additional tax? it includes those who get their income from financial assets, stocks and shares, from sales of property, pension incomes, annuities, property rental income, inheritance income. fancy that, mr deputy speaker! i don't doubt that the champagne glasses were clinking in mayfair last night, toasting the chancellor,

but not in mansfield, not in middlesbrough, not in south ribble or thirsk either! 95%, middlesbrough, not in south ribble orthirsk either! 95%, 95% middlesbrough, not in south ribble or thirsk either! 95%, 95% of the revenue that the government plans to raise from this tax bombshell comes from employment. what a contrast. let me just make this point. what a contrast. yesterday, amazon reported an additional £1.9 billion worth of sales, but they are only paying £3.8 million more in corporation tax. yet with the changes announced yesterday, a graduate on a typical entry level salary will now pay a marginal tax rate of almost 50%, and not a word from the chancellor or his ministers about any of this. politics is about choices, and there are other ways to raise this money. the chancellor once the country to believe that this... sales on property, on financial assets like stocks and shares, there are no

additional taxes on people getting their incomes in that way, but plenty of additional taxes on ordinary working—class people. now, the chancellor wants the country to believe that this is the only way to do this, but the point is, it is not. the prime minister and chancellor have deliberately chosen to go after those who are working hard for their money. labour understands, i understand, hard for their money. labour understands, iunderstand, how hard for their money. labour understands, i understand, how hard people work for their wages. mr deputy speaker, i don't believe that the chancellor considers the lives of people outside of this place in any detail before he takes decisions like this. the government, as the honourable member mentioned earlier, is rushing this through, without publishing proper analysis of the impact onjobs, on different parts of the country, and on different incomes, and not even allowing for amendments either. members will know we are limited in how we can amend this bill this evening, and that is why we have put forward an amendment calling for the assessment of this

tax on jobs, calling for the assessment of this tax onjobs, an calling for the assessment of this tax on jobs, an assessment that the chancellor is unwilling to provide. i will give way twice more, to my honourable friend and then to the honourable friend and then to the honourable lady. in honourable friend and then to the honourable lady.— honourable friend and then to the honourable lady. in my constituency and next door— honourable lady. in my constituency and next door in _ honourable lady. in my constituency and next door in my _ honourable lady. in my constituency and next door in my honourable - and next door in my honourable neighbour's constituency, we have niany_ neighbour's constituency, we have many people at the start of their working — many people at the start of their working lives paying, as she says, nearly— working lives paying, as she says, nearly 50% — working lives paying, as she says, nearly 50% in tax after this change, very high— nearly 50% in tax after this change, very high private rents, effectively no disposable income. their dreams of ever— no disposable income. their dreams of ever owning a home are being destroyed — of ever owning a home are being destroyed by the members opposite, doesn't _ destroyed by the members opposite, doesn't she agree?— doesn't she agree? well, my honourable _ doesn't she agree? well, my honourable friend _ doesn't she agree? well, my honourable friend speaks - doesn't she agree? well, my| honourable friend speaks well doesn't she agree? well, my - honourable friend speaks well of what our constituency and leeds north west and leeds west will be facing with a double whammy of universal credit and they national insurance increase, but in addition the other tax increases from this government. i will take the final intervention and then i will start to wind up. i intervention and then i will start to wind op— intervention and then i will start to wind u. . ,, ., ., ., to wind up. i thank the honourable lad for to wind up. i thank the honourable lady for giving _ to wind up. i thank the honourable lady for giving way- _ to wind up. i thank the honourable lady for giving way. there - to wind up. i thank the honourable

lady for giving way. there is - lady for giving way. there is obvious— lady for giving way. there is obvious precedent- lady for giving way. there is obvious precedent for- lady for giving way. there is obvious precedent for this l lady for giving way. there is - obvious precedent for this national insurance — obvious precedent for this national insurance rise. _ obvious precedent for this national insurance rise, in— obvious precedent for this national insurance rise, in 2003, _ obvious precedent for this national insurance rise, in 2003, were - obvious precedent for this national. insurance rise, in 2003, were labour wrong _ insurance rise, in 2003, were labour wrong to— insurance rise, in 2003, were labour wrong to raise — insurance rise, in 2003, were labour wrong to raise national— insurance rise, in 2003, were labour wrong to raise national insurance - wrong to raise national insurance for the _ wrong to raise national insurance for the nhs — wrong to raise national insurance forthe nhs in— wrong to raise national insurance for the nhs in 2003? _ wrong to raise national insurance for the nhs in 2003? we - wrong to raise national insurance for the nhs in 2003?— wrong to raise national insurance for the nhs in 2003? we had a clear lan for the nhs in 2003? we had a clear [an to for the nhs in 2003? we had a clear plan to bring — for the nhs in 2003? we had a clear plan to bring down _ for the nhs in 2003? we had a clear plan to bring down waiting _ for the nhs in 2003? we had a clear plan to bring down waiting lists, - for the nhs in 2003? we had a clear plan to bring down waiting lists, a i plan to bring down waiting lists, a plan to bring down waiting lists, a plan that this government is sorely lacking, and the economic circumstances are different too. the government's tax on jobs comes at the worst possible time. businesses will drive our recovery. labour are a party that are pro—worker and proudly pro—business, and i am proud of the decisions at the former prime minister and chancellor made that brought down waiting list to their lowest ever level, targets that have never been met under 11 years of tory government. and we want a business to succeed, to invest more, to employ more, to pay more, and to create more wealth. these are still precarious times. many of us are not back to full capacity, and others considering how they will repay the loan is taken on during the pandemic. what does the chancellor

and the minister think the effect of this tax rise on jobs will be? he hasn't set it out. it could mean an attempted squeeze on wages and conditions, even higher prices for customers, orthe conditions, even higher prices for customers, or the scaling back of growth plans. it will affect people and the exchequer too. it is a false economy. the chancellor and minister, do not take my word for it, the british chamber of commerce describe it as a drag anchor on jobs growth and believing it will dampen the entrepreneurial spirit needed to drive the recovery. it is ill timed and illogical. the cbi say it will directly hurt business's ability to hire staff at a time they have faced a torrid 18 months. the federation of small businesses say this increase will stifle recruitment, investment and efforts to up skill. they are joined by the trade unions, the tuc say it is wrong to hit young people and low—paid workers while leaving the wealthiest on touch. we agree with those businesses and the trades unions too. they are right, this is a tax onjobs,

trades unions too. they are right, this is a tax on jobs, attacks on the economic recovery, and we will not support it. so, mr deputy speaker, let's go back to the key questions that need answering. will this plan deliver what is promised for health and social care? no! will it clear the nhs backlog in this parliament? no! the home secretary says no. will it give social care the resources it needs for the next three years? no! is there a plan to reform social care? no! will it create more and betterjobs? no! is it fair across the regions? no! will people be prevented from selling their homes to fund their care? no! will the tax bombshell help our economic recovery? no! and is at the last tax increase in this parliament? no! this whole thing is unravelling. no wonder that ministers are in a desperate rush to get it through. and the chancellor, absent today, perhaps, mr deputy speaker, he has gone for a swim. covid has tested the people of our

country like nothing else in any of our lifetimes. after the last year and a half, the country deserves a much better future, and a half, the country deserves a much betterfuture, a recovery which enhances and enriches all of our lives in all parts of the country. social care is a huge challenge, and there are other challenges coming too. we need to do things differently. the labour test is simple — does it fix the problem in a fair way? the answer to both of these questions is no, and that is why labour will vote against this unfair, job taxing, manifesto shredding, tax bombshell this evening! shredding, tax bombshell this evenina! ., ~ , evening! order, order. as you can see, evening! order, order. as you can see. there — evening! order, order. as you can see. there is _ evening! order, order. as you can see. there is a — evening! order, order. as you can see, there is a five _ evening! order, order. as you can see, there is a five minute - evening! order, order. as you can see, there is a five minute limit . evening! order, order. as you can | see, there is a five minute limit on all backbench contributions, and we will start _ all backbench contributions, and we will start with mel stride.— will start with mel stride. thank ou, mr will start with mel stride. thank you. mr deputy _ will start with mel stride. thank you, mr deputy speaker. - will start with mel stride. thank you, mr deputy speaker. can i i will start with mel stride. thank i you, mr deputy speaker. can i rise to welcome, broadly, this motion? it seems to me that social care is one of those issues that parties of both

colours have grappled with for many years, and yet now we are at last at a point where a government has the courage and is sensible enough to actually come forward with some realistic proposals. as to the breaking of manifesto commitments, of course, mr deputy speaker, no party wishes ever to do that, but listening to the opposition, it seems to me as if the global pandemic never occurred, as if the economy never shrank by the greatest level since 1709 and the great frost of that year, as if millions ofjobs whenever in peril, as if this government never had to step in in a way that no government outside wartime has ever had to do, and such positive effects as well. and when it comes to the honesty or otherwise of what the government has done, i think they have been upfront, clear and honest, in making it clear that they have broken that commitment. unlike you, i have to say, the less straightforward way in which,

repeatedly in this debate, the opposition and the shadow chancellor have ducked the fundamental question, what is the opposition's alternative plan? the reality is, in response to an intervention from one of my colleagues, the shadow chancellor, when asked why labour had supported an increase in ni chancellor, when asked why labour had supported an increase in n! in 2003 said, well, we had a plan. i humbly remind her that was 18 years ago, and what we need to see now is ago, and what we need to see now is a plan from the opposition. i give way to the honourable gentleman. he and i have known each other for a very— and i have known each other for a very long — and i have known each other for a very long time. ijust hope you could — very long time. ijust hope you could explain to my constituents why it is right _ could explain to my constituents why it is right that practically everybody in the rondo would have to sell their— everybody in the rondo would have to sell their home to meet the £86,000. -- rhondda~ _ sell their home to meet the £86,000. —— rhondda. where is next to nobody would _ —— rhondda. where is next to nobody would have _ —— rhondda. where is next to nobody would have to do so in his constituency.— would have to do so in his constituen . . , constituency. firstly, the right

honourable — constituency. firstly, the right honourable gentleman's - constituency. firstly, the right- honourable gentleman's knowledge of my constituency is rather deficient, because i would have much in common with his. i do not dispute the fact that any major fiscal moves, such as putting up national insurance, will have complexities and difficulties associated with it, and my pledge to the house is that the treasury select committee will, i am sure of the private discussion, decide we wish to look more closely at a number of the issues that are being raised in this debate, including the one that the honourable gentleman has raised. but let's be honest about the options available to the treasury. how could we have squared the circle and funded £10 billion plus per year? the first in the treasury could have done is to seek to cut expenditure in other areas, and yet i have no doubt that if they came forward with any proposals of that nature, the opposition would have fiercely resisted at that as austerity all over again, and we have to understand that under the current projections going forward,

there are many unfunded commitments, such as keeping the railways going, the additionalfunding such as keeping the railways going, the additional funding needed for school catch up and so on. the second area would be to rely... i will take the intervention. i am grateful to the honourable gentleman. given his experience on the committee, would he not agree that a tax of this scale could be, if it were necessary, could be more fairly and equitably carried out if the tax burden was spread across a number of different taxes, rather than 100% on one single narrowly based tax? well, i will come back to the honourable gentleman's very point in a moment, but if i could stick with the options, the second was to lean into growth, to assume that we could grow our way out of this problem. we that we could grow our way out of this problem-— this problem. we have 'ust had a hue this problem. we have 'ust had a huge contraction _ this problem. we have 'ust had a huge contraction of_ this problem. we have just had a huge contraction of the _ this problem. we have just had a | huge contraction of the economy, although— huge contraction of the economy, although the bank of england thinks we nray—

although the bank of england thinks we may arriva at a pre—pandemic point _ we may arriva at a pre—pandemic point soon. — we may arriva at a pre—pandemic point soon, and we have many headwinds, not least logistics issues, but the treasury— least logistics issues, but the treasury could have borrowed more money. _ treasury could have borrowed more money. and — treasury could have borrowed more money, and that is probably what the opposition— money, and that is probably what the opposition would have done in this situation — opposition would have done in this situation. despite the fact that the bank of— situation. despite the fact that the bank of england seems to feel, and i think the _ bank of england seems to feel, and i think the 0br would say at the time of the _ think the 0br would say at the time of the budget that there is more nioney_ of the budget that there is more money because the economy is doing a bit better— money because the economy is doing a bit better than we expected to the tune of— bit better than we expected to the tune of about 25 billion, it would be a _ tune of about 25 billion, it would be a very— tune of about 25 billion, it would be a very brave chancellor indeed who started to borrow yet more and more. _ who started to borrow yet more and more, knowing that one day it is possible — more, knowing that one day it is possible that the markets might look at the _ possible that the markets might look at the united kingdom and say that they no— at the united kingdom and say that they no longer have confidence to lend to _ they no longer have confidence to lend to us. — they no longer have confidence to lend to us, that would be a very dark— lend to us, that would be a very dark day. — lend to us, that would be a very dark day, and that is the sort of daniocles — dark day, and that is the sort of damocles that hangs over him, over the chancellor. that leads you to taxation. — the chancellor. that leads you to taxation, and if you look at

taxation— taxation, and if you look at taxation and the amounts involved here. _ taxation and the amounts involved here. there — taxation and the amounts involved here, there are only three taxes that you — here, there are only three taxes that you could look at. about two thirds _ that you could look at. about two thirds of— that you could look at. about two thirds of all tax is raised through inconie — thirds of all tax is raised through income tax, national insurance and vat. _ income tax, national insurance and vat. and _ income tax, national insurance and vat, and then you ask yourself what criteria _ vat, and then you ask yourself what criteria we _ vat, and then you ask yourself what criteria we are going to apply to the tax — criteria we are going to apply to the tax measures to test whether they are — the tax measures to test whether they are the right ones or not. i say there — they are the right ones or not. i say there are two, one being that we should _ say there are two, one being that we should look— say there are two, one being that we should look after the least advantaged in our society, the lowest — advantaged in our society, the lowest paid, and the second is that we should — lowest paid, and the second is that we should look after those that are youngest. — we should look after those that are youngest, who have borne the greatest — youngest, who have borne the greatest brunt of the economic consequences of the pandemic. i am very short _ consequences of the pandemic. i am very short of — consequences of the pandemic. i am very short of time. the younger generations who we are looking to to some _ generations who we are looking to to some significant degree to fund predominantly the needs of elderly people _ predominantly the needs of elderly people and social care. if you look at those _ people and social care. if you look at those taxes, income tax rises would _ at those taxes, income tax rises would have _ at those taxes, income tax rises would have been very progressive, no doubt _ would have been very progressive, no doubt about— would have been very progressive, no doubt about that. we would have had to have _ doubt about that. we would have had to have about twice the level of increase — to have about twice the level of increase that we are looking at a national— increase that we are looking at a national insurance to raise the same amount— national insurance to raise the same amount of— national insurance to raise the same amount of money. and the point made by the _ amount of money. and the point made by the minister at the despatch box, we need _ by the minister at the despatch box, we need a _ by the minister at the despatch box, we need a uk wide solution to this,

not one _ we need a uk wide solution to this, not one based on income tax, where of course _ not one based on income tax, where of course elements of income tax are devolved _ of course elements of income tax are devolved to _ of course elements of income tax are devolved to other nations across the united _ devolved to other nations across the united kingdom. with vat, if we were putting _ united kingdom. with vat, if we were putting up— united kingdom. with vat, if we were putting up vat, that would be hugely regressive. _ putting up vat, that would be hugely regressive, particularly in terms of the level— regressive, particularly in terms of the level of— regressive, particularly in terms of the level of income received, rather than expenditure, and i think that would _ than expenditure, and i think that would have been wrong, and i think near the _ would have been wrong, and i think near the upper would have been wrong, and i think nearthe upper limit of would have been wrong, and i think near the upper limit of where vat should _ near the upper limit of where vat should be — near the upper limit of where vat should be at 20% in terms of the distortion— should be at 20% in terms of the distortion consequences of going further — distortion consequences of going further. that leads you, therefore, inevitably. — further. that leads you, therefore, inevitably, to national insurance, 'ust inevitably, to national insurance, just what — inevitably, to national insurance, just what labour will lead to in 2005 — just what labour will lead to in 2005 the _ just what labour will lead to in 2003. the original proposal, it seems — 2003. the original proposal, it seems to— 2003. the original proposal, it seems to me, failed both of my tests _ seems to me, failed both of my tests i— seems to me, failed both of my tests. i think if we had just put up national— tests. i think if we had just put up national insurance, it would have been _ national insurance, it would have been regressive, it would have hit the poorest hardest, but what is right— the poorest hardest, but what is right about the chancellor's approach is that he has extended it to be _ approach is that he has extended it to be on— approach is that he has extended it to be on the scope and target, and he has _ to be on the scope and target, and he has extended to those who are receiving — he has extended to those who are receiving income by way of dividends, and that a critical move that makes—

dividends, and that a critical move that makes this, i think, in general. _ that makes this, i think, in general, the right approach. there are, general, the right approach. there are. of— general, the right approach. there are, of course, many issues that he committed — are, of course, many issues that he committed no doubt we'll be looking at. committed no doubt we'll be looking at one _ committed no doubt we'll be looking at one of— committed no doubt we'll be looking at. one of them is that a regrettable consequence of the increase — regrettable consequence of the increase in the employer's national insurance _ increase in the employer's national insurance rate is that it will exacerbate the so—called three people — exacerbate the so—called three people problem, whereby the different tax treatment of the employed, self—employed and those receiving _ employed, self—employed and those receiving income through their own company— receiving income through their own company will be widened, with consequences. i have run out of time. _ consequences. i have run out of time. thank— consequences. i have run out of time, thank you very much indeed, i support— time, thank you very much indeed, i support this — time, thank you very much indeed, i support this motion today. front bench contribution, _ support this motion today. front bench contribution, alison - support this motion today. front bench contribution, alison thewliss. thank _ bench contribution, alison thewliss. thank you. — bench contribution, alison thewliss. thank you. mr— bench contribution, alison thewliss. thank you, mr deputy— bench contribution, alison thewliss. thank you, mr deputy speaker. - bench contribution, alison thewliss. thank you, mr deputy speaker. i - thank you, mr deputy speaker. i would like to start by giving the uk government some credit, they are masters of illusion and deflection, simply trying to get them to answer a question is like pinning jelly to a question is like pinning jelly to a wall, and the ministers are astonishingly unperturbed by going out to argue for policies that contradict the cast—iron promises they made when they stood for election. we in the snp are clear

that raising national insurance is a blunt tool to fund social care, likely to disproportionately hit young people and lower earners, and we would force the uk government to come clean on the distributional impact of this policy. we would love to be able to amend the motion more broadly, but we do have limitations in our ability to do so this afternoon, which is hugely frustrating. 0uramendment afternoon, which is hugely frustrating. 0ur amendment therefore covers the amendment by age, because we know that young people will be affected the worst, but we know that national insurance is regressive and will hammer lower earners by wealth, because those with unearned incomes stand to be the big winners, and the key political motive seems to be for the tories to bail out well—heeled voters against losing their inheritance. in place of residence, because it is a uk tax for an england policy crisis, the resolution foundation is clear that this will benefit the south—east of the most. it is no surprise to me

that the uk tory government's tax hike is drawing criticism from all sides. the telegraph and mira, the cabinet and the back of course. i am crateful to cabinet and the back of course. i am grateful to my _ cabinet and the back of course. i am grateful to my honourable friend, making _ grateful to my honourable friend, making a — grateful to my honourable friend, making a number of very important points _ an anonymous member of the cabinet is quoted _ an anonymous member of the cabinet is quoted in— an anonymous member of the cabinet is quoted in the telegraph as being very critical of the policy, saying if you _ very critical of the policy, saying if you get — very critical of the policy, saying if you get all your income from investments and property, you do not pay a _ investments and property, you do not pay a penny. — investments and property, you do not pay a penny, but if you work your guts _ pay a penny, but if you work your guts out — pay a penny, but if you work your guts out for— pay a penny, but if you work your guts out for the minimum wage, you -et guts out for the minimum wage, you get clobbered. can she hazard a guess— get clobbered. can she hazard a guess as — get clobbered. can she hazard a guess as to what the tories have against _ guess as to what the tories have against taxing unearned income? i would against taxing unearned income? would be against taxing unearned income? i would be very curious to know why thatis, would be very curious to know why that is, and i was going to go on to read out the very quote that she had mentioned, because three former conservative leaders, including former prime ministers and chancellors, have spoken out against the move. there anonymous member of

the move. there anonymous member of the conservative party said putting up the conservative party said putting up national insurance would be morally, economically and politically wrong, and i cannot seriously be thinking of a tax raid on supermarket workers and nurses so the children of surrey homeowners can receive bigger inheritances. well, mr deputy speaker, indeed they are. i well, mr deputy speaker, indeed they are. . ~' , well, mr deputy speaker, indeed they are. . ,, , . ., are. i thank my colleague for giving wa . is it are. i thank my colleague for giving way- is it not— are. i thank my colleague for giving way. is it not the _ are. i thank my colleague for giving way. is it not the case _ are. i thank my colleague for giving way. is it not the case that - are. i thank my colleague for giving way. is it not the case that the - way. is it not the case that the talk— way. is it not the case that the talk is — way. is it not the case that the talk is about making life better for social— talk is about making life better for social care — talk is about making life better for social care staff, but actually they are exactly the people who will lose £1000 _ are exactly the people who will lose £1000 a _ are exactly the people who will lose £1000 a year in the universal credit cut and _ £1000 a year in the universal credit cut and will— £1000 a year in the universal credit cut and will now face this extra cost? — cut and will now face this extra cost? , , cut and will now face this extra cost? g ., ., . , , cost? my honourable friend is absolutely — cost? my honourable friend is absolutely right, _ cost? my honourable friend is absolutely right, it _ cost? my honourable friend is absolutely right, it is - cost? my honourable friend is absolutely right, it is the - cost? my honourable friend is i absolutely right, it is the people who can least afford this and the people who have worked the hardest through this pandemic, this government should be thanking, not taxing. we have been asked to vote today on measures that the eye of us have described as better than nothing, which is about as possible.

very few people would dispute the need for action in health and social care in england, but an increase to national insurance contributions is not the fairest way to go about it, and i would be interested to know why he thinks it is fair for his constituents.— why he thinks it is fair for his constituents. ,, ,, . , ., . constituents. the 155 has noted that over the last — constituents. the 155 has noted that over the last ten _ constituents. the 155 has noted that over the last ten years, _ constituents. the 155 has noted that over the last ten years, health - over the last ten years, health spend — over the last ten years, health spend has— over the last ten years, health spend has grown by 1.2% in scotland, compared _ spend has grown by 1.2% in scotland, compared to— spend has grown by 1.2% in scotland, compared to 3.6% in england, like—for—like basis. it is astonishing to be voting against £1 billion— astonishing to be voting against £1 billion extra investment in the scottish— billion extra investment in the scottish nhs. we billion extra investment in the scottish nus.— billion extra investment in the scottish nhs. ~ . , . ., scottish nhs. we are starting from very different _ scottish nhs. we are starting from very different points. _ scottish nhs. we are starting from very different points. but - scottish nhs. we are starting from very different points. but he - very different points. but he doesn't acknowledge or understand that. the response from the anti—poverty and equality groups has been absolutely damning. 0ne anti—poverty and equality groups has been absolutely damning. one group said, we believe there is a fair way to fund social care, because as they currently stand, it is more regressive than income tax. the

resolution foundation has described the change is generationally unfair. pauljohnson has said is remains the case that pensioners will pay nothing for this package, overwhelmingly to be paid by working age people. there are many ways this could have been made progressive. 0ne could have been made progressive. one of the ways is to look at the 0ne of the ways is to look at the upper— one of the ways is to look at the upper threshold for national insurance, but which has not been addressed — insurance, but which has not been addressed by this, and it now means that the _ addressed by this, and it now means that the young graduates will have a marginal— that the young graduates will have a marginal tax rate higher than a rich conservative earning on the benches across _ conservative earning on the benches across the _ conservative earning on the benches across the way. an excellent point. and for young people who have struggled this year, her going out is the world of work, this is a real hammer blow to their prospects. many families are already facing a historic at their annual incomes, standing down the barrel of other cuts, rowntree foundation

described this as adding insult to injury. it's been calculated 2.5 million working households will be affected by the £20 a week cut to universal credit and the increase in national insurance. 0n universal credit and the increase in national insurance. on average, losing out by £1290 in the next financial year. working households. doing their very best to put food on the table, to support their children, in this cruel uk tory government takes the legs from under them. if he can explain why it's fair to the them. if he can explain why it's fairto the family them. if he can explain why it's fair to the family is working so hard... i fair to the family is working so hard... ., , �* , hard... i wonder whether she's .o . ed hard... i wonder whether she's popped out _ hard... i wonder whether she's popped out to _ hard... i wonder whether she's popped out to the _ hard... i wonder whether she's popped out to the vote - hard... i wonder whether she's popped out to the vote office l hard... i wonder whether she's i popped out to the vote office and picked _ popped out to the vote office and picked up — popped out to the vote office and picked up this distributional analysis— picked up this distributional analysis the government published, showing _ analysis the government published, showing the impact across the income in this— showing the impact across the income in this country. it doesn't bear out what _ in this country. it doesn't bear out what she's— in this country. it doesn't bear out what she's saying. i would encourage anybody _ what she's saying. i would encourage anybody out there to pick up this analysis — anybody out there to pick up this anal sis. . ' analysis. there are different anal ses analysis. there are different analyses i've _ analysis. there are different analyses i've seen _ analysis. there are different analyses i've seen and - analysis. there are different analyses i've seen and i - analysis. there are different i analyses i've seen and i would analysis. there are different - analyses i've seen and i would urge him to look at that because it gives a very different picture to the one

the government is presenting. i think that's why you need to have more analysis of this policy. it will also impact upon our recovery from this pandemic. businesses who weathered such a challenging year has spoken out in the strongest terms against it. the federation of small businesses called the hike anti job, anti—small business, anti—start start—up. pointing out it will stifle recruitment, investment and efforts to up skill and improve productivity. i and efforts to up skill and improve productivity-— productivity. i thank her for giving wa . is productivity. i thank her for giving way- is she _ productivity. i thank her for giving way. is she worried _ productivity. i thank her for giving way. is she worried that _ productivity. i thank her for giving way. is she worried that this - way. is she worried that this government appears to be increasing taxes _ government appears to be increasing taxes at _ government appears to be increasing taxes at a _ government appears to be increasing taxes at a far earlier stage of the economic— taxes at a far earlier stage of the economic recovery from the pandemic than other— economic recovery from the pandemic than other similar economies are doing _ than other similar economies are doinu. ,, , , than other similar economies are doinu. ,, . doing. she is absolutely correct, the 've doing. she is absolutely correct, they've learnt — doing. she is absolutely correct, they've learnt nothing _ doing. she is absolutely correct, they've learnt nothing from - doing. she is absolutely correct, they've learnt nothing from the l they've learnt nothing from the austerity that caused so much damage from the last crash. they're about to repeat the mistakes and those on

the lowest incomes will again be the most hammered from it. the institute of directors call this hike political opportunism, and highlighted the dividends which will hit sole traders and directors many of whom are unjustifiably excluded from support during the pandemic. it rubs salt in the wounds.— rubs salt in the wounds. thank you. i'm rubs salt in the wounds. thank you. l'm grateful— rubs salt in the wounds. thank you. i'm grateful for— rubs salt in the wounds. thank you. i'm grateful for her— rubs salt in the wounds. thank you. i'm grateful for her giving _ rubs salt in the wounds. thank you. i'm grateful for her giving way. - rubs salt in the wounds. thank you. i'm grateful for her giving way. in i i'm gratefulfor her giving way. in my experience in my constituency, many of the same families who are affected, and she has been very wise in pointing this out, i would like to reiterate it, it appears to me the same group of people, very hard—working, many key workers, many with small businesses, are being disproportionately affected by this unfair tax rise. at the same time, it's not solving the fundamental problems of social care. it it's not solving the fundamental problems of social care.- problems of social care. it does nothin: problems of social care. it does nothing to _ problems of social care. it does nothing to resolve _ problems of social care. it does nothing to resolve either - problems of social care. it does nothing to resolve either of - problems of social care. it does l nothing to resolve either of those issues and it makes it all the harder for those people have

suffered so hard during the pandemic, who are excluded from support, to get back on their feet and bring money back into the economy again. it makes absolutely no economic sense whatsoever. and of course this unjust effect of the national insurance hike will be compounded in scotland because the prime minister is proposing scottish contributions are used to fund england only policies. my constituents and people across scotland are generous people, and i'm sure very few would begrudge the principle of funding the nhs and fixing social care after the pandemic, if they had any faith that this government was capable of fixing anything. as things stand, scots, the welsh, northern irish, stand to be taxed twice. first of the health and social care system they actually received by their own governments, and then again by the nhs social care in england for services they don't have access to and where money more often than not appears to be squandered on dodgy contracts and cronyism scandals. and we know from the internal market

bill and other brexit legislation that we cannot trust those in the government benches to respect our hard—won devolution. i'm not at all in the slightest reassured by the talk yesterday from the prime minister on directing money raised from the new levy into health and social care services in scotland. i'm extremely grateful for her giving — i'm extremely grateful for her giving way and i think she makes very important point. is she aware of any— very important point. is she aware of any discussions held between treasury— of any discussions held between treasury ministers and scottish ministers — treasury ministers and scottish ministers and her party or labour ministers — ministers and her party or labour ministers in — ministers and her party or labour ministers in the welsh government because _ ministers in the welsh government because it — ministers in the welsh government because it seems we have the british government using a uk wide tax to fund english priorities. he is absolutely — fund english priorities. he is absolutely correct. - fund english priorities. he is absolutely correct. these i fund english priorities. he is| absolutely correct. these are fund english priorities. he is- absolutely correct. these are not our priorities, we already have these services in our own nations. if the honourable members on the other side will come down, i will try to bring them in at some point. i want other people to be able to make their speeches. give me peace.

it's not for the prime minister or anybody else on the uk government to direct how devolved budgets are spent. the it ties the money in a further undermining of decision—making and lack of understanding of how these services are provided in scotland. we had no insurance from the uk tory government about the extent of barnett consequentials that will be generated and i seek clarity on that. we cannot support measures which are so manifestly unfair to our constituents and where the financial consequences amount to a pig financial consequences amount to a pig in a poke. the foundation has pointed out that while health spending may go up, then spending in other departments such as local government have gone down compared to pre—pandemic plans. local government provides a significant proportion of the social care the tories on the benches opposite, who would do better to listen than

chatter away, they claim to care... i think you've done more talking in this place than listening, and it would be useful if you would sit down! cheering well said! . ,,., , cheering well said! . , well said! absolutely! the spending cuts will have _ well said! absolutely! the spending cuts will have an _ well said! absolutely! the spending cuts will have an impact _ well said! absolutely! the spending cuts will have an impact on - well said! absolutely! the spending cuts will have an impact on barnettl cuts will have an impact on barnett consequentials and it would be just like this government to appear to give with one hand while picking scotland's pockets with the other. a new tory poll tax which punishes those on the lowest incomes is being forced on scotland by a government we did not vote for. and if he wants to explain this to his constituents, i'd be glad to hear it!— i'd be glad to hear it! she's been makin: a i'd be glad to hear it! she's been making a very — i'd be glad to hear it! she's been making a very serious _ i'd be glad to hear it! she's been making a very serious speech - i'd be glad to hear it! she's been l making a very serious speech with lots of— making a very serious speech with lots of very— making a very serious speech with lots of very pertinent points, many of which _ lots of very pertinent points, many of which i — lots of very pertinent points, many of which i disagree with, but we have _ of which i disagree with, but we have come _ of which i disagree with, but we have come to the crux of the matter because _ have come to the crux of the matter because this — have come to the crux of the matter because this action by this government will actually deliver over it — government will actually deliver over £1 billion of extra funding to scotland's — over £1 billion of extra funding to scotland's national health service, and the _ scotland's national health service, and the fact is the real reason they oppose _ and the fact is the real reason they oppose this motion today is they would _ oppose this motion today is they would rather the scotland's nhs was

poorer— would rather the scotland's nhs was poorer rather than benefiting from being _ poorer rather than benefiting from being part — poorer rather than benefiting from being part of this united kingdom. that is— being part of this united kingdom. that is a _ being part of this united kingdom. that is a fact. we being part of this united kingdom. that is a fact-— that is a fact. we already spend more er that is a fact. we already spend more per head _ that is a fact. we already spend more per head on _ that is a fact. we already spend more per head on the _ that is a fact. we already spend more per head on the nhs - that is a fact. we already spend more per head on the nhs that| that is a fact. we already spend i more per head on the nhs that is spent in england, we already have better services in scotland than in england. and this is an entirely regressive form of taxation that does nothing for his constituents and it does nothing for mine. some have said that at i would just like to highlight with my honourable friend that scotland already spends 43% more per head on social care and that allows us to be the only nation that allows us to be the only nation that delivers free personal care and has extended it to people under 65. that was why we raised the extra penny— that was why we raised the extra penny on— that was why we raised the extra penny on tax, scots are already paying — penny on tax, scots are already paying for — penny on tax, scots are already paying for that and they are already gaining _ paying for that and they are already gaining from it. that should be controlled by the scottish parliament.— controlled by the scottish parliament. ,, , , . . ,

parliament. she speaks the absolute truth on this — parliament. she speaks the absolute truth on this issue _ parliament. she speaks the absolute truth on this issue and _ parliament. she speaks the absolute truth on this issue and she _ parliament. she speaks the absolute truth on this issue and she is - truth on this issue and she is absolutely correct to do so. there is a huge contrast between what has been proposed on the garment benches and what's been delivered in scotland already. some have said what is the alternative? fixing england's social care crisis is not for the snp to decide. having heard evidence on the select committee, i know success uk governments have failed to act, then ignore the evidence as difficulties mounted, another prime minister has come to this house in shamelessly using covid as cover. i will give way. in terms of the sufficiency of social care budgets in scotland, there is now an 11 week wait in parts of scotland for discharges from hospital into a care home. if you honestly saying she doesn't need extra resources in the scottish health and social care system? lirrufhat health and social care system? what i would sa health and social care system? what i would say is _ health and social care system? what i would say is he _ health and social care system? what i would say is he should _ health and social care system? “xiiiisgt i would say is he should look for the comparative figures in his own constituency. i“m the comparative figures in his own constituency. i'm not saying for a

second, that everything in scotland is perfect, but we are making good progress and we intend to make more. the social care funding announced by the government may amount on the end to as little as 20% raised by this tax hike, not even for a few years. the british association of social workers have said this raises more questions than answers, and they feel they need something for services right now. not at some point in the future. early analysis demonstrates the sheen is orally coming off this policy. in contrast, the snp has used its time in government to introduce health and social care integration, self—directed support, and the carers act, we have a self and social care partnerships on the ground working way to deliver more integrated services to our constituents, free personal care has been available in scotland for adults aged 65 and over since 2002, extended in 2019 to people of all ages who require it. the scottish government's programme for government's programme for government yesterday set out the doubt timetable for establishing a

national care service, the most significant public service reform since the creation of the nhs. a westminster power grab on devolved health care and the democratic institutions of scotland, wales and northern ireland, taxing people to pairfor their northern ireland, taxing people to pair for their chaotic mishandling of health and social care in england, undermining our recovery by putting a tax on employers, punishing working people in low pay by cutting the universal credit, and hiking taxes on their meagre wages. mr deputy speaker, this is no union dividend, is the prime minister likes to claim. it is a union dead end and the people of scotland must have the choice to take the fastest road out of here to independence. cheering that was the snp“s treasury spokesperson, alice and a taking part in a debate about social care reform. previously we heard from the show

chancellor, saying she felt this was an unfair way of making sure social care was reformed and properly funded. describing it as regressive. 0ur political correspondent is at westminster, he“s 0ur political correspondent is at westminster, he's been listening to the debate. it“s westminster, he's been listening to the debate. it's been quite feisty but they're not getting a lot of support, the government, from the opposition benches. trite support, the government, from the opposition benches.— opposition benches. we are in a -ecuhar opposition benches. we are in a peculiar situation _ opposition benches. we are in a peculiar situation where - opposition benches. we are in a peculiar situation where the - opposition benches. we are in a i peculiar situation where the labour party is going to vote against a tax rise to spend more money on social security, while the conservative party is trying to defend and sell said tax rise. given the size of the tory majority, we expect it to go through easily at around seven o'clock this evening, we had expected there to be something of a backlash when the announcement came yesterday from the tory backbenches, in the event a lot of them have kind of decided it“s in the event a lot of them have kind of decided it's ok now. i spoke to one would—be rebel a few moments ago who said he was planning to now to abstain. he doesn't like the idea of

abstain. he doesn't like the idea of a tax rise in and of itself, but accepts the need for more money to go first and foremost into the nhs to clear the backlog caused by the pandemic, then ultimately to go into social care as well.— social care as well. what though is the alternative? _ social care as well. what though is the alternative? that _ social care as well. what though is the alternative? that was - social care as well. what though is the alternative? that was the i the alternative? that was the criticism of the government. it“s the alternative? that was the criticism of the government. it's ok to say to, what you want in its place? to say to, what you want in its lace? ., ., , to say to, what you want in its lace? . . , . . to say to, what you want in its lace? . ., . . ., place? that was the central part of the exchanges _ place? that was the central part of the exchanges at _ place? that was the central part of the exchanges at pmqs _ place? that was the central part of the exchanges at pmqs at - place? that was the central part of the exchanges at pmqs at midday. place? that was the central part of i the exchanges at pmqs at midday. sir keir starmer saint borisjohnson, can you guarantee no one will have to sell their home to pay for their care? borisjohnson couldn't answer that. i suppose it's impossible for him at this stage. but he said, what's your alternative plan to raise the money? and he pointed out that a member of keir starmer“s top team, the shadow care minister a few years ago, backed a plan to use national insurance, rise and that, to pay for some form of social care levy. quite a good to—and—fro at pmqs, keir starmerthen levy. quite a good to—and—fro at pmqs, keir starmer then saying to

borisjohnson, well, a few years ago you described the idea of national insurance rises as a regressive thing, but it was packed, the house of commons, the pmqs for the first time since spring last year. at this debate now on the intricacies of the plan will go on for some hours yet. evenif plan will go on for some hours yet. even if a lot of mps feel they haven't really been given enough time to diejust haven't really been given enough time to die just yet, given the announcement only came 24—hour to go. announcement only came 24-hour to to, “ , announcement only came 24-hour to go. let's talk about kevan williamson. _ go. let's talk about kevan williamson. he _ go. let's talk about kevan williamson. he mistook. go. let's talk about kevan i williamson. he mistook marcus rashford the footballer for maro itoje. tell us what the reaction has been. . . . itoje. tell us what the reaction has been. , , . ., itoje. tell us what the reaction has been. , ., been. this is an education secretary interview for— been. this is an education secretary interview for the _ been. this is an education secretary interview for the evening _ been. this is an education secretary interview for the evening standard, | interview for the evening standard, and one quote, he says of marcus rashford, we met over zoom, he seemed incredibly engaged, compassionate and charming, but then he had to shoot off, i didn't want to be the one holding him back from training. the article then goes on to say that officials close to gavin

williamson said no, he didn't meet marcus rashford, he actually met murrell itoje. marcus rashford himself has love this off, he tweeted, the accent could have been a giveaway. marcus rashford is from manchester, itoje is from london. we had a statement saying marcus is consistent ask to those in power has been collaboration, more often than not this is rebuffed. they are two incredibly successful young black men but there is little more they have in common. we contacted the department for education and sources close to gavin williamson, they are yet to respond to this story. but if it's true it“s yet to respond to this story. but if it's true it's quite an embarrassing one for the education secretary given the talk around westminster in recent weeks and months about a potential cabinet reshuffle and gavin williamson in particular among those ministers has been under a lot of pressure. those ministers has been under a lot of pressure-— of pressure. peter, thank you very

much. of pressure. peter, thank you very much- much _ of pressure. peter, thank you very much. much more _ of pressure. peter, thank you very much. much more reaction - of pressure. peter, thank you very much. much more reaction and i much. much more reaction and analysis of that debate about social care reform and how it should be funded throughout the afternoon here on bbc news. let“s turn our attention to afghanistan. the former afghan president has taken to social media, regretting how it ended. a very long statement been placed on twitter, we can take a look at it now. i won't read all of it but he says he hopes the afghan people an explanation of why he left couple so quickly on the 15th of august. when a tell unexpectedly entered the city. of course, their progress across the country took many by surprise. he goes on to say he was advised for the sake of the 6 million people in the sake of the 6 million people in the city of couple to get out, to try to prevent too much fighting and

violence. the second paragraph is particularly interesting. now is not the moment for a long assessment of the moment for a long assessment of the events leading up to my departure, i will address them in detail in the near future. departure, i will address them in detail in the nearfuture. i must now address baseless allegations that i left kabul i took with me millions of dollars belonging to the afghan people. these charges are completely false, quick there were corruption as a plague that has cut crippled our country for decades, and fighting corruption has been on my central focus of president. i inherited a monster that could not quickly be defeated. he goes on to explain how he and his wife have always been careful to disclose their financial situation, and to again say later on in the statement that he very much believes that a democratic republic was the only way afghanistan could be sovereign, peaceful and prosperous. quite a lot there to pick over, and as he says, more explanations of what happened in those events leading up to the

taliban taking over need to be forthcoming. hundreds more people have crossed the channel today in calm weather. the home secretary priti patel is meeting her french counterpart to discuss the issue. the home office says 785 people made the journey on monday alone. our correspondent simon jones is in dover. many people taking advantage of the relatively calm conditions out there. . , relatively calm conditions out there. , , .. relatively calm conditions out there. , , ., relatively calm conditions out there. , . , . there. yes, very calm at sea, in the ast few there. yes, very calm at sea, in the past few minutes _ there. yes, very calm at sea, in the past few minutes with _ there. yes, very calm at sea, in the past few minutes with symbol i there. yes, very calm at sea, in the past few minutes with symbol for i past few minutes with symbol for spring another group of migrants into the port, just down there. also we“ve into the port, just down there. also we've had incidents reported of eastbourne, hastings, dungeness. it's clear hundreds more people have made the crossing today. yesterday the figure was 4500 people yet to be confirmed by the home office. on monday it was almost 800 people in a single day. i'm 27 boats will stop so it gives you a sense of the scale of the numbers arriving here. in

terms of the calm weather in the channel, i don't think that calm spirit is going to be matched in this meeting that's going to be taking place between home secretary and her french counterpart. that's going to be at the g7 meeting interior ministers. priti patel early this week speaking to conservative mps made clear her anger at the number of people getting through. she said she was considering withdrawing some of the £54 million that britain had pledged to france to up patrols on beaches in northern france. i think it's going to be interesting to see what sort of tone she takes in the meeting with the french interior minister today, will she go into that meeting and bang her fists on the table and demand more action? i think in reality we will probably see a more conciliatory tone, because the reality is migration is an international issue, and much of the government talks about taking control of britain's borders, is not an issue they can solve alone. but

it very much _ an issue they can solve alone. but it very much was one of the mantras during the brexit campaign of those who wanted to leave the eu, that it would be much easier to do it if we were not part of that block. yes. were not part of that block. yes, and i were not part of that block. yes, and i think _ were not part of that block. yes, and i think the _ were not part of that block. yes, and i think the reality _ were not part of that block. yes, and i think the reality is - were not part of that block. ieis and i think the reality is turning out to be rather different in terms of migration across the channel. after the end of the brexit transition period, something called the dublin regulations, which allowed britain to return people to other eu countries if they had already claimed asylum there are passed through those countries, that was no longer in force, and there is nothing to replace it. as far as we know of all the people who arrive by boat so far this year, not one has been returned to a safe eu country, because there are simply not the agreements in place to do that. you speak to the home office, they say negotiations are ongoing, they don't want to give a running commentary, but is now several months on from january since the situation arose, no agreement on site, so a difficult

one for the home office as they are trying to send out a deterrent message saying people should not risk their lives attempting this crossing, getting across the channel, but the reality is if people get halfway across they will be picked up by the border force or the lifeboat, brought to dover, and at the moment the possibility of getting those people removed from the uk back to safe eu countries is very limited. the uk back to safe eu countries is very limited-— the uk back to safe eu countries is very limited. simon, thank you very much. the biggest trial in france's modern history has opened in paris, amid tight security. 20 men are accused of involvement in a string of coordinated attacks in 2015, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds more. the attack — on bars, restaurants and the bataclan concert hall — was france's worst post—war atrocity. among the defendants appearing in the specially—built chamber is salah abdeslam — the only surviving gunman. our correspondent hugh schofield reports from paris. as you can imagine, peak security here, and half of the island has been sealed off by security forces.

and inside the historic palais de justice behind me here, around a specially constructed courtroom there is a throng of lawyers, journalists, police and survivors. this promises to be a long, emotional and a pot making trial, as we hear in this report from my colleague, lucy williamson. it was a night with no safe haven, when no one knew where to run. when gunmen brought chaos to paris“ bars and restaurants. its football stadium. the bataclan concert hall. stephan lost his son, hugo, that night at the bataclan. no trial, he says, can heal the pain. it is complicated because it is, first of all, a personal loss, the loss of a child, my son. and it's also a collective loss.

and then it was sometimes difficult to manage these two situations. 20 defendants are accused of murder, complicity and terrorist conspiracy. salah abdeslam, the only suspected attacker to survive that night, is facing the most serious charges. 19 others are accused of involvement, including mohamed abrini, who prosecutors say accompanied the attackers to paris from their home in belgium. six of the accused are being tried in absentia. and for a unique event, a unique location. this temporary courtroom, built exclusively for the trial, sits within the historic court ofjustice in paris. the light colours have been chosen to promote a sense of calm. there is a secure box for the defendants, and ten cameras to record the trial for france's national history. the trauma of that night has continued to ripple through france. six years on, what will it mean

to see salah abdeslam standing in the dock? you know, you just imagine the devil, you just imagine somebody with a strong intellectual... maybe, maybe i'm wrong, but people with that... this kind of man who has done such awful things. stephane says he doesn't need to see the key defendant, but he wants abdeslam to see him. after six years, it's very important for me to face him and to face the others, and to say, ok, look at me, i am there, i am alive, my son is not there, but through me he is still here, we are still standing, you didn't win. for stephane, this trial marks the moment when national trauma becomes national history. easierfor a nation to move on, he says, than for him. lucy williamson, bbc news, paris.

well, a short time ago, proceedings did get under way, and the accused have now been brought into the court, salah abdeslam was the last to come in, dressed in a black t—shirt with a black beard, he was asked by the presiding judge what was his profession? he said, "soldier of islamic state." initial results of a postmortem examination on geronimo the alpaca show no sign that bovine tb was present in the animal. geronimo was taken from a farm in south gloucestershire last week and put down by defra officials, after he twice tested positive for the disease. our correspondent andrew plant is outside the department for environment, food and rural affairs this afternoon where protesters are gathering. a couple of hundred people have gathered outside the defra headquarters here in central london to protest today. among them, helen mcdonald, the owner of geronimo the alpaca. and for her, of course, these initial results come as no surprise. she has long maintained that her alpaca was bovine tuberculosis free.

it was imported from new zealand four years ago, then had a couple of positive test results, but she thought they were flawed and she has fought through the courts for over four years now to try to save her alpaca“s life. that was a battle she lost about six weeks ago, and then this time last week officials from defra came to her farm in south gloucestershire and took geronimo away. the whole thing, though, has sparked a debate about exactly how accurate the bovine tuberculosis testing programme is. it is designed of course to keep cattle and cattle farms safe, keep them trading, but still, more than 40,000 carers every single year on average are put down after positive tests. and the helen mcdonald, these initial results really aren't the end of the process. they are not conclusive proof that geronimo was bovine tuberculosis free. they will now have to take cells from the animal, send them to a lab, and try to culture those in a dish under a microscope, and that is as long a process as it sounds. we are told it can take anything from eight weeks up to three or four months. now it's time for a look at the weather with chris fawkes.

hello there. for most of us, the hot, sunny weather is going to continue throughout the day today. however, for some there“s already been a change to thundery weather, particularly across south—west england, where in places the heavens have really opened, bringing reports of flooding — for example, we've had some flooding reported around the salcombe area. these thunderstorms stretch from north—west france, across the channel, into south—west england and just running into southern wales as well. they will be there throughout the afternoon, bringing as much as 30 to 50 millimetres of rain over just a few hours, hence the risk of some localised flash flooding. the amount of rain we get from these storms is going to vary a lot from place to place — some areas won't get that much in the way of rain at all. away from those storms, we've got lots of hot sunshine, temperatures again widely into the high 20s around the london area, the midlands, into the north—west of both england and wales, and south—west scotland too. there's probably going to be one or two spots that get pretty close to that 30 degree mark once again. overnight tonight, thunderstorms continue to work in across england and wales, reaching northern ireland too. they could keep you awake —

but if they don't, maybe the temperatures will. these are the kind of temperatures, as you are perhaps thinking of getting some sleep at 11 o'clock — still well up into the 20s in a number of our towns and cities, so very warm for sleeping. it's going to be a warm start to the day on thursday as well, but it is a day where low pressure is going to be moving in, so you can forget all about those sunny skies and the really hot weather — instead, we've got thunderstorms that are going to be widespread, again posing a threat of some localised flash flooding from the heaviest of the downpours. still quite warm across eastern england, though — 25 degrees in norwich, 24 in hull. further west, generally high teens to low 20s. and that low pressure, through thursday night, will push those storms more bodily into scotland and could cause one or two issues locally. now, the low pressure is still with us for friday. it's quite a slow—moving feature, so again it's going to be an unsettled day with showers and thunderstorms, sunny spells in between these, and temperatures coming down generally into the low 20s — so closer to normal, really, for the time of year. now, for the weekend, our area of low pressure looks set

to slowly pull out of the way. there could be some areas of rain around this weekend, but i think generally the weather will try to settle down and there will probably be a little bit of sunshine poking through the clouds. the main feature you will notice, though, across northern areas of the uk, is it's going to turn much cooler and fresher by the second half of the weekend. that's your weather.

this is bbc news, i'm martine croxall. the headlines: mps are due to vote on the government's controversial plan to raise national insurance to fund the nhs and social care. this is the scene in the house of commons. the tax, which breaks a manifesto pledge, has come under attack from labour in the commons this afternoon. the chancellor's tax on jobs just doesn't let down those needing care or working in the sector. it is a tax on all those in work. the government has provided over £400 billion of support to business and to the nation as a whole in the course of fighting the pandemic, so it is, in that sense, and it has been recognised to be by reputable independent commentators, a broad—based approach.

over a thousand people crossing the channel in small boats this week. the home secretary is to hold talks with her french counterpart. the biggest terror trial ever in france gets under way amid tight security. 130 people were killed in coordinated islamist attacks in 2015. and all eyes on britain's emma raducanu, as she battles for a place in the semifinals at the us open in new york. mps are to vote this afternoon on the prime minister's plans for a national insurance rise to pay for the nhs and social care. yesterday borisjohnson announced what he called the biggest catch—up programme in the history of the nhs, £36 billion raised over three years to deal with the backlog

caused by the pandemic. the move breaks a conservative manifesto pledge not to raise taxes, justified, said mrjohnson, because of the effects of covid. this lunchtime, at prime minister's questions, the labour leader, sir keir starmer, attacked the government, saying some people needing care would still have to sell their homes. the financial secretary to the treasury, jesse norman, opened the debate. the government has provided over £400 billion of support to business and to the nation as a whole in the course of fighting the pandemic, so it is, in that sense, a broad—based, and it has been recognised to be by reputable, independent commentators, a broad—based approach. from april 2023, once hmrc systems have been updated, a formal legal surcharge of 1.25% will replace the temporary increase in nics rates, which will return to their previous level. again, this revenue will be ringfenced in law for health and for social care only.

as the chancellor stated yesterday, this is no stealth tax. that is why the exact amount that each employee pays will also be visible as a separate line on their payslip. for the labour party on the opposition benches, the shadow chancellor of the exchequer, rachel reeves, set out why her party would not be voting in favour of the increase. so much for the plan. what does this mean for ordinary people funding it? well, the chancellor's tax onjobs just doesn't let down those needing care or working in the sector. it is a tax on all those in work. and as daily covid cases continue to climb, the only shielding that this government is interested in is protecting the wealthiest few from paying more tax. as i said, a private landlord renting out multiple properties will not pay a penny more, yet their hard—working tenants, working for a living, will be hit hard.

it is deeply unfair. rachel reeves speaking in the house of commons a little earlier. well, our political correspondent peter saull is at westminster and has been following the debate with us this afternoon. peter. good afternoon, that debate will go on until about seven o'clock this evening when mps will vote on this huge package announced yesterday by borisjohnson. we had, i suppose, huge package announced yesterday by borisjohnson. we had, isuppose, in the run—up to the announcement, expected there to be a backlash from his own side. in the event, there may be a handful of abstentions from concerned conservative mps, but that will be it, we expected to go through fairly comfortably. the opposition parties will be voting against it, including the liberal democrats, and i'm joined by sir ed davey, outline your concerns about what the government has announced. it doesn't go anywhere near enough to help carers and the people they care for. i am particularly

concerned about care staff, there are huge vacancies, and people who are huge vacancies, and people who are unpaid carers at home, people who are ill, elderly, disabled even dying, the government has not done enough for them. but i am also concerned this is a massive breach in the conservative election promises. in the 2019 election manifesto for the conservatives, they stated quite categorically they would not raise national insurance. here they are breaking that election promise, and they need to be held to account. this is an unfair way of paying for the nhs, and that is why it is right that opposition parties, the lib dems, will hold them to account. ~ . . . the lib dems, will hold them to account. ~ . , . . the lib dems, will hold them to account. . . ., account. what is a fair way of -a in: account. what is a fair way of paying for — account. what is a fair way of paying for nhs _ account. what is a fair way of paying for nhs and _ account. what is a fair way of paying for nhs and care? i account. what is a fair way of i paying for nhs and care? income account. what is a fair way of - paying for nhs and care? income tax. we had in our — paying for nhs and care? income tax. we had in our manifesto _ paying for nhs and care? income tax. we had in our manifesto a _ paying for nhs and care? income tax. we had in our manifesto a 1p - paying for nhs and care? income tax. we had in our manifesto a 1p rise i paying for nhs and care? income tax. we had in our manifesto a 1p rise in i we had in our manifesto a 1p rise in income tax to pay for the nhs and care, unlike the conservatives, who said they wouldn't raise taxes at all, and that is what they are doing. i think voters across the country, and in the blue wall seats where the liberal democrats are

challenging the conservatives especially, i think they are going to punish the conservatives for breaching their solemn manifesto pledge. liberal democrats beat the conservatives before the summer recess in a by—election which was previously considered a safe conservative seat, in rock—solid blue buckinghamshire. we are finding that people have been saying the conservatives have taken us for granted, borisjohnson is not a decent person, he is taking us for granted. with this breach of their election manifesto promise, i think thatis election manifesto promise, i think that is going to grow and grow and grow, so the liberal democrats will be taking it to voters and saying to them, you can't trust the conservatives.— them, you can't trust the conservatives. , ,., ._ ., conservatives. there is some way to no on conservatives. there is some way to go on this. — conservatives. there is some way to go on this. the _ conservatives. there is some way to go on this, the vote _ conservatives. there is some way to go on this, the vote is _ conservatives. there is some way to go on this, the vote is expected i conservatives. there is some way to go on this, the vote is expected to l go on this, the vote is expected to go on this, the vote is expected to go through, are you considering ways to work with other parties to put down amendments to affect what might happen on this?— happen on this? well, we will look at everything- _ happen on this? well, we will look at everything- we _ happen on this? well, we will look at everything. we have _ happen on this? well, we will look at everything. we have got - happen on this? well, we will look at everything. we have got to i happen on this? well, we will lookl at everything. we have got to stand up at everything. we have got to stand up for carers and the people they are caring for. i have been a carer most of my life, i am still a carer, and i know how tough it can be, and

i have spoken to hundreds of people in my constituency, carers and organisations across the country. they are not happy with this package. the package yesterday completely forgot family carers, people looking after loved ones at home, people who are disabled, and the conservative government has forgotten them. let“s remember, these family carers are taking the vast bulk of caring in society, and they continually are being forgotten. i am determined the lib dems will be their voice. lirril’hat forgotten. i am determined the lib dems will be their voice. what would ou do for dems will be their voice. what would you do for those _ dems will be their voice. what would you do for those unpaid _ dems will be their voice. what would you do for those unpaid carers? i dems will be their voice. what would you do for those unpaid carers? you | you do for those unpaid carers? you say you yourself are one of them. it is not for me that i'm bothered, but i have arguing that carer“s allowance should go up, i asked them to put it up by £20 in line with universal credit. what carers need is respite care so they can have a break, and arguing for changes in

employment law so people can manage their caring and work responsibility more. we are short of professional carers, so there is a real package of reform, the lib dems have lots of ideas, but it doesn't look like the prime minister has any. in fairness to the prime _ prime minister has any. in fairness to the prime minister, _ prime minister has any. in fairness to the prime minister, he - prime minister has any. in fairness to the prime minister, he would i prime minister has any. in fairness| to the prime minister, he would say that he gets on and delivers, he has got brexit done, as the old slogan goes, he will say, look, i have come up goes, he will say, look, i have come up with this plan for social care which successive governments have failed to do. are you not concerned in the seats that you are targeting in the seats that you are targeting in the seats that you are targeting in the next election that a lot of people will say, actually, fair play. people will say, actually, fair play, they have done something about this? ~ ., play, they have done something about this? . ., ., play, they have done something about this? ~ ., ., . , , this? well, none of it has been sorted out- _ this? well, none of it has been sorted out. people _ this? well, none of it has been sorted out. people are - this? well, none of it has been sorted out. people are seeing l sorted out. people are seeing shortages of lorry drivers, shortages of lorry drivers, shortages of lorry drivers, shortages of people in factories, they are seeing be running out in places! people may be looking at that slightly differently by the next election. but in terms of the care package, it was a liberal

democrat ministers in the coalition in 2014 who legislated for a care package. we put it through parliament, the conservatives voted for it, and then the very next year they refused to implement it. so borisjohnson, not only did he and his party vote against a care package that could have been in place seven years ago, which would have meant millions of people would have meant millions of people would have already been receiving care, they have come up with a package that frankly is not good enough and it is unfair. so the liberal democrats will be at borisjohnson, at the conservatives for their failure to deliver for carers, and for breaking their manifesto promise. 5ir for breaking their manifesto romise. ,, for breaking their manifesto romise. . , . ,. for breaking their manifesto romise. ,, , . promise. sir ed davey, thank you very much- _ promise. sir ed davey, thank you very much- the _ promise. sir ed davey, thank you very much. the vote _ promise. sir ed davey, thank you very much. the vote is _ promise. sir ed davey, thank you very much. the vote is expected | promise. sir ed davey, thank you i very much. the vote is expected just before seven o'clock this evening, not expecting a big conservative backbench rebellion, so it is expected to go through, but the displayed this afternoon already raising quite a lot of and answered questions about this plan, how exactly is it going to work in practice, how will local authorities get the money they need to enact

this, for example? pete, for the moment, thank you very much. stay with us, because the education secretary, gavin williamson, hasjust responded education secretary, gavin williamson, has just responded to the accusations that he had confused marcus rashford, the footballer, with maro itoje, the rugby union player. the education secretary has explained himself and apologised... let“s let's go back to peter, he has apologised, he recognises the mistakes, but another bit of bad news for the education secretary he

has not been a great place lately. he has had a tough time for the past couple of years, it was in fact marcus rashford who, campaigning over free school meals, prompted a u—turn from the education secretary for vouchers during the summer holidays. now he has conflated two pretty well—known sporting figures, mixed them up, maro itoje, for example, himself has put out a comment in the past few minutes as well, if i can bring that up, he says, due to recent speculation, i thought it necessary to confirm that i am not marcus rashford, and whilst i am not marcus rashford, and whilst i am not marcus rashford, and whilst i am here, i am not marcus rashford, and whilst iam here, my i am not marcus rashford, and whilst i am here, my name is not mario either, a simple maro itoje will do. but marcus rashford himself rather laughed off this report as well, you know, stressing that the most important thing is that the message gets through to the powers that be. gavin williamson has been really feeling the pressure in recent months, there is an awful lot of speculation here in westminster that a cabinet reshuffle is imminent, and you don't have to speak to many

people to find people who think that, potentially, the education secretary might be a casualty of that reshuffle, but we don't quite know when or if that is going to happen. know when or if that is going to ha en. ., know when or if that is going to ha . en. ., ., ., ~' happen. for the moment, peter, thank ou ve happen. for the moment, peter, thank you very much- — happen. for the moment, peter, thank you very much. peter— happen. for the moment, peter, thank you very much. peter saull. _ let's go back to the vote this afternoon on the prime minister's plans for a national insurance rise to pay for the nhs and social care. i“m joined now by cath holmstrom, head of social work at keele university. cath holmstrom, thank you very much forjoining us. you have obviously been monitoring the situation with social care for quite some time. how does it compare now with, prior to the pandemic, because the government are saying that it is because of covid that it has accelerated the need to act?— covid that it has accelerated the need to act? , . ., ,, need to act? yes indeed, and thank ou ve need to act? yes indeed, and thank you very much. _ need to act? yes indeed, and thank you very much. as _ need to act? yes indeed, and thank you very much, as you _ need to act? yes indeed, and thank you very much, as you say, - need to act? yes indeed, and thank you very much, as you say, it i need to act? yes indeed, and thank you very much, as you say, it is i need to act? yes indeed, and thank you very much, as you say, it is a i you very much, as you say, it is a very important topic. as far as i can see, and what my colleagues in

practice, in social work and social care up and down the country, is that this is not a recent problem. this is not a problem that is the result of covid. this situation that we have now, the challenges we have now with social care, have been a long time coming. the situation is more than 20 years in the making. so, then, what in your view is the best way to fund the reform? the opposition benches this afternoon do not believe that this is fair and equitable, and even some conservatives are not entirely happy. conservatives are not entirely ha . _ i , , 4' , happy. absolutely, i think it is robabl happy. absolutely, i think it is probably out _ happy. absolutely, i think it is probably out of— happy. absolutely, i think it is probably out of my _ happy. absolutely, i think it is. probably out of my professional happy. absolutely, i think it is i probably out of my professional zone at least to comment on how the changes should be funded, but certainly a whole system review needs to take place of social care. social care is often referred to as an add—on to health, so we hear

about health and social care in one sentence, and indeed the funding, it is very hard, you have to read the fine details to see how little is going to make it through to social care. and we need to think about what we mean by social care. social care is often talked about in terms of being older people's care. that is one part of it, but a significant part of it is working age adults with disabilities and with particular needs. so we are thinking about something that, i think, is much broader than a lot of people's preconceived ideas or things that are popularly talked about. so, you know, we need to broaden our understanding of social care, think about what we want it to look like. do we really want the social care system simply to become the kind of emergency care service that it is in danger of becoming, where only people with a very, very urgent

needs are going to be able to access care? or do we want something that is more visionary and that supports people's choice and people's control over their care as well? so it is about people receiving care and people providing care and listening to those voices, and not hiding social care as some kind of second class citizen to the national health service. the national health service is something that we are rightly proud of. we don't have the equivalent in care. we have a very fractured market in social care. nobody knows when they might need to care, at any point in their life, notjust when you get older, so who should pay? should the burden falls on younger people because, eventually, they might need it when they get older?

we have to be careful about how we talk about this, i said problem, you said burden, that is a word often used, but these are members of our society. they could be our parents or our children, brothers or whatever, so there is a shared responsibility here, and however it is funded, i think what is key for me is making sure that the money isn“t me is making sure that the money isn't enough in itself. yes, it is very gratefully received, we know that demographic and other changes mean that social care has been massively underfunded for a long time, but this is about systems right from the top and from the bottom up at the same time, so really what is a society we want social care to be, and how do we

best to get there. is it provide a market, or does the there needs to be something else on a national basis that allows for some regional variation, but a bit like the national health service in terms of the care equivalents? cath holmstrom from keele university, _ the care equivalents? cath holmstrom from keele university, much - the care equivalents? cath holmstrom from keele university, much to - the care equivalents? cath holmstrom from keele university, much to think i from keele university, much to think about, as you point out, thank you very much for talking to us.- very much for talking to us. you're very much for talking to us. you're very welcome- _ after the desperate scramble to flee afghanistan, thousands of afghan refugees are now adjusting to their new lives in the uk. but while 8,000 afghans were evacuated by the uk military, the question remains of what will happen to those left behind. joya, whose name we have changed, was an afghan special forces commander who worked alongside british forces and was one of those rescued from kabul a few weeks ago. our defence correspondent jonathan beale went to meet him. afghan special forces have been fighting the taliban for years — and taking heavy casualties. joya was one of their commanders,

hand picked and trained by elite troops from the parachute regiment. he was still fighting long after the british left helmand. this isjoya firing on taliban positions just one month ago. he said they were still fighting, until they ran out of ammunition. until the end, we will fight. until we can, we fight. and without any air support, without ammunition, without any resupply, how can you fight? with empty hand, you're not going to fight. by then, the taliban had taken control of kabul, and crowds had gathered outside the airport. the taliban were already tracking joya down. but so too were his old friends from the parachute regiment, in a race against time. they found my phone number and called me and said, where are you? isaid, i'm in kabul.

and they said, you are safe? isaid, no, i change my location every night. two weeks ago, joya was living in fear for his life. but today he is tasting freedom, now safe in london with his wife and two young children. rescued at the dead of night by british soldiers who never forgot. and they said, tomorrow night you come in at midnight, at one o'clock at the bar and hotel. we“ll come in and pick up you. at midnight, one o'clock, i arrived at the baron gate, they came out and called my name, come to the airport. and put us on the plane and we came away and came here. danjarvis. later today, i will be reunited

with an afghan special forces commander that i had the privilege of serving alongside. he's deeply concerned about the hundreds of his men who were left behind. it's an incredibly moving moment for me. i didn't know whether he would make it out of afghanistan alive or not. it's so good to see you. 14 years after they first met in helmand, there is genuine relief at being reunited. but also real worries about what will happen to those left behind. these are people who are uniquely at risk because of the nature of the service they have provided. they are top of the taliban list for being executed, is the reality of it. so i am deeply fearful for their future. there is a real urgency, and the british government need to move at pace to do everything they possibly can to get those people out. the band of brothers from the parachute regiment are now raising funds to help those likejoya, who managed to get out. he is now making plans for his family's new life in britain. he still hopes more of his men will follow.

but the question is, how? jonathan beale, bbc news. the former president ashraf ghani, who fled the country last month as the taliban entered kabul, has apologised to the afghan people, saying “'he could not make it end differently". in a statement on twitter, ghani said he left after palace security urged him to, in order to avoid the risk of bloody street fighting, and again denied stealing millions from the treasury. our correspondent yogita limaye is in mumbai. he clearly feels that the afghan people need an explanation from him, yogita. people need an explanation from him, yoaita. ~ . , , people need an explanation from him, yoaita. ~ ., , . yogita. well, it has been three and a half weeks _ yogita. well, it has been three and a half weeks since _ yogita. well, it has been three and a half weeks since he _ yogita. well, it has been three and a half weeks since he left - yogita. well, it has been three and a half weeks since he left the i a half weeks since he left the country, and in his statement he said the reason he left was because the security officials of the

presidential palace told him that if he doesn't do so, there would be what he calls horrific street to street fighting in kabul, and so to save the lives of 6 million people in the city, he decided it was best to leave. he strongly disputes allegations that he took millions of dollars with him while he was on his way out. he says he is ready for a financial audit, way out. he says he is ready for a financialaudit, he way out. he says he is ready for a financial audit, he is ready for his close aides to be audited and investigated as well, and he ends by apologising to the people of afghanistan that he couldn't get it to end differently, that he couldn't ensure stability and prosperity for them. now, i have seen some reactions that have been pouring in on twitter, where he posted this message, people disappointed, saying that he is speaking too late, some saying, you left us to suffer, that the nation will not forget or forgive. i can imagine there are a lot of afghans feeling this way today. lot of afghans feeling this way toda . i . , ., ., ., ,

today. and that question of money, and his finances, _ today. and that question of money, and his finances, he _ today. and that question of money, and his finances, he also _ today. and that question of money, and his finances, he also felt i and his finances, he also felt compelled to address at this point. that's right, because there were allegations that when he left, he took millions of dollars in cash. this was a rumour that was being spread all over kabul, and so i think one of the things he wants to say was baseless allegations was that specific accusation against him. at the time, there were reports that the taliban had stopped their fighters outside of kabul and that they were waiting for some sort of negotiation to happen with the government, but i think the truth of the matter is that these two sides were so divided on what they wanted from the negotiations, ashraf ghani and his team saying they would never accept an islamic dictatorship, the taliban saying they wouldn't want to hold elections, they wanted an islamic emirate, which is exactly what they announced yesterday when pretty much all of the cabinet

members are taliban leaders or their associates, there are no women, and if you talk about different ethnic backgrounds and people from different political groups, that is not in the government as well. thank ou ve not in the government as well. thank you very much. _ not in the government as well. thank you very much, yogita _ not in the government as well. thank you very much, yogita limaye - not in the government as well. thank you very much, yogita limaye in i you very much, yogita limaye in mumbai. the home secretary, priti patel, is meeting her french counterpart to discuss the number of people crossing the channel in small boats to the uk. the home office says 785 people made the journey on monday alone. ms patel has warned that britain could withhold more than £50 million it“s promised to pay the french to deal with the problem, unless more boats are intercepted. simonjones reports. more migrants brought to dover this morning by the border force after they were picked up in the channel. britain and france have repeatedly pledged to make this route unviable but still the dangerous journeys continue, and some mps have had enough. we need to transport these people directly back to calais as soon as possible after they've landed in the uk. that would be a diplomatic incident, i realise that, but frankly, i don't know where else

we are going to go. because what we need to do is stop this traffic. the home secretary, priti patel, is today meeting her french counterpart, gerald darmanin, at the g7 conference of interior ministers in london. there's lots to discuss, after a surge in numbers in the past two days, with well over 1000 people reaching the uk. she has already threatened to withdraw some of the £54 million britain recently promised france to step up police patrols and surveillance on its beaches if it doesn't prevent more crossings. there have been several deals over the years to try to stop the crossings. one of the first was signed two and a half years ago, when the then home secretary, sajid javid, came to dover and declared a major incident. at that time, on the busiest days, around 40 people were making the crossing. now, though, that figure can be 20 times higher. so far this year, more than 13,500 migrants have reached the uk by boat. that's 5000 more than in the whole of last year. in the first six months of this year,

650 people were found in the back of lorries. the mp for calais says there's only so much france can do. 1000 crossing attempts in one night in the last few nights. basically, you see that we cannot stop all of the crossings, because that's, humanly speaking, technically speaking, not possible to monitor 300 or 400 kilometres of shore where you can hide in very different and various places. the government here says it is working to implement its deal with france. my right honourable friend the home secretary is dealing with it in the best possible way, which is to make sure they don't leave those french shores. we depend to a large extent on what the french are doing, but clearly as time goes on and this problem continues, we are going to have to make sure we use every possible tactic at our disposal. but cross—channel relations are certainly being put to the test. simonjones, bbc news, dover.

the father of britney spears has filed a petition in a los angeles court to end his controversial 13—year control over her estate. jamie spears took over the running of her life in 2008 because of fears about her mental health. the singer has been to court repeatedly to try to win back control, as our correspondent david willis reports. # you“re toxic, i“m slippin“ under... it's an arrangement she has branded toxic — one that britney spears says has prevented herfrom getting married and having a baby. now her father has finally agreed to relinquish the tight control he“s maintained over her multimillion—dollar fortune ever since she was hospitalised with mental health issues following several highly public breakdowns back in 2008. having long maintained there was no justification for his removal from her conservatorship, jamie spears agreed under mounting pressure last month to step down —

although he didn't specify when. a petition from britney spears“ lawyers to remove him was due to be heard later this month. but in papers filed on his behalf, jamie spears has now conceded that his daughter's circumstances have changed to the extent that grounds for the establishment of a conservatorship may no longer exist. as mr spears has said again and again, the petition goes on, all he wants is what is best for his daughter. if miss spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, mr spears believes that she should get that chance. for the free britney fans — who“ve long maintained that the conservatorship amounts to jamie spears holding his daughter hostage — it's a major victory. the singer's lawyer, mathew rosengart, called it a massive legal victory, as well as vindication for miss spears. but he said an investigation

into allegations of financial mismanagement on the part ofjamie spears will go on. ending the conservatorship will give britney spears unfettered control over her life, her finances and her health treatment for the first time in 13 years. first, though, it requires the approval of thejudge overseeing her case — and the next court hearing is due to take place in three weeks“ time. david willis, bbc news, los angeles. let's get the latest from our entertainment correspondent colin paterson. britney spears has drawn support from all sorts of unlikely quarters. yeah, whenever she spoke in court in june, all kinds of people came out to support her, ex—boyfriends, justin timberlake, and what has happened in the last 24 hours has been a major shock, because her father only a month ago said, yes, he was willing to step aside and

allow a smooth transition to a different person in charge of the conservatorship but he believed he should continue for the sake of his daughter. now he has failed these court papers saying completely the opposite thing, saying that his daughter has clearly spoken about how she believes she is now in control of her life, and that he would support her in ending the conservatorship. the things that he quotes as examples of how much she is control of her life, the fact that she was willing to fire her own lawyer and add back that she has been seen driving around southern california on her own. i5 been seen driving around southern california on her own.— california on her own. is this really going _ california on her own. is this really going to _ california on her own. is this really going to be _ california on her own. is this really going to be the - california on her own. is this really going to be the end i california on her own. is this really going to be the end ofi california on her own. is this i really going to be the end of it, though? it has gone on for such a long time, and she is still not convinced that he hasn't mismanaged things for her, even if he was her conservatory?— things for her, even if he was her conservato ? . . . . , , . conservatory? yeah, and that aspect has not gone — conservatory? yeah, and that aspect has not gone away. _ conservatory? yeah, and that aspect has not gone away. her _ conservatory? yeah, and that aspect has not gone away. her attorney i conservatory? yeah, and that aspect has not gone away. her attorney has said they will still be pursuing the fact that they believe her father has mismanaged, and those accusations that she made as well in

the june court appearance, where accusations that she made as well in thejune court appearance, where she spoke about the fact that she was not allowed to get married, that her father would not let her see her children if she was not willing to perform, the fact that she was not allowed to remove a contraception despite the fact that she wanted to have kids, she said she would like to pursue that and see abuse of attorney ship taken into the courts. the next court appearance is in september, and that is to decide whetherjamie spears will be removed from the conservatorship, now he is saying he wants to go, that would seem a formality. the incredible thing is britney spears has never formally filed in court that she wants the conservatorship to actually be dismantled. that has to happen before it will. now it's time for a look at the weather with chris fawkes. hello there. hot and sunny weather lasts throughout the day for most of us. however, across the south—west of england and south wales, it's a different story — thunderstorms have started to arrive, and they brought some torrential rain. now, we're going to see these

storms continuing to feed in across this line. some areas could pick up 30—50mm of rain, hence the risk of some flash flooding. but the amount of rain you're going to get is going to vary a lot from place to place, some places won't get that much. otherwise, it's hot and sunny, the highest temperatures today likely to peak at around 29, or maybe 30 degrees, the hot air across south—east england, the midlands, the north west of england, wales and south—west scotland too. overnight tonight, there thunderstorms become much more extensive across england, wales and northern ireland, and it's going to be another very warm night for sleeping. these are the temperatures, still at 11 o'clock in the night into the 20s in a number of our towns and cities. tomorrow, thunderstorms will be much more widespread, again bringing a risk of some localised flooding.

hello, this is bbc news. the headlines: mps are due to vote on the government's controversial plan to raise national insurance to fund the nhs and social care. this is the scene in the house of commons where a debate is taking place. the tax, which breaks a manifesto pledge, has come under attack from labour in the commons this afternoon. the in the commons this afternoon. chancellor's tax or doesn“t the chancellor's tax on jobs just doesn't let down those needing care or working in the care sector, it is a tax on all those in work. the government has provided over £400 _ the government has provided over £400 billion of support to business and the _ £400 billion of support to business and the nation as a whole in the

course — and the nation as a whole in the course of— and the nation as a whole in the course of hating the pandemic, so it is eight. _ course of hating the pandemic, so it is eight. in — course of hating the pandemic, so it is eight, in that sense, a broad base _ is eight, in that sense, a broad base and — is eight, in that sense, a broad base and it _ is eight, in that sense, a broad base and it has been recognised to be by— base and it has been recognised to be by reputable independent commentators, a broad—based approach _ over a thousand people crossing the channel in small boats this week — the home secretary is to hold talks with her french counterpart. former afghan president ashraf ghani apologises for the taliban takeover in his country — saying his abrupt departure from the country was the only way to keep the guns silent. the biggest terror trial ever in france gets underway, amid tight security. 130 people were killed in coordinated islamist attacks in 2015. and all eyes on britain's emma raducanu — as she battles for a place in the semifinals at the us open in new york. sport now, and for a full round—up from the bbc sport centre. eight brazilian footballers won't be allowed to play for their premier league clubs this weekend after the country's football federation triggered a rule that

prevents them from appearing. those affected were called up by their country, but their clubs didn't want them to travel to a red list country and face a period of quarantine on their return. liverpool's fabinho and goalkeeper allison, along with striker roberto firmino, are among those who brazil are allowed to stop from appearing for their clubs for a five—day period following the end of the international window. in all, five premier league clubs are affected. manchester city and players ederson and gabrieljesus are among them, while manchester united“s fred and thiago silva of chelsea will also miss their team's champions league matches next week. the champions league matches next week. interesting this the interesting thing is that whilst this has nothing to do with fifa, the early indications i“m this has nothing to do with fifa, the early indications i'm getting other premier league clubs are not happy because the players were not released because of quarantine restrictions if they came back from south america, the premier league clubs are going to challenge this, they are going to find out what they

can do over the next 24 hours, they have not given up hope, that they can get those players available for the weekend. there are three world cup qualifiers for the home nations tonight — england hope to maintain their 100% record as they go to poland — having won all five games in the group so far. wales are also back in action after their last minute winner against belarus kept them in the hunt for an automatic place at the finals. they take on estonia at home in cardiff — and a win could take them up to second in their group. meanwhile, it's a huge night in belfast as northern ireland face switzerland — a win at winsdor park would see them move above their opponents into second place. a place in the women's champions league group stages awaits the winners of the games involving both glasgow city and manchester city today. glasgow city are under way against swiss side sevette. it was 1—1 from the first leg and they've just taken an early lead.

pricilla chinchilla with the goal. manchester city are also level at 1—1 with real madrid. they kick off at 7pm. emma raducanu will hope to continue what she's described as a “surreal“ summer later. the 18—year—old“s extraordinary run at the us open has taken her to the quarter finals, where she“ll play the olympic champion from tokyo, belinda bencic. raducanu still hasn't lost a set, in either qualifying or the main draw, in reaching the last eight. from the beginning here in new york in my first round i received so much support and they made me feel extremely welcome here, and i'm really grateful, and even to play shelby who is an american and receive that much support, and hit my name being chanted by the crowds, it meant so much, and i'm really happy and super grateful. haste it meant so much, and i'm really happy and super grateful. have you been able to _ happy and super grateful. have you been able to take _ happy and super grateful. have you been able to take a _ happy and super grateful. have you been able to take a moment - happy and super grateful. have you been able to take a moment and i happy and super grateful. have you i been able to take a moment and enjoy it? that been able to take a moment and en'oy it? �* ., been able to take a moment and en'oy it? ~ ., ._ ., it? at the end of the day we had moments with _

it? at the end of the day we had moments with a team, - it? at the end of the day we had moments with a team, we'll- it? at the end of the day we had moments with a team, we'll geti it? at the end of the day we had i moments with a team, we'll get to regroup and chat through the day and what just regroup and chat through the day and whatjust happened. do regroup and chat through the day and whatjust happened.— whatjust happened. do you do a victory dance? — whatjust happened. do you do a victory dance? no, _ whatjust happened. do you do a victory dance? no, we _ whatjust happened. do you do a victory dance? no, we go - whatjust happened. do you do a victory dance? no, we go get i whatjust happened. do you do a i victory dance? no, we go get frozen ouhurt victory dance? no, we go get frozen yoghurt together. — victory dance? no, we go get frozen yoghurt together, and _ victory dance? no, we go get frozen yoghurt together, and we _ victory dance? no, we go get frozen yoghurt together, and we have i victory dance? no, we go get frozen i yoghurt together, and we have dinner and just recover for the next day. usa ryder cup captain steve stricker has announced his wild card picks for this month's match against europe at whilstling straits. there are six of them, and are led by three—time major winnerjordan spieth and new olympic champion xander schauffele. harris english, tony finau, daniel berger and scottie sheffler are the others. meanwhile, the open champoinship will return to royal portrush in northern ireland in 2025. it'll be the second time in six years at the course, which set a new attendance record for a championship held outside st andrews in 2019. england captainjoe root has revealed jos buttler will return to the team for the final test against india. the wicketkeeper missed the last match to attend the birth of his second son. root also says he's frustrated about the lack of information ahead of this winter's ashes series.

cricket australia say they're “hopeful“ of getting crowds for the five tests, but they haven't confirmed a number of arrangements for the tour, and root says england's players are still in the dark. everyone wants to know as far in advance as possible what is going on and that is no different for you and the players but until we have that information what more can be do, we have tried to have good honest conversations and clear lines of communication with the ecb but if there is no information available to them then it makes things very difficult. that's all the sport for now. i'll have more for you in the next hour. the biggest trial in france's modern history has opened in paris, amid tight security. 20 men are accused of involvement in a string of coordinated attacks in 2015, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds more. the attack — on bars, restaurants and the bataclan concert hall — was france's worst post—war

atrocity. among the defendants appearing in the specially—built chamber is salah abdeslam — the only surviving gunman. our correspondent hugh schofield reports from paris. as you can imagine, peak security here, and half of the island has been sealed off by security forces. and inside the historic palais de justice behind me here, around a specially constructed courtroom there is a throng of lawyers, journalists, police and survivors. this promises to be a long, emotional and epoch—making trial, as we hear in this report from my colleague, lucy williamson. it was a night with no safe haven, when no one knew where to run. when gunmen brought chaos to paris's bars and restaurants... ..its football stadium... ..the bataclan concert hall.

stephane lost his son, hugo, that night at the bataclan. no trial, he says, can heal the pain. it is complicated because it is, first of all, a personal loss, the loss of a child, my son, and it's also a collective loss. and then it was sometimes difficult to manage these two situations. 20 defendants are accused of murder, complicity and terrorist conspiracy. salah abdeslam, the only suspected attacker to survive that night, is facing the most serious charges. 19 others are accused of involvement, including mohamed abrini, who prosecutors say accompanied the attackers to paris from their home in belgium. six of the accused are being tried in absentia. and for a unique event, a unique location. this temporary courtroom, built exclusively for the trial, sits within the historic court ofjustice in paris.

the light colours have been chosen to promote a sense of calm. there is a secure box for the defendants, and ten cameras to record the trial for france's national history. the trauma of that night has continued to ripple through france. six years on, what will it mean to see salah abdeslam standing in the dock? you know, you just imagine the devil, you just imagine somebody with a strong intellectual... maybe, maybe i'm wrong, but people with that... this kind of man who has done such awful things. stephane says he doesn't need to see the key defendant, but he wants abdeslam to see him. after six years, it's very important for me to face him and to face the others, and to say, ok, look at me, i am there, i am alive, my son is not there, but through me he is still here, we

are still standing, you didn't win. for stephane, this trial marks the moment when national trauma becomes national history. easierfor a nation to move on, he says, than for him. lucy williamson, bbc news, paris. well, a short time ago, proceedings did get under way, and the accused have now been brought into the court, salah abdeslam was the last to come in, dressed in a black t—shirt with a black beard, he was asked by the presiding judge what was his profession? he said, "soldier of islamic state." plans to cap costs for social care in england will protect people against the “catastrophic fear of losing everything“ — that's according to the prime minister. under the plans no one will have to pay more than £86,000 for their care — but, as tim muffet reports, some families are already facing huge costs. my name isjonathan, my mother's name isjean.

she is 93 and she's had parkinson's for the last 20 years. as his mum“s health has declined, jonathan's faced mounting costs — emotional and financial. she has paid for her care herself all along — it's about £267,000 now — and that's come from £180,000 of savings, plus her earnings — because she does have an income. but now her half of the house is being sold, so she has basically left 166,000 to pay for the remainder of her care. and from my reckoning, that will last herjust over four years. and after that, she will be quite literally penniless. my mother worked for the nhs for many years, my father worked for the post office for many years. and they bought their house when things were... you know, not many people bought houses. so they saved, worked, and now all of their assets are likely

to go. campaigners are warning, although the new changes are welcome, the chancellor will still need to provide more money for council care services. jonathan thinks it's unlikely his family will benefit from yesterday's announcement. my overriding thoughts, actually, are about my father, who died — must have been 25 years ago now — he would so hate the idea that all his earnings, which paid for their home, are likely to go. i think that would really, really upset him. tim muffett, bbc news. david ibbotsonjoins me now — he has an 82—year—old sister who is about to be charged in excess of £4200 per week for care in a nursing home. he has also been affected by the nhs backlog for operations — he's been waiting for a hip replacement for 17 months.

painful times for you, painfultimes foryou, david, in painful times for you, david, in a great many ways. why is your sister's care cost so much? it’s sister's care cost so much? it's been sister's care cost so much? it�*s been redeemed now tojust £4000 a been redeemed now to just £4000 a week, forgetting the 200. it is because, i've been told, she's got specialist 24—hour care. but surely that would have stopped her having a full while she's there, and she's had one recently, so i'm not quite sure, it seems a lot of money for something not happening. haiti? sure, it seems a lot of money for something not happening. how she -a in: for something not happening. how she paying for it? _ something not happening. how she paying for it? at — something not happening. how she paying for it? at the _ something not happening. how she paying for it? at the moment? i something not happening. how she paying for it? at the moment? to i something not happening. how shei paying for it? at the moment? to be honest, paying for it? at the moment? to be honest. east — paying for it? at the moment? to be honest, east cheshire _ paying for it? at the moment? to be honest, east cheshire council- paying for it? at the moment? in ye: honest, east cheshire council pay for the first four weeks, my understanding is, but then after that it's down to her, so they'll take any money she has in the bank account, and if she is still at home they will sell her house and take they will sell her house and take the money from that. and when all

the money from that. and when all the money from that. and when all the money is gone, including the money from the house, then move her to somewhere smaller, i don't know. so what i'm trying to do is cut that link out and try and get her better or cheaper nursing home locally, but not that expensive. if or cheaper nursing home locally, but not that expensive.— not that expensive. if these changes were to come _ not that expensive. if these changes were to come in _ not that expensive. if these changes were to come in and _ not that expensive. if these changes were to come in and they _ not that expensive. if these changes were to come in and they were i not that expensive. if these changes were to come in and they were to i not that expensive. if these changes were to come in and they were to be there in time for your sister to benefit, what difference would it make that nobody would be paying more than £86,000 for their care? that doesn't necessarily mean they will get free board and lodging. quite. the point is, she has got a house, when she lived on her own, so my idea would be for her to possibly move back into the house and have home care, that is one of the options. that happen, because the

doctors find she has cognitive impairment and she is mentally ill, and therefore can't make decisions, they tend to push for the nursing home, but who knows which is the best option? every time you speak to her, any visitors, they come back with the same response, saying she wants to go back home.— wants to go back home. people are often a lot happier _ wants to go back home. people are often a lot happier in _ wants to go back home. people are often a lot happier in their- wants to go back home. people are often a lot happier in their own i often a lot happier in their own surroundings. in terms of your situation, waiting 17 months for a hip replacement, a lot of this money, if it goes through tonight in this bout in the house of commons, will first of all the nhs to clear this backlog, how welcome is that if that's what happens?— this backlog, how welcome is that if that's what happens? yeah, if that's what happens _ that's what happens? yeah, if that's what happens to _ that's what happens? yeah, if that's what happens to me _ that's what happens? yeah, if that's what happens to me it's _ that's what happens? yeah, if that's what happens to me it's great. it's l what happens to me it's great. it's just the way i found that out, i knew i'd been waiting 17 months, i spoke to the guy who had done the

original preop and he said, just phone the hospital and speak to the people that organise the schedule for the operations. and i did, and i said i'm just wondering if there's any chance of me having my op in the next few months, and they said, actually, i'm taking you off the waiting list, i said, why? actually, i'm taking you off the waiting list, isaid, why? he actually, i'm taking you off the waiting list, i said, why? he said, because you've got heart problems, and i said, what heart problems? in the letter. what letter? so i don't know what they're on about, i've not been informed. then three days later i got a letter stating that the anaesthetist wasn't happy with my heart murmur, and i don't have a problem with my heart to my knowledge, but i'm waiting for them to prove one way or the other weather eventually i'll get an appointment. meanwhile i'm sitting around doing nothing, still in a lot

of pain, and it gets worse by the day. i5 of pain, and it gets worse by the da . , ., ., of pain, and it gets worse by the da. , ., ., , of pain, and it gets worse by the da. , ., ., day. is going to say, what is your of life like? _ day. is going to say, what is your of life like? not _ day. is going to say, what is your of life like? not a _ day. is going to say, what is your of life like? not a lot, _ day. is going to say, what is your of life like? not a lot, really. - day. is going to say, what is your of life like? not a lot, really. i. of life like? not a lot, really. i mean, of life like? not a lot, really. i mean. i've _ of life like? not a lot, really. i mean. i've got _ of life like? not a lot, really. i mean, i've got a _ of life like? not a lot, really. i mean, i've got a nice - of life like? not a lot, really. i mean, i've got a nice home, l of life like? not a lot, really. i mean, i've got a nice home, i| of life like? not a lot, really. i. mean, i've got a nice home, i can look out on the garden, but i can't do much because of the state of my hip. which gets worse with time. yes, a lot of people listening will have a great deal of sympathy and empathy for you. david, thank you for talking to us. the glacier on mount kilimanjaro is receding fast and could disappear in as little as 10 years. scientists say global warming is taking its toll. bbc africa's salim kikeke reports. this mountain is personal to me. i was born on the foothills of kilimanjaro. it's hard to imagine that by 2030, the glacier at the top could completely melt away. this is how the ice has melted in the span of nearly two decades,

and it's still changing today. we're still in the cold season so, supposedly, there should be more glacier up there, but... yeah, so the changes probably have an impact of what we're seeing here today. tourism is the main resource of foreign exchange in tanzania, bringing in billions of dollars. around 35,000 people climb the mountain every year. when we receive each one client, it goes a long way. it goes for the guides, for the poachers, for ourself and forfamilies around all the people who are working on kilimanjaro. so this could be a really big shock for us. with five different climates and ecological zones, mount kilimanjaro is very unique. it is also vulnerable to any changes. i'd love, i'd love to see my children's children get to see this. despite the retreating ice, for some tourists, just climbing

the mountain is enough. for others, the snow has a special importance. just a big shame that some beautiful resource we have is going to go away because of humans. it's so sad, it's the remnants of a glacier that we know- is going to be gone soon. and, um, really happy i got to see it before it's gone. _ back at the base of the mountain, the local residents are feeling the effects of the dwindling ice. thousands depend on the fresh water from the slopes, but levels have dropped off. deforestation has been blamed in part for this. translation: nonindigenous trees destroy the indigenous ones. - commercial trees tend to drain water. we must maintain the right weather conditions here and that, in turn, stops the glacier from melting. to help, the local authorities have created a tree—planting project with villagers to restore the numbers of indigenous trees cut down over the years.

looking up at mount kilimanjaro, i'm left wondering what the next ten years will bring. will the tourists disappear with the ice? whatever happens, one thing is clear — the locals here are already feeling the changes that global warming and climate change are causing all around the world. salim kikeke, bbc news, kilimanjaro, in tanzania. the new president of universities uk — which represents vice—chancellors and principals — has warned the government against any attempt to restrict the number of students in england. in his first interview, professor steve west told the bbc it could have a negative impact on those from poorer backgrounds. ministers are expected to set out plans for funding universities this autumn. the office for national statistics says the uk government is unable to explain the "shocking inequality" in figures that show unemployment among young black people rose to over 40% during the pandemic. the figure for the the last quarter of 2020,

is up from 25 per cent the same period the previous year. over the same period, it increased for young white people from 10 to i2%. the spending watchdog, the national audit office, has criticised the uk government's "green homes" grants for failing to deliver the expected improvements in energy efficiency. the government defended the scheme, saying 80,000 homes had been upgraded. nearly three quarters of councils in the uk do not have a formal maternity or paternity leave policy for elected councillors, according to research from a gender equality charity. the fawcett society says it is a "shocking" barrier to women entering local politics. there is currently no legal right to parental leave of any kind for most politicians, including councillors and backbench mps. part of a family driveway on which a meteorite landed in february has been removed and will go on display at the natural history museum. the meteorite — which is already on display at the museum — crash—landed in gloucestershire in february.

scientists will carry out research on both the meteorite and the driveway with the aim of increasing our understanding of the solar system. claire marshall reports. in the depths of the winter lockdown, something bright came to earth. a blazing fireball from back in deep time landed on a driveway in the cotswolds. it was a space rock, 4.6 billion years old. this is material from the very beginnings of the solar system. the last trace of that extraordinary intergalacticjourney has been lying here on that driveway in winchcombe. today the painstaking operation to preserve the landing site. they have cut all the tarmac out around where the meteorite landed. you can see how thick it is. now comes the very delicate operation to try to get it all out in one piece. it has gone to plan, so we're pleased. if it was in three pieces, less pleased.

do you feel proud of your work? we can go home now and smile. it looks unremarkable but the clues in this extraterrestrial shadow will help scientists understand how the planets and life itself were created. a big day for the homeowners. they will study this one for hundreds of years, literally, and learn a lot from it. will you keep your eyes to the skies now? always, always. and we will always have an interest in it because we have been inspired by the scientists we have met so we will always want to keep going, yeah. waiting for that next fireball! this is the most important meteorite ever to have fallen in britain now the scientists can look into the birth of our solar system. claire marshall, bbc news, gloucestershire. now it's time for a look at the weather. hello there. for most of us, the hot, sunny weather is going to continue throughout the day today. however, for some there's already

been a change to thundery weather, particularly across south—west england, where in places the heavens have really opened, bringing reports of flooding — for example, we've had some flooding reported around the salcombe area. these thunderstorms stretch from north—west france, across the channel, into south—west england and just running into southern wales as well. they will be there throughout the afternoon, bringing as much as 30 to 50 millimetres of rain over just a few hours, hence the risk of some localised flash flooding. the amount of rain we get from these storms is going to vary a lot from place to place — some areas won't get that much in the way of rain at all. away from those storms, we've got lots of hot sunshine, temperatures again widely into the high 20s around the london area, the midlands, into the north—west of both england and wales, and south—west scotland too. there's probably going to be one or two spots that get pretty close to that 30 degree mark once again. overnight tonight, thunderstorms continue to work in across england and wales, reaching northern ireland too. they could keep you awake — but if they don't, maybe the temperatures will. these are the kind of temperatures, as you are perhaps thinking of getting some sleep at 11 o'clock

— still well up into the 20s in a number of our towns and cities, so very warm for sleeping. it's going to be a warm start to the day on thursday as well, but it is a day where low pressure is going to be moving in, so you can forget all about those sunny skies and the really hot weather — instead, we've got thunderstorms that are going to be widespread, again posing a threat of some localised flash flooding from the heaviest of the downpours. still quite warm across eastern england, though — 25 degrees in norwich, 2a in hull. further west, generally high teens to low 20s. and that low pressure, through thursday night, will push those storms more bodily into scotland and could cause one or two issues locally. now, the low pressure is still with us for friday. it's quite a slow—moving feature, so again it's going to be an unsettled day with showers and thunderstorms, sunny spells in between these, and temperatures coming down generally into the low 20s — so closer to normal, really, for the time of year. now, for the weekend, our area of low pressure looks set to slowly pull out of the way. there could be some areas of rain around this weekend, but i think generally the weather

will try to settle down and there will probably be a little bit of sunshine poking through the clouds. the main feature you will notice, though, across northern areas of the uk, is it's going to turn much cooler and fresher by the second half of the weekend. that's your weather. actually be dismantled. that has to happen before it will.

this is bbc news, i'm martine croxall. the headlines at four: mps are due to vote on the government's controversial plan to raise national insurance to fund the nhs and social care. this is the scene in the house of commons. the tax, which breaks a manifesto pledge, has come under attack from labour in the commons this afternoon. well, the chancellor's tax onjobs just doesn't let down those needing care or working in the sector. it is a tax on all those in work. the government has provided over £400 billion of support to business and to the nation as a whole in the course of fighting the pandemic, so it is, in that sense, and it has been recognised to be by reputable independent commentators, a broad—based approach. more than a thousand people have crossed the channel in small boats this week.

the home secretary is to hold talks with her french counterpart. former afghan president ashraf ghani apologises for the taliban takeover in his country, saying his abrupt departure from the country was the only way to keep the guns silent. the biggest ever terror trial in france gets under way amid tight security. 130 people were killed in co—ordinated islamist attacks in 2015. and the meteorite that landed on a family's driveway in gloucestershire. the scorched tarmac is now destined for a museum. good afternoon, welcome to bbc news. mps are to vote this afternoon

on the prime minister's plans for a national insurance rise to pay for the nhs and social care. yesterday borisjohnson announced what he called the biggest catch—up programme in the history of the nhs, £36 billion raised over three years to deal with the backlog caused by the pandemic. the move breaks a conservative manifesto pledge not to raise taxes, justified, said mrjohnson, because of the effects of covid. this lunchtime, at prime minister's questions, the labour leader, sir keir starmer, attacked the government, saying some people needing care would still have to sell their homes. let's talk to our political correspondent peter saull. good afternoon from central lobby. the debate is still continuing just down in the house of commons chamber, it will go on for another three hours or so, the vote is expected at around seven o'clock, and although there has been quite a lot of criticism of this manifesto breaking plan to raise tax in order to fund the nhs and social care from within the conservative party, that

opposition appears to have largely receded over the last 2a hours, so we are not expecting a major backbench rebellion. it has nevertheless been quite a testy debate, an awful lot to discuss within the plan, and the debate was opened by treasury ministerjesse norman. the government has provided over £400 billion of support to business and to the nation as a whole in the course of fighting the pandemic, so it is, in that sense, a broad—based, and it has been recognised to be by reputable, independent commentators, a broad—based approach. from april 2023, once hmrc systems have been updated, a formal legal surcharge of 1.25% will replace the temporary increase in nics rates, which will return to their previous level. again, this revenue will be ringfenced in law for health and for social care only. as the chancellor stated yesterday, this is no stealth tax. that is why the exact amount that each employee pays will also be visible as a separate line on their payslip.

so jesse norman there, sojesse norman there, stressing this is a fair and reasonable thing to do in order to set that cap in place so that no—one has to pay more than £86,000 in a lifetime for care costs, but the opposition parties are all going to vote against the planned this afternoon. here is, for example, is labour's shadow chancellor, rachel reeves. so much for the plan. what does this mean for ordinary people funding it? well, the chancellor's tax onjobs just doesn't let down those needing care or working in the sector. it is a tax on all those in work. and as daily covid cases continue to climb, the only shielding that this government is interested in is protecting the wealthiest few from paying more tax. as i said, a private landlord renting out multiple properties will not pay a penny more, yet their hard—working tenants, working for a living, will be hit hard. it is deeply unfair. let's get some more reaction with

the conservative mp for yeovil, marcus fysh, how will you be voting? well, there is very widespread concern — well, there is very widespread concern in _ well, there is very widespread concern in the parliamentary party about _ concern in the parliamentary party about these measures. i personally will be _ about these measures. i personally will be abstaining later on, because while _ will be abstaining later on, because while i_ will be abstaining later on, because while i oppose them, i want to try to work— while i oppose them, i want to try to work and — while i oppose them, i want to try to work and see if there is a way, with— to work and see if there is a way, with ministers, that we can negotiate and find ways to improve these _ negotiate and find ways to improve these measures, both in terms of the plan for— these measures, both in terms of the plan for social care that it is supposed to be about, and on which i do not _ supposed to be about, and on which i do not think— supposed to be about, and on which i do not think it will deliver is currently— do not think it will deliver is currently set out, and also in terms of looking _ currently set out, and also in terms of looking at — currently set out, and also in terms of looking at whether there are beiler— of looking at whether there are better ways of raising any government finance that might be needed~ _ government finance that might be needed. is government finance that might be needed. , . , ., government finance that might be needed. , ., , ., ., ., needed. is that your fundamental issue with it. _ needed. is that your fundamental issue with it, the _ needed. is that your fundamental issue with it, the idea _ needed. is that your fundamental issue with it, the idea that - needed. is that your fundamental issue with it, the idea that the . issue with it, the idea that the manifesto promise has gone, you are raising taxes as a government? mr; raising taxes as a government? my fundamental issues are that it is

the wrong — fundamental issues are that it is the wrong policy. i do not believe it is a _ the wrong policy. i do not believe it is a fair— the wrong policy. i do not believe it is a fair policy in terms of the lax-raising _ it is a fair policy in terms of the tax—raising measures falling on the working _ tax—raising measures falling on the working age broadly speaking, and on their working age broadly speaking, and on iheiriobs, _ working age broadly speaking, and on theirjobs, ratherthan working age broadly speaking, and on theirjobs, rather than on helping to gel— theirjobs, rather than on helping to get contributions from some who probably— to get contributions from some who probably should be making them, particularly very wealthy older retirees, — particularly very wealthy older retirees, for example. they quite often _ retirees, for example. they quite often are — retirees, for example. they quite often are sitting on quite large asset— often are sitting on quite large asset bases, in some cases, and large _ asset bases, in some cases, and large incomes, and it is fundamentally unfair to me that the younger— fundamentally unfair to me that the younger generations should be asked to subsidise that. you younger generations should be asked to subsidise that.— to subsidise that. you say you are auoin to to subsidise that. you say you are going to abstain, _ to subsidise that. you say you are going to abstain, is _ to subsidise that. you say you are going to abstain, is that _ to subsidise that. you say you are going to abstain, is that not - to subsidise that. you say you are going to abstain, is that not a - to subsidise that. you say you are going to abstain, is that not a bit| going to abstain, is that not a bit of a copout if you fundamentally disagree with the policy? should you not stick your head above the parapet and vote against it? h0. not stick your head above the parapet and vote against it? no, it is not, parapet and vote against it? no, it is not. and — parapet and vote against it? no, it is not. and the _ parapet and vote against it? no, it is not, and the reason _ parapet and vote against it? no, it is not, and the reason for - parapet and vote against it? no, it is not, and the reason for that - parapet and vote against it? no, it is not, and the reason for that is l is not, and the reason for that is that— is not, and the reason for that is that government has tried to set this out— that government has tried to set this out as — that government has tried to set this out as its fiscal direction, it is a ways— this out as its fiscal direction, it is a ways and means bill, and that nteens— is a ways and means bill, and that means it — is a ways and means bill, and that means it is — is a ways and means bill, and that means it is a _ is a ways and means bill, and that

means it is a serious matter, and i think— means it is a serious matter, and i think it _ means it is a serious matter, and i think it is — means it is a serious matter, and i think it is right for us who are opposed _ think it is right for us who are opposed to it to give the government space _ opposed to it to give the government space to _ opposed to it to give the government space to make their arguments, bring forward _ space to make their arguments, bring forward legislation, show what it is like, forward legislation, show what it is like. and _ forward legislation, show what it is like. and in — forward legislation, show what it is like, and in the meantime for us to be able _ like, and in the meantime for us to be able to— like, and in the meantime for us to be able to talk them in a constructive way. i think it is better— constructive way. i think it is better that we have not actually voted _ better that we have not actually voted against the government on a fiscal— voted against the government on a fiscal measure, which would be quite a bi- fiscal measure, which would be quite a big steb _ fiscal measure, which would be quite a big steb |— fiscal measure, which would be quite abiu ste. , , fiscal measure, which would be quite abiu-ste. , a big step. i suppose the government would say it — a big step. i suppose the government would say it has _ a big step. i suppose the government would say it has brought _ a big step. i suppose the government would say it has brought in _ a big step. i suppose the government would say it has brought in measures| would say it has brought in measures to mitigate some of the concerns that you might have, for example people above state pension age will be paying national insurance under these plans, and there will be a tax levied on share dividends too, but thatis levied on share dividends too, but that is not enough for you? it is not, i that is not enough for you? it is not. i would _ that is not enough for you? it is not, i would agree _ that is not enough for you? it is not, i would agree with that. i would — not, i would agree with that. i would agree that it is better than how it _ would agree that it is better than how it was — would agree that it is better than how it was trialled at the beginning, but it leaves out anybody with, beginning, but it leaves out anybody with. you _ beginning, but it leaves out anybody with, you know, big, big, big property— with, you know, big, big, big property asset portfolios, for example. i don't think a wealth tax is the _ example. idon't think a wealth tax is the right— example. i don't think a wealth tax is the right thing to do at all, which — is the right thing to do at all, which is _ is the right thing to do at all, which is what the labour party are

trying _ which is what the labour party are trying to— which is what the labour party are trying to suggest, some kind of wealth— trying to suggest, some kind of wealth tax could cover the whole cost of _ wealth tax could cover the whole cost of this. i would much rather focus _ cost of this. i would much rather focus on — cost of this. i would much rather focus on the ways that we can reform tax, focus on the ways that we can reform tax. cut _ focus on the ways that we can reform tax, cut taxes and get our economy moving — tax, cut taxes and get our economy moving really well, so that tax revenues — moving really well, so that tax revenues can rise. that is the big number— revenues can rise. that is the big number that really matters in this equation — number that really matters in this equation of debt and deficit, whether— equation of debt and deficit, whether it is expanding or not, that is how— whether it is expanding or not, that is how fast— whether it is expanding or not, that is how fast we can get the economy going _ is how fast we can get the economy going again, and i think it is a big economic— going again, and i think it is a big economic risk to be penalising employers, penalising those going back into _ employers, penalising those going back into work at this point, when we know— back into work at this point, when we know fulham is going to roll off, when _ we know fulham is going to roll off, when we _ we know fulham is going to roll off, when we know that eviction suspensions are going to end. —— follow— suspensions are going to end. —— follow up~ — suspensions are going to end. —— follow up. there are potential headwinds coming up, and i would rather— headwinds coming up, and i would rather we — headwinds coming up, and i would rather we were focusing on getting the tax _ rather we were focusing on getting the tax line running reliably higher first than— the tax line running reliably higher first than thinking about what our statuses— first than thinking about what our statuses how to finance the undoubted spending that we do need to do on— undoubted spending that we do need to do on these vital services. marcus— to do on these vital services. marcus fysh, thank you. you will be

joined by at least one other conservative mp in abstaining at around about seven o'clock this evening, the former northern powerhouse ministerjake berry very critical in the house of commons, describing the plan is a trojan horse nhs task that would fund the health service rather than social care, so those concerns do exist within the tory party, as we have been hearing, even if ultimately, when it comes to it, the government will probably win the argument. star; will probably win the argument. stay with us, we will probably win the argument. stay with us. we are _ will probably win the argument. stay with us, we are talking about something else in a second. education secretary gavin williamson has admitted making a mistake when he confused footballer marcus rashford with rugby player maro itoje. the evening standard newspaper quoted williamson as saying he had enjoyed a zoom discussion with england and manchester united's rashford. but an aide later clarified that it had actually been with itoje. mr williamson has released a statement saying...

he has put his hand up and said he is sorry for a genuine mistake, but the travails never stop at the moment for mr williamson. it is not treat, is moment for mr williamson. it is not great. is it. — moment for mr williamson. it is not great. is it. for— moment for mr williamson. it is not great, is it, for the _ moment for mr williamson. it is not great, is it, for the education - great, is it, for the education secretary? he says he can the two issues, but clearly a conflation of the two individuals, both very high—profile, well—known sporting figures, in particular marcus rashford, who spearheaded the campaign to help out children who have been on free school meals. he himself was when he grew up as a child. marcus rashford's spokesperson said this afternoon that he had tried in vain to secure meetings with senior political figures, and he would like to engage more with them, so there is the

opportunity there perhaps for gavin williamson to meet marcus rashford at some point in the future, but clearly this was a zoom meeting that he had a rugby player in maro itoje, who put out a tweet to say, just to make it clear, i am not marcus rashford, and marcus rashford, you know, he is not me sort of thing. i suppose bt individuals concerned are seeing the funny side, but gavin williamson's political opponents, as suppose you might imagine, have been piling in on this. david lammy, the labour shadow frontbencher, saying he is the most incompetent education secretary in british political history. given there are rumours swirling about a potential cabinet reshuffle in the not too distant future, yeah, again, gavin williamson is probably feeling the heat again today.— williamson is probably feeling the heat again today. peter saull, thank ou ve heat again today. peter saull, thank you very much- _ let's go back to the prime minister's plans

for a national insurance rise to pay for the nhs and social care. joining me now isjon wilks, chief executive of the institute of health and social care management. thanks very much forjoining us. no doubt you have been looking at this with interest, what is your view? first of all welcoming the fact that the government is taking social care seriously and welcoming the fact that the waiting list situation cannot deteriorate any further, so fundamentally pleased that there is some movement now. concern with use of words like fix for social care that ministers were coming out with yesterday, when there is no white still for social care, and we have still for social care, and we have still got a workforce problem that is extremely challenging and difficult and anxiety inducing for all those who work in social care. the government has said that initially, if it goes through, there's money would be to help catch

up there's money would be to help catch up with the backlog of operations that the nhs has not been able to deal with because of covid. how concerned are you, then, that social care will continue to miss out? well, it is of great concern, clearly. we have got several thousand members involved in social care, and theyjust want thousand members involved in social care, and they just want to thousand members involved in social care, and theyjust want to see the prevailing situation resolved properly. just to put it into perspective, you know? we have got £23.73 perspective, you know? we have got £23.3 billion spent by local authorities each year on social care. they only spend about 5 billion of that on their own facilities. about 18 billion of it goes for them to be able to buy services from care and nursing home providers and domiciliary care providers. that number is under threat, really, because we need to know how the money will be spent which is now being provided by government. so it is all very well

talking about around 5.3 billion to enable local authorities to give providers a fairer cost of share, of care, but to whom will that money 90, care, but to whom will that money go, and how will it be made sure that it go, and how will it be made sure thatitis go, and how will it be made sure that it is spent effectively? and remember, by the way, you know, 120,000 vacancies in a workforce at the moment of around 1.6 million. you know, 25% of those people on zero—hours contracts, 52% of staff with no formal qualification, according to the government's own training agency. so the workforce, to our mind, is at the root of this. until we can resolve things like a median pay of only £8.50 per hour on top of that, then well—meaning money, which is very welcome for social care, i do want to stress that, until we have a proper plan in place through a white paper and a

people plan for social care to explain how that money will be spent effectively, at the moment it is just talking about money and national insurance, and that maintains the anxiety for people who work within the social care system. how important is it for you for there to be a fundamental overhaul, a reinvention of social care in terms of its framework and infrastructure? the nhs is huge, difficult to navigate at times, but we kind of broadly know how it works. you cannot say that with social care, can you?— works. you cannot say that with social care, can you? that rather echoes my _ social care, can you? that rather echoes my point _ social care, can you? that rather echoes my point about _ social care, can you? that rather- echoes my point about accountability in terms of measuring the effectiveness with this money being spent. clearly, we have got something like 17,000 providers in social care, 40,000 establishments, many of which are privately owned, some for profit, some not, but it makes the accountability therefore very challenging. and it is not like the nhs where you have got central

accountability, you know, nhs trusts, reporting to government in terms of how they are implementing policy. social care lacks that, it is fragmented, so the opaque approach to how it governs itself is really tricky. and personally speaking, i think the time is right for the national care service. if you are going to go to the trouble of creating money from national insurance, pulling taxpayer's money into this, perhaps we should look at a national care service structure. how we do that with the current provision of care, that is up to pay grades in government well beyond me, but that is the sort of direction of travel that i think, ultimately, this country requires.- travel that i think, ultimately, this country requires. john, thank ou ve this country requires. john, thank you very much. — this country requires. john, thank you very much, the _ this country requires. john, thank you very much, the chief - this country requires. john, thank. you very much, the chief executive of institute of health and social care management. government figures regarding coronavirus now, and the uk has

recorded a further 191 deaths from covid—19, that is people who have died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test. 38,975 new cases of covid—19 have been reported in the past 2a hours. infection numbers in the last seven days are up 15.3% on the week before, and the weekly death count is up 26.1%. the headlines on bbc news. mps are due to vote on controversial plans to raise national insurance to fund the nhs and social care. this is the scene in the house of commons. more than 1000 people have crossed the channel in small boats this week, the home secretary is to hold talks with her french counterpart. the biggest ever terror trial in

france gets under way amid tight security. 130 people were killed in coordinated islamist attacks in 2015. the government is planning to overhaul the travel traffic light system, with changes set to be announced within weeks. the bbc has been told that the green and amber categories could be removed and replaced with a system that will allow fully vaccinated travellers to go to countries with similarly high levels of vaccination as the uk without the need for quarantine. our business correspondent simon browning joins us. there will be a lot of people in the travel industry pleased to hear this. , , ., travel industry pleased to hear this. , ., ., , ., this. yes, you are right, lots of celebration _ this. yes, you are right, lots of celebration and _ this. yes, you are right, lots of celebration and happy - this. yes, you are right, lots of| celebration and happy thoughts this. yes, you are right, lots of- celebration and happy thoughts from people in the travel industry, because they have found some of the restrictions that the government have put in place either to protect public health rather arduous and an impact on their business. as you pointed out, some of the things that we are being told by the travel industry is that there will be

changes, potentially to the traffic light system, that will see the green and amber categories removed and replaced with a system where fully vaccinated passengers and travellers can travel to other european countries that have similar, sorry similar vaccination rates. the famous red category, the highest levels of variance of concern, will remain in place, so that will mean that travellers returning to the uk from red list countries will still have to use quarantine hotels at a personal cost to themselves. the industry really want to see these changes, they have had a tough summer because of the sudden changes in countries moving from green to amber, you will remember portugal, that suddenly changed, and mexicojust a remember portugal, that suddenly changed, and mexico just a few weeks ago. these sudden changes have really had an impact on consumer confidence for people to book, and thatis confidence for people to book, and that is why the industry are working with government, putting in submissions to government for this to change. submissions to government for this to chance. ,, ., ., submissions to government for this

to chance. ,, . . ., submissions to government for this to chanre, .. ., ., ., ., ., to change. quarantine and isolation, but what about _ to change. quarantine and isolation, but what about testing? _ to change. quarantine and isolation, but what about testing? a _ to change. quarantine and isolation, but what about testing? a lot - to change. quarantine and isolation, but what about testing? a lot of - but what about testing? a lot of people here feel that we are rather ripped off compared with other countries. , ., ., ripped off compared with other countries. , . ., ., countries. yes, we have heard that term a lot. — countries. yes, we have heard that term a lot, from _ countries. yes, we have heard that term a lot, from a _ countries. yes, we have heard that term a lot, from a lot _ countries. yes, we have heard that term a lot, from a lot of— countries. yes, we have heard that term a lot, from a lot of people - countries. yes, we have heard that| term a lot, from a lot of people who have travelled and felt like they have travelled and felt like they have been ripped off by some of the testing companies operating in the uk. there is an investigation by the consumer markets authority into that, but testing is the big issue in this, and industry sources have told me that they are really pushing hard for testing to be changed, they see that as an enormous barrier. one of the main airline operators sees that as a real penalty to travellers, and one of the things thatis travellers, and one of the things that is the main barrier. we don't yet know if testing will be reviewed as part of this, or whether testing will stay in place, but that is one enormous problem and point that industry really wants to see changed, because the costs of testing, £50— 100 per person, when you are returning to the uk, an extra levy on top of your holiday,

but when you add add to the concern over category is changing, the industry say this has all been a barrier and they want it stripped back if they are going to survive what they say is a tough winter. the government will not comment on this at the moment, they say that protecting public health has always been the key issue with the traffic light system. been the key issue with the traffic light system-— light system. simon, thank you, simon browning. _ after the desperate scramble to flee afghanistan, thousands of afghan refugees are now adjusting to their new lives in the uk. but while 8,000 afghans were evacuated by the uk military, the question remains of what will happen to those left behind. joya, whose name we have changed, was an afghan special forces commander who worked alongside british forces, and was one of those rescued from kabul a few weeks ago. our defence correspondent jonathan beale went to meet him. afghan special forces have been fighting the taliban for years — and taking heavy casualties. joya was one of their commanders, hand picked and trained by elite troops from the parachute regiment.

he was still fighting long after the british left helmand. this isjoya firing on taliban positions just one month ago. he said they were still fighting until they ran out of ammunition. until the end, we will fight. until we can, we fight. and without any air support, without ammunition, without any resupply, how can you fight? with empty hand, you're not going to fight. by then, the taliban had taken control of kabul, and crowds had gathered outside the airport. the taliban were already tracking joya down. but so too were his old friends from the parachute regiment, in a race against time. they found my phone number and called me and said, where are you? isaid, i'm in kabul. and they said, you are safe? i said, no, i change my

location every night. two weeks ago, joya was living in fear for his life. but today he is tasting freedom, now safe in london with his wife and two young children. rescued at the dead of night by british soldiers who never forgot. and they said, tomorrow night you come in at midnight, at one o'clock at the baron hotel. we'll come in and pick up you. at midnight, one o'clock, i arrived at the baron gate, they came out and called my name, come to the airport. and put us on the plane, and we came away and came here. danjarvis. later today, i will be reunited with an afghan special forces commander that i had the privilege of serving alongside. he's deeply concerned about the hundreds of his men who were left behind.

it's an incredibly moving moment for me. i didn't know whether he would make it out of afghanistan alive or not. it's so good to see you. 1a years after they first met in helmand, there is genuine relief at being reunited. but also real worries about what will happen to those left behind. these are people who are uniquely at risk because of the nature of the service they have provided. they are top of the taliban list for being executed, is the reality of it. so i am deeply fearful for their future. there is a real urgency, and the british government need to move at pace to do everything they possibly can to get those people out. the band of brothers from the parachute regiment are now raising funds to help those likejoya, who managed to get out. he's now making plans for his family's new life in britain. he still hopes more of his men will follow. but the question is, how?

jonathan beale, bbc news. the former president ashraf ghani, who fled the country last month as the taliban entered kabul, has apologised to the afghan people, saying "he could not make it end differently". in a statement on twitter, mr ghani said he left after palace security urged him to, in order to avoid the risk of bloody street fighting, and again denied stealing millions from the treasury. our correspondent in mumbai, yogita limaye, has more. well, it has been three and a half weeks since he left the country, and in his statement he said the reason he left was because the security officials of the presidential palace told him that if he doesn't do so, there would be what he calls horrific street to street fighting in kabul, and so to save the lives of 6 million people in the city, he decided it was best to leave. he strongly disputes allegations that he took

millions of dollars with him while he was on his way out. he says he is ready for a financial audit, he is ready for his close aides to be audited and investigated as well, and he ends by apologising to the people of afghanistan that he couldn't get it to end differently, that he couldn't ensure stability and prosperity for them. now, i have seen some reactions that have been pouring in on twitter, where he posted this message — people disappointed, saying that he is speaking too late, some saying, you left us to suffer, that the nation will not forget or forgive. i can imagine there are a lot of afghans feeling this way today. and that question of money and his finances, he also felt compelled to address at this point. that's right, because there were allegations that when he left, he took millions of dollars in cash. this was a rumour that was being spread all over kabul, and so i think one of the things

he wants to say was baseless allegations was that specific accusation against him. at the time, there were reports that the taliban had stopped their fighters outside of kabul and that they were waiting for some sort of negotiation to happen with the government, but i think the truth of the matter is that these two sides were so divided on what they wanted from the negotiations, ashraf ghani and his team saying they would never accept an islamic dictatorship, the taliban saying they wouldn't want to hold elections, they wanted an islamic emirate, which is exactly what they announced yesterday when pretty much all of the cabinet members are taliban leaders or their associates, there are no women, and if you talk about different ethnic backgrounds and people from different political groups, that is not in the government as well. the home secretary, priti patel, is meeting her french counterpart

to discuss the number of people crossing the channel in small boats to the uk. the home office says 785 people made the journey on monday alone. ms patel has warned that britain could withhold more than £50 million it's promised to pay the french to deal with the problem, unless more boats are intercepted. simonjones reports. more migrants brought to dover this morning by the border force after they were picked up in the channel. britain and france have repeatedly pledged to make this route unviable but still the dangerous journeys continue, and some mps have had enough. we need to transport these people directly back to calais as soon as possible after they've landed in the uk. that would be a diplomatic incident, i realise that, but, frankly, i don't know where else we are going to go. because what we need to do is stop this traffic. the home secretary, priti patel, is today meeting her french counterpart, gerald darmanin, at the g7 conference of interior ministers in london. there's lots to discuss,

after a surge in numbers in the past two days, with well over 1000 people reaching the uk. she has already threatened to withdraw some of the £54 million britain recently promised france to step up police patrols and surveillance on its beaches if it doesn't prevent more crossings. there have been several deals over the years to try to stop the crossings. one of the first was signed two and a half years ago, when the then home secretary, sajid javid, came to dover and declared a major incident. at that time, on the busiest days, around a0 people were making the crossing. now, though, that figure can be 20 times higher. so far this year, more than 13,500 migrants have reached the uk by boat. that's 5000 more than in the whole of last year. in the first six months of this year, 650 people were found in the back of lorries. the mp for calais says there's only so much france can do. 1000 crossing attempts in one night in the last few nights. basically, you see that we cannot stop all of the crossings,

because that's, humanly speaking, technically speaking, not possible to monitor 300 or 400 kilometres of shore where you can hide in very different and various places. the government here says it is working to implement its deal with france. my right honourable friend the home secretary is dealing with it in the best possible way, which is to make sure they don't leave those french shores. we depend to a large extent on what the french are doing, but clearly as time goes on and this problem continues, we are going to have to make sure we use every possible tactic at our disposal. but cross—channel relations are certainly being put to the test. simonjones, bbc news, dover. now it's time for a look at the weather with chris fawkes. good afternoon. it's been another hot and sunny one for many but not all of us. top temperatures today quite widely across southern

england, the midlands, into parts of wales, northern england, 29. heathrow top of the pile, 30 degrees. but it's not been like that everywhere. we've seen some thunderstorms across south—west england and southern wales, earlier in the day they brought a bit of flooding to parts of devon. overnight the showers and storms could get widespread across england and wales, eventually reaching northern ireland, and another uncomfortable night for sleeping. these are the temperatures at 11 o'clock, still quite widely in towns and cities at 20 or 21 degrees. tomorrow, real change in weather fortunes for most. low pressure moves then, the show are widespread, some heavy enough to bring localised surface water flooding. quite warm across the east although not as hot as recently, in the west temperatures in the low 20s.

hello, this is bbc news. the headlines: mps are due to vote on the government's controversial plan to raise national insurance to fund the nhs and social care. this is the scene in the house of commons. the tax, which breaks a manifesto pledge, has come under attack from labour in the commons this afternoon. well, the chancellor's tax onjobs just doesn't let down those needing care or working in the sector —

it is a tax on all those in work. the government has provided over £400 billion of support to business and to the nation as a whole in the course of fighting the pandemic, so it is, in that sense, and it has been recognised to be by reputable independent commentators, a broad—based approach. more than a thousand people have crossed the channel in small boats this week — the home secretary is to hold talks with her french counterpart. former afghan president ashraf ghani apologises for the taliban takeover in his country — saying his abrupt departure from the country was the only way to keep the guns silent. the biggest ever terror trial in france gets underway, amid tight security. 130 people were killed in coordinated islamist attacks in 2015. and the meteorite that landed on a family's driveway in gloucestershire — the scorched tarmac is now destined for a museum.

sport now, and for a full round—up from the bbc sport centre, here's hugh. good afternoon. it's almost time for emma raducanu's first grand slam quarter—final. around first grand slam quarter—final. half an hour to go. the 18—year—old is looking to continue what she's described as a "surreal summer" following her extraordinary run at the us open. and in 30 minutes, she's set to face her toughest opponent yet — tokyo olympic champion belinda bencic, the 11th seed. raducanu hasn't lost a set, in either qualifying or the main draw, in reaching the last eight, but knows this will be a huge challenge. she is an extremely difficult opponent, she won olympic gold and is in great form, so it's going to be a very difficult match of course,

but i'm going to try and take care of what's on my side of the court and it's going to definitely be first strike tennis because you give the ball to her, she isjust going to edit past you. eight brazilian footballers won't be allowed to play for their premier league clubs this weekend after the country's football federation triggered a rule that prevents them from appearing. those affected were called up by brazil, but their clubs didn't want them to travel to a red list country and face a period of quarantine on their return. liverpool's fabinho and goalkeeper allison, along with striker roberto firmino and players from manchester city and leeds are among those who brazil are allowed to stop from appearing for their clubs for a five—day period following the end of the international window. in all, five premier league clubs are affected, while manchester united's fred and thiago silva of chelsea will also miss their team's champions league matches next week. the interesting thing is that whilst this has nothing to do with fifa, the early indications i'm getting are the premier league clubs are not happy because the players were not released because of quarantine

restrictions if they came back from south america. the premier league clubs are going to challenge this, they are going to find out what they can do over the next 2a hours, they have not given up hope that they can get those players available for the weekend. there are three world cup qualifiers for the home nations tonight — england hope to maintain their 100% record as they go to poland — having won all five games in the group so far. wales are also back in action after their last—minute winner against belarus kept them in the hunt for an automatic place at the finals. they take on estonia at home in cardiff — and a win could take them up to second in their group. meanwhile, it's a huge night in belfast as northern ireland face switzerland — a win at winsdor park would see them move above their opponents into second place. two british clubs are attempting to reach the group stage of the women's champions league today. with the second legs of their qualification playoffs, glasgow city are into the second half of their match against swiss side servette, and they're trailing.

having taking the lead, they're 2—1 down and 3—2 behind overall. manchester city also start their second leg level at 1—1 with real madrid. they kick off at 7pm. england captainjoe root has revealed jos buttler will return to the team for the final test against india. the wicketkeeper missed the last match to attend the birth of his second son. root also says he's frustrated about the lack of information ahead of this winter's ashes series. cricket australia say they're 'hopeful�* of getting crowds for the five tests, but they haven't confirmed a number of arrangements for the tour, and root says england's players are still in the dark. everyone wants to know as far in advance as possible what is going on and that is no different for you and the players, but until we have that information what more can we do, we have tried to have good, honest conversations and clear lines of communication with the ecb, but if there is no information available to them, then it makes

things very difficult. usa ryder cup captain steve stricker has announced his wild card picks for this month's match against europe at whilstling straits. there are six of them, and are led by three—time major winnerjordan spieth and new olympic champion xander schauffele. harris english, tony finau, daniel berger and scottie sheffler are the others. meanwhile, the open champoinship will return to royal portrush in northern ireland in 2025. it'll be the second time in six years at the course, which set a new attendance record for a championship held outside st andrews in 2019. that's all the sport for now. emma on court at five o'clock head of that quarterfinal. we'll have the latest in an hour's time. the biggest trial in france's modern history has opened in paris, amid tight security. 20 men are accused of involvement in a string of coordinated attacks in 2015, killing 130 people and

wounding hundreds more. the attack — on bars, restaurants and the bataclan concert hall — was france's worst post—war atrocity. among the defendants appearing in the specially—built chamber is salah abdeslam — the only surviving gunman. our correspondent hugh schofield reports from paris. as you can imagine, peak security here, and half of the island has been sealed off by security forces. and inside the historic palais de justice behind me here, around a specially constructed courtroom there is a throng of lawyers, journalists, police and survivors. this promises to be a long, emotional and epoch—making trial, as we hear in this report from my colleague, lucy williamson. it was a night with no safe haven, when no—one knew where to run. when gunmen brought chaos to paris's bars and restaurants... ..its football stadium...

..the bataclan concert hall. stephane lost his son, hugo, that night at the bataclan. no trial, he says, can heal the pain. it is complicated because it is, first of all, a personal loss, the loss of a child, my son, and it's also a collective loss. and then it was sometimes difficult to manage these two situations. 20 defendants are accused of murder, complicity and terrorist conspiracy. salah abdeslam, the only suspected attacker to survive that night, is facing the most serious charges. 19 others are accused of involvement, including mohamed abrini, who prosecutors say accompanied the attackers to paris from their home in belgium. six of the accused are being tried in absentia. and for a unique event, a unique location. this temporary courtroom,

built exclusively for the trial, sits within the historic court ofjustice in paris. the light colours have been chosen to promote a sense of calm. there is a secure box for the defendants, and ten cameras to record the trial for france's national history. the trauma of that night has continued to ripple through france. six years on, what will it mean to see salah abdeslam standing in the dock? you know, you just imagine the devil, you just imagine somebody with a strong intellectual... maybe, maybe i'm wrong, but people with that... this kind of man who has done such awful things. stephane says he doesn't need to see the key defendant, but he wants abdeslam to see him. after six years, it's very important for me to face him and to face the others, and to say, ok, look at me, i am there, i am alive,

my son is not there, but through me he is still here, we are still standing, you didn't win. for stephane, this trial marks the moment when national trauma becomes national history. easierfor a nation to move on, he says, than for him. lucy williamson, bbc news, paris. well, a short time ago, proceedings did get under way, and the accused have now been brought into the court, salah abdeslam was the last to come in, dressed in a black t—shirt with a black beard, he was asked by the presiding judge what was his profession? he said, "soldier of islamic state." initial results of a postmortem examination on geronimo the alpaca show no sign that bovine tb was present in the animal. geronimo was taken from a farm in south gloucestershire last week and put down by defra officials, after he twice tested positive for the disease.

our correspondent andrew plant is outside the department for environment, food and rural affairs this afternoon where protesters are gathering. a couple of hundred people have gathered outside the defra headquarters here in central london to protest today. among them, helen mcdonald, the owner of geronimo the alpaca. and for her, of course, these initial results come as no surprise. she has long maintained that her alpaca was bovine tuberculosis free. it was imported from new zealand four years ago, then had a couple of positive test results, but she thought they were flawed and she has fought through the courts for over four years now to try to save her alpaca's life. that was a battle she lost about six weeks ago, and then this time last week officials from defra came to her farm in south gloucestershire and took geronimo away. the whole thing, though, has sparked a debate about exactly how accurate the bovine tuberculosis testing programme is. it is designed of course to keep cattle and cattle farms safe, keep them trading, but still, more than 40,000 carers every single year on average are put down after positive tests. and the helen mcdonald,

these initial results really aren't the end of the process. they are not conclusive proof that geronimo was bovine tuberculosis free. they will now have to take cells from the animal, send them to a lab, and try to culture those in a dish under a microscope, and that is as long a process as it sounds. we are told it can take anything from eight weeks up to three or four months. the headlines on bbc news... mps are due to vote on the government's controversial plan to raise national insurance to fund the nhs and social care. this is the scene in the house of commons. more than a thousand people have crossed the channel in small boats this week — the home secretary is to hold talks with her french counterpart. the biggest ever terror trial in france gets underway, amid tight security. 130 people were killed in coordinated islamist attacks in 2015. an estate agent from surrey has been awarded almost £185,000

after her employer refused to let her leave work early to collect her daughterfrom nursery. alice thompson wanted to work four days a week and leave the office at 5pm, rather than 6pm, but her flexible working request was rejected, with the business saying they couldn't afford her working part—time. on monday, the tribunal judge accepted that this put her at a disadvantage and upheld her claim, awarding money for loss of earnings, pension contributions, injury to feelings and interest. alicejoins me now, along withjodie hill, employment law specialist and managing partner of thrive law. welcome to you both. alice, first, explain how you went about trying to change your working hours. yes. explain how you went about trying to change your working hours.— change your working hours. yes, as my maternity _ change your working hours. yes, as my maternity leave _ change your working hours. yes, as my maternity leave was _ change your working hours. yes, as my maternity leave was drawing - change your working hours. yes, as my maternity leave was drawing to | change your working hours. yes, as | my maternity leave was drawing to a

close in 2019, i asked the firm for a meeting to discuss the terms of work, what the hours would look like. we eventually had a meeting but unfortunately when i proposed my hours, what might work for me, the employer refused it. and there was no negotiation, no considered approach, no tangible reason why that was refused. there was no open discussion about it. and then i did raise a flexible working request in writing and that was refused, and subsequently an appeal which was also refused with no further explanation.— also refused with no further exlanation. , .,, , also refused with no further exlanation. , ., , ., explanation. this has been deemed to be indirect discrimination, _ explanation. this has been deemed to be indirect discrimination, can - explanation. this has been deemed to be indirect discrimination, can you - be indirect discrimination, can you explain what that means and why that is the case with alice? in explain what that means and why that is the case with alice?— is the case with alice? in indirect discrimination _ is the case with alice? in indirect discrimination is _ is the case with alice? in indirect discrimination is where, - is the case with alice? in indirect discrimination is where, in - is the case with alice? in indirect

discrimination is where, in this . discrimination is where, in this case: — discrimination is where, in this case, the — discrimination is where, in this case, the individual has clearly identified — case, the individual has clearly identified that she is a woman has childcare — identified that she is a woman has childcare needs and that effectively is her— childcare needs and that effectively is her reason for making the flexible _ is her reason for making the flexible working request, so she is protected — flexible working request, so she is protected under the equality act as a woman, — protected under the equality act as a woman, and the company have a policy— a woman, and the company have a policy that— a woman, and the company have a policy that is in place that is to work— policy that is in place that is to work five — policy that is in place that is to work five days a week, she has asked to vary— work five days a week, she has asked to vary those — work five days a week, she has asked to vary those working times to four days. _ to vary those working times to four days, and — to vary those working times to four days, and she's asking for a change to that _ days, and she's asking for a change to that policy, the policy applies egually— to that policy, the policy applies equally to everybody, but it indirectly impacts on her ability to care for— indirectly impacts on her ability to care for her— indirectly impacts on her ability to care for her children. and therefore it places _ care for her children. and therefore it places her— care for her children. and therefore it places her in substantial disadvantage. also she has identified a group disadvantage because, as we know, women traditionally and still taken the brunt— traditionally and still taken the brunt of— traditionally and still taken the brunt of the childcare. so she's been _ brunt of the childcare. so she's been able _ brunt of the childcare. so she's been able to identify the two disadvantages, which is very important. i�*ll disadvantages, which is very important-— disadvantages, which is very imortant. ., important. i'll come back to the indications _ important. i'll come back to the indications are _ important. i'll come back to the indications are that _ important. i'll come back to the indications are that in _ important. i'll come back to the indications are that in a - important. i'll come back to the j indications are that in a minute. alice, what was the whole process like, because it's quite a tough thing to have to do, to take on your employer? it

thing to have to do, to take on your emlo er? ., , thing to have to do, to take on your emlo er? . , , , employer? it really is. very difficult. — employer? it really is. very difficult, mentally - employer? it really is. very difficult, mentally draining, employer? it really is. very - difficult, mentally draining, huge emotional burden. and then there's the financial burden that comes with that, it's been a huge financial burden on my family, continuing to pursue this all the way from the end of 2019 up until two days ago when thejudgment was finally of 2019 up until two days ago when the judgment was finally issued. it's a very long time, and you want to move on with your life, but you are stuck in this rut, reliving this bad treatment that has happened to you, this discrimination that happened to you. until it is resolved. but i was determined to follow it through, to make some sort of positive change, really for my daughter's generation and other women out there, and i've been overwhelmed by the support i've had from other women approaching me with similar stories, and not everybody... had the mental capacity

at the time to pursue their employer to tribunal, and some people regret that. some didn't have the financial ability to do that, and that's awful that they were treated in a similar way but they didn't have their voice or their story heard, so i'm really delighted with the result of this and the attention that it has got in the sense that hopefully it will make a fairer playing field for another new mum trying to go back to work on flexible working basis. this was heard in _ work on flexible working basis. this was heard in the employment tribunal rather than a civil court. to what extent, then, will alice's case set a legal precedent that employers will need to adhere to?— a legal precedent that employers will need to adhere to? because it isn't an appeal _ will need to adhere to? because it isn't an appeal court, _ will need to adhere to? because it isn't an appeal court, it _ will need to adhere to? because it isn't an appeal court, it is - will need to adhere to? because it isn't an appeal court, it is not - isn't an appeal court, it is not binding — isn't an appeal court, it is not binding on— isn't an appeal court, it is not binding on other tribunals and on employers, but it does show an example — employers, but it does show an example of how it can go wrong, and how if— example of how it can go wrong, and how if you _ example of how it can go wrong, and how if you don't take these types of flexible _ how if you don't take these types of flexible working request seriously, how you _ flexible working request seriously, how you can end up in tribunal and

ultimately— how you can end up in tribunal and ultimately paying awards of this figure — ultimately paying awards of this figure it— ultimately paying awards of this fiaure. ., , �* ., ., ., figure. it doesn't follow then that all employers _ figure. it doesn't follow then that all employers will _ figure. it doesn't follow then that all employers will now _ figure. it doesn't follow then that all employers will now have - figure. it doesn't follow then that all employers will now have to i figure. it doesn't follow then that all employers will now have to do allow their employees, notably women, to change their working hours? there is no immediate compulsion?— hours? there is no immediate compulsion? not at all. but in alice's case — compulsion? not at all. but in alice's case the _ compulsion? not at all. but in alice's case the key _ compulsion? not at all. but in alice's case the key area - compulsion? not at all. but in alice's case the key area was l compulsion? not at all. but in i alice's case the key area was that they did _ alice's case the key area was that they did not consider the flexible working — they did not consider the flexible working policy, or have an objective justification, so there is a defence employers — justification, so there is a defence employers can rely on if they go through— employers can rely on if they go through the process and objectively justify— through the process and objectively justify why they need to refuse, but in her— justify why they need to refuse, but in her case — justify why they need to refuse, but in her case that did not happen, so it shows _ in her case that did not happen, so it shows the — in her case that did not happen, so it shows the importance of going through— it shows the importance of going through those processes and actually considering properly the requests coming _ considering properly the requests coming through. it�*s considering properly the requests coming through.— considering properly the requests coming through. it's too late now, alice, but what _ coming through. it's too late now, alice, but what would _ coming through. it's too late now, alice, but what would you - coming through. it's too late now, alice, but what would you have . alice, but what would you have settled for, had a proper conversation taking place? i think what would _ conversation taking place? i think what would have _ conversation taking place? i think what would have perhaps - conversation taking place? i think what would have perhaps worked | conversation taking place? i think i what would have perhaps worked for me and the company, had it been proposed, if it was the hours that mattered i could have accommodated

an eight till five working day, and the nursery drop—off could have been coordinated with my husband and i could have done the pick—up. i still think a four—day working week when you are a new mum is important, especially in the early years when your child is so dependent, to be available for them and to be around, you want to share that experience, children are only small ones, and i think i would have loved a four—day week and i would have settled for sure four 8am to 5pm, that would have made sense to me. but i ultimately think the value is in the person, not in the hours they work. we will see whether other people manage to use your experience to their advantage. manage to use your experience to theiradvantage. both, thank manage to use your experience to their advantage. both, thank you. the father of britney spears has filed a petition in a los angeles court to end his controversial 13—year control over her estate. jamie spears took over the running

of her life in 2008 because of fears about her mental health. the singer has been to court repeatedly to try to win back control, as our correspondent david willis reports. # you're toxic, i'm slippin' under...#. it's an arrangement she has branded toxic — one that britney spears says has prevented herfrom getting married and having a baby. now her father has finally agreed to relinquish the tight control he's maintained over her multimillion—dollar fortune ever since she was hospitalised with mental health issues following several highly public breakdowns back in 2008. having long maintained there was no justification for his removal from her conservatorship, jamie spears agreed under mounting pressure last month to step down — although he didn't specify when. a petition from britney spears' lawyers to remove him was due to be heard later this month. but in papers filed on his behalf,

jamie spears has now conceded that his daughter's circumstances have changed to the extent that grounds for the establishment of a conservatorship may no longer exist. as mr spears has said again and again, the petition goes on, all he wants is what is best for his daughter. if ms spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, mr spears believes that she should get that chance. for the free britney fans — who've long maintained that the conservatorship amounts to jamie spears holding his daughter hostage — it's a major victory. the singer's lawyer, mathew rosengart, called it a massive legal victory, as well as vindication for ms spears. but he said an investigation into allegations of financial mismanagement on the part ofjamie spears will go on. ending the conservatorship will give britney spears unfettered control over her life, her finances

and her health treatment for the first time in 13 years. first, though, it requires the approval of thejudge overseeing her case — and the next court hearing is due to take place in three weeks' time. david willis, bbc news, los angeles. part of a family driveway on which a meteorite landed in february has been removed and will go on display at the natural history museum. the meteorite — which is already on display at the museum — crash—landed in gloucestershire in february. scientists will carry out research on both the meteorite and the driveway with the aim of increasing our understanding of the solar system. claire marshall reports. in the depths of the winter lockdown, something bright came to earth. a blazing fireball from back in deep time landed on a driveway in the cotswolds. it was a space rock, 4.6 billion years old. this is material from the very beginnings of the solar system.

the last trace of that extraordinary intergalacticjourney has been lying here on that driveway in winchcombe. today the painstaking operation to preserve the landing site. they have cut all the tarmac out around where the meteorite landed. you can see how thick it is. now comes the very delicate operation to try to get it all out in one piece. it has gone to plan, so we're pleased. if it was in three pieces, less pleased. do you feel proud of your work? we can go home now and smile. it looks unremarkable but the clues in this extraterrestrial shadow will help scientists understand how the planets and life itself were created. a big day for the homeowners. they will study this one for hundreds of years, literally, and learn a lot from it. will you keep your eyes to the skies now? always, always. and we will always have an interest in it because we have been inspired by the scientists we have met

so we will always want to keep going, yeah. waiting for that next fireball! this is the most important meteorite ever to have fallen in britain now the scientists can look into the birth of our solar system. claire marshall, bbc news, gloucestershire. the highest september temperature in scotland for more than a century has been recorded at charter hall in the borders. the met office said it reached 28.6 degrees earlier today. the previous high was in murray in the north—east, back in 1906 when it was 32.2 degrees. at the hot weather isn't going to last, there is a warning of heavy wane and flooding across made parts of scotland for tomorrow. i hope i haven't stolen chris's thunder. pun intended! it's not just scotland

it's notjust scotland that will see heavy rain, we have thunderstorms on the way to parts of england, wales and northern ireland as well. we've heard a second ago, charter hall has just got the high temperature recorded for scotland of september, but he through to 30 degrees, parts of northern england have seen temperatures of 29, wales has also been at 29, so the heat has been pretty widespread, even more so than yesterday. but not everywhere, some big thunderstorms across the south—west of england, and earlier they brought some localised flooding to parts of devon. the low pressure driving those storms in is going to work slowly across the british isles over the next few days, so a big change in the weather on the way. losing the high temperatures and replacing it with these downpours that have been pestering parts of the south—west through this afternoon. overnight, the show is become more extensive, england,

wales, some reaching northern ireland. some rain for the north—west of scotland, otherwise dry, and another warm night for sleeping. temperatures still well into the 20s in a number of towns and cities, and these are the temperatures at 11pm. tomorrow, a mild start. you can see the difference, the showers will be widespread, travelling across england, wales, northern ireland, pushing into parts of scotland through the afternoon. capable of bringing 20 to a0 millimetres of rain in a short space of time, so we could see some localised flooding, but the amount of rain you get will vary a lot from place to place. still one for the east of england, otherwise temperatures generally in the low 20s. friday, low pressure is still right over the top of the british isles, so it stays quite unsettled, quite cloudy, a few sunny spells, but widespread showers and thunderstorms once again. some of these, again, could cause surface

water flooding. temperatures these, again, could cause surface waterflooding. temperatures in the low 20s, close to average for the time of year. the weekend, a lot of uncertainty in the weather forecast, the thing i'm most confident about is it will start to turn much cooler and fresher during the second half of the weekend, particularly in the northern half of the uk. temperatures in edinburgh on sunday just 15, but the humility will be down as well and that will make it feel a little more like early autumn. we are losing the heat, thunderstorms of the next few days and then call from the north this weekend.

this is bbc news. the headlines. mps are due to vote on the government's controversial plan to raise national insurance to fund the nhs and social care. this is the scene in the house of commons. the government has been defending the plan. the government has over £507 billion to the nation and in the course of the whole of fighting the pandemic. it is in that sense broad—based and it is been recognised to be by reputable independent commentators a broad—based approach. the tax, which breaks a manifesto pledge, has come under attack from labour — they say it is an "unfair" burden on working people. the chancellors tax on jobs just doesn't let down those needing care or working in the care sector, it is a tax on all those in work.