volunteers growing up in the forever war. michael ian black with his book a better man, he mostly series letter to my son and the author of the spymaster of baghdad, a true story of bravery, family and patriotism in the battle against jesus. watch booktv on c-span2 and find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online anytime, booktv.org. next, british deputy prime minister dominic rob takes questions from members of the house of commons, members of the ukrainian parliament also in attendance, this is just under 40 minutes. >> before we come to deputy prime minister's questions i want to check out the british sign language interpretation of proceedings is available on parliament live tv. we start with questions for the

pie minister, dean russell. question one, mr. speaker. >> deputy prime minister. speechange-asked to reply on behalf of the pie minister who is traveling in the united arab emirates, saudi arabia, to discuss energy security, diplomatic action in russia and ukraine on regional issues including iran. may i also say i understand four members of the ukrainian parliament are with us in the gallery today. i'm sure i speak for the whole house in saying we stand in solidarity. >> mr. speaker. this is one of the largest employers, its employees have worked tirelessly to run the national lottery for decades, they play an important role in communities across the uk, many local project including my

constituency. i declare an interest in the gambling commission in its decision not to appoint the license to camouflage but i wonder given the current situation in ukraine if my right honorable friend considered appropriate for the next licensee of the operator of the national lottery is known to have a joint venture? >> what an incredible job the national lottery has been delivering 45 billion pounds to good causes. his regulations will ensure operator profits are better aligned with returns to good causes and on the specific point i understand his owner long criticized the flavor putin regime is in discussions with the czech republic government regarding the joint venture and removing this involvement. >> told deputy leader of the

opposition. >>, welcome the ukrainians to the house today. can i start by wholeheartedly welcoming ratcliff to the uk. i am sure i'm sure members across the house want to show their support to their families. i know the minister would agree this devastating situation must never be repeated and british nationals are still trapped in iran, need to be brought home, so will the minister commit to a review of these cases, what more could have been done to secure releases and whether the lazy comments of the prime minister worsened the situation? >> and i first of all say i can't yet confirm reports we've seen in the media but it feels a positive sign, no one wants

more than me, all members of the house, to see all of the arbitrarily can change nationals reunited with their loved ones which i can tell the honorable lady having worked on this that we've done everything we can. she shouldn't give succor to the despotic regime that detained him he ran around the world by suggesting it is anyone else's responsibility. >> mr. speaker, it is for that reason i asked for the review that it's important to learn from our mistakes so we don't end up with other innocent families facing this ordeal again so i hope the minister will consider my comments. mister speaker. i would like to thank all the people who have been working tirelessly to bring british nationals home from iran. are diplomatic staff and our

world leading british intelligence agencies, the role of the british intelligence today is critical in the face of vladimir putin's aggression, the deputy prime minister oversaw our foreign intelligence services so can he confirm if at any time he overruled or ignored directives by the british security services? >> deputy prime minister? >> what you suggest is nonsense, she's talking about the house of lords appointments commission. they have a vetting process that i have never overruled, i wouldn't comment on the details of it but i would say i would agree with that on the strength, the agility of the british diplomatic service which time and time again are the unsung heroes of less celebrated cases than this but now is an opportunity to

recognize the heroic work they do. >> i agree about the comments on their heroic work. the right honorable member on march 17, 2020, when british intelligence warned against the prime minister's friend in siberia. 48 hours later the prime minister visited medvedev in his home in london. the details of the meeting have never been released. in july of 2,020, his appointment as chair was announced. can he tell the house what changed between the security one and the appointment? >> the honorable lady knows that all individuals with uncertain recognition of what their contributions to society and i should say, i should say

that includes those of russian origin who contribute brilliantly to our nation many of whom are critics of the vladimir putin regime. the house of lords appointment commission, i think she should know better. >> mister speaker. what i do know better is the central duty of any government is to keep the british people safe. there are now widespread reports that the prime minister did not accept warnings from our own intelligence services, the russian oligarch, the son and business partner of the kgb spy seated in this parliament, it shouldn't matter if such a warning was about a close personal friend of the prime minister. it shouldn't matter that he gave the prime minister thousands of pounds and it shouldn't matter how much

champagne and caviar he served. there is no ifs are abouts when it comes to the safety of the british people. i ask the deputy prime minister can he go and see that the prime minister never asked anyone to urge the security services to revise, reconsider or withdraw their assessment? >> deputy prime minister. >> the suggestion she's making is sheer nonsense. if she wants to talk about national security i reminder she and her colleagues went to the honor noble member from injuring 10 n. . a man who talked about abolishing the army, pulling out of trident, she voted for that, could there be a more reckless or naïve moment to call for unilateral nuclear

disarmament and pulling out of nato. the labor government would put at risk our security. >> ukraine@me support to nato and may i remind the deputy prime minister that it was his prime minister in 2015 who said he wasn't sure if it was morally irresponsible to work with putin. i don't think he is on safe ground there. last week, mister speaker, my right honorable friend, the leader of the opposition said that britain should never again be at the mercy of a foreign dictatorship for our energy and fuel security. this week the prime minister went from one dictator to another on a mission to the saudi prince to bail him out. mr.

speaker, 12 years to end the reliance on foreign oil and invest in homegrown energies to secure our supplies. relying on a murderous dictator to keep the lights on and pumps open. >> of some people don't want - if you want an argument i more than happy, we can argue but at the moment i need to hear the question. >> thank you. the government has a choice, they could accept labor's plans to save working families hundreds of pounds on bill's fund with a 1-off levy on soaring profits of big energy companies so i asked the deputy prime minister is there only plan to keep on begging? >> deputy prime minister.

>> can i gently say to the honorable lady when she was campaigning to make the honorable member, this prime minister was reading the response. >> you can't keep going back 12 years as a defensive mechanism. what we want to do i will decide. what i want you to do if we could try to stick to this, a lot of people are ahead who are desperate to get in without talking about history. if i want to go back, deputy prime minister. >> when she was - hold on. not responsible for the opposition's policies. this is about the government,

questions for the deputy prime minister. i will decide, deputy prime minister. >> i went to point out and hope it is not ancient mystery the prime minister was as foreign minister galvanizing at the time when the honorable member of the labour party was siding with vladimir putin. what does the honorable lady say on sky news? he is a strong leader, can't wait for him to become prime minister. >> mr. speaker, there is a war in europe. there's a fuel energy crisis in britain. democracy is at risk. we must support the courageous effort of president zelenskyy and the ukrainian people.

these uncertain times require leadership and integrity. a leader that works with the security services, can be trusted to say the right things for british diplomacy and provide security for the british people. instead we have historic use before us, rate hikes, they hiked taxes on 27 million working people while the supers uber rich increase their wealth. they want energy prices to rise 50%, companies enjoy profits they didn't even expect and concord with russian oligarchs and luxury villas while neglecting the security of the british people. remember, in lockdown, were unable to see their dying loved ones. the british prime minister look the british people in the eye

and say the government is working in their best interests? >> mr. speaker i will tell you what we have done. 1000 russian individuals sanctions, $45 billion, the impact of the sanctions and diplomatic efforts, the ruble plummeting, the russian stock market at record lows doubling interest rates which we've shown, we have also shown the big hearted experience with 5500 visas and the humanitarian group, 100,000 sponsors to take ukrainian family to these homes in her social media echo chamber. >> thank you.

to listening to the international criminal court but they have difficulties with funding, $40 million shortfall, they fail to meet annual contributions. the international criminal court, what steps can the government take, what contingency funding to make sure one day russian military commanders expect war crimes. >> the party is looking at i was in the hague speaking in the presence of the court with involuntary package of financial and technical support. the whole house would want, vladimir putin is commanded to know. they are behind bars. >> the leader of the smc.

>> can i welcome colleagues from parliament of ukraine. i spent much of last week to help the scottish charity established who evacuated 48 children from orphanages in ukraine and desperately attempting to provide them in scotland. that is a plain informant to bring these options but that flight will leave empty without necessary paperwork. the scottish government. and i want to commend, and the only obstacle in the way that

risks leaving these children standard. and the ukrainian authorities the guarantee these 48 ukrainian orphans get on the plane? >> i think the gentleman for what he was doing, heartrending situation, and how orphan children should go, whether any necessary permissions are sought from the polish government. in the interests of those children. >> i asked the government to do that.

we need them to give us the paperwork to make that happen. and in the uk government, and let us to multiple european ambassadors and in the chamber to force movements. even further along it seems there is no way the home-office is involved in. in ukraine and poland, the home-office should have been doing it. they can't make it happen. they are fleeing this awful war of sanction in the uk. they were underestimating one child a second.

these children are not the last. surely the deputy prime minister agrees, pressure for the home office to do the right thing. >> it is important proper international practice, we came to find out for ukrainian families in the region have been considered. we also - listen for a second. it is important. many children have family members in the region. that must be considered. he raises the issue about refugees about the measures already mentioned. and bringing ukrainian children

suffering from cancer to receive that. >> british service men and women served on the operation in 2016 working with ukrainian armed forces to shore up nato which is more important than ever. with this house they consider what recognition. >> absolutely right. with their professionalism, armed service men and women every day. recognition is kept under review and the defense secretary heard that.

>> there was a frequent 1% increase to universal credits. last september. pushing 7%. the trust and many other organizations. millions of -- with benefits, to compensate for that. taking 6 months ago the circumstances. >> i think the honorable gentlemen. he's right about the war in ukraine, the government and the chancellor put in place a 20 billion pound package across this year, 9 billion pounds to help with energy bills, that includes rates for a national living wage, 2 million families an extra thousand pounds a year

to kickstart increasing the personal tax threshold, doing everything we can to keep the cost of living under that. >> multinationals scaling back. jobs and equipment and responding to those -- and how the government may connect those offices with the ukrainians. >> can i think the honorable gentlemen, up and down the country who have shown the bighearted traditions that make this country great and aware of

the new sponsorship scheme, one hundred thousand sponsors applied and working with businesses was valuable because after that huge value to get access it helps them to integrate into our society. >> thank you. i am sure the prime minister will agree with me when it comes to charging a person it is often done by the company. when it comes to tenants, the prime minister enjoys the company of with tourniquet's when it came to celebrating the election victory the prime minister prioritized a party hosted by former kgb agent alexander levinson, there are many others.

and he therefore tell us what first attracted the prime minister to the billionaire russian oligarchs. >> i wasn't sure where he was going but the prime minister is not a very social individual. he wants of this country to be open, outward looking to the world, we were the government, he was the foreign secretary. human rights sanctions not just on evidence of wrongdoing and also the persecutors of the myanmar minority and many others. it was this government, not the

labour party. >> the eyes of the world are focused on vladimir putin's evil invasion of ukraine but there is still humanitarian crisis in afghanistan. the government is hosting a conference later this month for that crisis and can my right honorable friend ensure we keep education for those children on the agenda. >> absolutely right. we keep the focus on afghanistan. i can tell her that conference will provide support, access to girls education, long-standing priority of the prime minister and we have doubled humanitarian aid to afghanistan for 286 million pounds.

>> thank you, mister speaker. it's never going to be the route to security of energy supply. it should make more sense for the prime minister, the energy industries. what they can do, shouldn't he also be speaking to our offshore oil and gas industry about what they can do in the here and now to improve security towards net 0. >> it is wednesday in saudi arabia closing one billion pound investment deal with renewable energy. >> norfork is a royal

constituency and many residents rely on their cars to get around. the price of crude oil comes down in the last few days and does not only affect working families but pension in rural areas on fixed income. in the spring statement, address these 2 rural constituencies. >> when you have a 20 billion pound package dealing with cost-of-living focusing on energy prices the issues up and down the country, the chancellor referred to any suggestion. >> the prime minister's visit

in saudi arabia, private discussions with audis on the human rights record. in light of the murder of jamal khashogi. why does the minister think the human rights are so ineffective and was more will we do to make the saudis behave ethically? >> i know the prime minister will be raising these issues but we talked about women's rights. they have all been released. we talked about the author and critic who was released. he mentions jamaal khashogi. we are an international country. that is important's role in the

21st-century but we will not allow our moral redline to be blurred. >> you may slow the palm but never digest it. that quote says so much about how the polish people stood up against aggression over the years. they had to support the ukrainian people. to support as they take unprecedented levels and have their own security concerns with relation to russia. >> paying tribute to the polish community and big parties and support for ukraine.

we committed a further million pounds in aid. that will support countries in their close proximity to ukraine. >> on 28 april of 2018, with kgb officer. attending the nato summit, with insecure ready details. with national security. >> what i already said. >> in addition to my constituents concerns there are

concerns about planning. i wrote for the prime minister in october 2019 about the threats against government policy. they made the decision to wipe away the planning of any local counsel in the country. that was the mistaken decision. >> a massive proposal, with planning decisions that are made. successfully challenged in the court. >> 255 children and young people were admitted. that is 15 times the national

average. will the deputy prime minister meet with me to immediately respond to this mental health crisis. >> it is not just to respond to wider issues, the specific issues. >> are there any oligarchs with uk passports? >> i think the foreign office. >> three weeks ago the chair of the statistics operation, he repeated assertion that employment is higher than it

was before the pandemic is incorrect to. yesterday's employment statistics show 840,000 fewer than before the pandemic. does the deputy prime minister agree truthfulness is vital to trust in our democracy? does he accept the protection? >> we listen carefully but what i would say to the honorable gentlemen is the data shows unemployment has fallen below 4%, is back at pre-pandemic levels in terms of a remarkable success. he talks about one golden truth, whenever a labor government in the past, unemployment has always been higher.

>> thank you. we have now provided antitank weapons alongside financial sanctions, with bilateral assistance. they continue to deliver support and i will supply the antiaircraft missiles necessary to destroy russian jets. >> absolutely right, 306 antitank missiles. they are exploring donation of an entire. >> it is welcome that ukrainian seeking asylum in britain have the right to work and access to public services. we should offer sanctuary to

those fleeing persecution. to make it their home no matter where they are from, make a hugely positive contribution. if they are supported to do so. not extending the same rights including the right to work to all people seeking asylum. >> he is right that we have a strong tradition, with the hong kong british citizens with operation pitting which brought 17,000 back and further beyond the normal rules when there is a crisis in ukraine. he is right about what he said in relation to that. the ukrainians benefit, the

house should be proud, the 100,000 british sponsors who come forward to open their homes for those refugees. >> i asked my right honorable friend as the brilliant ukrainian people fight and die on a daily basis for their rights of freedom and democracy it is important we make something clear. they have asked for membership of nato for significant time, chose not to give it to them. my concern is no matter what they decide, it remains their absolute right as a free nation and a free people to make such application in the future noting simmons talking about being a member, treating them in the same way we would an application from the citizens.

>> my right honorable friend referred to what president zelenskyy has said. one of the things we have been crystal clear as a government is if there's a diplomatic offramp and we have a heavy measure of skepticism about that, it has to be done with the ukrainian presence and the ukrainian people. >> my constituent, a british citizen applied for his first british passport last summer. on his naturalization certificate, it includes his reverent father under his name, the passport office explains difficulties, he's waiting for this passport.

to look at this case as a matter of urgency. his mother is extremely ill in nigeria. >> deputy prime minister. >> i will make sure it is a matter of urgency. >> let the room clear. >> alive today on c-span. the house is back for work on a bill to end forced arbitration clauses. on c-span2 the senate votes on judicial nominations. on c-span 3 members of parliament from the baltic states testify on russia's

invasion of ukraine before the helsinki commission. you can find everything streaming live on c-span.org or our free video air when c-span now. >> c-spanshop.org is c-span's online store, browse through c-span products, apparel, books and accessories. there' s something for every c-span fan and every purchase supports our nonprofit operation. >> a house foreign affairs subcommittee revealed suspected war crimes and other human rights abuses by russia in its invasion of ukraine. they testified on the importance of documenting atrocities and difficulty