our political correspondent peter saull is here a peter saull is here government minister has been int minister has been doing interviews talking about this issue. the cup 26 president and former business secretary was asked about this ongoing issue, some are not trimming a crisis in terms of wholesale gas prices and the potential and might ultimately lead to food shortages anti—trust of all moved to reassure people that the supply of gas coming into the country was secure. people should not be concerned, a significant amount comes domestically, from norway so be our secure in that but when it comes to places there will be concern concern that we have the energy price cap to protect people. that we have the energy price cap to protect maple-— that we have the energy price cap to protect neonate-— that we have the energy price cap to protect people-— protect people. places keep rising and it is a fast _ protect people. places keep rising and it is a fast rise _ protect people. places keep rising and it is a fast rise we _ protect people. places keep rising and it is a fast rise we hav

our political correspondent peter saull is here tell peter saull is here us more about what the foreigne about what the foreign secretary has been seen. liz truss was only appointed five days ago, she is the second woman to hold the role and she has written and article which on the surface is a fairly uncontroversial, the need to build freedoms and strong security ties but also a staunch defence of the agreement signed just last week with australia and the uk known as the aukus agreement, she says it is important to partner with light minded countries to build coalitions based on shared values but there is no mention of britain's neighbours over the channel who as we heard are not best pleased with the agreement because it has literally cancellation they have signed with australia to supply subheadings. the french foreign minister says it is a major breach of trust and he was also asked by the french had summoned australian and american ambassadors but not in the british, he said because the british are a fifth wheel, and relevance. liz truss and borisjohnson are off to the united state

our political correspondent peter saull is here.is here. pretty urgent talks, an indication some pretty urgent talks, an indication ofjust how worried they are? indication of “ust how worried they are? , �* , , , indication of “ust how worried they are? , m are? yes, the business secretary will hold around _ are? yes, the business secretary will hold around 20 _ are? yes, the business secretary will hold around 20 face-to-face | will hold around 20 face—to—face chats with members of the energy industry. they will go into early next week as well. that does underline how seriously this is being taken in whitehall, but also between conversations and food industry bosses because this is not just an impact on the energy industry but going right the way down the supply chain, as you saw in that film. the line we are getting from government sources is that this highlights just how important it is that their plans to invest in renewable energy, reduce the country's reliance on fossil fuels go ahead. we are vulnerable as a country to those v

our political correspondent peter saull is here.for the business secretary to be having a meeting on a saturday. that is right. 20 meetings. this shows how serious the government is taking the situation. it is a global situation with global gas prices soaring, largely because of increase in demand, also problems with maintenance of some gas facilities around the world. also, lower output in recent months in terms of wind and solar. that is having an impact already on the gas suppliers which is why the business secretary wants speak to them today. particularly concerns about smaller gas suppliers, whether they can deal with that surge in wholesale gas prices. then there is a knock—on impact down the supply chain full stop on wednesday to make fertiliser plants, in cheshire and teesside, closing, and a by—product from fertiliser production is carbon dioxide, widely used across the economy, particularly in food and drink production, in terms of packaging, food preservation, that kind of thing. it is also used to stun animals before the

katy austin, bbc news. 0ur political correspondent peter saull is here. his morning... the business secretary is currently meeting with the energy regulator of gem, lots of meetings happening as we said in the report over the weekend, they want to work out what they can do, if anything to help the industry, particular concerns about smaller energy suppliers, some of which could go to the wall imminently because they are more vulnerable to the fluctuations in the wholesale gas market. this morning another former business secretary alok sharma was on the andrew marr show and his message was that supplies of gas or secure. people should not be concerned about the risk _ people should not be concerned about the risk to _ people should not be concerned about the risk to supply, a significant part of— the risk to supply, a significant part of our— the risk to supply, a significant part of our gas supplies are domestic and the imported gas would come from _ domestic and the imported gas would come from countries like norway and we are _ come from countries like n

our political correspondent peter saull is in westminster.ate of what's hauenina riaht now. , ., ., happening right now. they are voting now on the plan. _ happening right now. they are voting now on the plan, the _ happening right now. they are voting now on the plan, the new _ happening right now. they are voting now on the plan, the new social- now on the plan, the new social care and health levy. this big tax rise that ultimately will help to fund his long—term plan for social care for that but in the short term it's about largely dealing with the backlog in the nhs caused by the covid pandemic. we had the results for the past ten minutes or so of our labour amendment. there was an attempt to force the government to publish an impact assessment of the plans on taxpayers and on businesses. and the government won that vote by 335—243 votes. you would imagine the margin of victory would imagine the margin of victory would be fairly similar for the actual plan itself. when we get that in the next few minutes. although they were conservative m

earlier, our political correspondent peter saull told me what 0ne government minister has been sayingts, just then, over the weekend. they really want to work out what they can do, if anything, to help the industry, particular concerns about smaller energy suppliers, some of which could go to the wall fairly imminently, because they are far more vulnerable to the fluctuations in the wholesale gas market. now, this morning, another government minister, former business secretary alok sharma was on the andrew marr show and his real message was that supplies of gas are absolutely secure. people should not be concerned about the risk to supply, in fact, a significant part of our gas supplies, domestically, the imported gas, primarily comes from countries like norway. so we are secure or not, but of course, when it comes to prices, there will be concern as well, but we have the energy price cap, we have the warm homes discount, to protect people at this particular time. so, gas supply is safe, we are told. the other big issue is carbon dioxide, because as a result of this big surge in whole

our political correspondent peter saull is in westminster.y? changes, what are we expecting toda ? . . , ., changes, what are we expecting toda? . ., ., today? one criticism of boris johnson today? one criticism of boris johnson is — today? one criticism of boris johnson is he _ today? one criticism of boris johnson is he has _ today? one criticism of boris johnson is he has not - today? one criticism of boris johnson is he has not been i today? one criticism of boris - johnson is he has not been brave johnson is he has not been brave enough to get rid of ministers who seem to be underperforming and his allies would argue he has answered that criticism in the last 2a hours, notjust more than the likes of gavin williamson but saving them so they aren't all ministers on the big news this morning was that the former culture ministerjohn whittingdale lost his job, he former culture ministerjohn whittingdale lost hisjob, he is former culture ministerjohn whittingdale lost his job, he is a wealth of top—level experience, out as well nick gibbs, it

i've been speaking to our political correspondent, peter saull.high—level meetings. 20, i'm told, one on one chats, that the business secretary kwasi kwarteng is going to have with energy suppliers both large and small, the operators ofgem too. weather for example smaller suppliers will be able to absorb the soaring costs of this gas. i should stress this is a global issue with global gas prices soaring, largely because of an increase in demand, but also problems with maintenance of some gas facilities around the world. in terms of preserving food and packaging, but also on the meet side of things as well, carbon dioxide is used as a stunner before animals are slaughtered. so yes, an awful lot to take into account and i think this is a cross government effort now as well, the department for the environment, food and rural affairs also monitoring the situation that it seems like is escalating this. what does all this mean for families who are watching today? the first thing is the impact on your energy bills. meat products, the british meat process

our political correspondent, peter saull, is here. what is going on this weekend?, lots of high—level meetings, 21—on—1 chats that the business secretary kwasi kwarteng is going to have with energy suppliers, both large and small, and the operators, ofgem, to try to get to the bottom of how big an impact this is having on the market, what impact it might have on household bills as well and whether for example smaller suppliers might be able to absorb these soaring costs of wholesale gas. but as you say there is this knock—on effect we are starting to see now affecting large parts of the economy, the closure of those two fertiliser plants is really quite major because they produce an awful lot of carbon dioxide used across the food and drink sector in terms of preserving food and packaging, but also on the meat production side of things as well carbon dioxide is used as a stunner before animals are slaughtered, so yes, an awful lot to take into account and i think this is a cross government effort now as well, the department for the environment, food and rural affai

well, our political correspondent peter saull is at westminster and has been following the debate withvernment 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 wa

let's get the very latest from our political correspondent, peter saull.about relaxing those foreign visa rules to allow more foreign visa rules to allow more foreign lorry drivers to come into this country and help alleviate the shortage of hgv drivers? that this country and help alleviate the shortage of hgv drivers?- shortage of hgv drivers? that is riuht. shortage of hgv drivers? that is right- you _ shortage of hgv drivers? that is right. you heard _ shortage of hgv drivers? that is right. you heard grant _ shortage of hgv drivers? that is right. you heard grant shapps, l shortage of hgv drivers? that is i right. you heard grant shapps, the transport secretary, saying there they are not ruling anything out or in. just like last night sources on the home office were telling us that this idea of a new visa for hgv drivers coming from the continent was not under consideration. now it is understood that the home secretary priti patel has softened her opinion on that particular measure. we are not expecting any kind of imminent announcement, but it does se

let's speak to our political correspondent, peter saull.f all, we expect the government to be speaking momentarily in the house of commons was not what our minister is expected to say? commons was not what our minister is exnected to say?— expected to say? that's right, we are expecting _ expected to say? that's right, we are expecting a — expected to say? that's right, we are expecting a statement - expected to say? that's right, we are expecting a statement from l expected to say? that's right, we l are expecting a statement from the vaccines minister around about ten o'clock, when the business of the day comes to a close in the house of commons. now, ministers have been pretty clear in recent days that whatever the chief medical officers of the four nations recommend, they will go along with it, so the expectation is that no zaha will give the green light for 12 to 15—year—olds to be offered that single dose, as you head in the report there, that single dose, as you head in the report there, the coronavirus vaccine, and we are told that

mps are to vote tomorrow on the government's plans — let's talk to our political correspondent peter saullct that ups of the public will understand why it's doing it. public will understand why it's doin: it. . , public will understand why it's doin: it. ., , ., doing it. that is right and it was interesting _ doing it. that is right and it was interesting to _ doing it. that is right and it was interesting to hear— doing it. that is right and it was interesting to hear conservative j interesting to hear conservative chancellor of the exchequer doing his best to select tax rates and ultimately what we've got here is a series of tax dresses that will happen to increase the size of the welfare state, not a conservative thing to do but as borisjohnson points out in the house of commons earlier today, points out in the house of commons earliertoday, no points out in the house of commons earlier today, no one had a pandemic in their election manifesto nuts with her going to keep on using with the difficult unprecedented times call for a fairly difficult measures it would've meant more borrowing

we can speak now to our political correspondent, peter saull. th the americans and australians known as aukus, she says it points to britain's �*s commitment to stability in the indo pacific region. the problem with this deal as far as the french are concerned is that it led to a cancellation of a deal they had struck at the australians to supply submarines. in this article, liz truss talks about the importance of partnering with like—minded countries to build coalitions based on shared values and shared interests, but there is no mention whatsoever of our neighbours just no mention whatsoever of our neighboursjust on no mention whatsoever of our neighbours just on the other side of the english channel. i dare say she will get a frosty reception when she goes with borisjohnson to the un general assembly in new york this week, if she meets her french counterpart. the french foreign minister has attacked britain for what he cold permanent opportunism and he described the breaking of a contract with the australians is a serious breach of trust. univ

let's speak to our political correspondent peter saull. yet that we simply don't know? that there is a lot of detail yet that we simply don't know?— simply don't know? that is right victoria. simply don't know? that is right victoria- we _ simply don't know? that is right victoria. we may _ simply don't know? that is right victoria. we may get _ simply don't know? that is right victoria. we may get more - simply don't know? that is right victoria. we may get more in i simply don't know? that is rightl victoria. we may get more in the house of commons today. there will be prime minister's questions, the first since the summer recess and the lengthy debate on this new health and social care levy, is salama saying her report, there isn't much of a chance of a backbench rebellion over this. there have been cabinet ministers raising concerns over the manifesto breaching tax rise in the run—up to the announcement. a very few mps actually put their heads above the parapet and openly criticised the government. nevertheless, there is a pr drive goi

let us get the thoughts again of our political crone peter saull.has been made. and in terms of the extra money raised _ has been made. and in terms of the extra money raised it _ has been made. and in terms of the extra money raised it all _ has been made. and in terms of the extra money raised it all goes - has been made. and in terms of the extra money raised it all goes to i extra money raised it all goes to the nhs, so are we clearer as to when social care actually starts getting more money? so when social care actually starts getting more money?— when social care actually starts getting more money? so this is over three years. — getting more money? so this is over three years. and _ getting more money? so this is over three years, and so _ getting more money? so this is over three years, and so there _ getting more money? so this is over three years, and so there will- getting more money? so this is over three years, and so there will be - three years, and so there will be some money for social care almost immediately, but largely, that lump s

let's get more on this with our political correspondent, peter saull.oad, prioritising fertiliser from abroad, prioritising supplies fertiliserfrom abroad, prioritising supplies going into the nhs and nuclear power. students who are not yet vaccinated are being urged to get their covid jab vaccinated are being urged dozens of universities have set up pop—up clinics and walk—in centres as the new academic year begins. megan paterson has more. a new addition to the usual freshers' week festivities at oxford brookes university — pop—up clinics and grab—a—jab drop—ins all aimed at encouraging as many students as possible to get vaccinated, amid some concern about covid spread in young people. we are aware just before the summer there was quite a high increase in covid infection rates amongst the 18 to 24—year—olds, so we're really keen to try and sort of capture them just as they're coming back to university, to make sure in the environment they live in — maybe in shared houses — that we minimise the spread and the transmission of covid as much as possible.

let's get more from our political correspondent, peter saull.ibution issue. not enough lorry drivers to get to local forecourts. we are now told they are considering the idea of a temporary visa for his tv drivers from abroad to come to the uk and perhaps plug some of the gaps in that labour market. last night we were told by a home office source that was something they were not looking at. now it appears the home secretary has softened his stance on that one. we are not expecting any kind of imminent announcement on this. it would be something of a climb—down for the government to do that. some political opponents already starting to pile in, the scottish first minister nicola sturgeon singh the prime minister should have listened to voices during the eu referendum who are telling him that ending free movement and cutting in immigration would lead to a critic —— critical labour shortages. and the cbi has said in the past hour that it wants a much more urgent and active approach to be taken by the government. ml approach to be taken by the gover

let's speak to our political correspondent, peter saull, in westminster.to the house of commons at lunchtime. had been murmuring from ministers privately that they felt they had been kept in the dark and not many happy about the dark and not many happy about the idea that that will be paid for by that rising national insurance, average of the manifesto and the conservatives went into the general election fighting on that. boris johnson said during that campaign that it was a cast—iron guarantee that it was a cast—iron guarantee that under his watch, no taxes would rise. that is one test he has got through this morning, the first in—person cabinet meeting for many months, and then he will have to face up to quite a lot of concerns from his own backbenchers in the commons when he makes the trip from downing street to parliament later on. the social care system has been unfair. you know, if you have assets of £23,350, you really begin to hurt if you, for example, suffer from dementia. one in seven people pay £100,000 or more for the social care, so in my view

simon jones, bbc news. 0ur political correspondent peter saull is in westminster.ork? can it work? well, i suppose it is a good look for the home secretary to be seen to be talking tough on this. the line that we are getting is that she will have to give her personal approval for this to happen. it is certainly getting a lot of pick—up in conservative supporting newspapers. tory mps have regular raise this as an issue that is a big concern to their constituents. but the question is, how often is this going to be used, if at all? the government is confident of the legality of it, we are told, but there are still some logistical issues still to be sorted out. they say it will only be used in a very narrow and specific set of circumstances. so you would imagine those border force officials, who we understand have been trying for this in recent months, will have quite the checklist before they get on the water and think about using this tactic. how big is the boat they might have to push back, how many people are on it, are there safety concerns? it is also understood

let's speak to our political correspondent peter saull.he past couple of weeks and he admitted many more could follow suit. he ruled out bailing out using taxpayers's money failing companies. he said that would not happen but he would protect consumers against future price rises, there was no chance they would scrap the energy price cap but bearing in mind that would go up at the start of next month and the labour shadow business secretary said that would push half—a—million people into fuel poverty and called on the business secretary to do more to protect consumers. the second element to this story is the impact on the wider economy, the closure of two big fertiliser plants, one in cheshire, the other in teesside. a by—product of that is carbon dioxide used in the food and in this —— food and drinks industry and the nhs. the business secretary has said they are working to come up with contingency measures to help the wider economy. a strident defence of what the government has been doing and what people are calling a crisis but the messa