´óÏó´«Ã½

That's where we leave today's coverage of the Commons.

Join us next week, when we'll be covering the Budget and subsequent debate, as well as committee meetings and events in the Lords chamber.

Thanks for joining us.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Dan Jarvis thanks MPs for the cross-party support that has seen the "safe passage" of the bill through the House of Commons.

The bill will go on to be debated in the Lords before it can become law.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Minister Jackie Doyle-Price stands to wind up today's debate on the bill.

"To give the gift of life" is something that donors and their families should be very proud of and it is a "pleasure" to be able to confirm that the government supports the bill, she says.

The health minister says thoughts today are with those who benefit from organ donation, and the families of the organ donors and encourages families to have advance discussions with one another about their wishes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Neil O'Brien says it is a "pleasure to support" the bill, telling the Commons that between 2005-10 there were 49,000 people waiting for an organ transplant and that 6,000 died while waiting - 270 of which were children.

Mr O'Brien said it is "ironic" that when few MPs are here on a Friday, it is "matters of life and death" that are discussed.

Image source, HoC

House of Commons
Parliament

There is no doubt that we need more organ donors in England, Sharon Hodgson tells the Commons.

The shadow health minister says Labour supports the bill, which, it is hoped, would deliver an increase in available donors.

She says that when one donor can save up to nine people, a future system needs to be supported by a national campaign and increased resources.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs are now debating the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill at third reading.

Dan Jarvis says moving to an "opt-out" system where consent for donation is deemed would add "thousands of names" to the organ donor register and "save hundreds of lives".

Third reading is the final chance for the Commons to debate the contents of a bill. Debate on the bill is usually short, and limited to what is actually in the bill, rather than, as at second reading, what might have been included.

Image source, HoC

House of Commons
Parliament

The private members' bill clears all legislative stages in the Commons and now moves to be debated in the Lords on a future date.

MPs will now debate Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson's Organ Donation Bill.

Mr Robinson is absent so the bill is being moved by his colleague Dan Jarvis.

The bill would enable people in England to withhold consent for organ donation and transplantation. It would introduce an 'opt-out' system.

The Budget is the week's big event - but how could the government's opponents use it to cause parliamentary disruption?

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Will Quince talks of the importance of "providing comfort" for bereaved parents and says this bill would help as they can prove their child existed, even if they do not survive.

The campaigner for recognition of baby loss says "whether it is a miscarriage or stillbirth - that baby is still born".

Image source, HoC

They were created in 2004 to give same-sex couples - who at the time couldn't marry - similar legal and financial protection to a marriage. They weren't available to mixed-sex couples.

Then, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 legalised same-sex marriage in England and Wales and the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 did the same there.

Since then, same-sex couples there have been able to choose between marriage or civil partnerships - except in Northern Ireland, where they are still not able to marry.

But the opposite didn't become true - mixed-sex couples didn't get the right to a civil partnership. That's what's now set to change.

A civil partnership is formed by signing a document.

There is no requirement for a ceremony to take place or to exchange vows - unlike for a marriage - but you can do so if you wish.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

MPs are debating other aspects of the bill, which include requiring the government to prepare a report on whether the law ought to be changed to permit the registration of pregnancy losses and stillbirths.

Labour MP Sharon Hodgson tells the House she was "overwhelmed" with messages from families who have experienced "the heartache of losing a baby pre-24 weeks and were unable to register that death". She supports the bill and the registration of pregnancy losses.

Also supporting the bill, Conservative MP Victoria Prentis says that if MPs can't talk with passion about birth, marriage and death then "what on earth are we here for".

House of Commons
Parliament

Tim Loughton's bill passes report stage without a division and moves to third reading.

Mr Loughton apologises to officials because there will be a lot of work to do in a short period of time - this will be a "welcome distraction" from Brexit, he jokes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Home Office Minister Caroline Nokes says the government support an early move to allow straight couples to enter into civil partnerships but there are "concerns" this bill may not be the best vehicle for change.

The consultation has started and we want to conclude it, she says, and the government would prefer to introduce a bill in the next parliamentary session.

"The government does not support extending civil partnerships to siblings, and this bill is vulnerable to being amended to allow that," she adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

Next up is Conservative MP Tim Loughton's Civil Partnerships Bill which would extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples and create this change within six months.

Mr Loughton says there are 3.3 million cohabiting heterosexual couples and many have waited a long time for the "chance for equality".

Earlier this month, the prime minister announced that all couples in England and Wales will be able to choose to have a civil partnership.

Mr Loughton says the proposal will be "under pressure" from the parliamentary timetable and "emergency Brexit legislation" means it may not take effect until 2021.

Image source, HoC

House of Commons
Parliament

Housing minister Heather Wheeler says "rogue landlords will have to improve their properties or leave the business".

Ms Wheeler describes how the government has introduced minimum size requirements in properties to prevent overcrowding and concludes the debate by saying the government "strongly supports" this bill.

The bill has cleared all remaining stages in the Commons and will now move to the Lords for further consideration.

Image source, HoC