mr speaker, i thank the honourable gentleman for all of the comments, and what i would say to him is he should hear what they have to say about him, mr speaker! after a day of wrangling with mps on the right of his party, rishi sunak emerged victorious last night, in a vote on the cotentious legislation to rescue his rwanda scheme. in the end, not a single tory mp voted against it, although many abstained, which means a showdown at later readings of the bill, still likely in the new year. but while it was all merriment and myrth in the chamber, over at the home affairs select committee, the director general for migration and borders, dann hobbs, was answering difficult questions, which reveal, just how chaotic our asylum system has become. mr ridley didn't know where any of the 17,316 were. roughly how many do you think you know where they are? i don't know that data, as i said, we are in the process of clarifying that data and writing to the committee to set out what we do know about that 17,000 number that you have asked about. i don't understand, madam chairman, how you can come to this committee for the second time, having been asked the question two weeks ago, and still not have the information. i am sorry. well, i think... yes, i agree with you on that. yes. the reason so many are disappearing is became through covid and beyond, the backlog of asylum claims, grew. and we are not very good at returning failed asylum claimants. in fact committee revealed today that in 3 years we have returned just 420 non albanians. but there has been progress this past year in clearing that legacy backlog, as nick eardley can show us. this is what it looked like at the start of the year, 91,000 cases or so. it falls over the course of the year quite dramatically in the last couple of months. and as you can see at the start of december here, it's around 18,000 cases still to be processed. as i say, the home office thinks it's on track to meet that target. but what's really interesting when we've drilled into the numbers is how the backlog is being reduced. let me show you this. this is a breakdown of how many cases have been dealt with since the conservatives came to power back in 2010. how many cases have been granted, how many have been withdrawn, how many have been refused. we only have the figures for the first nine months of this year, but already you can see there's a record number of cases being accepted. it's the highest so far since 2002. but by the end of the year, it's pretty inevitable it will be the highest number on record. now, there are a lot more cases being processed, as you can see, so it was always likely more would be approved. but what's also interesting is the government sped up the system for some countries, for people from some countries to submit their applications, it means they don't have to have a face—to—face meeting, they can just do it on paper. and then have a look at this section here, the yellow bit, that's people who have been withdrawn or taken out of the system completely. it is also at a record high. it's three times bigger than it was last year and five times bigger than it was back in 2021. let's talk a little bit about what happened last night and where it leaves the prime minister and then may will talk about his approval ratings. a big win for him last night at the second reading of the rolando bill. is he merely paying deferred —— rwanda bill. i rolando bill. is he merely paying deferred -- rwanda bill.- rolando bill. is he merely paying deferred -- rwanda bill. i think he is. it's deferred -- rwanda bill. i think he is- it's nearly _ deferred -- rwanda bill. i think he is. it's nearly 40 _ deferred -- rwanda bill. i think he is. it's nearly 40 years _ deferred -- rwanda bill. i think he is. it's nearly 40 years at - is. it's nearly 40 years at the prime minister lost a vote like this on the second reading of a government bill bear in mind, this was in an emergency bill, it was not in the king speech just a few weeks earlier. i think for rishi sunak it is obviously delightful to get the bill through but it's worth saying, this was a top priority bill for his government. nearly 40 of his mps declined to supported and many, many more both on the one nation side and also on the other side of the party, the more extreme right party failed to really buy into it. it is paying deferred. i think the party put a good face on a pm cues today but i think many mps will being dues be going back home and try to work out what they are going to do in the new year's. ,, ., year's. keir starmer was egging him on, not year's. keir starmer was egging him on. not capable. _ year's. keir starmer was egging him on, not capable, not— year's. keir starmer was egging him on, not capable, not experience, - year's. keir starmer was egging him on, not capable, not experience, a l on, not capable, not experience, a bad politician. iwonder on, not capable, not experience, a bad politician. i wonder if actually thatis bad politician. i wonder if actually that is how the country might see him for that when you look at the polling today his approval rating is lower than borisjohnson when boris johnson left power. if you can't galvanise his party in the run—up to an election then how does he convince the country that he could rule? is convince the country that he could rule? , , ' ~ ~ rule? is very difficult. i think ou've rule? is very difficult. i think you've got — rule? is very difficult. i think you've got lots _ rule? is very difficult. i think you've got lots of _ rule? is very difficult. i think you've got lots of problems. rule? is very difficult. i think i you've got lots of problems but rule? is very difficult. i think - you've got lots of problems but the two big ones are, he's had reset after reset and presented himself as one kind of a prime minister, is she doing the last 30 years, a weeks later brought in former prime minister, part of that 30 year consensus he said it failed. david cameron to become his secretary and at the same time people seeing him seemingly unable to really lead his own party with all of the different factions fighting against one another. i think what it shows is that rishi sunak has a challenge as prime minister but it is being amplified by the inability of his own conservative parliamentary party to actually come together. i think all of them really need to think over christmas whether they can fight as a united team. if the answer is that than actually, it'll be very hard for rishi sunak to improve his ratings because ultimately they have to come together if they're going to be able together if they're going to be able to fight the next election. they were arguing about the bill this week. it is usually important. they have an election manifesto to write in the next months. they have to start finding some common grounds you have different tory tribes and they have a very different view of what good looks like for britain. it's almost a mirror image of what's going on in the united states was up here approval rating is on the floor, a lot is down to immigration. we've heard from the home affairs today 70,000 asylum—seekers missing in the uk. proportionately that's a lot but when you look at the united states there's over a million gone missing. what is on the floor of congress at the moment in the house of representatives is this issue of parole, giving people who can't be processed quickly enough leave to disappear into the country, never to be seen again. disappear into the country, never to be seen again-— be seen again. that's why immigration _ be seen again. that's why immigration is _ be seen again. that's why immigration is one - be seen again. that's why immigration is one of- be seen again. that's why immigration is one of the | be seen again. that's why - immigration is one of the two most salient _ immigration is one of the two most salient topics in the us right now. the other— salient topics in the us right now. the other being abortion, which we will get _ the other being abortion, which we will get you in a moment. republicans believe they have an advantage in there trying to link what _ advantage in there trying to link what they see on border control to bidens _ what they see on border control to bidens calls for further money for ukraine — bidens calls for further money for ukraine a— bidens calls for further money for ukraine. a really interesting possible _ ukraine. a really interesting possible deal coming together in order_ possible deal coming together in order to — possible deal coming together in order to connect those two different topics _ order to connect those two different topics and _ order to connect those two different topics and bring them together to bring _ topics and bring them together to bring the — topics and bring them together to bring the parties together. thinking, biden impeached, will he benefit, _ thinking, biden impeached, will he benefit, it— thinking, biden impeached, will he benefit, it will be sympathy for him? _ benefit, it will be sympathy for him? i— benefit, it will be sympathy for him? i wonder if the same is true in the conversations right now but the uk. the conversations right now but the uk it_ the conversations right now but the uk it is— the conversations right now but the uk. it is remarkable to me that every— uk. it is remarkable to me that every politician, trump's record low approval— every politician, trump's record low approval ratings and now it is biden in the _ approval ratings and now it is biden in the us _ approval ratings and now it is biden in the us. it's almost as if we live in the us. it's almost as if we live in this— in the us. it's almost as if we live in this age — in the us. it's almost as if we live in this age of information overload where _ in this age of information overload where everybody has an ample reason to reject _ where everybody has an ample reason to reject its _ where everybody has an ample reason to reject its vote, no confidence at all times— to reject its vote, no confidence at all times for— to reject its vote, no confidence at all times for all party leaders. in some _ all times for all party leaders. in some ways — all times for all party leaders. in some ways approval ratings being something different than they did a decade _ something different than they did a decade or— something different than they did a decade or two ago for that reason. when _ decade or two ago for that reason. when you — decade or two ago for that reason. when you look at returns, for hundred and were talking about thousands of people legally and illegally and only for 20 return to the country. i'll bet if i looked at the country. i'll bet if i looked at the american figures it would be just as abject. if you can't return failed asylum—seekers then the asylum system which we all support breaks down. find asylum system which we all support breaks down-— breaks down. and to the average voter, breaks down. and to the average voter. the _ breaks down. and to the average voter, the viewer _ breaks down. and to the average voter, the viewer is _ breaks down. and to the average voter, the viewer is the - breaks down. and to the average voter, the viewer is the most - voter, the viewer is the most dramatic— voter, the viewer is the most dramatic example of government being unable _ dramatic example of government being unable or— dramatic example of government being unable or unwilling to function. you govern— unable or unwilling to function. you govern unable to unwilling quickly. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. bbc news, bringing you different stories from across the uk. on the 10th of december 1993, hundreds of miners took part in this march to mark the end of littleton colliery. 30 years on, some still feel the closure was a mistake. i still firmly believe it was purely a political motive by the then government, because the industry, they didn't like it. it was a huge employer in the staffordshire village of huntington, nearly 2000 miners worked there at its height. you could see where all the coal had been extracted. for some, it was more than just a job, it was a second home. when you get down the pit, it is a different home. it made you feel comfortable. quite a lot of people must think we must be insane to be inside it. but i really enjoyed it, it is hard to believe that i actually enjoyed it. lifelong friendships were made down the pit, ron and ray still go for a drink every friday with other ex—miners. for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. in one of the most significant abortion cases in the united states since the fall of roe v. wade, a texas woman lost a court battle this week to terminate a high—risk pregnancy. kate cox, a 31—year—old mother of two, filed a lawsuit to end a pregnancy she and her doctors said would threaten her life and her future fertility. she is more than twenty weeks pregnant with a foetus that has a rare genetic defect, which usually results in stillbirth or death. the texas supreme court decided the doctors had not made "a convincing enough case". in the event, ms cox had already left the state to seek an abortion elsewhere. but the case highlights a real problem for the healthcare industry. who do you want to decide whether or not kate cox's health at risk is at risk? do you want the attorney general to decide or do you want her doctors to decide? and our position has always been that it is up to the doctors to determine when their patients lives, health and in kate's case, herfuture fertility are at risk. i mean, we're talking about a woman who has two young children who desperately wants to grow her family. and the state of texas is saying, we don't care if you're carrying a nonviable pregnancy. we don't care if your physicians say it's dangerous for your fertility and we don't care what you and your family want. we get to decide. and that is what is so stunning about what's happening here. justine, when we talk about roe v wade all those months back i remember republicans coming on saying it was hyperbole, there will be cases such as this, they were so rare. in fact, there are about 20 cases right now that the texas courts are considering. there are cases similar in kentucky, a lady now in court in kentucky whose baby has already died, the foetus has no and she's having to seek an abortion. is it right that and attorney general and the courts are making these sorts of decisions? i making these sorts of decisions? i don't forget to write it all. i think there's been a huge backward on women's rights, in america a particular to their own health and well—being in the past time since we've seen it roe v wade overturned. where you have states like texas where there is essentially a near total ban on abortions it necessarily means that legal cases are going to focus on these most difficult cases. they absolutely should be decision to buy doctors not byjudges. i should be decision to buy doctors not byjudges— not byjudges. i think that's absolutely _ not byjudges. i think that's absolutely clear. _ not byjudges. i think that's absolutely clear. brian, - not byjudges. i think that's absolutely clear. brian, i. absolutely clear. brian, i appreciate the decision was taken on tuesday. i wanted to bring it up today because it puts republican candidates and effects. they've already lost some fairly close battles in recent elections. let me play you ron desantis and nikki haley and their respective positions and we will talk off the back. we have got to approach these issues with compassion, because these are very difficult issues and nobody would wish this to happen on anybody. if you are in that situation as a mother, that is an incredibly difficult thing to have to deal with. what i can tell you is, in florida, the florida legislators passed a heartbeat bill that contained exceptions for things like rape, incest, life of the mother, fatal foetal defect in victims of human trafficking. and so i signed that bill. these are very difficult cases and they made a prudentialjudgment that having those exceptions were things that made sense. so i have signed legislation that included that, and i understand they are very difficult, and these things get a lot of press attention, i understand, but that is a very small percentage that those exceptions cover. you know i am pro—life. i welcome the states that have become pro—life, but this is exactly why i have said you have to show compassion and humanise the situation. we don't want any women to sit there and deal with their rare situation and have to deliver a baby in that sort of circumstance any more than we want women getting an abortion at 37, 38, 39 weeks. we have to humanise the situation and deal with it with compassion. i think that texas is going to go back and have their medical board look at this and say how should we deal with this? i think every state is going to do that, but at the end of the day, this is about how do we save as many babies as possible and support as many mums as possible? brian, what do you make of those two positions? to brian, what do you make of those two ositions? ., , ., , ., positions? to try to use the word compassion _ positions? to try to use the word compassion over _ positions? to try to use the word compassion over and _ positions? to try to use the word compassion over and over - positions? to try to use the word compassion over and over again. | positions? to try to use the word - compassion over and over again. that is ultimately why this is so salient not just for republicans is ultimately why this is so salient notjust for republicans but now for all voters. 20 years ago this was mostly a battle among a minority in the united states of christian conservatives for whom this was their top priority. as you know, appealing review roe v wade. it's become a topic for many millions of other voters because it puts a sense of freedom on the agenda in a different way. the party of freedom but democrats are now we're the ones with more freedom through protective rights. this is going to continue to be, because of these personal stories this is going to continue to be an agonising conversation i think of the united states. both my children are ivf babies sold through miscarriages come up through the nf process, the medical conversation about reproduction, totally divorced from the political and legal conversation. they are two separate conversations. what's happening in texas as they are clashing, obviously. it'sjudges versus doctors. and now she had to leave the state in order to have this procedure. not to be the last person. and she's not can be the last name that we all know as a result of this.— last name that we all know as a result of this. . , , result of this. the argument is she has the means _ result of this. the argument is she has the means to _ result of this. the argument is she has the means to leave _ result of this. the argument is she has the means to leave the - result of this. the argument is she l has the means to leave the state the state. the women won't be able to leave the state of the poorest. the other part of may, we're going to talk to the polls later, they of the most conservative laws in abortion and lgbtq rights and they look to the united states for leadership on some of these issues. it really does matter around the world what the united states decides when it comes to abortion. united states decides when it comes to abortion. now it's time for the panel... let's start with brian. you want to look at the netflix figures which is interesting. they've been criticised for not being transparent enough. yes, i ate into my own time. i think it's bad what netflix did it, revealing to hollywood in the entire world how many minutes ar