‘Daft’ for Streeting to suggest assisted dying law would cost NHS, says former Labour minister - as it happened

Wes Streeting leaves 10 Downing Street. Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing/Getty Images

5.45pm GMT

Afternoon summary

• Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has been criticised by Labour colleagues for his comments yesterday suggesting the assisted dying bill would create a cost for the NHS. The Labour MP promoting the bill, Kim Leadbeater, and Margaret Hodge, a former Labour minister, have both suggested he has breached the rule saying ministers are meant to be neutral on this issue and should not be trying to sway the public debate. (See 12.32pm and 3.38pm.)

• More than 250 unpaid carers risk criminal prosecution after falling foul of draconian benefit rules in the past six months, official figures reveal.

• Income fell on almost all farm types in England last year, as extreme weather hit yields and the government cut subsidies.

• The UK government has promised to introduce tougher enforcement action against airlines that fail to protect customers from losses caused by flight disruption after an inquiry into last August’s air traffic meltdown, which led to more than 700,000 people facing delays and cancellations.

• MPs have supported extending measures designed to increase representation of women bishops in the House of Lords, PA Media reports. The Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 (extension) bill continues for a further five years the policy of filling any vacancies that appear on the bishop’s benches in the unelected house with female bishops. It received an unopposed second reading in the Commons this afternoon and will undergo further scrutiny at a later date.

5.38pm GMT

Six Labour MPs appointed as parliamentary private secretaries

Six Labour MPs have been appointed parliamentary private secretaries. As ministerial aides, they don’t get a salary, but they are deemed part of the “payroll vote” and being a PPS is normally the first step to becoming a minister.

They are:

Matthew Patrick – Department for Culture, Media and Sport / Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology

Josh Simons– Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Lucy Rigby – Ministry of Justice

Gordon McKee – Department for Work and Pensions

Claire Hughes – Department for Business and Trade

Julie Minns – Department for Transport