A unilateral decision by parliamentary authorities to rip up plans for the restoration of the Palace of Westminster could result in billions of pounds in extra costs, decades of delay and “extraordinary” health and safety risks, a spending watchdog’s report has warned.

The report by the Commons public accounts committee said there was “no justification” for the decision by the Commissions which run the Houses of Commons and Lords to abolish a sponsor body set up just three years ago to oversee the massive project and instead seek to do the job themselves.

The shock decision in February derailed the sponsor body’s plans finally to present a business case for the works in 2023, more than 20 years after the renovation of the crumbling Victorian landmark was first discussed, reports our political editor Andrew Woodcock.

MPs should block the Australia trade deal because the government has broken a promise to allow it to be scrutinised properly, a damning report says.

Ministers are condemned for trying “to rush it through” – despite evidence that farmers will suffer and the climate crisis has been sacrificed – even as Canberra pauses on ratifying the agreement.

MPs are supposed to be given time to consider if any new trade deal protects human health, animal welfare and the environment before the ratification process begins.

But the Commons international trade committee says it was denied full information until 6 June – yet ratification of the Australia deal has already begun and will conclude on 20 July.

Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick reports:

A former president of the country that has the world’s biggest elephant population has issued a heartfelt plea to Boris Johnson’s government to finally outlaw imports of body parts from hunted animals, after an outcry when ministers postponed a ban.

Ian Khama, who criminalised trophy-hunting in 2014 during his decade as president of Botswana, warned that every day without a ban on hunting trophy imports took elephants nearer to extinction.

“So it’s very important that this is addressed sooner rather than later because the rate of decline of wild species means we’re going to see more and more of these animals becoming endangered and going extinct.”

Read the details in this exclusive by Jane Dalton:

The number of children in England seeking special educational needs and disability (SEND) support from councils has risen by nearly a quarter in a year, according to the latest data.

The Local Government Association has called for emergency action to ensure this rising demand for support is met.

The LGA has said that government needs to resolve the high needs deficits built up by councils as a result of rising costs which outstrip the SEND budgets available to them.

The number of initial requests for an education, health and care plan, setting out the individual SEND support a child needs, fell to 75,951 in 2020, following four consecutive years of increases, and then jumped by 23% to 93,302 in 2021, according to the latest figures.

Read the details in this report:

A proposed new coal mine in Cumbria is “absolutely indefensible”, Climate Change Committee chairman Lord Deben has said.

A decision on whether or not to grant planning permission for the new mine near Whitehaven to source coal for steel production is expected by mid-July following a planning inquiry in 2021.

Environmentalists have warned that demand for coking coal for steel is declining, the coal from the Cumbrian mine would largely not be used in the UK steel industry and it would not replace imported Russian coal.

Read this report to find what Lord Deben said:

A registered kite mark scheme and safety spot checks could be part of government plans to discover the impact of short-term and holiday lets in England’s tourist hotspots.

Tourism minister Nigel Huddleston said a newly launched review seeks to “reap the benefits of the boom in short-term holiday lets while protecting community interests and making sure England has high-quality tourist accommodation”.

No decisions have yet been made, but the review will help “us work out the options to look at so we can protect our much-loved communities and thriving holiday industry”, he added.

Physical checks of properties could be used to ensure regulations covering areas such as health and safety, noise and anti-social behaviour are obeyed.

Read the details here:

Transport secretary Grant Shapps hit out at striking rail unions as he announced a £1bn investment in digital signalling.

He said that giving the go-ahead for the replacement of Victorian signalling infrastructure on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) proves the government is modernising the railways “despite the best efforts of unions”.

But the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) insisted it was a “non-announcement”, as much of the existing system needs replacing anyway.

Mr Shapps is embroiled in a bitter row with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.

More in this report:

There is a “shocking” gap in government efforts to ensure homes are better insulated in the face of soaring energy bills, climate advisers have said.

The Climate Change Committee’s latest report warns that government plans for tackling global warming will not deliver on legal targets to cut emissions in the coming decades.

And the independent advisory committee singled out energy efficiency to make UK homes less leaky and cheaper to heat, along with a lack of action on farming emissions, as particular problem areas.

In its annual report to Parliament on the progress being made to tackle the UK’s contribution to climate change, the committee called for action to address the rising cost of living that is in line with cutting emissions to zero over all - known as net zero - by 2050.

Read the details here:

Boris Johnson has revealed that he had a “frank” exchange with Argentina’s president Alberto Fernandez about British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands at the G7 conference.

The PM shared his displeasure that the subject was raised when the leaders met at the margins of the summit in Germany shortly after the 40th anniversary of the war over the South Atlantic islands.

Asked if he was disappointed Mr Fernandez had brought up British control, Mr Johnson told reporters: “Yeah”, before saying he had offered a reminder that the matter was settled.

“It had been decided decisively over many, many years, and I saw no reason for us to engage in a substantive discussion about it,” the PM said on his journey from the G7 to the Nato summit in Madrid.

Read the details in this report by Adam Forrest:

Boris Johnson has said Russian president Vladimir Putin would not have started the “crazy, macho” war in Ukraine if he were a woman.

He made the comments after the G7 summit in Bavaria. Speaking with German broadcaster ZDF, he said: “If Putin was a woman, which he obviously isn’t, but if he were, I really don’t think he would’ve embarked on a crazy, macho war of invasion and violence in the way that he has.

He made the comments arguing that “you need more women in positions of power”.

Mr Johnson also said the G7 meeting had been “incredible” as leaders “got closer and closer”.

“The logic is yes of course people all want the war to end, they want the war to end desperately, but there’s no deal available.

“Putin isn’t making an offer of a deal, (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky can’t make an offer of a deal”.