Contributions
42 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDVisas: Highly Skilled PeopleTo ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact on economic growth of trends in the number of visas granted to highly skilled people.26 Nov 2025HANSARDVisas: Highly Skilled PeopleI thank my noble friend for his Answer. Since I tabled this Question, there have been changes to the planned settlement arrangements for the UK. It is encouraging to see that…26 Nov 2025HANSARDExxonMobil: MossmorranMy Lords, I refer noble Lords to my registered interests. I welcome the Minister’s statement, in response to the noble Lord, Lord Fox, about the establishment of a task force,…24 Nov 2025HANSARDBritish CouncilMy Lords, I declare my interests as on the register. My noble friend the Minister will have the sentiment of the House on this matter and the overdue delay in resolving a…11 Nov 2025HANSARDPlant-based DietMy Lords, my noble friend the Minister referenced the Government’s food strategy that was published in July. We are still waiting for the implementation plans. In the development…28 Oct 2025HANSARDPost-16 Education and Skills StrategyMy Lords, I too welcome the Statement. I want to probe the issue of franchising in the higher education sector. I am delighted to see the Government take action, but, as the…22 Oct 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) BillMy Lords, it is not easy to be speaker 108, but it is presumably even harder to be speaker 168. As a relatively new Member of your Lordships’ House, for me, last week’s debate was…19 Sept 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, I rise to speak on this group of amendments with some trepidation, not just because it is incredibly late but because, as my accent suggests, I come from Scotland. This…16 Sept 2025HANSARDGlobal Plastic Pollution TreatyTo ask His Majesty’s Government how they are supporting progress on the global plastic pollution treaty.11 Sept 2025HANSARDGlobal Plastic Pollution TreatyI thank my noble friend the Minister for her Answer. As she says, in light of the rejection of any limits on plastic production by Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran and the United States…11 Sept 2025HANSARDMiddle EastMy Lords, I would like to follow the remark just made by my noble friend about the lessons from southern Africa; I would not presume to be any more expert than he is on that…01 Sept 2025HANSARDState of Climate and NatureMy Lords, the debate we have had on the Statement illustrates the value of maintaining the cross-party consensus that we have had on this subject to date. I was going to ask my…21 Jul 2025HANSARDUnited Kingdom: Soft PowerMy Lords, I declare my interest as the vice-chair of the British Council. As has been acknowledged, the British Council is a vital soft power interest for the United Kingdom. I…15 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxI thank the Minister for his Answer. He will be aware that in May the National Audit Office reported on collecting the right tax from wealthy individuals. It noted that…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUnpaid TaxTo ask His Majesty’s Government how much tax they estimate is unpaid each year, and what steps they are taking in response.07 Jul 2025HANSARDUK Constitution: Oversight and Responsibility (Report from the Constitution Committee)My Lords, like my noble friend Lord Pitkeathley, I rise to speak not as a lawyer, a judge or a senior Whitehall insider—I cannot bring the insider wisdom that we have heard so…04 Jul 2025HANSARDHealthy Life ExpectancyI thank my noble friend for her Answer. She may be aware that, this morning, the Health Foundation published a new international benchmarking report. It highlights that, in the…20 May 2025HANSARDHealthy Life ExpectancyTo ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to reverse recent declines in healthy life expectancy, and to address poverty-related inequalities in life expectancy.20 May 2025HANSARDPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) BillMy Lords, I too look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Spielman, and I congratulate her on her having a debate to herself in that regard. My antecedents…15 May 2025HANSARDChurch of Scotland (Lord High Commissioner) BillMy Lords, like other noble Lords, I welcome this Bill and look forward to Lady Elish opening the General Assembly in May. By any measure, this is an overdue Bill. We have just…19 Mar 2025