Contributions
408 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCoronavirus Business Interruption Loan SchemeI do not expect the Minister to agree with me but it seems to the business community that the business interruption loan scheme has largely failed SMEs because the banks were not…12 May 2020HANSARDNational Asylum Support ServiceMy Lords, my noble friend Lady Doocey outlined the shocking plight of refugees, who are forced to make the impossible choice between enduring dangerously unsanitary conditions…06 May 2020HANSARDDomestic ViolenceDo the Government not recognise that migrant women, because they have no recourse to public funds, are in great danger of being turned away from refuges? Will the Government…05 May 2020HANSARDEmployment Allowance (Increase of Maximum Amount) Regulations 2020My Lords, unlike my noble friend Lord German and the other speakers this afternoon, I do not know a lot about tax—I did not even when I was an entrepreneur. I hope that the House…05 May 2020HANSARDDomestic AbuseTo ask Her Majesty’s Government what practical measures they are taking to address domestic abuse as part of their strategy on the COVID-19 pandemic.29 Apr 2020HANSARDDomestic AbuseThe shocking increase in domestic violence, with a doubling of deaths and a 50% increase in calls to helplines, shows that there is more than one kind of epidemic happening in…29 Apr 2020HANSARDDivorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill [HL]I am very grateful to the noble and right reverend Lord, and I totally agree. I am just going on to talk about the information that we should be making available at all stages.…17 Mar 2020HANSARDDivorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill [HL]My Lords, we have gone round the houses a bit but the amendments in this group are about information to applicants. Amendment 5 would require the Lord Chancellor to ensure that…17 Mar 2020HANSARDDivorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill [HL]My Lords, I sympathise very strongly with this amendment, which as we have discussed deals with the vexed question of service. There is a balance to be struck where there is one…17 Mar 2020HANSARDDivorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill [HL]My Lords, these amendments by the noble Lord, Lord Farmer, would add a number of conditions or barriers that would mean that a statement of irretrievable breakdown would not be…17 Mar 2020HANSARDDivorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill [HL]My Lords, I associate myself totally with the wise and experienced words of the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss, and the noble Baroness, Lady Shackleton. I can well…17 Mar 2020HANSARDNational Minimum Wage (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020In response to one of my questions, the Minister said the performance bonus is included in the minimum wage calculation. If a worker does not earn a bonus, does this mean they…16 Mar 2020HANSARDNational Minimum Wage (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020My Lords, I thank the Minister for his explanations. He has gone some way to answering some of my questions. The amendments seem reasonably straightforward. They are very welcome…16 Mar 2020HANSARDWell-beingMy Lords, it is an absolute pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Bird. I wish his Bill—the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill—every success. I will talk about something that…12 Mar 2020HANSARDWomen’s RefugesAs the Minister said, the requirement to provide refuge funding will be included in the Domestic Abuse Bill, and that is extremely welcome. Will the Minister clarify whether…10 Mar 2020HANSARDEqual Pay LegislationMy Lords, one fundamental reason why pay discrimination continues to be so prevalent is the lack of pay transparency in our workplaces. Given that eight out of 10 companies pay…10 Mar 2020HANSARDInternational Women’s DayMy Lords, International Women’s Day does not belong to any single country or group or organisation—it is global and it is for all of us—and that has been reflected in the wide…10 Mar 2020HANSARDSub-postmasters: CompensationMy Lords, we on these Benches welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to an independent inquiry into what he described as a “scandal”. We hope that those who did not take legal…05 Mar 2020HANSARDCrown Prosecution Service: Rape CasesIn its thematic review of rape cases, the CPS concluded that, if 58,657 allegations of rape were made in the year ending March 2019 but only 1,000 successful prosecutions…05 Mar 2020HANSARDNational Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2020My Lords, it would be churlish not to congratulate the Government on achieving their target of 60% of median earnings this year. I also welcome the increased funding for…03 Mar 2020