Contributions
967 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPublic Order BillMy Lords, I thank the Government for Motion C—yes, I did say that. In very turbulent and polarised times in our country, it is a real pleasure to be able to welcome it. Noble…14 Mar 2023HANSARDInternational Women’s DayIt was a joke, mate.10 Mar 2023HANSARDInternational Women’s DayI wish a belated happy International Women’s Day to your Lordships—your “Lordships” again; never mind—and I congratulate the Minister on bringing forward this debate and noble…10 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillMy Lords, I wonder whether I could speak, because I will respond directly to the noble Baroness opposite. To be clear, I support all the amendments in this group, but I will…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI appreciate that the framework of the Bill as a whole is not the Minister’s responsibility; he is in Committee to talk about health services in particular. So I will ask him a…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill“Health services” need not be as broad in the Bill. In his gracious response, the Minister talked about the life and death level of risk. If that is the case, why should the…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillMy Lords, I will try to be brief to help the Minister. In a throwaway remark, I think, at Second Reading, he said, with his usual flair and panache, something like, “I notice that…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillSurely the special point about railways is that the Government are contractor as well as legislator. What is being probed by my noble friends is whether it is appropriate for the…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI will respond, briefly, to the noble Baroness, and I am grateful to her for her ability to disagree well. First, I point out that many of the fundamental employment rights that…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillMy Lords, it is with a heavy heart that I welcome the Minister—the noble Lord, Lord Markham—to this Committee. That heavy heart is for a few reasons. The first is that in his time…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI do not find this kind of deliberate strife—a confected division of our very troubled country—amusing at all, and I look forward if not to the noble Baroness’s response then to…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI am grateful to the Minister. I think the two points that are emerging, that I would be grateful for assistance with from the Minister, go like this. The first is that on one…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillCan the Minister explain why this approach to the legislation was adopted? I know why I object to it. I know why the noble and learned Lord, Lord Judge, objects to it. I have a…09 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillI am sorry to press the Minister once more on my noble friend Lord Hendy’s point, but I do not think it is inappropriate because it goes to an important principle in this…09 Mar 2023HANSARDWomen and Men: Pay GapWill the Minister reflect on whether we have a historic fatal flaw in equal pay legislation? We leave it to women themselves to find out the comparators and sue their employers.…08 Mar 2023HANSARDIndependent Public AdvocateIn the same spirit as that question from the noble Lord, Lord Carlile of Berriew, I have a concern about equality of arms in terms of representation before inquests and inquiries…02 Mar 2023HANSARDStrikes (Minimum Service Levels) BillMy Lords, “The trade unions are a long-established and essential part of our national life. We take our stand by these pillars of our British society as it has gradually developed…21 Feb 2023HANSARDCivil Service: Digital SkillsMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for the Question about skills but values are just as important as skills in the digital space. Could the Minister tell your Lordships’…20 Feb 2023HANSARDPublic Order Bill07 Feb 2023HANSARDPublic Order BillMy Lords, I rise in support of my noble friend Lord Coaker and of my friend the distinguished former police officer and consistent advocate for rights and freedoms, the noble…07 Feb 2023