Contributions
1,897 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, that was probably a bit more helpful than I had anticipated, in that it fleshed out some of our really quite fundamental concerns. The noble Baroness, Lady Deech, made a…20 Mar 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill20 Mar 2024HANSARDUnited Kingdom: UnionMy Lords, it is a real pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Humphreys; her comments on strengthening and protecting devolution were thoughtful and very helpful. I thank the…14 Mar 2024HANSARDCovid-19: Lockdown Costs and BenefitsMy Lords, throughout the pandemic, the great British public stepped up, stuck to the rules and did everything asked of them, from staying indoors to volunteering at vaccine…13 Mar 2024HANSARDScottish Government: Devolved CompetencesMy Lords, of course the Minister is right that it will be the people of Scotland who have the final say on the performance of the Scottish Government and their choice of…13 Mar 2024HANSARDMinisters: Legal CostsMy Lords, if the chilling effect were to extend to preventing Ministers posting things on social media at midnight, we might all be able to live with that. The Minister said that…12 Mar 2024HANSARDLocal Regeneration: Industrial AreasIt is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett of Manor Castle. I did not agree with absolutely everything she said but I welcome the fact that she has recently…07 Mar 2024HANSARDLocal Regeneration: Industrial AreasI in no way wish to besmirch those on the panel that conducted the report—they did what they were asked to do—but the report has raised more questions than it has answered and…07 Mar 2024HANSARDHigher EducationMy Lords, it is a pleasure to follow my friend the noble Lord, Lord Bilimoria, who speaks with such insight, enthusiasm and, I have to say, speed on this important topic. Before I…07 Mar 2024HANSARDUK Population GrowthMy Lords, as we have heard, the UK population is increasing, but it is also ageing, with a declining proportion of the population now of working age. There were just over 600,000…04 Mar 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, I think the best way to approach a Bill such as this is for me to be completely straightforward with the House. We on these Benches oppose this Bill. We do not support…20 Feb 2024HANSARDSuccession to Peerages and Baronetcies Bill [HL]My Lords, I have no interest to declare in considering this Bill. When I first saw the Bill’s Title, I thought we were going to get one thing; on reading the Bill, it turned out…09 Feb 2024HANSARDTata Steel: Port TalbotMy Lords, sadly, the community in Teesside experienced almost 10 years ago what the community in south Wales is about to endure, and the development that Ministers speak about at…07 Feb 2024HANSARDDevolved Authorities: Expenditure outwith CompetencesMy Lords, further to the question asked by my noble friend Lady Ritchie, we very much welcome the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland. But in the letter to the…05 Feb 2024HANSARDCivil Servants: Working from HomeMy Lords, it is certainly true that the Government ought to think much harder about their approach to the Civil Service. The overuse of external consultants, for example, is…01 Feb 2024HANSARDTeesworks Joint VentureMy Lords, the report says clearly that the measures in place “do not meet the standards expected when managing public funds”. I have read the recommendations and I look forward to…30 Jan 2024HANSARDTeesworks Joint VentureMy Lords, I am afraid that allegations of illegality and corruption were not the only allegations that led to this review. There were also allegations of a lack of transparency…30 Jan 2024HANSARDExtreme Weather: ResilienceMy Lords, I echo the words of the Minister in saying how sorry we all were to hear of the loss of four lives as a result of Storms Isha and Jocelyn in the UK and Ireland. Our…24 Jan 2024HANSARDFreedom of InformationMy Lords, the Information Commissioner has found that some government departments have a consistently poor level of performance for FoI request handling. Departments find ways to…23 Jan 2024HANSARDNon-custodial Sentences: Public ConfidenceMy Lords, pre-sentence reports are vital to improving the effectiveness of community sentences. They allow courts to tailor sentences, and give sentencers confidence that the…22 Jan 2024