Contributions
904 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDDeclining Birth RatesMy Lords, I, too, thank the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, for her choice of subject—what a neatly symmetrical pairing it was. I wish I could have been here for the earlier debate.…04 Jun 2026HANSARDBosnia and HerzegovinaMy Lords, the Minister has acknowledged rightly that we do not just close the door on history; it has a very long tail. Civilians affected by the wars in the Balkans still suffer…02 Jun 2026HANSARDRetirement and Participation CommitteeMy Lords, I wish we had extra time today in order to hear more from the noble Lord, Lord Hennessy. It is so fitting that it is he who speaks of civility, tolerance and duty of…18 May 2026HANSARDKing’s SpeechMy Lords, I wish we had extra time today in order to hear more from the noble Lord, Lord Hennessy. It is so fitting that it is he who speaks of civility, tolerance and duty of…18 May 2026HANSARDStudent VisasMy Lords, the Government are about to introduce a new independent appeals body for asylum cases. Would it not be better to focus on raising the quality of initial decisions,…27 Apr 2026HANSARDImmigration and Asylum (Provision of Accommodation to Failed Asylum-Seekers) (Amendment) Regulations 2026My Lords, I apologise that there will be some repetition of what certain noble friends, in the best sense of the word, have said. These SIs have not surprised me but I am rather…21 Apr 2026HANSARDStatement of Changes in Immigration RulesMy Lords, I do not expect that my first point will gain overwhelming sympathy, but the challenge of following the detail of changes in Immigration Rules—it is not particular to…14 Apr 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillMy Lords, I will focus on the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Hacking, and the noble Baroness, Lady Jones. We seem to have done a bit of mini-regrouping within the group, but…10 Mar 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillMy Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Chakrabarti, and I were members of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee of this House, which was formed only in 2020. Our first inquiry and…10 Mar 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillThe noble Lord seems to be suggesting that the Victims’ Commissioner does not now engage with individual cases. My understanding is that she very much does, but to feed towards…11 Feb 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillThe noble and learned Lord has said what I wanted to say much more sensitively and tactfully, but I will say what I was going to say. There is a danger that lawyers of my…11 Feb 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillMy Lords, the noble and learned Lord has inevitably given us a very brief tour d’horizon of the problems of the costs and charges of the legal profession getting out of hand.…11 Feb 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillMy Lords, it is six years since the noble Baroness, Lady Chakrabarti, and I were among the members of a newly formed committee that looked at—I do not think I have got the title…11 Feb 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillMy Lords, I appreciate that the noble and learned Lord is probing at this stage and I am with him in wanting to see procedures from the point of view of victims, but I simply do…09 Feb 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillMy Lords, the noble Lord has just used the phrase “common sense”, and I think that that is what is expected by people who are affected, who know that they could look to consular…09 Feb 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillMy Lords, I have signed all three of my noble friend Baroness Brinton’s amendments. I will not speak to them at any length. Amendment 38 prompts me to declare an interest, having…09 Feb 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillMy Lords, my noble friend quoted from a briefing from the Victims’ Commissioner, I think from when she was the London victims’ commissioner, about the costs that have been charged…09 Feb 2026HANSARDAsylum and Immigration: ChildrenMy Lords, the impact of these proposals is not only personal to individual children—although, indeed, it is hard to think of a situation more likely to provide adverse childhood…27 Jan 2026HANSARDSentencing BillMy Lords, my noble friend Lord Marks will no doubt repeat some of the niceties, but I too am glad to see this step forward. I shall ask the Minister some questions on the…21 Jan 2026HANSARDVictims and Courts BillMy Lords, I thank the Minister for her persuasive introduction to the Bill and hope that the noble Baroness, Lady Griffin, is soon dancing around the Chamber again. I start before…16 Dec 2025