Contributions
958 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDKnife Crime: Violence Reduction UnitsCan I just challenge the Minister? He suggested that in the future, VRUs will depend on match funding and non-governmental sources of money. Surely, violence reduction and the…20 Feb 2024HANSARDPost Office Horizon Scandal: Compensation PaymentsMy Lords, the noble and gallant Lord’s question was about not compensation but the issue of funding the correction of the software to the tune of £150 million. The entirely…19 Feb 2024HANSARDWorkers (Economic Affairs Committee Report)My Lords, I was privileged to be part of the committee that delivered this report, serving under the noble Lord, Lord Bridges, who has so effectively presented the conclusions in…08 Feb 2024HANSARDBuy Now, Pay Later: RegulationMy Lords, a number of the firms that provide buy now, pay later—which are of course unregulated schemes currently—are seeking authorisation from the FCA also to offer regulated…07 Feb 2024HANSARDHigh Street Banks and Banking HubsMy Lords, this has been a very short debate, but my goodness it has been a very powerful one—including the example we have just heard from the noble Lord, Lord Hacking. I have…25 Jan 2024HANSARDPension InvestmentsMy Lords, I am keen to see increased domestic investment in the UK economy, but is it appropriate to put pension money from small pots—people who cannot afford to lose part of…23 Jan 2024HANSARDPublic Offers and Admissions to Trading Regulations 2023My Lords, I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Swinburne, who has stepped in at the last minute today. We send our wishes that the noble Baroness, Lady Vere, recovers from her…16 Jan 2024HANSARDDriving Licence: Young and Newly Qualified DriversMy Lords, many Members of this House are grandparents with teenage grandchildren. I say as one of them that it is exceedingly alarming to know that a new driver who has just…15 Jan 2024HANSARDHMRC: Tax ReturnsMy Lords, I wonder whether the Minister is aware that so many people have become so intimidated and discouraged by the process of trying to claim a tax repayment that an industry…10 Jan 2024HANSARDNatWest: Account Terminations and Branch ClosuresMy Lords, I think we have something like 20 banking hubs—the Minister will correct me if I am wrong, but it is a piffling number. Will she assure me that, in the statutory…10 Jan 2024HANSARDRefugees: Notice Period for Home Office AccommodationMy Lords, I wonder if the Minister would actually answer the question from the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of London. She made the point that sources—I assume they are…18 Dec 2023HANSARDFinancial Stability: Private Equity FirmsMy Lords, the Minister should take the Question from the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett, very seriously. A very large part of the private equity market is heavily overleveraged,…13 Dec 2023HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) BillYou cannot eat a percentage of income. Going out and buying a loaf of bread costs you just the same whether you are a high earner or a low earner. So, using the percentage of…12 Dec 2023HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) BillMy Lords, it is customary at this point to thank all those who have helped us with the Bill. The arduous task of taking it through has perhaps been one of the lighter moments of…12 Dec 2023HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) BillMy Lords, I start by thanking the noble Baroness, Lady Primarolo, because the point she raised is one I think we did not raise in our discussion of the Autumn Statement and…12 Dec 2023HANSARDRefurbishing Trains: ContractsMy Lords, could the Minister unpack the statement he has made, which sounds so very reassuring, that the Government will abide by the contract for the purchase of trains for phase…12 Dec 2023HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) BillI was very tactful not to point out that the Minister, as with all Conservatives— I think they have probably signed an oath somewhere—did not mention Brexit and the economic…12 Dec 2023HANSARDBanking HubsMy Lords, surely the Minister has hit the nail on the head: the weakness of the current banking hub system is its voluntary character. That could be corrected with a relatively…11 Dec 2023HANSARDPayment and Electronic Money Institution Insolvency (Amendment) Regulations 2023My Lords, this instrument seems to make good sense and we certainly have no intention of opposing it. I have just three questions. First, I understand that it was always…06 Dec 2023HANSARDAutumn Statement 2023My Lords, first, I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Vere, to the Government’s Treasury Front Bench. Last week we debated a statutory instrument and I failed, until very late in…29 Nov 2023