Contributions
159 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSteel Industry (Nationalisation) BillMy Lords, I too offer my warm congratulations to my noble friend the Minister on his appointment. I strongly welcome this Bill for the simple reason that our country must have a…16 Jun 2026 · 6d agoHANSARDFurther Education Colleges: Recovery of VATMy Lords, another funding disparity currently planned for the next academic year relates to funding for free meals for students from poorer backgrounds. I strongly welcome the…09 Jun 2026HANSARDDeclining Birth RatesMy thanks, too, to my noble friend for opening this debate. My Lords, it seems ironic that some of the very same politicians who framed the falling birth rate as a crisis have…04 Jun 2026HANSARDWorld Cup Ticket PricesMy Lords, the magnificent parade through Highbury and Holloway on Sunday proved that football can and should be a sport for everyone from every background. But, as we have heard,…03 Jun 2026HANSARDHigher Earners: EmigrationMy Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware of the hard data provided by Patriotic Millionaires, which shows that the strong majority are proud to live in this country,…21 May 2026HANSARDSelf-employed: Paternity LeaveMy Lords, it is nearly a year since the Women and Equalities Committee recommended the introduction of a paternal allowance for self-employed working fathers and other parents,…20 May 2026HANSARDHealthy Life Expectancy: EnglandMy Lords, ever since the Marmot report, we have known that poor-quality employment is a key driver of lower healthy life expectancy. The Employment Rights Act is a big step…18 May 2026HANSARDKing’s SpeechMy Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Redwood, and to perhaps offer a slightly different perspective. I declare my interest as a member of the Great British…14 May 2026HANSARDRail Safety Recommendations: BacklogMy Lords, does my noble friend the Minister agree that both the department and the regulator need to focus sharply on the root causes of accidents? They include the fragmentation…28 Apr 2026HANSARDMiddle East: Economic UpdateMy Lords, does my noble friend the Minister agree that conflict in the Middle East underlines the case for ever-stronger relationships with the EU, including on trade? Secondly,…28 Apr 2026HANSARDSteel SectorMy Lords, both sides of the steel industry have welcomed government plans to speed up grid connections and make it easier for developers to build their own grid connections. All…23 Apr 2026HANSARDBusiness Improvement District Ballots: Digital VotingIs my noble friend aware of research showing that low-paid workers are much more likely to spend their wages on the local high street and in the local economy? Will she join me in…20 Apr 2026HANSARDChild Poverty and Homelessness: Asylum and Settlement PoliciesMy Lords, the Government are to be congratulated on the fair pay agreement in the social care sector, because we know that one of the best routes out of poverty for children is…14 Apr 2026HANSARDSmall Boat Deaths: Cranston Inquiry ReportMy Lords, we know that war and conflict is the key driver of the number of refugees and asylum seekers. Given the state of the world, what is my noble friend the Minister’s…25 Mar 2026HANSARDEU Directive: Adequate Minimum WagesI thank my noble friend for that reply, and I welcome this Government’s determination to deepen relations with the EU and ensure that UK workers’ rights do not fall behind those…18 Mar 2026HANSARDEU Directive: Adequate Minimum WagesTo ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages and the merits of introducing similar provision in the United Kingdom.18 Mar 2026HANSARDCrime and Policing BillI remind my noble friend that in Committee a number of us raised the statement that was issued by a whole range of civic society organisations, whose members often live in the…09 Mar 2026HANSARDInternational Women’s DayMy Lords, ladies, sisters and brothers, I congratulate everyone who has chosen to give their maiden speech on International Women’s Day. I have to admit that I struggled with how…06 Mar 2026HANSARDCrime and Policing BillMy Lords, I will be very brief, partly to remind all noble Lords that the shop workers’ union, USDAW, under Joanne Thomas, the current leader, Paddy Lillis before her and, indeed,…04 Mar 2026HANSARDCrime and Policing BillBefore the Minister sits down, I think there was appetite among many of us to see the beginnings of a strategy for each sector that we know is facing rising violence. I know that…04 Mar 2026