Contributions
2,622 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBrexit: No-deal Ferry ContractsI would like to focus on the first of those questions: what exactly was the benefit to the taxpayer? The benefit was that the taxpayer had an insurance policy. Like many…01 May 2019HANSARDBrexit: No-deal Ferry ContractsIt would be inappropriate for me to commit to that at this time, but I am sure that the Government are listening.01 May 2019HANSARDBrexit: No-deal Ferry ContractsNo deal remains the legal default. I remind the noble Baroness that had no deal happened—obviously, we hope that it does not in future, either—there would have been a significant…01 May 2019HANSARDBrexit: No-deal Ferry ContractsI believe that the money will have come from the no-deal Brexit funds made available from the Treasury. If that is not the case, I will of course write to the noble Lord. I did…01 May 2019HANSARDBrexit: No-deal Ferry ContractsThere were a couple of points there from the noble Baroness, for which I am grateful. Knowing what I know now from my short time in the department and from my time as a Defra…01 May 2019HANSARDBrexit: No-deal Ferry ContractsThe noble Lord is right that this particular insurance policy falls away because these were six-month contracts, and now that we have the extension to 31 October the contracts are…01 May 2019HANSARDBrexit: No-deal Ferry ContractsI really wish I had not paused for breath at that particular moment. Discussions will happen with the Department of Health and Social Care, Defra and BEIS, and we will all look at…01 May 2019HANSARDRailways: Midland Main LineAh, but the devil is in the detail. We said that we will end diesel-only trains by 2040, so bi-modes do not count. It is worth pointing out that the bi-modes we expect Abellio to…25 Apr 2019HANSARDRailways: Midland Main LineI am afraid to disappoint the noble Baroness but the Minister does not accept that. We looked at the costs and benefits of the full electrification of this line and concluded…25 Apr 2019HANSARDRailways: Midland Main LineI thank my noble friend, although I am not sure of the heating benefits of a tie, having never worn one. Of course, we must look at passengers’ comfort when they travel. Many…25 Apr 2019HANSARDRailways: Midland Main LineI agree with much of what the noble Lord said. We recognise that there are challenges across our rail network. That is why we are investing £48 billion over the next five years.…25 Apr 2019HANSARDRailways: Midland Main LineElectrification is merely a form of propulsion for trains. It is not the be-all and end-all. It comes at a cost, sometimes to local communities. For example, if we use bi-mode…25 Apr 2019HANSARDRailways: Midland Main LineI thank the noble Lord for his kind words and pay tribute to my predecessor, my noble friend Lady Sugg. People say to me, “She was a very good Minister, you know?”—yes, I know…25 Apr 2019HANSARDRailways: Midland Main LineMy Lords, the midland main line enhancement programme will extend electrification from Bedford to Kettering and, subject to design, Market Harborough. Further to this, HS2 phase…25 Apr 2019HANSARDAir Quality (Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles Database) (England and Wales) Regulations 2019That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 31 January be approved.11 Apr 2019HANSARDAir Quality (Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles Database) (England and Wales) Regulations 2019I thank all noble Lords for their contributions to this short debate. I am very pleased that I had the Question on air pollution earlier this week. It was a bit of a heads-up as…11 Apr 2019HANSARDAir Quality (Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles Database) (England and Wales) Regulations 2019My Lords, this instrument, if approved by Parliament and made, will require licensing authorities in England and Wales to supply certain information relating to taxis and private…11 Apr 2019HANSARDAir Quality (Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles Database) (England and Wales) Regulations 2019I thank the noble Lord for his kind words. I do not have that information and I am not entirely sure that it exists. If it does, I will certainly write to him, with a copy to all…11 Apr 2019HANSARDAir Quality (Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles Database) (England and Wales) Regulations 2019I thank the noble Lord for his intervention. I was not saying that the local authority would have the information, but one would certainly expect it—particularly if it was a…11 Apr 2019HANSARDPlastic PollutionI thank my noble friend for that question. As someone who is running the London marathon this year, I will be appalled at the number of plastic bottles there will be by the…10 Apr 2019