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297 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, all these amendments are unnecessary as, in my opinion, there will be no next stage of reform at any time soon—certainly not in this Parliament. The drivers for this…25 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I am at one with the noble Baroness the Leader about Mr Gove and York, but can she explain why she cannot blow the dust off the royal commission report—the Wakeham…25 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, the previous Labour Government commissioned a royal commission, chaired by my noble friend Lord Wakeham, which looked very carefully at all these matters about a well…25 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I agree with the general thrust of these amendments. When I came to your Lordships’ House in 1992, to get from the House of Commons to the House of Lords you had to have…25 Mar 2025HANSARDCommercial Vehicles: SafetyMy Lords, I wish the Minister a happy birthday. There are 600,000 professional HGV drivers in the United Kingdom. We operate 400,000 HGVs. The Library tells us that only one…19 Mar 2025HANSARDUkraine: UK PolicyMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Skidelsky, for securing this QSD. I do not agree with much that he said, apart from that I agree that European countries should pay…17 Mar 2025HANSARDNorth Sea Vessel CollisionMy Lords, first, can the Minister confirm that the SOSREP system instigated in the report by Lord Donaldson of Lymington, Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas , is in place? Secondly, in…13 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, at the risk of being sent to a re-education camp by my Chief Whip, I find the noble and learned Lord’s argument more persuasive. However, I gave no notice to the…12 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI was delighted to plan to stay overnight in Ipswich; what happened was that the abnormal load movement got cancelled, but I was still faced with the cost of the hotel, and I…12 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I just say that I will have to leave at 10 pm, but I think we have time for me to make a speech. I am not convinced that this is a good idea, although I understand my…12 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I remind the Committee that I intend to retire in the spring and would need a great deal of persuading not to do so. I did not speak to the previous amendment. I had…12 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for moving his amendment. However, I am not convinced that it is a very good idea, not least because it would alter the constitution and…12 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I do not actually believe in God. However, just in case, I always seek to adhere to the highest ethical and moral standards, especially so far as public life is…12 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, as I intimated in the previous group, noble Lords who remain after the hereditaries have gone will come under increasing media pressure on the grounds that many are far…10 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, with the demise of the “good chaps” theory of government, articulated by the noble Lord, Lord Hennessy, the amendments tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Newby, and my noble…10 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords—10 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, my first point in response to the noble Lord, Lord Grocott, is that the Bill will pass—the noble Lord does not need to worry about that. Secondly, simple constitutional…10 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, the noble Baroness is of course absolutely correct on her point and I strongly support her. The issue of fixed-term peerages or membership of the House is indeed closely…10 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, the difficulty with the noble Lord’s suggestion, in my case, is that I would be relying upon knowing the leader of my party. I do not properly know any of the party…03 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI am grateful for the kind things the noble Lord said to me, but the fact of the matter is that I do not know any of the leaders of my party. I do not know David Cameron—my noble…03 Mar 2025