Contributions
920 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD 5G Masts: Greater ManchesterI do not want to mislead the House in any way. My understanding is that there are requirements on some companies, particularly Openreach, for infrastructure sharing. That is not…13 Mar 2024HANSARD 5G Masts: Greater ManchesterIt sounds as though my hon. Friend has some very hard-working councillors. I commend them for their efforts, but they should not have to play whack-a-mole; that is very…13 Mar 2024HANSARD 5G Masts: Greater ManchesterThat was an interesting intervention. I have never discussed the idea of sharing lamp posts or infrastructure of that nature. Not long after becoming Minister in this policy area,…13 Mar 2024HANSARDZoological Society of London (Leases) BillI thank my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East for introducing this very important private Member’s Bill on the maximum lease term that may be granted to the Zoological Society…28 Feb 2024HANSARDZoological Society of London (Leases) BillThat is a good question. I am going to speculate that it is because it is to do with the Royal Parks estate— [ Interruption. ] Everybody is nodding, so I am going to say that I am…28 Feb 2024HANSARDZoological Society of London (Leases) BillI confess that the same point struck me as I was looking at the Bill. Other organisations that come under the Crown Estate Act 1961 have had to go through this convoluted and…28 Feb 2024HANSARDZoological Society of London (Leases) BillThe hon. Lady makes a very important point about the fantastic collaboration between zoos, not only in this country but across the globe. ZSL has long been at the forefront of…28 Feb 2024HANSARDZoological Society of London (Leases) BillI very much appreciate my right hon. Friend’s intervention. She leads me to some of the challenges that may arise in future stages of this Bill. I shall certainly endeavour to…28 Feb 2024HANSARD BBC News Impartiality: Government's RoleIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Bardell. I thank my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Northampton North (Sir Michael Ellis) for securing an…27 Feb 2024HANSARD BBC News Impartiality: Government's RoleThat is the point that I am trying to make. We do not seek to interfere with the BBC editorially, but where there is a risk that trust and faith in the organisation will be…27 Feb 2024HANSARD BBC News Impartiality: Government's RoleI was referring to the next staging posts down the line. My hon. Friend the Member for Stone suggested that the mid-term review was not meaty enough for his tastes, so I was…27 Feb 2024HANSARD BBC News Impartiality: Government's RoleMy hon. Friend and I discussed the mid-term review and its findings just before it was launched, and I said to him that there is an opportunity to see how it is playing out, which…27 Feb 2024HANSARD BBC News Impartiality: Government's RoleI thank my hon. Friend for those searching questions. I have regular discussions with the director-general. Hon. Members regularly talk to me about their concerns relating to how…27 Feb 2024HANSARD BBC News Impartiality: Government's RoleAs I say, I am trying to get the line correct between giving the BBC editorial independence and expressing concern. In the mid-term review, we have tried to ensure that there is…27 Feb 2024HANSARD BBC News Impartiality: Government's RoleI am always happy to engage with my hon. Friend on those sorts of issues, which we have engaged on in relation to the mid-term review. I shall look into the particular issue he…27 Feb 2024HANSARD BBC News Impartiality: Government's RoleI shall look into the specific issue that my hon. Friend the Member for Stone raised. As I say, the mid-term review is by definition a stepping stone. It takes us to charter…27 Feb 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am aware that the BBC is looking at changing its programme mix in relation to news in Scotland. My understanding was that those changes were cost-neutral, but I hear what the…22 Feb 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend is a stalwart of the radio scene. I would like to pay tribute to the 40-year career of Steve Wright, another stalwart of BBC radio. I have spoken to the director…22 Feb 2024HANSARDShort-term Lets: National RegistrationThe Government have delivered the legal framework for a registration scheme for short-term lets in England under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 and have consulted on…22 Feb 2024HANSARDShort-term Lets: National RegistrationI thank the hon. Member for his question, but unfortunately, on the point of substance, somebody coughed and I slightly missed the key point—I apologise. I think he asked about…22 Feb 2024