Contributions
4,729 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPost Office: Horizon CompensationI do not know whether Fujitsu is still on the tender lists or is the subject of any government contracts, but I will certainly find out and write to the noble Lord on that.24 Jan 2022HANSARDPost Office: Horizon CompensationMy Lords, the Government have indeed set aside up to £685 million to support the Post Office in paying compensation to postmasters with quashed Horizon-related convictions. The…24 Jan 2022HANSARDSubsidy Control BillThat the Bill be now read a second time.19 Jan 2022HANSARDSubsidy Control BillI will reflect on that, speak to officials and write to the noble Lord about the appropriate definition, is that is okay with him. I will respond to the question from my noble…19 Jan 2022HANSARDSubsidy Control BillI do not have a regional breakdown of the responses to the consultation, but this is a UK-wide system and regime. If there is a regional breakdown, I will certainly provide it to…19 Jan 2022HANSARDSubsidy Control BillIt would depend on a number of factors, and whether the subsidy complies with the set of basic principles that we outlined earlier under the UK regime. But under the current…19 Jan 2022HANSARDSubsidy Control BillMy noble friend makes a good point. We will be publishing the guidance as soon as it is available. We are still in discussions with the devolved Administrations and others on the…19 Jan 2022HANSARDSubsidy Control BillI thank all noble Lords for their engagement ahead of today’s debate and their contributions this evening on this important Bill. It has been a good debate, despite the relatively…19 Jan 2022HANSARDSubsidy Control BillMy Lords, the Subsidy Control Bill creates a new, bespoke, UK-wide subsidy control regime that delivers on our national priorities. This Bill demonstrates the Government’s clear…19 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageMy noble friend makes an important point. I am disappointed by some of the responses from the Opposition Benches. As always with these matters, it is a question of getting the…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageIndeed, I am happy to pay credit to the Labour Government of the time for introducing the national minimum wage and I am happy to take credit for the biggest increases in the…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageMy noble friend also makes an important point. Inflation has a pernicious impact on the economy and, of course, it impacts most on the lowest paid. I am sure the Bank of England…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageThe original Question was about the minimum wage. The points the noble Baroness raises are important but they are matters for the Treasury—I would be very happy to speak to…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageMy Lords, on 1 April 2022, the Government will increase the national living wage by 6.6% to £9.50. Following this increase, the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageI know the noble Baroness feels passionately about this and, as I said in response to earlier questions, I think the whole House is united in wanting to see increases in the…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageOf course, I completely agree with the noble Baroness that, where it is possible to do so, employers should pay the higher rates for the living wage that she referenced. We want…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageObviously I was not in government at the time but, looking back at the debate, a lot of independent economists were concerned about the possible impact. As I indicated in previous…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageWe take credit because the Government accepted the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission, which, as I have indicated, was set up to consider all these matters. But I agree…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageI pay tribute to the work that the noble and right reverend Lord does on these matters, and it is important that he raises them; we are grateful for that. As the noble and right…17 Jan 2022HANSARDNational Living WageOf course, we are here discussing the national minimum wage. As the noble Baroness is aware, benefits, universal credit, et cetera, are a separate issue—it is important, but it is…17 Jan 2022