Contributions
332 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDClimate Change: Housing Insurability, Mortgage Lending and Financial ResilienceMy Lords, on housing insurability, what consideration is being given to the problem of premium escalation and refusal to insure in areas that have not flooded but are shown as at…13 Jul 2026HANSARDPharmacy ClosuresMy Lords, while we all will welcome this year’s very significant increase in funding, which greatly helps the viability of small chemists, we have a real problem in Cumbria, with…01 Jul 2026HANSARDConstruction Sector: Skills ShortageMy Lords, with the increased use of solar technology in construction and with the drop-out among construction and engineering students due to the emphasis on academic skills,…29 Jun 2026HANSARDHome Ownership: First-time BuyersMy Lords, I return to my previous contributions on building housing on land acquired at agricultural prices, which is of particular benefit to young buyers. Can we look at…22 Jun 2026HANSARDAffordable Housing: Young PeopleMy Lords, with land plots for housing often exceeding the cost of home construction, does that factor alone not act as a real disincentive to the development of housing for sale…08 Jun 2026HANSARDLocal Councillors: Recruitment, Retention and Well-beingMy Lords, for my contribution, I wish to place on record a statement by Councillor Lisa Hinton, deputy leader of Cumbria—one of Cumbria’s finest councillors—on the scale of abuse…04 Jun 2026HANSARDMiddle East: Economic ResponseMy Lords, with AI causing reductions in apprenticeship training and with minimum-wage resistance from employers, why do the Government not look, in addition to the laudable…01 Jun 2026HANSARDKing’s SpeechMy Lords, I wish to raise three issues: Israel, Ukraine and defence expenditure. Since 2022, I have been challenging in this House the billions being spent on the war with Russia,…21 May 2026HANSARDMiddle East: Economic UpdateMy Lords, on the background to this strategy and the shock referred to by the Minister, as post-conflict Iran at some stage moves from regional threat into a period of…26 Mar 2026HANSARDChina and JapanMy Lords, I welcome the Prime Minister’s recent initiative. Is not the constant criticism by some of China, in the mistaken belief that isolation and shouting abuse are somehow…04 Feb 2026HANSARDWarm Homes PlanMy Lords, I welcome the Government’s emphasis on solar. Is my noble friend following developments in the use of perovskite, a material that potentially greatly increases solar…27 Jan 2026HANSARDOfficial Development AssistanceMy Lords, the unpalatable truth is that the 25% cut in OECD support, together with the cut in European aid, is proving catastrophic for development and humanitarian assistance in…13 Jan 2026HANSARDJobs Market: Wider Economic ImplicationsWith the jobs market hugely influenced by the availability of training, in particular apprenticeship training, should we not positively welcome the £820 million for the youth…18 Dec 2025HANSARDAutumn Budget 2025My Lords, while I welcome much in the Budget, I will raise a single issue: the reforms to council tax. On a number of occasions over recent years, I have raised in Westminster and…04 Dec 2025HANSARDUkraine: UK-USA DiscussionsTo ask His Majesty’s Government what discussions they are holding with the government of the United States of America on measures to de-escalate the conflict in Ukraine.19 Nov 2025HANSARDUkraine: UK-USA DiscussionsMy Lords, for over three years I have argued in the House for delaying Ukraine NATO membership, non-nuclear weapon status for barrier states stretching from Estonia to Georgia, a…19 Nov 2025HANSARDLondon Boroughs: Financial SupportMy Lords, does Westminster City Council in particular need additional support when a band H house worth £60 million in the borough carries a council tax of £2,100 a year, while a…03 Nov 2025HANSARDMiddle EastMy Lords, with a coalition of oil states having agreed to contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction—and it is inconceivable they will do so if Hamas threatens their potential…16 Oct 2025HANSARDUndocumented MigrantsMy Lords, surely if we really want to reduce undocumented migrant movement pull factors, we should stop the emphasis on the resolution of conflict through costly military…16 Sept 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) BillMy Lords, I do not intend, in a brief intervention, to argue the case for the Bill. I support the principles behind the Bill as set out; however, I do harbour some reservations as…12 Sept 2025