Contributions
455 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNorthamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2019My Lords, I query the process. Having been the Secretary of State responsible for local government reorganisation, I find this process extremely peculiar. The Secretary of State…11 Feb 2020HANSARDPublic Bodies (Abolition of Public Works Loan Commissioners) Order 2019My Lords, I follow the noble Lord, Lord Shipley, on the first of his points. It is a great pity to abolish things that have been going on for so long, but if we are going to do…11 Feb 2020HANSARDPublic Bodies (Abolition of Public Works Loan Commissioners) Order 2019If I may say so, the phrase “to ensure that their borrowing is prudent” covers a multitude of sins. My issue is not that local authorities should not be able to borrow or to make…11 Feb 2020HANSARDNorthamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2019I am sorry to press my noble friend on this, but this proposal does not meet any of those things. First, it was not unanimously accepted by the local councils. Secondly, it was…11 Feb 2020HANSARDDomestic Premises (Energy Performance) Bill [HL]Will my noble friend give way on that point? Can he assure me that in 2025, the new standards will come into operation on any house that is under construction, and not wait for…07 Feb 2020HANSARDDomestic Premises (Energy Performance) Bill [HL]My Lords, I declare an interest as chairman of the Committee on Climate Change and from the work that I do in other ways to increase sustainability. I thank the noble Lord, Lord…07 Feb 2020HANSARDBrexit: Environmental RegulationDoes my noble friend the Minister agree that all this works only if we do not undermine those things by agreeing international trading arrangements that allow other people to…04 Nov 2019HANSARDEuropean Parliamentary Elections Etc. (Repeal, Revocation, Amendment and Saving Provisions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2019My Lords, this is of course a necessary SI. I say to my noble friend that I am not going to object to the nature of the SI, which is necessary, but I would like to make two…23 Oct 2019HANSARDElections and Referenda: Protection Against CorruptionDoes my noble friend agree that Britain is—or has been—looked at by the rest of the world as an exemplar not only for good government but for perfect electoral practice? As we…07 Oct 2019HANSARDFinancial Services (Miscellaneous) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (No. 3) Regulations 2019My Lords, I remind the House of my declaration of interests, particularly my chairmanship of the association representing financial advisers. I apologise to the House—but not to…01 Oct 2019HANSARDAttorney-General’s Legal AdviceMy noble friend knows that I am not a lawyer. What I have to say is therefore not a legal thing. It strikes me that most people will feel that, when the Supreme Court has voted by…25 Sept 2019HANSARDBrexit: Medicine Supply and NHS StaffingMy Lords, the Government have claimed that they have done a detailed account of what would happen if we were to leave the European Union, as far as the health service is…05 Sept 2019HANSARDDetainee IssuesIs it not rather surprising that only now is it suggested to people that if they become aware of such a matter they should report it? After all, any company that becomes aware of…18 Jul 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Executive Formation) BillOf all the parties in the country quoting public opinion polls, I should have thought that the Liberal Democrats should be particularly careful. I am not prepared to take public…15 Jul 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Executive Formation) BillMy Lords, from time to time we have to distinguish between what is utterly true, which is that Parliament is sovereign, and the particular circumstances in which that sovereignty…15 Jul 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Executive Formation) BillI would say that we live in a democracy in which we have devolved these decisions, and they must prove that to the politicians elected for the north of Ireland. If there are no…15 Jul 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Executive Formation) BillI say to the noble Lord: that is in fact what is in the amendment. It enables that consideration to be done; it enables that conciliation to be done in the sense of giving people…15 Jul 2019HANSARDProblem GamblingI remind the House of my declaration of interest. I just do not understand this—I really do not. I do not think I can be accused of putting forward the Methodist point of view…02 Jul 2019HANSARDClimate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019My Lords, the issue before us has been debated often before, but I think it would be helpful if I were to describe how the process works. First, I want to go back to the Climate…26 Jun 2019HANSARDClimate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019As it was me who was asked the question, I remind my noble friend that what we said was that the Treasury should look at the distribution of the cost to make sure it was fairly…26 Jun 2019