Contributions
260 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDRural EconomyMy Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Taylor of Holbeach, whose knowledge in this area, as we heard, is very considerable. I also declare my farming…11 Jun 2026HANSARDFarmers: CompetitivenessMy Lords, within the senior Defra team—and, sadly, I include all the Defra Ministers—we do not have a single farmer or land manager. If we did, they would explain that the last…03 Jun 2025HANSARDReservoirs: Protection from ContaminationI apologise to the House and to the Minister that in my earlier question, I did not declare my farming interests as set out in the register, and I do so now.03 Jun 2025HANSARDFarming and Rural CommunitiesMy Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Shrewsbury. I declare my farming interests as set out in the register. In a few short months, this Government have…03 Apr 2025HANSARDBeaver: Reintroduction in EnglandMy Lords, it is often the unplanned and unbudgeted aspects of species reintroduction that cause the conflict. In Scotland—where, like my noble friend Lord Forsyth, I live—the…27 Feb 2025HANSARDSmall Farms and Family BusinessesMy Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Leicester for bringing forward this important debate. I declare my farming interests, as set out in the register. The lack of any engagement…12 Dec 2024HANSARDCrown Estate Bill [HL]My Lords, briefly, I support my noble friend Lord Forsyth’s amendment, which I fully concur with—although I did feel rather left out not to be included in his elite triumvirate of…05 Nov 2024HANSARDCrown Estate Bill [HL]My Lords, in addition to the amendment standing in my own name, I support my noble friend Lord Leicester in his amendment. I would add to it the requirement of the offshore wind…22 Oct 2024HANSARDWater (Special Measures) Bill [HL]My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Whitty. I congratulate the Government and the Minister on making such a prompt start in addressing some of the…09 Oct 2024HANSARDWild Atlantic SalmonMy Lords, I start by putting on record my congratulations to the Minister on her appointment. I wish her all the best in navigating her way through an interesting, diverse and…12 Sept 2024HANSARDSouth West Water: Brixham ContaminationI thank the noble Baroness for her question. We have debated a number of times the issue of special measures, and I think I have been clear in the House every time I have stood at…22 May 2024HANSARDSouth West Water: Brixham ContaminationI am always nervous of taking as fact what I read in the papers or listen to on the news. I have spent the morning speaking to the chief inspector of the Drinking Water…22 May 2024HANSARDSouth West Water: Brixham ContaminationMy noble friend must have the same pack as I have in front of me because he has virtually said word for word what is in mine. We have discussed the issue of privatisation many…22 May 2024HANSARDSouth West Water: Brixham ContaminationThe noble Lord has some very impressive statistics on Scottish Water. I happen to be the beneficiary of Scottish Water because I live up there. It is not quite as rosy as he tells…22 May 2024HANSARDSouth West Water: Brixham ContaminationI completely concur with my noble friend that it is critical that we get to the bottom of what has happened to have generated this outbreak of cryptosporidium. It is currently far…22 May 2024HANSARDSouth West Water: Brixham ContaminationThe noble Lord is quite right that the Canadian pension fund’s owners wrote down the value of its shareholding in Thames Water to zero, but that of course does not mean that it is…22 May 2024HANSARDSouth West Water: Brixham ContaminationI completely concur with those statements, because it is absolutely unacceptable that those who are sent out to sort a problem end up being abused and given a tough time for…22 May 2024HANSARDOfficial Controls (Location of Border Control Posts) (England) Regulations 2024It is absolutely a delight to be here this evening and to get such a warm and thoroughly lovely reception from everybody. I start by thanking the noble Lord, Lord Berkeley, for…22 May 2024HANSARDOfficial Controls (Location of Border Control Posts) (England) Regulations 2024I wonder if I might comment. I absolutely agree that anybody from Romania or Poland, or indeed any other country in the world, has the right to be treated in a dignified way. But…22 May 2024HANSARDWater Companies: FailureMy Lords, I declare my interests as in the register. As set out in statute, if a water company became insolvent or were in serious breach of its principal statutory duties or an…21 May 2024