Contributions
920 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNorthern Ireland: Devolved GovernmentI am afraid I do not know the answer to that question.18 Mar 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) (No. 2) BillI will make sure the letter covers that point as well. On the housing association aspect, I have assurances from my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern…12 Mar 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) (No. 2) BillI accept the words of my venerable and noble friend. I am trying to find a way of moving this forward as best I can. I wonder whether there might be an opportunity for us to meet…12 Mar 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) (No. 2) BillThe noble Lord raises a question to which I do not have the answer, I am afraid; I do not have it to hand. That is why if we are in a position at a date soon hereafter to sit down…12 Mar 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) (No. 2) BillMy Lords, no matter how much homework I do before I come here, I am always confronted by new questions, so I will try as best I can to do justice to all of the questions that have…12 Mar 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) (No. 2) BillThat the Bill be now read a second time.12 Mar 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) (No. 2) BillMy Lords, I will speak to both Motions standing in my name on the Order Paper. When I last brought forward a budget Bill for Northern Ireland, I stated that it would be the last…12 Mar 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) (No. 2) BillThe night is still young, exactly. Returning to the remarks of the noble Lord, Lord Empey. In stressing the notion of the cancer strategy, he placed his finger on one of the more…12 Mar 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) (No. 2) BillThe noble Lord is absolutely correct. That is why I am trying to be very careful in putting this forward.12 Mar 2019HANSARDLocal Elections (Northern Ireland) (Election Expenses) Order 2019My Lords, I thank noble Lords very much for their constructive engagement on this issue. I welcome the support from all sides of the House for the changes in the orders we are…05 Mar 2019HANSARDLocal Elections (Northern Ireland) (Election Expenses) Order 2019Yes; I will report back at greater length on that very point. I hope, looking at my notes, that I have covered all the aspects. I thank all noble Lords for their support for the…05 Mar 2019HANSARDLocal Elections (Northern Ireland) (Election Expenses) Order 2019That the draft Order laid before the House on 4 February be approved.05 Mar 2019HANSARDLocal Elections (Northern Ireland) (Election Expenses) Order 2019My Lords, this statutory instrument will make two minor but positive improvements to the local election rules in relation to the election expenses that can be incurred by a…05 Mar 2019HANSARDLocal Elections (Northern Ireland) (Election Expenses) Order 2019I will accept the criticism. I will not try to defend myself on that point either. We should be able to make progress on this matter, and I hope we can do so, but at this moment I…05 Mar 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) Regulations 2019That is constructive advice, as indeed all noble Lords have given today. I will take it away and make sure that it is heard by those who need to hear it. I would dearly like to…18 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) Regulations 2019That is an interesting issue. I suppose the question is whether they are brought together in the form of an Assembly, which has certain logistical elements, or in a different…18 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) Regulations 2019The noble Lord, Lord Lea, raises a slightly cryptic question, and I am not wholly sure I can answer it in the manner I would like. The UK Government, Ministers and civil servants…18 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) Regulations 2019The noble Lord is right to raise that point. There are only so many times I can talk about the box metaphor and thinking outside it before noble Lords become tired of that. We had…18 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) Regulations 2019I will. “After all it’s a step in the right direction It’s a step in the right direction after all”. The rest of the song, I will not sing. I merely note it is a reminder that…18 Feb 2019HANSARDNorthern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) Regulations 2019I thank the noble Lord for giving me a moment or two to find my place in my notes and for the reminder that these are serious issues. He is correct, I did not give him an answer…18 Feb 2019