Contributions
144 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDFinancial Services and Markets Bill [HL]My Lords, I begin by drawing attention to my interests listed in the register. The financial crisis of 2007 to 2009 left lasting scars on the UK financial system. The costs of…08 Jun 2026HANSARDMiddle East: Economic UpdateMy Lords—26 Mar 2026HANSARDMiddle East: Economic UpdateMy Lords, could the Minister confirm the number in the OBR report which accompanied the Spring Statement that public sector real investment will increase by 12% this year? Could…26 Mar 2026HANSARDReducing Government SpendingMy Lords—24 Mar 2026HANSARDReducing Government SpendingMy Lords, does my noble friend agree that the Question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Leigh, and the reaction of the Opposition Front Bench illustrate three things—first, the folly…24 Mar 2026HANSARDSecondary International Competitiveness and Growth Objective (FSR Committee Report)My Lords, I draw attention to my declaration of interests in the register, in particular to my role as a non-executive director of Unity Trust Bank. It is a privilege to serve on…11 Mar 2026HANSARDAutumn Budget 2025My Lords, the Budget contains a set of measures that reinforce the three pillars which support investment and growth: financial stability, growing demand and institutional reform.…04 Dec 2025HANSARDOBR ForecastsMy Lords, the Opposition suggested that markets were misled. Does the Minister agree that, if markets had been misled by the Chancellor’s speech on 4 November, there would have…01 Dec 2025HANSARDEconomic and Taxation Policies: Jobs, Growth and ProsperityMy Lords, we are all grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Elliott, for having secured this debate. As noble Lords will know, the noble Lord is one of the most brilliant political…13 Nov 2025HANSARDFinance BillMy Lords, it is an honour and a pleasure to follow the excellent maiden speech of my noble friend Lady Caine. It must have been a special delight for her to highlight the…19 Mar 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, I am afraid that I regard this amendment, although obviously achieving consistency with treatment in Scotland as well as in the rest of the United Kingdom, as just…04 Mar 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, I find some difficulty in addressing this group of amendments, specifically because these amendments are but a part of 38—out of the total of 44—amendments in the…25 Feb 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, the amendments proposed by the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, are a classic example of how to distort a market. She wishes not only to exempt part-time employees from the…25 Feb 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, Amendment 38, as written, is econometrically impossible. This cannot be done unless we have further specification of what is to be done. For example, are we to look at…25 Feb 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, with respect to all the amendments in this group, with the exception of that of the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, I repeat what I said last time: these amendments are…29 Jan 2025HANSARDEconomic GrowthMy Lords, in principle, the growth problem is straightforward: invest in the quality of labour via education and training, and in the quality of capital via research and…23 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillWhen the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, raised the issue of our meeting in Grand Committee—when the proposal was being discussed—and argued that votes could not be taken, I intervened…21 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillThat is very kind. I turn to the amendment. One of the major failings of the UK tax system is its complexity. That complexity is a major source of tax avoidance—that is, the use…21 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillI agree, but adding more exemptions is adding to the pile. What we desperately need is a reform of our tax system that removes exemptions and forces Governments to make policy by…21 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, I wonder whether noble Lords who have been referring to national insurance growth as a jobs tax have actually read the OBR assessment of the impact of the Budget on…21 Jan 2025