Contributions
1,404 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDJimmy Lai: Prison SentenceMy Lords, the noble Baroness said that the Government are focusing on the action that will help Jimmy Lai the most; I have to say it is not easy to feel optimistic, given the…09 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsMy Lords, as well as the issue of Aldi and Lidl, there is also the issue of almost complete non-compliance with the 2010 order system. The CMA has identified multiple repeated…04 Feb 2026HANSARDUK-EU Customs UnionMy Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Gill, and the noble Lords, Lord Docherty, Lord Doyle and Lord Pitt-Watson, all gave excellent speeches, and all demonstrated the differences,…29 Jan 2026HANSARDBusiness RatesMy Lords, following the moderately good reception to my last question, I am going to push my luck. Following on from the from the noble Lord, Lord Forbes, when this review is…29 Jan 2026HANSARDBusiness RatesMy Lords, I am sure the Minister will agree that one of the things that will drive growth is consumer confidence. It is very hard for consumers to be confident when they see their…29 Jan 2026HANSARDUK Start-up CompaniesMy Lords, I am pleased to hear that the Government are going out and looking for evidence. I want to add another sector that has not really been mentioned here. From my meetings…28 Jan 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesMy Lords, while, of course, there is a need for holistic reform of business rates—the Liberal Democrats have long proposed a commercial land- owner levy—in the short term, just as…27 Jan 2026HANSARDChinese EmbassyMy Lords, listening to the noble Baroness, Lady Finn, I was reminded that it was only in 2015 that the then Chancellor George Osborne declared the creation of a “golden decade”. I…26 Jan 2026HANSARDRetail and Hospitality SectorI thank the Minister. In outlining the changes in the rate system, the Minister is talking about the process. Could he perhaps talk about the outcome, which, when conjoined with…22 Jan 2026HANSARDRetail and Hospitality SectorMy Lords, it was a delight to hear the four maiden speeches from the noble Baronesses, Lady Dacres and Lady Shah, and the noble Lords, Lord Forbes and Lord John, who bring really…22 Jan 2026HANSARDParental Leave and Pay ReviewMy Lords, in order for us to plan our workflow over the next couple of years, can the Minister let us know how many other consultations are still under way and how many more…20 Jan 2026HANSARDGreenland: Proposed US TariffsMy Lords, to hear the Minister talk about diplomacy is reassuring, I am sure. However, does she agree that, to back up that diplomacy, bringing forward a credible plan as to how…19 Jan 2026HANSARDChinese EmbassyMy Lords, the Minister is very keen on talking about material planning considerations, and she has already said that the size of the embassy is one of those. May I ask about one…15 Jan 2026HANSARDNew Medium Helicopter ContractMy Lords, I met Leonardo’s chair and CEO today. He told me that, as the Minister may know, Yeovil accounts for 3,300 direct jobs and an annual input into the local economy of £320…14 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefMy Lords, further to the question from the Cross Benches, does the Minister accept that some family farms, frightened as they were by the original plan, have taken irrevocable…06 Jan 2026HANSARDFair Work Agency: Small and Micro BusinessesThe Minister has already said that this new body will involve existing bodies, many pointing in opposite directions in their reporting. The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority…17 Dec 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights BillMy Lords, this time last week I said that much had happened in the preceding interval. Today, the opposite is true. We are now down to one issue, but the arguments on that issue…16 Dec 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights BillMy Lords, similarly to the Minister, I beg the House’s indulgence because, if this speech is longer than a speech would normally be for round three of ping-pong, it is because, as…10 Dec 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights BillMy Lords, there was a moment when I was engulfed in shame that I had misunderstood the difference between median and average. Fortunately, the noble Lord, Lord Hendy, distracted…10 Dec 2025HANSARDEmployment Rights BillLeave out from “disagreement;” to end and insert “do disagree with the Commons in their Amendments 1E and 1F in lieu of Lords Amendment 1B; and do propose Amendments 1G and 1H in…10 Dec 2025