Contributions
413 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEconomic UpdateMy Lords, the £1.4 billion government-backed loan that easyJet announced yesterday demonstrates the perilous state of the aviation sector. Given that a higher tax rate does not…12 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: “Everybody In” SchemeMy Lords, one particularly impressive aspect of the Everyone In programme was the opportunity it gave local authorities to deliver a wraparound programme for homeless people. What…11 Jan 2021HANSARDEU-UK Trade and Cooperation AgreementMy Lords, I will focus on the two land borders that we now have with the EU through our overseas territories in Gibraltar and the often forgotten sovereign base areas in Cyprus.…08 Jan 2021HANSARDHealth Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation and Linked Households) (England) Regulations 2020My Lords, hindsight is a wonderful thing and used wisely I am sure that, with a careful, detailed, objective review, there is much that we will learn from the Government’s…07 Jan 2021HANSARDProvisional Local Government Finance SettlementThe Oxford-Cambridge arc is an economic powerhouse, but we desperately need more new homes for skilled workers if we are to help drive the economic recovery post-Covid. The…06 Jan 2021HANSARDEuropean Union (Future Relationship) BillMy Lords, we have a trade deal with the EU and, as someone who voted to remain, I celebrate it and will be supporting the Bill. Listening to this debate, it is clear that some…30 Dec 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Impact of No-deal Brexit on Vaccine SuppliesMy Lords, as we have just heard, and if press reports are to be believed, Royal Air Force planes are on standby to transport the Covid vaccine in the event of no deal—a perfectly…16 Dec 2020HANSARDUN Mission in Mali: Armed Forces DeploymentI declare my interest as a member of the Army Reserve. I would like to explore the Government’s attitude to risk. After years of campaigning in Iraq and Afghanistan, risk was…14 Dec 2020HANSARDGambling and LotteriesMy Lords, so that others can get in, I shall be brief. Can my noble friend point to any evidence on whether, following the action taken by the Government in October on the VIP…14 Dec 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Community Resilience Development FrameworkI declare my interest as chairman of the Reserve Forces 2030 review. One of the few silver linings of the pandemic has been the response from more than 200,000 members of the…09 Dec 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Community Resilience Development FrameworkTo ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the Community Resilience Development Framework in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.09 Dec 2020HANSARDTrident Nuclear ProgrammeMy Lords, as a timely reminder, the House of Commons voted relatively recently by a majority of 355 to effectively renew Parliament’s commitment to the nuclear deterrent by…07 Dec 2020HANSARDSpending Review 2020My Lords, the Chancellor has rightly prioritised the Government’s approach to spending. Understandably, priority 1 is the need to protect people’s lives and livelihoods as the…03 Dec 2020HANSARDEthiopia: Northern Tigray RegionMy Lords, all too often, women and children are the greatest victims of conflict. The UK is leading the way in the implementation of UN Resolution 1325, which recognises the…02 Dec 2020HANSARDScheduled Mass Deportation: JamaicaMy Lords, either we believe and trust in our legal system or we do not. We should beware of Parliament being seen as out of touch. I am delighted that the welfare of children will…01 Dec 2020HANSARDSport Sector: Financial SupportI draw noble Lords’ attention to my interests in the register and I join at the crease the noble Lords, Lord Botham and Lord Razzall. My appeal is not for money but for common…25 Nov 2020HANSARDTigray ConflictMy Lords, I was privileged to be the first Minister to visit Ethiopia, a few days after the election of Prime Minister Abiy in 2018. I left with a deep appreciation of just how…24 Nov 2020HANSARDIntegrated ReviewMy Lords, the investment in space and cyber is most welcome. Many of the skills required are already held in the private sector, so will this review provide the catalyst to…23 Nov 2020HANSARDRailways: Fare StructuresMy Lords, commuters on the west coast main line have been jammed in like sardines for years—never an appealing prospect, and even less so in the time of Covid. As well as…17 Nov 2020HANSARDArmed Forces: Covid-19 DeploymentI declare an interest as a member of the Army Reserve. Living and working in the local community and with a host of civilian skills, reservists are ideally suited to MACA tasks,…12 Nov 2020