Contributions
1,533 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPublic Sector ProductivityWe talked before about AI and digital adoption. Digital adoption is incredibly important when it comes to rural communities—ensuring that they have access to extremely fast…07 Jan 2026HANSARDPublic Sector ProductivityMy noble friend asks a really interesting question and I am very happy to consider the point that she raises. The quality of management makes a massive difference in both the…07 Jan 2026HANSARDPublic Sector ProductivityNo. As the noble Lord says, public sector productivity has dropped significantly since 2019. This Government inherited a situation in which public sector productivity was 5.6%…07 Jan 2026HANSARDPublic Sector ProductivityI agree with a great deal of what the noble Baroness said. I noticed the noble Lord, Lord Leigh, who is very interested in this point as well, was on his feet. We have discussed…07 Jan 2026HANSARDPublic Sector ProductivityI am. We are investing £10 billion in digital technologies within the NHS. We have introduced a 2% efficiency and productivity target in the NHS for each year of this Parliament.…07 Jan 2026HANSARDPublic Sector ProductivityI do not believe that that is government policy right now.07 Jan 2026HANSARDPublic Sector ProductivityI do not agree with that. On a point of fact, the noble Baroness mentions NHS productivity. The latest figures from the NHS show that NHS productivity has grown by 2.4% in April…07 Jan 2026HANSARDPublic Sector ProductivityMy Lords, in the decade from 2010, the UK economy saw the lowest productivity growth since the Napoleonic Wars. This led to the lowest growth in living standards ever recorded.…07 Jan 2026HANSARDPublic Sector ProductivityI do not think I would. I suspect social media, when used correctly, can help enhance productivity.07 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefI am grateful to the noble Lord for his support for what we have announced. I absolutely hear what he says about those trade agreements made by the previous Government and I am…06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefThe previous revaluation was based on property values during the Covid pandemic. Rateable values were much lower—perhaps artificially lower—at that point. I understand that pubs…06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefI am grateful to my noble friend for the support that he sets out for the measures that we have announced. He is right about the importance of the farming sector to our economy…06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefI do not have that data to hand, but I am more than happy to write to the noble Lord.06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefI am grateful to the noble Baroness. May I first take this opportunity to wish her a belated happy birthday for the weekend just past? I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her…06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefNo, I do not agree with the points the noble Baroness makes. She says this will raise next to nothing; it will still raise about £300 million for our public services. I do not…06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefThe OBR will cost it precisely in the next EFO. I believe it will now raise approximately £300 million, but the OBR will confirm that in the next round of forecasts.06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefAs I said, it was right that we took time to listen to the consultation with the farming community and family businesses. It is right that we have listened to that feedback and…06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefIt is right that everybody pays their fair share towards the public services and that the tax system is based on fairness. I am confident that we have announced measures in the…06 Jan 2026HANSARDAgricultural Property Relief and Business Property ReliefAs I said in answer to previous questions, it was right that we consulted with the farming community and family businesses about these reforms, that we listened to the feedback…06 Jan 2026HANSARDOBR: Resignation of ChairI am grateful to the noble Baroness for her question and the points that she made. I should say very clearly that we take the Budget process extremely seriously and put the utmost…08 Dec 2025