Contributions
65 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCapital Investment and Share OwnershipMy Lords, does the Financial Secretary agree that, generally, the quality of PFI projects has improved over time, with an increasing number transferring risk successfully to the…13 Mar 2025HANSARDUS Steel and Aluminium TariffsMy Lords—12 Mar 2025HANSARDUS Steel and Aluminium TariffsMy Lords, does the Minister agree that tariffs harm consumers and encourage industrial inefficiency? Does she agree that the British economy was at its most successful when it was…12 Mar 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillI support the comments from my noble friend Lord Hogan-Howe: I think that it is an important principle that Budgets should be determined by the House of Commons. Those who argue…25 Feb 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMany apologies to the noble Baroness; I stand corrected. The cut in employee national insurance was considerable. Looking at the macro effects of employee and employer national…25 Feb 2025HANSARDGrowing the UK EconomyMy Lords, the history of direct support for industrial investment is not a happy one, with much money wasted and few jobs created. Can the Financial Secretary confirm that the…03 Feb 2025HANSARDAgricultural and Business Property Reliefs: OBR CostingMy Lords, does the Minister agree that the OBR note confirms that farmers and businesspeople have a large number of options for reducing their inheritance tax liability? Does he…27 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, I will try to be extremely brief because no doubt I will be interrupted again. The point I was making was that if you cut tax in one area, you are going to have to raise…21 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, usually I have a lot of sympathy and respect for the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, and my noble friend Lord Londesborough. However, on this occasion I am going to…21 Jan 2025HANSARDGreat British Energy BillMy Lords, I add my support for Amendment 92. It is an important principle of public audit that institutions within the public sector are audited by the National Audit Office.…15 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, I am in no doubt that taxes have to rise. The spending decisions made by the last Government—or rather the lack of them—the cost of the pandemic, higher interest rates…06 Jan 2025HANSARDEvaluation in Government Policy-makingMy Lords, does the Minister agree that a budget for evaluation should be built into new programme settlements from the beginning, as happened with the New Deal in 1997? It is a…18 Nov 2024HANSARDMinisterial Code: Policy AnnouncementsMy Lords, back in March 2013, the Budget was comprehensively leaked and the then Chancellor, George Osborne, commissioned me to do a review into the pre-release of Budget…30 Oct 2024HANSARDFiscal RulesMy Lords, I broadly welcome the Government’s Statement, but we have to recognise that so many fiscal rules have come and gone in recent years that the credibility of the…29 Oct 2024HANSARDCrown Estate Bill [HL]My Lords, unusually, as a former Treasury official, I am generally in favour of greater devolution—the more so when the likes of the noble Lords, Lord Hain and Lord Wigley, and my…14 Oct 2024HANSARDCrown Estate Bill [HL]My Lords, this is an interesting and important amendment that goes to the heart of Treasury control. Historically, it is fair to say that, when it came to nationalised industries,…14 Oct 2024HANSARDPedal CyclesMy Lords, it is a pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Austin, a former Treasury colleague, who has always been a great advocate for cycling. I am in favour of cycling. It…12 Sept 2024HANSARDBudget Responsibility BillMy Lords, this is a sensible Bill to strengthen a sensible institution. The creation of the Office for Budget Responsibility, together with the granting of operational…09 Sept 2024HANSARDBank Resolution (Recapitalisation) Bill [HL]My Lords, I declare my interest as chairman of C Hoare & Co, which would almost certainly be classified as a small bank for the purposes of the Bill. I congratulate the Minister…30 Jul 2024HANSARDBank of England (Economic Affairs Committee Report)My Lords, I declare my interest as chairman of C Hoare & Co, a bank that opposed the setting-up of the Bank of England, became reconciled to it a couple of centuries ago, and now…02 May 2024