Contributions
223 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDMinisterial CodeMy Lords, is it not the simple fact that the only person accountable to the British public is actually the Prime Minister, through elections, and all these people who call for…06 Dec 2021HANSARDIntegrated Rail Plan: North and MidlandsOne of the problems that the Government face is about expectations, and the rise in expectations as far as transport is concerned. The Secretary of State made a number of…22 Nov 2021HANSARDMinisterial CodeWill my noble friend agree that, while some Members of your Lordships’ House may have had memory blackouts of before 2010, they have always previously been very happy for this to…09 Nov 2021HANSARDTributes: Sir David Amess MPMy Lords, I had the pleasure of getting to know David when I first came into the House in 1986 after a by-election, and he was incredibly helpful to me at that time. Like my two…18 Oct 2021HANSARDBrexit OpportunitiesMy Lords, I very much welcome the Statement by my noble friend. Can he assure us that the Government will be able to respond quickly in certain areas when problems arise…16 Sept 2021HANSARDCouncil TaxMy Lords, the council tax was introduced as a result of the abolition of the community charge, which was introduced as a result of the discredited rates system. One reason why the…22 Jul 2021HANSARDLorry DriversThe announcement my noble friend just made will be very welcome to the industry. Speaking to people in the industry, they say that they are facing the biggest crisis that they can…07 Jul 2021HANSARDTourismMy Lords, I draw attention to the register of interests and my position as chairman of VisitBritain. The importance of the tourist industry is shown by the number of speakers in…24 Jun 2021HANSARDBritain’s RailwaysMy Lords, I draw attention to my interests as set out in the register. I welcome the Williams report, but we should recognise the very great changes that were brought about by…24 May 2021HANSARDPost Office UpdateMy Lords, the sheer size and scale of this miscarriage of justice is quite difficult to believe—that in this day and age an organisation such as the Post Office was allowed to…24 May 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Status CertificationMy Lords, the Government very clearly set out their road map for getting us out of the Covid situation. Although it was a very slow map, it has been well understood and…29 Apr 2021HANSARDHS2: Phase 2BThe Government were right, following the review by Doug Oakervee, to continue with HS2, which is now happening and taking place to Birmingham and Manchester. Does the Minister…08 Feb 2021HANSARDEconomic UpdateI much appreciate many of the financial decisions the Government have taken—at very short notice, in some cases. However, will the Government, in future, have more of a mind for…12 Jan 2021HANSARDHouse of Lords Appointments CommissionIs it not right that the Prime Minister should have the ultimate say? He should of course consult the commission, which he has done, and he has come to a different view. That is…05 Jan 2021HANSARDCare Quality Commission ReportMy Lords, one thing that comes clearly through the report is the vast amount of different government departments and agencies involved in providing this care. What are the…15 Dec 2020HANSARDFuture Relationship with the EUMy Lords, the Government say in the Statement that they “are working tirelessly to get a deal.” I welcome that, but at what point will people know whether there will be a deal or…14 Dec 2020HANSARDHigh Speed Rail (West Midlands-Crewe) BillIt is always a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Adonis, who speaks with such fervour about a project that I think it is fair to say he created and made the initial plans…14 Dec 2020HANSARDCovid-19 Vaccine RolloutMy Lords, there have been many bleak days since the early part of this year, but yesterday was a day in which we can take great pride in the MHRA and all the people who were…09 Dec 2020HANSARDHigh Speed Rail (West Midlands–Crewe) BillMy Lords, it is a pleasure to address the House on what I believe is a very important infrastructure project, one of the biggest undertaken by any Government in recent years. I…30 Nov 2020HANSARDPalace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme: SpendingThe noble Baroness, Lady Smith, just made a point about the ongoing costs of restoration. If the public look at the Palace of Westminster at the moment, they would think that the…24 Nov 2020