Contributions
112 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, we should pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Farmer, in his promotion of family hubs. They are places where families can be offered a range of services and integrated…20 May 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, I have already expressed my views on Amendment 4, but I think I need to emphasise, particularly as my noble and learned friend has just made the same point, that I think…20 May 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, I, too, have laboured long in the family courts. I think that we are all basically aiming in the same direction, but the detail is important. Family group conferences or…20 May 2025HANSARDCriminal Cases Review CommissionMy Lords, do the Government agree that the provisional proposals for reform of the tests and processes of the CCRC, indicated recently by the Law Commission, have a lot to commend…20 May 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]My Lords, I explained this amendment on the assessment of competence of under-16 year-olds on Monday, and was grateful for the forceful support that it received. However, I…02 Apr 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]My Lords, I support the introduction of a commissioner. There seem to be three basic arguments that suggest it would be a good measure to take at this stage. The first is the…02 Apr 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]02 Apr 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]Perhaps I can relieve the Minister. I can tell her who has to deal with it: it is whoever is available at the time, and these applications tend to come in really quite urgently.31 Mar 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]My Lords, in those circumstances, if I may, I shall now speak to Amendment 51, which is also in this group. This is the same amendment that I put forward in Committee to provide a…31 Mar 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]My Lords, I would like to support both the amendments of the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss, and the amendment just spoken to by the noble Baroness, Lady Berridge.…31 Mar 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]I am grateful to the noble Baroness for bringing this point up again. I mentioned it in Committee. The reference to the county court, currently in Schedule 2 to the Bill, is the…31 Mar 2025HANSARDCrown Court Criminal Case BacklogMy Lords, the essential causes of the backlog we are debating are clear enough. They are to be found in prevalent austerity measures, underfunding of legal aid, sales of the court…20 Mar 2025HANSARDPrenuptial AgreementsMy Lords, I have practised in family law as a barrister for many years and latterly have worked as a family judge. I do not find it altogether easy to recognise the picture of how…27 Feb 2025HANSARDProperty (Digital Assets etc) Bill [HL]My Lords, I hesitate to intervene, but I spoke at Second Reading and I am grateful for the opportunity to attend this stage of proceedings. I can see that Amendment 5 is…03 Feb 2025HANSARDHumanist WeddingsMy Lords, the House should recognise that the Minister’s answer of “in the coming months” is rather better than we have had before. Humanists and others simply want a marriage…03 Feb 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]My Lords, I support the amendments in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Berridge. Indeed, we should be grateful to her for exposing the complexity and variety of situations…27 Jan 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]My Lords, I shall speak to Amendment 69, which would replace the reference in the Bill to the county court with reference to use of the Court of Protection to deal with…27 Jan 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]My Lords, I briefly want to support Amendment 151 in the context of the delays experienced by CAMHS—delays in obtaining appointments and assessments, and in getting treatment.…27 Jan 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]It certainly is not removed.27 Jan 2025HANSARDMental Health Bill [HL]I am tempted to say that I really do not know. That was a faster ball than I expected to receive. I think the answer is that the case law would be consistently applied, even as it…22 Jan 2025