Contributions
536 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDChild Trust FundsMy Lords, I declare an interest as chairman of the Children’s Mutual, which, I believe, was the largest provider of child trust funds. Has my noble friend’s department consulted…11 Oct 2021HANSARDHealth and Social Care Levy BillMy Lords, it is clear that there is an understanding across the House that there is a crisis in social care. We all know that. We all campaigned in recent elections and we know…11 Oct 2021HANSARDAjax Armoured Cavalry ProgrammeMy Lords, I am speaking as a former military man. Why is this vehicle so important to our defence capability?13 Sept 2021HANSARDHGV Driver ShortagesMy Lords, is it not clear that, with just about 100 days till Christmas, there is an urgent short-term problem? Against that, why cannot Her Majesty’s Government produce a…13 Sept 2021HANSARDGrenfell Tower: DemolitionIs my noble friend aware that this site reminds one of the failures of building safety provisions? It has been there for too long now. The noble Lord on the Opposition Benches is…06 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistanMy Lords, I have a deep and loving relationship with and understanding of south Asia. I lived in Pakistan, I lived and worked in India for several years and I lived and worked in…18 Aug 2021HANSARDTelecommunications (Security) BillMy Lords, I apologise to my colleagues that I was not able to speak at Second Reading. I am quite clear, as I suspect we all are, that the security of the UK’s telecoms…13 Jul 2021HANSARDTelecommunications (Security) BillMy Lords, I had the privilege of being an RAF pilot. The instructions we received as pilots in methods of security included the word “anything”. In other words, if you are flying…13 Jul 2021HANSARDTelecommunications (Security) BillMy Lords, I am sorry that the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, does not like my analogy of flying. I just remind him of a recent series of Boeing airliners that crashed with a huge…13 Jul 2021HANSARDCharities Bill [HL]My Lords, I, too, pay tribute to my colleague and noble friend Lord Hodgson for a tremendous amount of work done in probably one of the key areas of our national life. I declare…07 Jul 2021HANSARDGlobal Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020My Lords, I agree with the principle of Magnitsky sanctions but have concerns about the implementation. Why? First, we need to remember the vast difference between war crimes and…24 Jun 2021HANSARDScotland Act 2016 (Social Security) (Consequential Provision) (Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2021Right, okay, thank you.22 Jun 2021HANSARDScotland Act 2016 (Social Security) (Consequential Provision) (Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2021My Lords, I recognise the antecedents of the Smith commission, itself deriving from the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, and the following Scottish Acts in 2016 and 2018. I…22 Jun 2021HANSARDChildren: Care HomesIs my noble friend aware that Ofsted stopped doing routine inspections in March 2020? Therefore, only 29 homes were inspected in the next nearly six months. Are discussions being…21 Jun 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [HL]My Lords, I am delighted to support the noble Baroness on Amendments 14 and 15. I was just reflecting on how important this issue is: hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of…14 Jun 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [HL]My Lords, I do not want to be repetitive because much has been said by those who have taken a particular interest in the Bill—and indeed the market, which is why we are taking an…14 Jun 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [HL]My Lords, I think most legislators would agree that there should always be a review of legislation. Unfortunately, that has not always happened in the past, and I have put down a…14 Jun 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [HL]Yes, thank you so much. I declare an interest in that I happen to own 40 acres around my home. Somebody suggested the other week that maybe a small bit of this—say five…14 Jun 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [HL]My Lords, I apologise that I was not able to take part at Second Reading. Some of your Lordships know that my wife was taken very ill with Covid—in fact, we nearly lost her—and I…09 Jun 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [HL]My Lords, the noble Baroness has done us a great service. We have all read about these situations. I am not aware of the details of any of them, but there has been enough coverage…09 Jun 2021