Contributions
138 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillBefore the Minister sits down, may I kindly ask him to comment on the claim by the noble Lord, Lord Grocott, that the amendments to the Bill in this group are too wide-ranging in…25 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I will speak to my Amendment 110 in this group. The report of the Lord Speaker’s Committee on the Size of the House was published in 2017. As most noble Lords sitting…25 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, times have changed for the Church of England since my ancestor in the 19th century demolished the small village church to build a larger one to accommodate increased…12 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I am not quite sure what “resolution of the House of Lords” means: whether it is by amendment and, considering the mechanics of the whole thing, whether it would also…12 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I shall speak briefly. While I can understand the logic behind the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Newby, I believe that HOLAC, for which I have the greatest…10 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I will focus on paragraph (3) of Amendment 11, suggesting what should be in the consultation paper on methods for introducing elected Members to the House. House of…10 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I too have put my name to this amendment. These two Great Officers of State have been in existence since 1386, in the case of the Earl Marshal, and 1130, in the case of…03 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, I rise briefly to say that, as the royal representatives and great offices of state—the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshall—are being removed from the House, is…03 Mar 2025HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI am grateful for the noble Lord giving way. Does he recognise Alastair Campbell’s book when he said that he was very astonished that Viscount Cranborne did the deal and that it…03 Mar 2025HANSARDAstraZenecaMy Lords, can the Minister give us more detail as to why AstraZeneca pulled out? He said there were a number of reasons, so I wonder if he could go into more detail.06 Feb 2025HANSARDRenters’ Rights BillMy Lords, I first declare my interest as a rental property owner. I support certain aspects of this Bill but have major reservations on other parts of it. On some issues the Bill…04 Feb 2025HANSARDSmall Farms and Family BusinessesMy Lords, I declare my interest as a Hampshire farm owner. The Prime Minister, when speaking to the NFU in 2023, pledged to have “a new relationship with the countryside and…12 Dec 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy Lords, the Bill to remove the remaining hereditary Peers from the House eliminates many centuries of tradition, a golden thread going back to the 13th century. In considering…11 Dec 2024HANSARDLocal Digital Television Programme Services (Amendment) Order 2024My Lords, I am grateful to Daniel Cass, chief executive of That’s TV, for his views and queries on the order. The local TV sector welcomes the power granted to Ofcom to renew the…10 Dec 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords ReformMy Lords, I will focus on one aspect of House of Lords reform: the Bill to remove the remaining 92 hereditary Peers from the House, thus eliminating many centuries of tradition…12 Nov 2024HANSARDAutumn Budget 2024First, I declare my property and land interests, as per the register. When voters returned a Labour Government, they may have believed they were electing a party with similar…11 Nov 2024HANSARDKing’s SpeechMy Lords, like other noble Lords I welcome the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hermer, to the Government Front Bench. In the limited time available, I can focus on only one aspect of…23 Jul 2024HANSARDMedia BillMy Lords, I will speak to Amendment 9 in my name. I apologise to the House and to the Minister for having been alerted to this issue only after Committee. I am grateful for…23 May 2024HANSARDBank of England (Economic Affairs Committee Report)My Lords, I warmly welcome the report of my noble friend Lord Bridges’s Economic Affairs Committee. I will first look at the recommendations, and the Bank’s and the Government’s…02 May 2024HANSARDSpring Budget 2024My Lords, I start by highlighting some positive decisions in the 2024 Budget. The 2% cut in national insurance is good. I also welcome the cut in capital gains tax and the…18 Mar 2024