Contributions
222 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPost Office Capture and Horizon ScandalsMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Arbuthnot—and the noble Lord, Lord Beamish—for supporting the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board; it is very much appreciated and important…12 Feb 2026HANSARDPost Office Capture and Horizon ScandalsI can confirm to the noble Baroness that the department will work to try to ensure that that comes to its logical conclusion.12 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsIn preparation for this Question, I spent a bit more time than I should have done learning about the CMA’s role. I agree that, as we look to create a regulatory framework that is…04 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsIn my relative newness to government, I thank the noble Baroness for her questions. Overall, it is correct that the CMA’s regulatory framework should have independence. I would…04 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsI share some of the views that the noble Lord put over. As I have learned from my 20-plus years in business, the role of government is to set the regulatory conditions so that…04 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsTaking a broad perspective on the question, I came into government to support the pro-business agenda. What the Government are trying to enact is the ability to stabilise the…04 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsThe CMA has a broad primary and competition regulatory framework. It is equipped with the powers to investigate and to act against anti-competitive conduct. On the specific…04 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsI am assuming from the noble Lord’s question that he does not have Aldi and Lidl advantage cards as well. Just to acknowledge, the CMA is currently doing its work, including on a…04 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsAgain, the noble Lord raises an important issue about our high streets. While it is not within the range of this Question, I am willing to follow it up. The Government announced a…04 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsMy Lords, the Competition and Markets Authority is currently assessing whether additional retailers should be designated under the controlled land order and brought within its…04 Feb 2026HANSARDLand Covenants: Supermarket ChainsIt is important to state that the reason for some of these restrictive covenants in business is that they are commercially negotiated and should be mutually agreed in the bounds…04 Feb 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesThere are a number of difficult choices that we are trying to make. The visitor economy is clearly a huge part of who we are and what we should be proud of in this country. The…27 Jan 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesI clearly acknowledge that there are challenges in the economy that are not of the making of the last 18 months alone. Changing consumer behaviours post Covid are a challenge for…27 Jan 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesBusiness rate reform has been on the agenda for the last number of Parliaments and this Government have taken it on. Since I came into government six months ago, I have been proud…27 Jan 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesMy Lords, hospitality businesses are fundamental to the life of our communities. As such, we are introducing permanently lower business rates for eligible retail, hospitality and…27 Jan 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesI welcome the noble Lord to the Chamber and thank him for his question. The national government policy that has been announced since we came in is critical, and local government…27 Jan 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesI will have to come back and write to the noble Lord specifically about the drink-driving regulations; I do not have that to hand for this Question. I can tell the noble Lord that…27 Jan 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesI believe the original Question was about helping the hospitality sector. The comment about housing is outside the purview of my domain of expertise as Minister for Investment.…27 Jan 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesI share the noble Lord’s optimism for the positive steps taken today and generally, in the last five months of being in government, for the way that the economy is shaping up…27 Jan 2026HANSARDHospitality BusinessesThe department is in constant dialogue with all industry sectors, including the hotel sector. We are trying to balance support for the overall economy with the need to be fiscally…27 Jan 2026