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2,386 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCovid-19: Co-ordination with Devolved AdministrationsMy Lords, I understand the concern of the noble Lord and many citizens of the United Kingdom about the future and how we move forward. The Prime Minister made a considered…08 Jul 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Co-ordination with Devolved AdministrationsMy Lords, there has been extraordinary support from the United Kingdom Government to the devolved Administrations, Scotland not least, both financial and practical. Indeed, I…08 Jul 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Co-ordination with Devolved AdministrationsMy Lords, I think I partially answered that in my previous reply. I can certainly assure the noble Lord and the House that the Government at the highest level are giving the…08 Jul 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Co-ordination with Devolved AdministrationsMy Lords, my advice is that everybody should respect the rules in place. Rules are normally clear in whichever part of the United Kingdom. Further announcements are being made as…08 Jul 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Co-ordination with Devolved AdministrationsMy Lords, the United Kingdom Government have worked closely with the devolved Administrations throughout the Covid-19 response. Although public health is a devolved matter in…08 Jul 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Co-ordination with Devolved AdministrationsMy Lords, the Prime Minister met the First Minister on 3 June to discuss Covid recovery. I say to the noble Lord that clinical co-operation is ingrained in the NHS, and there are…08 Jul 2021HANSARDGovernment Departments: Non-Executive DirectorsMy Lords, I agree with my noble friend that it is important that non-executives who provide advice and bring an external perspective to the business of government departments…01 Jul 2021HANSARDEmergency Covid ContractsMy Lords, I am advised that the claims that have been made in this respect are completely false and that there was in fact no high-priority lane for testing suppliers. All offers…01 Jul 2021HANSARDEmergency Covid ContractsMy Lords, the Nolan principles arise from outside government. I was there at the start of the Nolan process and recall that it arose from recommendations that were requested by…01 Jul 2021HANSARDEmergency Covid ContractsMy Lords, the matter of the letting of contracts has been reviewed by many people and many reviews. The Boardman first review covered communications contracts, and 28 of its…01 Jul 2021HANSARDEmergency Covid ContractsMy Lords, I said in my previous answer that I am not equipped, at this notice, to answer specific questions on specific meetings in another department about which allegations are…01 Jul 2021HANSARDEmergency Covid ContractsMy Lords, I believe the noble Baroness is referring to meetings that took place within the Department of Health and Social Care. I am advised that those meetings were not declared…01 Jul 2021HANSARDUK Government Union CapabilityMy Lords, I promised my noble friend Lady Fraser that I will not break into any song—I will not talk about particular songs. If I did, it would clear the House more quickly than…01 Jul 2021HANSARDGovernment Departments: Non-Executive DirectorsMy Lords, I shall pay close attention to my noble friend’s remarks. I agree that having a balanced and skilled board with a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds is vital in…01 Jul 2021HANSARDGovernment Departments: Non-Executive DirectorsMy Lords, I notice that there is a difference in numbers, but I could not comment on the specific motivations in appointments by Secretaries of State. There is corporate…01 Jul 2021HANSARDGovernment Departments: Non-Executive DirectorsI certainly agree with the noble Baroness that conflicts of interest should be clear and prevented. At the time of the appointment of the person to whom she referred, there was no…01 Jul 2021HANSARDGovernment Departments: Non-Executive DirectorsCurrently, the position is that the appointments are made by Secretaries of State. I hear what the noble Baroness says, and I repeat to the House that, following the interim…01 Jul 2021HANSARDGovernment Departments: Non-Executive DirectorsMy Lords, as I have said, the number of unregulated appointments in this area is small, but I have told the House that, following the interim report of the noble Lord, Lord Evans,…01 Jul 2021HANSARDGovernment Departments: Non-Executive DirectorsMy Lords, the noble Lord makes a point about arm’s-length and other bodies; he is right to say that they have board members, and I will take away his point in respect of them.…01 Jul 2021HANSARDGovernment Departments: Non-Executive DirectorsMy Lords, I will not follow the noble Lord on specifics, but we should bear in mind that a very large number—the overwhelming majority, and probably all—of the people involved are…01 Jul 2021