Contributions
879 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPriorities for the GovernmentMy Lords, how does the Leader of the House understand the concept of positive thinking? I am not entirely sure where the Government have got the concept from. I spent three and a…25 Jul 2019HANSARDUnited Kingdom’s Ambassador to the United States: Leaked MessagesMy Lords, I will follow my noble friend Lord Campbell of Pittenweem in asking about the malice with which this leak was clearly intended. It was clearly intended to undermine the…25 Jul 2019HANSARDDevolution: English CitiesMy Lords, we have all enjoyed this fascinating and detailed report. It has formed the basis of a very worthwhile debate. I will start, if I may, by looking at one or two of the…17 Jul 2019HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill [HL]They are indeed. Maggie Silver, who manages the mill, tells me that she has more than doubled her orders for loo roll since the public toilets have closed. It is just possible for…10 Jul 2019HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill [HL]According to the figures that Bradford metropolitan council has given me, 10 years ago it provided 49 public toilets; it now provides only seven. That is a huge reduction. I am…10 Jul 2019HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill [HL]My Lords, perhaps it would help to explain why I find myself far away from my professional expertise in foreign policy in talking about public toilets. The history of Saltaire is…10 Jul 2019HANSARDD-day MemorialMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Selkirk, mentioned the importance of the Polish contribution in this respect. I have found on several occasions, in the referendum campaign and…09 Jul 2019HANSARDEuropean Union–Western Balkans SummitMy Lords, I have always, as has my party, supported the enlargement of the European Union to bring in the former socialist states of central and eastern Europe. It was right that…02 Jul 2019HANSARDBrexit: Other Policy AreasMy Lords, the Minister referred to the capacity of the Civil Service. The Conservatives were keen to reduce Civil Service numbers, did so in 2016 and planned to in 2017. Since…02 Jul 2019HANSARDEU: Law-making ProcessMy Lords, I declare an interest as a joint editor of a series of books on law-making in the European Union. I am quite prepared to allow the noble Lord, Lord Pearson, to read it.…01 Jul 2019HANSARDFuture GenerationsMy Lords, is not part of the problem of short-term policy-making, when we should have long-term thinking, that the ministerial churn is enormous? A number of senior ministerial…26 Jun 2019HANSARDEuropean CouncilMy Lords, in view of the very positive remarks in the Council’s report about foreign policy co-operation and its usefulness to Britain, is it not time that the Government said…24 Jun 2019HANSARDJustice: Private SectorTo ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the principles of government outsourcing to the private sector, particularly in regard to justice matters.18 Jun 2019HANSARDJustice: Private SectorI am sure the Minister will agree that the underlying drive for privatisation of public services was public choice economics, which said that the concept of public interest and…18 Jun 2019HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: Security ClearanceMy Lords, I regret that I have to speak from these Benches rather than my friend the late Lord Paddy Ashdown, who would naturally have spoken on this Question and knew so much…17 Jun 2019HANSARDReferendumsMy Lords, I say to the noble Lord, Lord Robathan, that I was never a fan of my party’s behaviour on referendums. They require a great deal of care. I entirely support what has…13 Jun 2019HANSARDInequalitiesMy Lords, I half agree with the Deaton review’s opening declaration that: “Discussion of inequalities increasingly defines economic and political debate”. That ought to be one of…13 Jun 2019HANSARDEuropean Parliament Elections: Non-UK EU CitizensMy Lords, I am sure that the Minister will recall that, at the weekend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer suggested that the Conservative leadership election makes it now…05 Jun 2019HANSARDGazaMy Lords, we are expecting a grand American plan for Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation from Mr Kushner and others. I gather that it has now been put off because of the failure of…05 Jun 2019HANSARDPublic Procurement and the Civil Society StrategyMy Lords, if I may return the compliment to the noble Lord, Lord Maude, I learned a lot while working with him. One thing I particularly learned was how difficult it is to work…23 May 2019