Contributions
1,161 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPolitical Parties: Donation RulesThe noble Lord will be aware that some cases concerning the Leave.EU campaign have been referred to the police. On his question about resources for the Electoral Commission, the…22 May 2019HANSARDPolitical Parties: Donation RulesThat was a slightly less consensual approach from my noble friend than that from the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy. If we did go down that road, I doubt whether any legislation would…22 May 2019HANSARDPolitical Parties: Donation RulesI agree. Political parties are an essential part of our democratic system. They give people choice at election time; they incubate and nurture the politicians who will run the…22 May 2019HANSARDPolitical Parties: Donation RulesI am deeply flattered by what the noble Lord has just said but I think it would be better if the leader of my party came from the other place.22 May 2019HANSARDPolitical Parties: Donation RulesWere my party to do badly tomorrow, I think it would be for reasons other than those the noble Lord has just given.22 May 2019HANSARDSpending Review: Intergenerational Fairness and Well-beingMy Lords, inter- generational fairness and improving living standards are core considerations for the Government’s tax and spending policy. The Government routinely assess the…20 May 2019HANSARDBanks: Fraud PreventionWe should welcome the steps forward I announced. Three initiatives are being taken by banks: confirmation of payee; the interception or interrogation of large sums; and the…20 May 2019HANSARDBanks: Fraud PreventionMy Lords, in 2016, we set up the Joint Fraud Taskforce, including law enforcement, banks and government, to tackle fraud. It has already delivered on initiatives such as the…20 May 2019HANSARDBanks: Fraud PreventionIt is exactly because the Government were not satisfied with the progress being made that the former Home Secretary asked HMRC to inspect the police response to fraud. It…20 May 2019HANSARDBanks: Fraud PreventionThe voluntary code that comes into effect next week will in fact extend to all banks the facility to which the noble Baroness just referred, which has been undertaken by the TSB.…20 May 2019HANSARDBanks: Fraud PreventionIf I got a telephone call from the bank, I would hang up and then ring back. An additional measure will be introduced later this year for larger payments and payments where the…20 May 2019HANSARDSpending Review: Intergenerational Fairness and Well-beingI am not sure that that is an intergenerational issue; rather, it is about income levels between different groups in the population. Perhaps I may put this into context. This…20 May 2019HANSARDEU Referendum: Lessons LearnedAh. The legislation in the PPERA guaranteed that were there to be a referendum, there would be a certain amount of public support for both sides. I think my noble friend is…20 May 2019HANSARDEU Referendum: Lessons LearnedI am not sure whether my noble friend is against referendums.20 May 2019HANSARDBanks: Fraud PreventionAgain, that is a very helpful suggestion. This is not my specialist subject but it seems that it is too easy, in some cases, to open a bank account. That account is then emptied…20 May 2019HANSARDSpending Review: Intergenerational Fairness and Well-beingI commend the noble Baroness and her colleagues on the Select Committee on Intergenerational Fairness and Provision for its report. It has just come out and I read it over the…20 May 2019HANSARDSpending Review: Intergenerational Fairness and Well-beingSteps were taken last year to raise the threshold at which debt starts to be repaid. However, as I said in my original reply, one of the report’s recommendations is to take this…20 May 2019HANSARDSpending Review: Intergenerational Fairness and Well-beingThis was another recommendation made in the report and can again be taken into account when we come to the spending review. On educating 16 to 19 year-olds, I am advised that…20 May 2019HANSARDSpending Review: Intergenerational Fairness and Well-beingThe noble Earl is a tireless advocate on behalf of the disadvantaged, and he has reinforced the case. I will ensure that Ministers at the DWP and the MHCLG, which funds local…20 May 2019HANSARDEU Referendum: Lessons LearnedI think I heard the question of my noble friend Lord Hailsham more clearly than the one behind me. I think my noble friend said that we should have another referendum. If he wants…20 May 2019