Contributions
1,746 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDElectricity Grid UpgradesIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher, and to speak in this debate. I am going to speak about five things: the environment, efficiency, energy,…26 Nov 2024HANSARDElectricity Grid UpgradesThat is a good point, and it is why Lincolnshire county council’s submission to National Grid specifically takes into account the trenching problem that the hon. Lady raised. It…26 Nov 2024HANSARDElectricity Grid UpgradesAs a former Energy Minister and therefore someone who has been involved in strategic energy policy, including introducing, through the Energy Act 2013, the capacity market—still a…26 Nov 2024HANSARDTobacco and Vapes BillI very rarely disagree with my hon. Friend. She is of course right about vaping, the effect that it has on children and the difficulty that schools have in managing it, as…26 Nov 2024HANSARDTobacco and Vapes BillThe hon. Gentleman is absolutely right about illegal tobacco and other substances. It is really important that we bear down on that illicit trade. Illegal tobacco not only…26 Nov 2024HANSARDElectricity Grid UpgradesOn that basis, Sir Christopher, I will not give way again, for as you have noted, I have been immensely generous. I will abbreviate my remarks without missing out any of the other…26 Nov 2024HANSARD Business of the HouseThe shocking arrest of Allison Pearson, Th e Telegraph journalist, has caused outrage, as the Leader of the House knows, and as most recently expressed by her distinguished…21 Nov 2024HANSARD Business of the HouseI am extremely grateful to the right hon. Lady for the clarity and diligence she showed when dealing with the end of life debate that we will have later this month. She will be…14 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI will give way to the hon. Gentleman, who is edging towards the edge of his seat. I gave his speech four out of 10: two for energy, one for enthusiasm, and one for content.12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI am immensely grateful to my hon. Friend, who is making a speech in the spirit of his predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hertsmere (Sir Oliver Dowden), on why the…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillGiven that the hon. Lady’s amendments are not likely to be passed, I assume that, on the grounds of logic and consistency, she will vote against Third Reading of the unamended…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Billrose —12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThe facts do not bear out what the hon. Gentleman has said. If he looks at the record, he will see that hereditary peers tend, proportionally, to speak more often in debates, they…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThere are those who believe that this reform is about making the House of Lords more democratic. Clearly, the Minister cannot be among them, because these provisions do not seem…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy right hon. Friend allows me, on that basis, to give him a short lecture on the character of conservatism. He needs to understand that the collective wisdom of ages, vested in…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI am extremely grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way. I intervened merely to say this: many people might assume that he is being foolish for raising issues of financial…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillLast time we debated this issue, I talked about legitimacy, continuity and dignity, and nothing I have heard today refutes the arguments I made then. Of course it is true that…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillWhen I was a shadow Minister for many years, I found that some of the Labour Ministers I shadowed did the job I just described very well, and some did not. When I became a…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillFurther to the point made by my right hon. Friend, Bagehot spoke about this issue. He said that the distinguishing feature of the House of Lords is that its Members’ views are…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy right hon. Friend is making an important point about the subtlety of the relationship between the two Houses. I spoke earlier about the relationship between the Government and…12 Nov 2024