Contributions
82 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDKing’s SpeechMy Lords, I will begin by marking the sad and sudden loss of the noble Lord, Lord Skidelsky, as did the noble Lord, Lord Horam, last Thursday. Professor Lord Skidelsky’s…19 May 2026HANSARDMedia Freedom CoalitionMy Lords, I declare my interest as chair of the Thomson Foundation. The Government have understandably prioritised work in this area in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan. Does my…25 Mar 2026HANSARDSpring Forecast StatementMy Lords, I am very grateful to my noble friend the Minister for his characteristically clear and cogent introduction to today’s debate on the Spring Statement and the finance…17 Mar 2026HANSARDBroadcasting: Recent DevelopmentsMy Lords, I add my thanks and congratulations to the noble Lord, Lord Fowler, to those of other Lords, with the added reason that I have spent the past 12 years trying to fill the…08 Jan 2026HANSARDEconomic and Taxation Policies: Jobs, Growth and ProsperityMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell, for securing and introducing this debate, even if its timing in peak Budget purdah means that its scope is…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPower Struggle: Delivering Great Britain’s Electricity Grid Infrastructure (Industry and Regulators Committee Report)My Lords, I am delighted to be able to speak in this debate and have been privileged to be a member of the Industry and Regulators Committee that produced the report. My noble…04 Nov 2025HANSARDFinancial Services ReformMy Lords, I welcome the Leeds reforms that have been announced, and I thank my noble friend the Minister for his comments. I am delighted that the noble Baroness, Lady…23 Jul 2025HANSARDSanctions Implementation and EnforcementI add my thanks and support for the Statement that my noble friend the Minister made, and raise a specific issue about this prospective use of frozen assets, whether the assets…15 May 2025HANSARDUK-US Trade and TariffsMy Lords, I recognise that the Government’s priority must be to achieve the best possible outcome in relation to tariffs between the UK and the US. I am cautiously optimistic that…03 Apr 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillI shall speak briefly to support the arguments and analysis of my noble friend Lord Eatwell and to remind your Lordships of the comments at Second Reading of the noble Lord, Lord…25 Feb 2025HANSARDNational Lottery: Contribution to Good CausesTo ask His Majesty’s Government what they expect the National Lottery’s contribution to good causes to be in the first twelve months under the new operator, compared to the last…10 Feb 2025HANSARDNational Lottery: Contribution to Good CausesI thank my noble friend the Minister for her reply, but note that this is unchanged year on year, when, as she said, Allwyn committed to doubling or more. It pledged at the time…10 Feb 2025HANSARDCreative Industries: Creating Jobs and Productivity GrowthMy Lords, we are all grateful to my noble friend Lady Thornton for securing this debate and for her powerful introduction to it. I also congratulate my three noble friends who…06 Feb 2025HANSARDEconomic GrowthMy Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Horam, even though it is nearly 40 years since I could describe him in parliamentary terms as a friend. I am very…23 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillMy Lords, I shall speak briefly on this group, particularly Amendments 4 and 5, but the arguments that I make really apply to many of these early groups because each one is a…21 Jan 2025HANSARDNational Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) BillIt is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Bray, for the first time. I would suggest that she look back at the speech of the noble Lord, Lord Macpherson, who set out some…06 Jan 2025HANSARDOperaMy Lords, my noble friend Lord Murphy of Torfaen has done a great service to this House, opera and WNO in securing this debate and introducing it so compellingly—a case of a good…10 Dec 2024HANSARDAutumn Budget 2024My Lords, there was much comment about the new Government’s first Budget not being delivered until 117 days after they took office—one of the longest intervals in recent history.…11 Nov 2024HANSARDUkraineMy Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Robathan, said, there is a limit to what can be added, as nearly the 30th speaker, to a debate where there is such a heartening and profound…25 Oct 2024HANSARDBudget Responsibility BillMy Lords, this is a short Bill, which, as it is—in my view, rightly—designated as a money Bill, your Lordships’ House cannot amend. I propose to speak briefly. I add my voice in…09 Sept 2024