Lords
Proceedings
14 July 2026
Autism: Parenting Support Programmes
My Lords, further to the question from the noble Baroness, Lady Pitkeathley, about charities, I declare an interest because I am involved with a number of autistic charities in my old constituency in King’s Lynn and across Norfolk. Is the Minister aware that one of the biggest challenges is when the…
Lords
Proceedings
9 July 2026
Venezuela Earthquakes
My Lords, the Minister will be aware that 14 major hospitals have either been destroyed or very seriously damaged, and it will take a long time for them to be repaired. In the meantime, there is obviously a crucial need for tented hospitals. In this respect, it is obviously good news that the UK Eme…
Lords
Proceedings
9 July 2026
Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
My Lords, can the Minister say something about New START, the treaty which was the last remaining bilateral arms control agreement between the US and Russia, which has expired? What is the future of that treaty? I know that is a slightly separate issue, but it is related.
Lords
Proceedings
8 July 2026
Safe Refugee Routes for Students
I strongly support what the Government are trying to do here. The Minister will be aware of my long-standing interest in Sudan, and I agree with what he said. There are many Sudanese students who have contributed a great deal to our society and, every time I go to Sudan, I meet many people who have …
Lords
Proceedings
7 July 2026
2 contributions
Military Conflicts: International Law
I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper and thank the Lord Speaker for pronouncing my name in the Northumberland way.
I am grateful to the Attorney-General for that reply. I have the greatest respect for his legal prowess. He has reached the pinnacle of his profession, and I admire him enormously. Incidentally, I do not have a problem with his past involvement in cases against the Government and veterans, because b…
Lords
Proceedings
6 July 2026
International Marine Protected Area: Sargasso Sea
Further to that question, surely the fact that 12 negotiating sessions went on shows that the last Government did not reach a deal because they could not. The Chagos Archipelago contains not one of the world’s most vital reef wildernesses but the world’s most vital reef wilderness. The question is: …
Lords
Proceedings
2 July 2026
Employment Tribunals
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Barber, mentioned the Employment Rights Act. The Minister will be aware that every single employer organisation, from the CBI through to the Federation of Small Businesses, has predicted that not only will it destroy growth and damage jobs but lead to a very large spik…
Lords
Proceedings
30 June 2026
Women’s Representation in Peace Processes
My Lords, the Minister in her substantive reply mentioned Sudan. She will be aware that, during this appalling conflict, rape is being used habitually as a weapon of war, and quite atrociously also against minors. This constitutes among the most significant crimes against humanity: war crimes. Can s…
Lords
Proceedings
24 June 2026
Darfur: Atrocities
My Lords, I too support the Minister’s robust and strong response. She mentioned the illicit flows of gold. Is she aware that the RSF has been exporting substantial quantities of gold to countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and the UAE to help finance the provision of weapons and arms? Twenty years ago…
Lords
Proceedings
24 June 2026
Hares: Close Season
My Lords, I strongly support what the noble Lord, Lord Cromwell, said earlier, and I declare my interests in the register. Is the Minister aware of the Hares Preservation Act 1892, which specifically forbids the sale of hares during the notional hare breeding season, 1 March to the end of July? Is t…
Lords
Proceedings
23 June 2026
G7 Summit
My Lords, this morning, a Russian ballistic missile struck a civilian target in President Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, killing three people and wounding many others. It was a quite appalling incident, at 11 am Ukrainian time. In the G7 communiqué, there was a statement committing to an increas…
Lords
Proceedings
22 June 2026
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
When it came to recent so-called spyware lawsuits, various Governments tried to claim state immunity. Can the Minister just update the House on the Government’s view on this?
Lords
Proceedings
18 June 2026
Face-to-face Banking Services
My Lords, I declare an interest as someone who has had two bad experiences with banks recently. The first was in a personal capacity when ringing the Barclays call centre. No one would give their name or number, and so they lost the business: it was frustrating. The other experience was as chairman …
Lords
Proceedings
17 June 2026
Integrated Care Boards: Budgets
My Lords, the new Norfolk and Suffolk ICB was officially launched on 1 April this year, formed by merging the Norfolk and Waveney ICB with Suffolk. The Minister stated at the time that the streamlining process would reduce running costs by 50%. Can she give a timeline for these savings? Will those f…
Lords
Proceedings
17 June 2026
Thames Water
My Lords, surely if a company is highly profitable, no capitalist—or even trade unionist, for that matter—can object to shareholders receiving dividends or directors receiving bonuses. It is called sharing in the proceeds of success. But if a company is heavily indebted, surely it is completely unet…
Lords
Proceedings
11 June 2026
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: Proscription
My Lords, I certainly welcome the legislation that is proposed, plus the Minister’s own personal commitment to this, because the use of these proxies, behind which countries such as Iran are obviously hiding, is doing untold harm. It is not just the IRGC but the Iranian-linked Harakat Ashab al-Yamin…
Lords
Proceedings
10 June 2026
Mindanao Earthquake
My Lords, further to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Effingham, it is not just a question of residents not wanting to go to hospitals because of fear of them collapsing. Many hospitals have been badly damaged, so people are being treated, as my noble friend said, in makeshift facilities. …
Lords
Proceedings
9 June 2026
Lord Mandelson Humble Address
My Lords, when Morgan McSweeney appeared before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, he said, “All of my messages concerning the Mandelson appointment will be published in the first round of publications”. Have they been?
Lords
Proceedings
9 June 2026
British Council
My Lords, almost exactly one year ago, Russia designated the British Council an “undesirable organisation”, and the British Council was then forced to suspend all its remaining activities in Russia. Can the Minister tell us what the current situation is? Has any of its work there been reactivated? F…
Lords
Proceedings
8 June 2026
Russian Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure
My Lords, the recent Russian drone attack on the flats in Galați in Romania represents a major escalation indeed and is incredibly worrying. Is the UK going to lead a specific initiative in the UN Security Council on this, and what other action can the UK take alongside our partners?
Lords
Proceedings
8 June 2026
Children’s Social Care: Enduring Relationships Strategy
My Lords, I had the pleasure of working with the Minister in Committee on the Bill on the regional care co-operatives, and I am very grateful to her for agreeing to many of the things the Opposition were keen to have in the Bill. The successful expansion of the RCCs will depend to a large extent on …
Lords
Proceedings
2 June 2026
Bosnia and Herzegovina
As the Minister is aware, one of the major roadblocks to harmony between the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska and the Bosnia-Croat federation is the lack of a unified police force. Will the UK draw on its huge experience of capacity building and expertise in this area to make this a key part of our b…
Lords
Proceedings
1 June 2026
Business Hiring
My Lords, will the Minister tell the House exactly which part of the Employment Rights Act will create jobs and encourage employment?
Lords
Proceedings
21 May 2026
2 contributions
Higher Earners: Emigration
My Lords—
The Minister talked about celebrating entrepreneurs and business creation. According to City A.M., nearly 6,000 British business owners have quit the UK over the past two years. Why is this?
Lords
Proceedings
20 May 2026
Youth Justice
My Lords, correct me if I am wrong, but I think the Government said that they will try to slash custodial remand for young offenders by one quarter. Is that correct? Surely remand should be used in response to need and not subject to arbitrary targets. That does not make any sense at all. What happe…