How right the noble Lord is. The digital signalling programme for the east coast main line does absolutely as he describes, which is to give more capacity on the existing track. It is in train; as far as I know, it is on target and on budget for the south end of the east coast main line. It is subsc…
My Lords, the Government say that they will directly reduce food bills by joining the EU SPS. Can the Minister give us a forecast of how much cheaper food is going to be? It certainly never worked when we were in the EU and it is a very complicated and expensive scheme.
The noble Lord will not be surprised to hear that I do not agree with his analysis of why the two refineries that have closed in the UK have done so, but the four refineries that we have in the UK are all producing well and in a robust condition. The Government will continue to monitor that process,…
My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Redwood, although I do not agree with absolutely everything that he said. It is a pleasure too to take part in today’s debate and to resume that focus on Northern Ireland that I had as chairman of the Sub-Committee of the European Affairs Com…
The noble Lord, who has been a Member of the other place and only recently of your Lordships’ House, will be aware better than me that I am not in a position to give any detail of ongoing negotiations while they are currently ongoing. The noble Lord will be aware that the impact on Northern Ireland …
My Lords, the Economist magazine got it right about the Chancellor’s speech on the spring forecast. It said that the Chancellor
“did not announce a single major policy decision that will help Britain break out of its malaise”.
The malaise is the OBR’s bleak forecasts for economic growth over the c…
My Lords, is it the Government’s case that Lord Mandelson misled them to get the appointment? Can the Minister give us a couple of examples of what he said to fool the Prime Minister?
I welcome strongly the Government’s decision to abolish the two-child limit. Scrapping it remains the single most effective step that we are taking to reduce child poverty in this country.
As we have heard, abolishing the policy will lift about 450,000 children out of poverty by 2030. When combined…
My Lords, I support the intervention of my noble and learned friend Lady Butler-Sloss on the question of Scotland and the Scottish intervention. I do so because it makes me profoundly uneasy. When I was reading the explanatory comments from the Government for this new SI, the emphasis is on the Nort…
I thank the Minister for his support for our Armed Forces. Has this action, which relies to some extent on aircraft operating out of Diego Garcia, persuaded the Government that it would be a very bad idea to give the freehold of this base to a friend of China and to take the risks with a non-nuclear…
If anything is clear from the past couple of weeks, it is that energy sovereignty and controlling our own destiny when it comes to energy is critical. The macro environment and geopolitics are regrettable and unfortunate. They bring pressures on our energy, but security and the commitment we have ma…
What increases will there be in taxes, excise duties and handling charges? How much money will be sent to Spain for levelling up? What are the estimated costs of all the additional regulation? Is this not rather bad for business in Gibraltar?
My Lords, it was a pleasure to serve under the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Ricketts, who had a difficult task indeed. His choice of title is apposite, first, because resetting our relationship is a continual process, not a single act, so it is rightly unfinished business, but, secondly, bec…
Why do the Government think the international courts can make us give Diego Garcia away to Mauritius when there are very clear defence opt-outs from their jurisdictions in the relevant treaties?
I welcome the Government’s decision to take this very seriously and to publish in tranches. Given that many days have now elapsed, will the Government publish a tranche tomorrow to show good faith, so that the proper process of scrutiny can begin?
The noble Lord is of course right that we need good jobs for young people. We also need investment in their education and training, which this Government are putting in place. The £1.5 billion that the Chancellor made available to support the youth guarantee and apprenticeships for young people will…
My Lords, it gives me great pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Redwood. I welcome him to your Lordships’ House and congratulate him on his excellent and, may I say, pithy maiden speech. My noble friend brings a wealth of in-depth and current political and business experience, coupled with a rec…