Lords
Oral Questions
12 November 2025
9 contributions
Barnett Formula: Wales
My Lords, when the Barnett formula was first established, more than 100,000 people worked in coal and steel in Wales; that is now down to under 5,000. Does the Minister recall Lord Barnett admitting that his formula was outdated, with the consequent underfunding of Wales hidden by European regional …
My Lords, the UK Government have given the Welsh Government the largest financial settlement in the history of devolution, nearly £5 billion extra to spend on public services in the next three years—not supported in the Senedd by Plaid Cymru. Does the Minister agree that it was most positive to hear…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
3 November 2025
2 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
I gently remind noble Lords that, as stated in the Companion :
“Members … pressing or withdrawing an amendment should normally be brief and”
should not
“respond to all the points made during the debate, nor revisit points made when moving”,
or pressing,
“the amendment”.
Speeches appear to be g…
The noble Lord made his speech earlier. We do not need to rehearse what has been said during the debate—I spoke on this issue at the beginning of this particular debate. Perhaps he can let us know whether he will move this to a vote.
Lords
Oral Questions
3 November 2025
9 contributions
Public/Private Partnerships: Shares
My Lords, since I tabled this Question, my noble friend Lord Livermore has been appointed Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator for next year’s elections. I am sure that everyone would wish to congratulate him on that, even in his absence. He is now, of course, in a unique position: not only is he…
My Lords, does the Minister agree that where public/private partnerships have gone wrong is in there not having been people in the public sector with the procurement skills and knowledge to get a good deal, and the private sector has run rings around them? If we are going to go ahead, can we look at…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
29 October 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
I thank noble Lords for the debate and the noble Baroness for moving this amendment. Obviously, trees and the natural environment are very important to all of us, especially the Government. Trees offer profound environmental and societal benefits; they are instrumental in our efforts to mitigate and…
Lords
Debate
29 October 2025
4 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
The noble Lord said at the beginning that he would not be pressing the amendment to a vote, so that should be sufficient, without needing to rehearse the debate yet again.
My Lords, I will first address the amendments tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Roborough, which relate to the regulation-making powers governing the nature restoration levy. It is worth highlighting that the Bill provides the framework, but the detail of how the levy will operate will be brought forwa…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
29 October 2025
2 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Is the noble Lord going to push his amendment to a vote or withdraw it? We are at that stage now.
My Lords, the usual channels have agreed that we should pause now to allow for a short break before Oral Questions at 3 pm. Although unusual, I therefore beg to move that the debate on this amendment be adjourned, and we will return to it later this afternoon.
Lords
Oral Questions
28 October 2025
9 contributions
Offshore Oil and Gas: Venting and Flaring
I am grateful to the noble Lord for that Answer and recognise that some limited progress has been made, but it really is too little, and 2030 is too far ahead, given that methane is one of the most damaging, dangerous and fast-acting greenhouse gases. The practice of venting and flaring in non-emerg…
My Lords, when it comes to routine venting and flaring, there are different estimates about the extent and scale of the problem. Given the loss of MethaneSAT in June, what actions are the Government taking to work with partners to improve international monitoring capabilities?
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
27 October 2025
3 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, before we start the first group, I remind the House, as I did last week, of important guidance on Report, which will, I hope, help proceedings run smoothly.
First, I note paragraph 4.23 of the Companion , which states:
“Debate must be relevant to the Question before the House”.
While de…
It is Report and all I would say is that, as long as the debate is relevant, we have no problem with that.
Amendment 84
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
22 October 2025
2 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.
My Lords, I was just too keen, after sitting on the Bench since 11 o’clock this morning.
Lords
Debate
22 October 2025
2 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I shall just make a quick statement before we continue. Before the first group is debated, I remind the House of some important guidance on Report stage, which will, I hope, help proceedings run smoothly. First, I highlight paragraph 4.23 of the Companion , which states:
“Debate must be r…
Can I ask the noble Lord to stick to the amendment? Italian mushrooms might be a very important issue, but as far as this amendment is concerned, it is very discursive.
Lords
Committee Stage
21 October 2025
5 contributions
Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (Mutual Recognition Agreement) (Switzerland) Regulations 2025
My Lords, these regulations are a vital step in implementing the UK’s commitments under the Bern Financial Services Agreement, signed with Switzerland in December 2023. This agreement is a landmark in our financial services relationship, reflecting the UK’s status as a leading global financial centr…
My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing this statutory instrument, which, as he said, implements the UK’s commitment to the agreement between the UK and the Swiss Confederation on mutual recognition in financial services.
I note that the explanation of the SI says that it will, as the Minist…
+3 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
20 October 2025
4 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, Amendment 22, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, proposes that the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority—NISTA—be given a new responsibility to receive, assess, investigate where appropriate and oversee whistleblowing disclosures related to nationally signifi…
I thank the noble Viscount for Amendment 23, which builds on a previous amendment tabled in Committee. It proposes a process for projects designated by the Secretary of State as “critical national priority”, where development consent orders would come into force only once approved through an Act of …
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
20 October 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, Amendment 21, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, seeks to ensure that any applicable environmental delivery plan, or EDP, is taken into account by the Secretary of State when making a decision whether to grant permission to a nationally significant infrastructure project.
I can as…
Lords
Oral Questions
15 October 2025
10 contributions
Modular Nuclear Programme
I thank the Minister for that reply but draw his attention to the statement put out by the Government on 15 September, Golden A ge of N uclear D elivers UK-US D eal on E nergy S ecurity . I tabled this Question because although the statement was most welcome, it had significant gaps. It highlighted …
My Lords, can the Minister update the House as to the efforts and timetable for removing Russia from the supply chain for nuclear fuel?
+8 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
17 September 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, we have a large number of groups to get through today to complete Committee. I remind noble Lords of some important points of guidance in the Companion that might help us with that aim. Paragraph 8.81 on speeches at amending stages on Bills states that:
“Members taking part in debate at a…
Lords
Debate
15 September 2025
3 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I would like to remind noble Lords that we have a large number of groups on this Bill to get through today. While this is Committee, I rise to remind noble Lords of the guidance in the Companian at paragraph 8.81 on speeches at the amending stages of Bills:
“Members taking part in debate …
The Companion says that, whether or not a noble Lord wishes to push their amendment to a vote, they have to be brief. We are going here into areas that are not affected by the amendments, and the noble Lord has been speaking for three minutes.
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
11 September 2025
14 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
I remind noble Lords that we have a large number of groups on this Bill to get through. While this is a Committee stage, I remind noble Lords of the guidance in the Companion , paragraph 8.81, on speeches at amending stages on Bills:
“Members taking part in debate at an amending stage should not us…
I thank noble Lords for their contributions to an interesting debate. As someone who lives in a small village in the north-east of England, I found it really interesting. I am obviously concerned for personal reasons about saving the green belt and looking after historic buildings. When I look out o…
+12 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
9 September 2025
20 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
I thank the noble Lords who have tabled amendments relating to climate change and overheating. It is obviously the biggest issue facing not just the Government and the country but the world. I turn first to Amendments 125, 126, 181 and 216, which concern efforts to adapt new homes and buildings to a…
It is something that we should look at. The warm homes plan, for example, which will be published in October—in just a few weeks’ time—will look at our approach to heating in homes and the mitigation that we need to implement for climate change. We are looking at this and everything will continue to…
+18 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
9 September 2025
5 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
I thank noble Lords for their contributions today and the noble Baroness, Lady Hodgson, for moving her amendment. I echo what the noble Baroness, Lady Scott, said about my noble friend Lord Khan, who is actually a friend and was a very good Minister. We really appreciate the effort he put into his r…
I thank noble Lords for another interesting debate on an issue around which we need to continue to be vigilant. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, for tabling Amendment 120, which seeks to introduce a requirement on local planning authorities to keep a registry of planning applications made b…
+3 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
4 September 2025
2 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
I ask the noble Lord to get to the point of his question.
I thank noble Lords for their contributions to this debate. I also thank the noble Baroness, Lady Miller, for her amendments relating to modelling and simulation technologies and commend her forbearance for waiting this long to get to this important group of amendments. I thank the noble Viscount, L…
Lords
Committee Stage
3 September 2025
5 contributions
Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (Capital Buffers and Macro-prudential Measures) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025
In moving these regulations, I shall speak also to the Markets in Financial Instruments (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025.
These two technical instruments make practical changes that allow the Government to complete reforms to banking and wholesale markets regulation. Collectively, they e…
My Lords, I thank the Minister for outlining what he identified as a very technical and detailed set of two instruments. I came into the Committee not sure whether I was going to speak or not. I listened very carefully to the Minister’s tone and, as I was doing that, I was looking at the Bank of Eng…
+3 more contributions in this session