Lords
Debate
8 January 2026
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
My Lords, I think we have exhausted the debate. There is widespread support for this Motion, and for that I am incredibly grateful. Can I say just one thing? What this Motion, if passed, means is that the House is saying loudly, clearly and, I hope, unanimously that our job is to get to the end of t…
Lords
Debate
7 January 2026
2 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, the right to protest, like most of the rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, requires a balance. A balance is required here between the rights of protesters and the rights of others.
The noble Lord, Lord Blencathra, is absolutely right. The noble Baroness, Lady Jones, may …
Can I just point out to the noble Lord, if he will allow me to, that these people were not arrested for expressing a view about Gaza? They were arrested for supporting Palestine Action, which is a violent terrorist group.
Lords
Proceedings
6 January 2026
Venezuela
My Lords, I remind the noble Baroness that when the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hermer, was sworn in as the Attorney-General on 15 July 2024, he gave a speech in which he said that
“from the Prime Minister down, the new government is comprised of individuals who have the rule of law imprinted into…
Lords
Debate
6 January 2026
Sentencing Bill
Can the noble and learned Lord clarify, at an appropriate point, subsection (2) of the proposed new clause in Amendment 68? It says:
“Sentencing remarks may be published only”
in certain circumstances. My first question is: is that meant to restrict the rights of the victim under subsection (1) of…
Lords
Oral Questions
5 January 2026
Government Communications: X
My Lords, this Government do what they think is right every single day. Some Members of your Lordships’ House will be aware of my own experiences on X and what that did to me. I stand here, even with those experiences, and say that I still believe that X is an appropriate platform to use because I b…
Lords
Debate
17 December 2025
7 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, it is of course a criminal offence to ride your e-bike at more than a specified rate. I am sure that the noble Viscount, Lord Hailsham, when he rides any of his e-bikes, complies with those requirements at all times. But if it is already an offence to ride a bike at more than a specified s…
Then the answer to the problem is to ensure that the speed limits apply whenever the e-bike is used. I fail to understand why it is a criminal offence to use your e-bike above a specified speed on the road, but not on the pavement. It seems ridiculous.
+5 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
16 December 2025
Employment Rights Bill
My Lords, this time last week I said that much had happened in the preceding interval. Today, the opposite is true. We are now down to one issue, but the arguments on that issue remain as they were last week. For that reason, unlike last week, this speech will be short.
There remain concerns about …
Lords
Debate
12 December 2025
3 contributions
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
On human rights law, does the Minister agree that, if Parliament forms a considered judgment that there is a basis for a differentiation in this context or any other, it is most unlikely that a court is going to intervene on the sensitive subjects of social policy that we are concerned with here?
What happens if my doctor retires and I therefore have not had a doctor who knows me for two years? Am I to be denied access to the provisions under this Bill?
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
9 December 2025
4 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
I entirely support what the Minister is putting forward. Is it the intention of the Home Office to track down these 350 or so individuals and notify them of the consequences of this legislation when it is enacted?
My Lords, I support the noble Baroness’s amendment for the reasons she gives and for a further reason, which is that I deprecate the practice of Ministers of all Governments of not bringing into force legislation which has been enacted by Parliament. Parliament intends legislation to come into effec…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
9 December 2025
4 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
I add my voice to what has been said by the noble Baroness, Lady Doocey, and the noble Lord, Lord Faulks. The fundamental principle is set out in new Section 11ZB(2): if the defendant cannot have a fair trial, the hearing cannot proceed. The gravity of the allegations and the public interest demand …
My Lords, I too support these amendments. I will make two points that are additional to the powerful factors that have been addressed so far. First, I am very concerned to hear from the noble Baroness, Lady Bertin, that the Government have not yet responded in full to her review. Can the Minister te…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
25 November 2025
Forthcoming Fiscal Changes
As the noble Lord well knows, I am not going to comment on the ongoing Budget process, which will conclude tomorrow when the Chancellor delivers the Budget.
Lords
Debate
24 November 2025
Mental Health Bill [HL]
My Lords, I start by adding my thanks to the Minister for her extremely constructive engagement throughout the Bill and particularly in recent weeks, as we have discussed community treatment orders and strengthening measures to monitoring racial disparities. My noble friend Lord Scriven has already …
Lords
Debate
21 November 2025
5 contributions
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
My Lords, there is a profound irony in this group of amendments, because the Bill introduces far greater protection for vulnerable patients than exists under current law. Terminally ill people are currently vulnerable to all sorts of pressures from family members and others who may have their own ag…
What is the difference between that conversation and the conversation that happens every day, in tragic personal circumstances, where the relative or friend says to the dying person, “Have you considered giving up your chemotherapy”?
+3 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
18 November 2025
Independent Football Regulator
Does the Minister agree that, in the light of the manifest suitability of Mr Kogan to perform this important job—given, as the noble Lord, Lord Birt, said, his unique expertise and experience—it is unfortunate that this synthetic dispute should seek to undermine the important responsibilities he is …
Lords
Debate
14 November 2025
4 contributions
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
My Lords, I absolutely agree with the noble Lord, Lord Pannick. The noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, and I have worked together for many years, on many health issues, but I do not think she addressed the issue of why she wants to change the wording.
Given that we worked in 2005 on the Bill that actuall…
I am indeed, which is why I think it needs to be clearly probed. If that is what your Lordships’ House and the other place intend, we should legislate for that, but I am not persuaded that all Members of this House and the other place will have the expertise that the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, has.
…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
12 November 2025
Caribbean: US Military Action
The Government have not been coy at all in saying that international law should be adhered to. They have not been coy at all in what they have said about adherence to the UN charter and its principles. What I am trying to do, as a responsible Minister in a responsible Government, is deal with a diff…
Lords
Debate
11 November 2025
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
My Lords, it is all very well saying that people who have come from a safe third country are not entitled to asylum here. That is the law; there is no doubt about that. The difficulty is in removing such people. These amendments provide no assistance in relation to that. People who have come here fr…
Lords
Debate
10 November 2025
2 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, and the noble Baroness, Lady Fox, accurately pointed out that a respect order may be made merely on the balance of probabilities—the civil standard of proof. Will the Minister confirm my understanding that, if a criminal charge is to be brought for breac…
Since the Minister rightly accepts that there is a test of proportionality under the Human Rights Act, would it not be better to put it in the Bill, so that everybody understands—whether they are magistrates, judges, solicitors or counsel—that that is the test? That would provide a great deal of com…
Lords
Oral Questions
10 November 2025
National Insurance: Partnerships
I certainly agree with the first fact that the noble Lord set out, and I am happy to do so. On his second fact, that is inviting me to speculate, which I think I have made clear I am not going to do.
Lords
Oral Questions
5 November 2025
2 contributions
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Draft Updated Code of Practice
We will hear from the Cross Benches.
Yes, I do agree. That is what the Government, from the Prime Minister downwards, have been clear about since the judgment was made. Organisations should comply with that judgment; where they have concerns, they should take legal advice on how to do it.
Lords
Proceedings
30 October 2025
Asylum Seekers: MoD Housing
The Minister just acknowledged that speedy determination of asylum claims is essential to addressing this problem. You obviously need less accommodation if people can be moved on when they have no asylum claim, and moved to other countries speedily. That will have a greater deterrent effect on those…
Lords
Oral Questions
29 October 2025
Antisemitism: Universities
I strongly agree with the noble Lord. That is why I was clear earlier that the right to protest is most certainly not a right to disrupt, intimidate or harass. It is the responsibility of all of us, including those in the leadership of universities, to make sure that students and staff can go about …
Lords
Proceedings
27 October 2025
Alleged Spying Case: Role of Attorney-General’s Office
The noble and learned Lord will know that the Court of Appeal recently stated that an “enemy” includes a country which poses a threat to the national security of this country. Is it the Government’s view that the People’s Republic of China does pose a threat to the national security of this country?
Lords
Oral Questions
23 October 2025
Chinese Embassy
I am going to have to keep repeating the same thing, I am afraid. The material that is relevant, the material considerations that come forward under the planning decision, will be released at the time of the planning decision. It is very important that we keep openness and transparency at the heart …