Lords
Debate
5 September 2025
3 contributions
Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill
My Lords, that was a helpful debate about animal welfare, and one with which I am familiar. It is good to have seen so many people here in the House to hear it, especially with the news that not just one but two Government Ministers are resigning today.
Livestock worrying is an issue of significant…
I thank my constituency MP, the newly elected Member for Chester South and Eddisbury, Aphra Brandreth, and the newly ennobled noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, for drawing up this simple amendment to the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953. It modernises the law on worrying livestock, which causes su…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
4 September 2025
5 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I intend to speak to Amendment 103ZA in my name and to Amendment 104 tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Cameron of Dillington, who has just spoken. While I intend to reserve my comments more broadly on Clause 51 until group 4, where we will debate whether it stands part, I am astonished that w…
My Lords, Clause 51 may look innocuous, but I am concerned that it is removing the effect of democracy. National democracy is imposing its will against the will of the local people. I was reflecting on when in 2013 I was on the Bill Committee for the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, now Act. The Hous…
+3 more contributions in this session
Lords
Committee Stage
3 September 2025
2 contributions
Warm Home Discount (Amendment) Regulations 2025
My Lords, I thank the Minister for stepping into the breach and presenting the regulations in the form of the statutory instrument before us. I share and echo the concerns of my noble friend, without going into any great length, who was an excellent Secretary of State at the Department of Work and P…
I am sure that we can comb through Hansard and make sure that proper, detailed information is provided to the noble Baroness on the issues that she raised.
This scheme has been running for 14 years now. Over that time, more than £4 billion-worth of direct assistance has been provided to low-income …
Lords
Debate
1 September 2025
8 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, in speaking to my Amendment 94B regarding permission for energy substations on higher quality agricultural land, I will also speak to Amendment 94A, tabled by my noble friend Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, which according to the Herald is pronounced “drum-lang”. The amendments reflect the conce…
I think that is right. The HSE, on its own website, refers to the fact that it cannot comment on every application and, in effect, needs to be proactively contacted only if there is considered to be a major risk.
I am also conscious that the River Test is considered by my honourable friend Caroline…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
1 September 2025
7 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I agree with my noble friend Lord Lansley’s approach of being specific about what it is that developers and investors should be looking at instead of what the latest designated strategy might be. This approach also makes sure that we do not end up with more reasons for judicial review, whe…
My Lords, I will speak to Amendment 94E, but I start with Amendment 77 and simply say that I completely agree with the noble Earl, Lord Russell. We are not talking about the horrific, huge pylons; these are quite simple, and it makes much more sense to make it as straightforward as possible to up th…
+5 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
17 July 2025
9 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, my Amendments 10 to 16 are in this group. These are more about Clause 2, so the officials decided to group them together.
On Amendment 8, I respect the former Minister’s experience, and probably frustrations, but, candidly, having represented a part of the country where there are probably…
The reason I know so much about this and there was a debate on the national networks is that I kicked off a hell of a fuss and the Leader of the House then pledged that the Government, despite it not being in the law, would do these resolutions. My concern is about the fact that so much depends on w…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
17 July 2025
2 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I am delighted to be in Committee. I agree with the impact of these clauses in consideration of future judicial decisions. It matters because there has been a trend in aspects of case law that then make other aspects of complying with the law rather complicated, leading to some of the adju…
I appreciate that, and I have not seen it in my inbox, but I am referring to Minister Pennycook making a pledge to write in Committee in the Commons. I am not aware that has ever been issued. It is certainly not available to Members of this House. It would be great, as a general approach, if we coul…
Lords
Committee Stage
16 July 2025
2 contributions
Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) Order 2025
My Lords, from these Benches we generally support the draft regulations. We commend the stated commitment of this Government to deliver warm homes that are cheaper to heat and to tackle fuel poverty. We have some of the highest energy bills and some of the coldest, dampest and worst-insulated homes …
I do not have the figures in front of me about the number of homes in rural communities and how they are affected. However, I can say that we are aware that rural properties face additional costs in installing energy efficiency measures. This may be because these properties are more likely to be old…
Lords
Committee Stage
16 July 2025
Electricity Capacity (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025
My Lords, these Benches welcome these amendments. This is an important step in our journey towards a full, clean and secure energy future. We are generally supportive of the intent behind the amendments, particularly their aim to accelerate the decarbonisation of our electricity supply.
At the hear…
Lords
Debate
15 July 2025
Renters’ Rights Bill
My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Grender, and the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Stirrup. I put my name to Amendment 106 because of my experience in representing the Armed Forces in a previous role in the other place. Also, to be candid, I am sure that several of us have h…
Lords
Debate
14 July 2025
3 contributions
Employment Rights Bill
My Lords, I have added my name to Amendment 30, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Goddard of Stockport, which builds on something that I raised in Committee. I have been asked to do a statement for the Covid inquiry regarding the economic response and so have been going through a variety of notes from …
My Lords, I speak to the two amendments that I have tabled. The loss of any foetus or potential child is a massive grief, and I entirely understand why this provision has been brought forward. My right honourable friend Jeremy Hunt commissioned the independent review into pregnancy loss several year…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
10 July 2025
2 contributions
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
My Lords, I support my noble friends in opposing this clause. While I will try to avoid repeating what my noble friends have already said, to take a starting point, I did speak in the debate at the other end on this because it was important that, as has already been somewhat alluded to, this turned …
I appreciate what the Minister is saying, but, ultimately, this is a decision about whether or not Rwanda is a safe country. Do the UK Government believe that Rwanda is a safe country or do they agree with the Supreme Court that it is an unsafe country?
Lords
Committee Stage
9 July 2025
2 contributions
Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy
My Lords, I was considering aspects of information that would be provided. It would have been helpful to know at least the summary responses, but we will have a further opportunity at the next stage of consideration to go into this in more detail.
Building on what the noble Lord, Lord Grantchester,…
My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing the debate today. I also wish his predecessor well, who I understand chose to retire. He will be greatly missed. We enjoyed debating with him, as we enjoy debating with the noble Lord, Lord Wilson. I will focus particularly on the impact on the countrys…
Lords
Proceedings
2 July 2025
2 contributions
Welfare Reform
My Lords—
My Lords, I am very conscious, having run the DWP for three weeks—three years, rather; in some ways, it did go by in a flash—during Covid, of how challenging this was for the Government. The principles that the Minister set out are exactly the same ones that were there when the Conservative Governme…
Lords
Oral Questions
30 June 2025
Deep Sea Mining in International Waters
I wholeheartedly agree with the noble Baroness, and that is exactly what we have been doing. In my recent discussions with new Secretary-General Botchwey, we have been making exactly that point.
Lords
Debate
26 June 2025
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
My Lords, I added my name to this amendment because I completely agree with what the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, has said.
In my time at Defra, there was a weekly biosecurity meeting covering a variety of things, such as invasive species. In particular, the risks of African swine fever and Xylella fas…
Lords
Debate
25 June 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, the number of speakers in this debate reflects just how seriously this Chamber is taking the issue of housebuilding and infrastructure. To start with, I will refer to Chapter 2 of Part 2 of the Bill on spatial development strategies. For those of us who have been involved in local governme…
Lords
Debate
23 June 2025
2 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
I start by saying that it is great to see my noble friend Lady Stedman-Scott in the Chamber on the Front Bench. She and I worked together when we were in the Department for Work and Pensions, and I have to say that she was an exceptional Minister for the Child Maintenance Service. What motivated us …
In consideration of what the Minister has said, of which I am conscious of certain aspects, I am pleased, in particular, to hear that the Child Support (Enforcement) Act should come into effect by the end of the year. I will take up some of the other matters to which she referred directly with the r…
Lords
Debate
18 June 2025
3 contributions
Employment Rights Bill
My Lords, I beg to move Amendment 279ZZZA—it somewhat reminds me of ZZ Top. This is, again, a bit of a niche amendment. The reason I say that is because many people—not your Lordships, I am certain—may think that “the Crown” in Clause 144 applies just to the King and the Royal Family. In fact, UK Mi…
I thought I started by saying I would move it, but yes, I certainly do want to move it.
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
18 June 2025
8 contributions
Employment Rights Bill
My Lords, Amendments 277 and 328, which I expect the noble Lord, Lord Goddard of Stockport, to speak to shortly, are an interesting element. Amendment 277 talks about the review of the fair work agency. Considering that a number of questions have come up about this, that is a fair assessment, given …
My Lords, I support several of the amendments tabled by my noble friend. The stand part notice in my name on Clause 134 is also in this group. We are getting into an interesting bit, in a legal sense, about what information is being gathered and how it can be used. I was somewhat struck by this. I f…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
16 June 2025
9 contributions
Employment Rights Bill
My Lords, the reason I support the amendment is that it links making sure we get the consultations done and then not proceeding with the legislation until that has been printed. This goes to the heart of trying to understand, in effect, the detail of the Bill and how it really will impact jobs, beca…
My Lords, jumping to Clause 92, I shall start by addressing Amendment 271ZZB in my name. It refers to the annual report that the Secretary of State would be expected to make on the extent to which they have undertaken the enforcement functions. I have a particular problem with suggesting that it is …
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
16 June 2025
6 contributions
Employment Rights Bill
My Lords, I will speak to each of the three amendments in this group, starting with Amendment 254. A significant part of the reason for the minimum services, as my noble friend has just laid out, was to recognise that certain issues were affecting daily life.
It is worth while considering the timin…
My Lords, this whole group of stand part notices is basically about the removal of powers from the certification officer. We have already debated Clause 77. In thinking through what is going on here, I wondered whether there would be anything of a certification officer left, because it feels like a …
+4 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
13 June 2025
2 contributions
Environmental Targets (Public Authorities) Bill [HL]
My Lords, I express my concern about this amendment. I completely understand where my noble friend Lord Hamilton is coming from with his wider concerns about some of these policies. I echo the comments of the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, about adaptation for climate change in particular.…
I understand what the noble Lord says on that, recognising that this was covering every single bit of government. The guidance that was attached to the production of local nature recovery strategies was actually very much stronger and more specific.
Lords
Proceedings
12 June 2025
Spending Review 2025
Like my noble friend on the shadow Front Bench, I was surprised that the review suggested that a benefit-cost ratio of less than one could still be considered value for money. It also committed to publishing the BCR for all the cases. Can the Minister say when that will happen and whether it will al…