Lord Farmer

36 parliamentary sessions on record in this archive

36 sessions page 2 of 2
Lords Oral Questions 1 September 2025
Palestinian Territories: Development Support
My Lords—
Lords Oral Questions 2 July 2025
India: Minorities
As I said, we raise the issues that the noble Lord is concerned about directly with the Government of India. Animal welfare, plants and phytosanitary issues all relate to trade, our ability to trade fairly and being fair to our producers here in the UK. They are part of a trade negotiation that is i…
Lords Debate 23 June 2025 2 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 179 and 183 in my name. It might be a lighter-weight and shorter debate than the important debate we have just had. I should disclose that, taken together, these amendments are a slightly cut-down version of my Support for Infants and Parents etc (Information) Bi…
My Lords, I thank all noble Lords—there were many of them—who richly contributed to this debate; it was an important debate. Their contributions have very much made it clear that there is robust support for a transparent early years offer here in this House and that it will remain. We should not ne…
Lords Debate 17 June 2025 2 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, I support Amendment 119 tabled by my noble friend Lord Agnew, to which I have added my name. He spoke very persuasively for it. I did read the Minister’s response to the debate last Thursday on Amendment 82, which would similarly have made it compulsory for children in kinship care to be …
My Lords, it is an honour to follow the noble Lord, Lord Meston, whose wisdom and experience of the court processes in this area are, I am sure, very valuable to the Committee. I will speak to Amendment 133 in my name. I have also added my name to that of my noble friend Lady Barran on Amendment 12…
Lords Debate 9 June 2025 2 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 68, 68A, 68B, 169 and 171 in this group. I added my name to Amendment 68 in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett, because it has been my long-standing position that every community in this country needs preventive family support for social flourishing, in…
I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.
Lords Oral Questions 4 June 2025
Young Children: Convenience Foods
I definitely understand where the noble Lord is coming from and also share the view about where he wishes to get to on this. Cooking lessons have not been specifically included in the programme, as I believe he may be aware, but the Start for Life website and email programme has advice for parents a…
Lords Debate 20 May 2025 2 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, I added my name to this amendment in the name of my noble friend Lady Barran because I am also deeply concerned that children benefit from the right level of expertise in the family group decision-making process. I have already mentioned Eileen Munro’s commentary on the Government’s reform…
My Lords, I shall speak briefly to my Amendments, 21, 22 and 23. First, because these three amendments are explicitly focused on family hubs, I declare my interest as a guarantor of FHN Holding, the not-for-profit owner of the Family Hubs Network Ltd. These amendments are probing because, as I have…
Lords Debate 20 May 2025 2 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, I welcome the opportunity that the purpose clause from my noble friend Lady Barran has given us to range far more freely than the tightly timed Second Reading allowed. I could only comment on what was in the Bill and pay scant attention to what I sensed was lacking. Part 1, and therefore t…
My Lords, I rise to speak to Amendment 18 in my name and to Amendments 7 and 14, which have just been ably spoken to by the noble Baronesses, Lady Armstrong and Lady Walmsley. Amendment 7 is also supported by the noble Baronesses, Lady Longfield and Lady Drake, and Amendment 14 by the noble Baroness…
Lords Proceedings 9 May 2025
80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan
It is right that we undertake this debate to pay tribute to those who defended our freedoms in the First and Second World Wars. We must remember and honour them, and use this day to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day and, shortly, on 14 August, VJ Day. We have heard some magnificent speeches…
Lords Debate 1 May 2025
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, there are certainly many welcome aspects of this Bill, not least the proper recognition of the importance of children’s well-being. What plans do the Government have to ensure that all schools are alert to the issue of bereavement and have access to resources beyond themselves to support a…
Lords Proceedings 30 April 2025
Child Rape Gangs
My Lords, the weekend’s tragic news of the death of Virginia Giuffre highlights the long-term effects of child sexual abuse. I should declare an interest, as my sister suffered serious sexual abuse as a child. Her entire life thereafter was dominated by its effect, with three serious suicide attempt…

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