Lords
Oral Questions
22 April 2026
World Economic Outlook: UK Growth and Inflation
My noble friend is absolutely right. The economy, at the time of the spring forecast, showed that we are well placed going into this conflict. Inflation was at 3% and is set to fall to target—a much lower starting point than when Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Borrowing was set to fall more over …
Lords
Oral Questions
20 April 2026
Schoolchildren: Swimming
My noble friend has put rather more clearly what I slightly pussy-footed around in drawing a comparison between 2010 and 2026. He is right. Those 591 pools did not just disappear by virtue of planning. They disappeared because of a failure of the last Government to invest in not just swimming but lo…
Lords
Oral Questions
16 April 2026
Southport Inquiry: Prevent Programme
It is a tangential point to the issue in relation to Southport, but I assure my noble friend that both Houses of Parliament have passed legislation—in this case, banning Palestine Action. That is subject to a current court case. We have taken that decision on solid advice from security services, and…
Lords
Oral Questions
16 April 2026
Farming Road Map
I am sure my noble friend will be delighted to be aware that the next round of the SFI is very much targeted at the smaller farmer.
Lords
Oral Questions
25 March 2026
Media Freedom Coalition
My noble friend puts his position across forcefully and clearly, as ever. My concern is with the Media Freedom Coalition and to make sure that the UK plays the fullest part it can in its role as co-chair. This is a vital international mechanism, and we intend to use it for good.
Lords
Oral Questions
24 March 2026
Reducing Government Spending
I am sure my noble friend makes a very interesting point. It is notable, though, that the party opposite’s first instinct is to cut spending at a moment of instability such as this. That is precisely the stop-go pattern of investment that got us into the problems that our economy is now in. Cutting …
Lords
Oral Questions
17 March 2026
Birmingham City Council and Unite: Refuse Workers’ Pay
We would certainly encourage all parties that can help with this dispute to get around the table and make sure that this is resolved. It is not in the interests of the people of Birmingham for this to carry on a day longer than it needs to.
Lords
Oral Questions
17 March 2026
Plan 2 Student Loans: Repayment Terms
My noble friend is absolutely right. The student loan situation is one we inherited from the Opposition. I think they have questions to answer about the approach they took. We will not take any lessons on how to do this. We are determined to move forward and do it properly on behalf of the young peo…
Lords
Oral Questions
16 March 2026
UK Public Servants: International Secondments
My Lords, I thank my noble friend, but I suggest that it is always about your individual management style; for example, as a Minister, working with people and bringing them on a journey with you, making sure that you are able to deliver collectively and collaboratively in your policy area. But it is…
Lords
Oral Questions
11 March 2026
Sustainable Farming Incentive: Small Farms
One of the recommendations in the Batters review is about active farming and ensuring that the payments that we make from government go to people who are farming and supporting the food production that our country so badly needs if we are to have food security. That is what we are trying to do.
Lords
Oral Questions
5 March 2026
Small Businesses: VAT Threshold
Yes, absolutely, the Government are very aware of the points that my noble friend raises. HMRC has recently engaged in increased enforcement activity around those exact points.
Lords
Oral Questions
5 March 2026
Class Inequality in the Arts
We are aware of the basic income scheme for artists in Ireland. We are not considering a basic income scheme for artists at this time. However, we believe that British creators are second to none and we are committed to giving them security and a regulatory and fiscal environment where creativity ca…
Lords
Oral Questions
4 March 2026
Maternity Commissioner
As always, I thank my noble friend for his question. He raises a very serious point: how many experts can we have in this space? That is why the review and the task force will take these requests forward. Many different requests have come forward over, I have to say, the many years that there have b…
Lords
Oral Questions
23 February 2026
V-levels
The only thing about which I disagree with my noble friend is that that is not the only mess left by the previous Government that we have had to clear up.
Lords
Oral Questions
23 February 2026
Global Biodiversity Loss and National Security
We are currently looking at that. We need to reduce the amount of run-off, for example, from farms, and we are looking at how best to work with farmers to improve the situation.
Lords
Oral Questions
12 February 2026
Changing Weather Patterns and Floods
I am sure my noble friend is aware that the Government are keen to stop any inappropriate payments to senior members of water companies where they have been seen to pollute indiscriminately.
Lords
Proceedings
11 February 2026
Ministry of Defence: Palantir Contracts
My Lords, while I am not particularly worried about the way this contract was awarded, it does raise the issue of single companies being given large defence contracts without competition. It also raises value for money. I would hope that the defence department was looking at value for money and at m…
Lords
Oral Questions
11 February 2026
2 contributions
Renters’ Rights Act: Implementation
Oh!
My noble friend puts his finger on one cause of the housing crisis: there are many. Not building enough homes was a fundamental cause as well. We have taken steps already to address some of the issues around right to buy and to make sure that councils get the funding back for houses that they sell u…
Lords
Proceedings
10 February 2026
Standards in Public Life
My Lords, I think the whole House will welcome the Leader’s Statement and the measured way in which she has delivered it. However, there are still scandals here. It is not just Peter Mandelson. There is a Baroness in this House who has ripped off the taxpayer by millions of pounds, and she is still …
Lords
Oral Questions
9 February 2026
Life Sciences: Beagles
That is interesting. My noble friend should know that the UK has the highest standards possible in this area. One of the reasons that we do not wish immediately to close down some aspects of this work is because the businesses which produce that research—which the noble Lord mentioned earlier—would …
Lords
Proceedings
5 February 2026
2 contributions
US Department of Justice Release of Files
My Lords—
My Lords, I welcome the comprehensive Statement from the Leader of the House, but may I raise just one issue? There seem to be some questions to be answered about the role of the Cabinet Secretary in this. Is it appropriate for him to be involved in the investigation?
Lords
Oral Questions
5 February 2026
2 contributions
Jobs Market
My Lords, we have not heard from the Labour Benches yet.
Of course, I completely agree with my noble friend; I will offer just one illustration of that. Under the last Government, long-term sickness became the most common reason why people were economically inactive for the first time. It reached a new, record high of 2.8 million people. This is a shamefu…
Lords
Oral Questions
4 February 2026
Think Tanks: Funding
My Lords, if a think tank is a charity, it is subject to regulation by the Charity Commission. If it is engaging in election activity, it is subject to the Electoral Commission for any spend over £10,000 and donations over £700. But the noble Lord raises an important point, which is why we asked Phi…