Lords
Oral Questions
10 March 2026
9 contributions
Student Loan System
My Lords, the unjust loan system forces many graduates to bear real rates of interest and make repayments while earning less than the median wage. Millions of people are prevented from buying a home or starting a family or business. The Government have many policy options. These include abolishing u…
My Lords, I declare an interest as having two granddaughters currently with student loans. Could not His Majesty’s Government take a simple decision tomorrow to drop from RPI to CPI and look at the wider aspects thereafter?
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
10 March 2026
9 contributions
Special Educational Needs: Dyscalculia
My Lords, dyscalculia is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that manifests as severe difficulties with numerical processing. I hope the Minister will agree that with an incidence of one in 20, it is one of the commonly occurring conditions that the SEND reforms promise that every school will re…
My Lords, does the Minister agree that while you still have an entrance bar that is English and maths, a condition such as dyscalculia can stop somebody progressing through the entire system? If we agree on that, what are we going to do to make sure that all teachers have an understanding that the c…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Committee Stage
9 March 2026
4 contributions
Goods Vehicles (Testing, Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
My Lords, the provisions of these draft regulations relating to roadworthiness testing are to be made under the powers conferred by Sections 41(1), 41(2), 41(5), 45(1), 45(2), 45(7), 46(7), 47(5), 49(1), 49(2) and 51(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The measures concerning drivers’ hours and tachogr…
I have been advised that we are expecting back-to-back votes on Amendments 369 and 369A to the Crime and Policing Bill, which are currently under discussion in group 1 in the Chamber. The Minister is on his feet, and it is quite possible that we will be interrupted before very long. If we are interr…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Committee Stage
9 March 2026
3 contributions
Industrial Training Levy (Construction Industry Training Board) Order 2026
My Lords, I thank the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee and the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments for their scrutiny of this draft order, laid on 2 February 2026.
The statutory purpose of the Construction Industry Training Board, or the CITB, is to secure better training provision acr…
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for her helpful and informative remarks. Skills and training are crucial for Britain, struggling to keep her place in a very competitive global market, and this board is a great and important player in British skilling. It is a good measure and I think that £243 mil…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
4 March 2026
8 contributions
Maternity Commissioner
My Lords, Louise Thompson and Theo Clarke are present today and I thank them for joining us. They started a petition several weeks ago asking the Government to appoint a maternity commissioner. That petition has now reached more than 146,000 signatories, sending a strong signal to the Government. Wi…
My Lords, tackling staffing issues in maternity really must be a priority. I know that the workforce plan and 10-year plan are looking at staffing and leadership in maternity, but the matter is critical, because, last week, the Royal College of Midwives issued the results of a survey of newly qualif…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
24 February 2026
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
My Lords, I remind the noble Lord that this is Report stage of proceedings. His speech is a bit on the long side. Can he bring his remarks to a close, please?
Lords
Oral Questions
12 February 2026
Donations to Political Parties
My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Sikka, on obtaining this debate, although I am going to follow a substantially different tack. I should add that my first declaration in the register of interests in the House of Lords was a ticket to the rugby World Cup final in 2015 given to me by the …
Lords
Oral Questions
11 February 2026
9 contributions
Smart Motorways
My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply, but according to National Highways’ official reports, these big projects to convert hard shoulders on the M1, M4, M6 and M25 were regarded as poor, or very poor, value. I wonder whether the Government agree with that assessment. My main concern, however,…
My Lords, it was clear from the start that so-called smart motorways were nothing of the sort, and they have led to a huge waste of public money and time, not only in building them but in having to retrospectively install more than 150 additional emergency areas. What is the total cost of these addi…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
11 February 2026
10 contributions
Electric Vehicles: Transition
My Lords, I thank the Minister for her Answer. An early review of the zero-emission vehicle mandate took place in 2024, but manufacturers really need certainty now, given that they are investing heavily in decarbonisation. Will the Government give manufacturers the clear assurance that they are comm…
My Lords, the Minister will be aware that there is resistance among those living in rural communities to switching from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric vehicles. What was the rationale behind introducing pay per mile? What assessment has been made of the impact that it will have in rural area…
+8 more contributions in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
9 February 2026
8 contributions
Hospitals: Delayed Discharges
I thank my noble friend for that response. Every time we hear about the problem of delayed discharges—and some of us have been working on this for decades—the causes are the same: lack of co-operation and co-ordination between the agencies involved, not just the NHS and social care but the families …
My Lords, the Minister will be aware that there is limited capacity in social care in terms of beds and that there are real problems of staff shortages across the NHS and in social care. The noble Baroness, Lady Pitkeathley, mentioned functionality and co-ordination between different agencies, inclu…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
3 February 2026
2 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, Amendment 221, tabled by my noble friend Lady Lister, would place a duty on Ministers and officials to prepare and publish a child rights impact assessment, or CRIA, in relation to all relevant legislation, policy and budget development which will impact on children’s well-being, social ca…
My Lords, I think I win the prize tonight for the most wide-ranging set of amendments that could possibly come together in one group.
I turn first to Amendment 222, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Storey. I appreciate the noble Lord’s arguments, which were also put forward in Committee. I thank him …
Lords
Debate
3 February 2026
3 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, the amendments in group 3 concern a review of the Act on commencement. Amendment 205 was tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Norton of Louth. I too recognise his continued dedication to this matter, echoing the comments of the noble Earl, Lord Effingham, and his undoubted experience and experti…
My Lords, I thank all the contributors to this important debate. Amendment 207, which has been degrouped and stands alone for the reasons the noble Lord has outlined, would require schools to remain open to all pupils during civil emergencies unless Parliament decides otherwise. As the noble Lord st…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
29 January 2026
Superintelligent AI
My message is that we should organise before we have to engage in expensive recovery.
Lords
Debate
28 January 2026
4 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
I feel that this group is becoming something of a confessional. It is very interesting to hear noble Lords’ backgrounds. The thing I love about this House is that noble Lords can bring their personal experiences, which makes the debate so rich. I expected it from the noble Baroness, Lady Benjamin, b…
The government amendments in this group seek to strengthen the support and engagement local authorities offer to families who wish to home educate. As my noble friend the Minister said during Committee, it is vital that local authorities build constructive relationships with parents. Such relationsh…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
27 January 2026
9 contributions
Best Start Family Hubs
My Lords, the evidence on the impact of early years investment is compelling, as my noble friend the Minister has outlined. It matters for health, growth, skills and employment—almost every outcome we can imagine is improved by early intervention. What steps are being taken to ensure that child deve…
My Lords, I should like to build on the noble Baroness’s question. Will the Minister advise whether this Government are still committed to Best Start Family Hubs supporting families with children who are older than five? It should go from nought to 19, or nought to 25 for SEND children, as the empha…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
23 January 2026
7 contributions
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
I thank noble Lords for their thoughtful comments, particularly those on the amendments proposing an assisted dying help service and a minimum timeline for the assisted dying process. I thank the noble Lords, Lord Birt and Lord Mackinlay, and the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, for their amendments in …
My Lords, I was just about to go on to the whole issue of funding, which many noble Lords have raised throughout this morning’s debate. The Government’s position is absolutely clear on this. Should Parliament pass the Bill, the Government would work to undertake development of the delivery model. Un…
+5 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
21 January 2026
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, each of these amendments would introduce a new clause, referring to the establishment of the child protection authority and consistent support for children in need, as we have heard. This group raises important issues about child safety, well-being and support. I assure the noble Lord that…
Lords
Debate
21 January 2026
3 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, I have absolutely no desire to stifle debate, but I ask anyone who wishes still to speak to be very mindful of the number of votes we are expecting at the end of this group. We also have very important dinner break business scheduled for tonight. Please be brief and to the point so we can …
My Lords, this is a convenient time to break for dinner break business. We will return to the Bill not before 8.36 pm—
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
20 January 2026
10 contributions
Railways: East Coast Main Line
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that encouraging Answer. It is encouraging to hear the progress being made, just as it was to hear a reference to the Leamside line last night in the Statement on Northern Powerhouse Rail. Does my noble friend agree that the progress being made is made possible …
My Lords, capacity on both the east and west coast main lines is stretched, which is why High Speed 2 will make such a difference when it opens. When will the Government publish the project reset, including the revised opening period and costs?
+8 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
19 January 2026
4 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, in the absence of other comments I will turn to Amendments 63 and 64, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Barran, in relation to the provider oversight scheme. The scheme will enable Ofsted to require provider groups to implement an improvement plan across multiple settings where Ofsted rea…
My Lords, through the Bill, for the first time, key public bodies, from Secretaries of State to schools, NHS organisations and regulators, will be required to be alert to matters that affect looked-after children and care leavers when shaping policy and services. These new corporate parenting duties…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
19 January 2026
2 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, I thank all noble Lords and Baronesses for their positive comments today; they are a measure of the fact that all of us in this Chamber want to put the needs of the most vulnerable people in our society at the centre of the Bill. I think the Government have clearly put across that we are s…
My Lords, I thank noble Lords for their interest in this area. As he opened the group, I particularly thank my noble friend Lord Watson for his sincere interest, as we heard in Committee, when we had a good exploration of the issues.
I will first discuss three amendments together: Amendments 37, 38…
Lords
Proceedings
19 January 2026
Northern Powerhouse Rail
May I remind noble Lords that this is an opportunity to ask questions of the Minister? Can we keep comments succinct? There is plenty of time for everyone to get in if we all keep our questions sharp, so that he can answer them.
Lords
Debate
14 January 2026
5 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
My Lords, we have heard the concerns raised by noble Lords in Committee, and in the other House, about ensuring that kinship local offers meet the needs of kinship families. Having reflected, we agree that a duty to consult and publish a report of consultation would strengthen the expectations alrea…
I rise to speak to Amendments 44, 45 and 48, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Storey. I will pick up on some of the other issues, as they flow between the amendments. All these amendments speak to the desire, which the Government share with others in this House, to ensure that children in kinship care…
+3 more contributions in this session