Lords
Proceedings
2 March 2026
Arrangement of Business
My Lords, welcome to a debate on a melange of statutory instruments. If there is a Division in the Chamber, the Committee will adjourn when the Division Bells are rung and resume after 10 minutes. Usually this is a standard thing to say, but I can advise the Committee that on this occasion we are ex…
Lords
Committee Stage
24 February 2026
2 contributions
National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill
Allow me to offer my help to the Committee. As I understand it, it is possible for this Sitting to continue until 8 pm.
I thank members of the Committee for the expeditious way they have dealt with this Bill in one sitting. I also extend our thanks to our colleagues from Hansard , who have been able to stay until we concluded. The Committee’s proceedings on the Bill have been completed.
Lords
Oral Questions
12 February 2026
Flour Milling Sector
Noble Lords will be aware that the clock is not working. We are reliant on Back-Bench speakers sticking to their six minutes, and we also expect the Front Benchers to keep to their allotted time. The Whip will, if she needs to, do her best to indicate if people go further than their allotted time.
Lords
Proceedings
11 February 2026
Court Reporting Data
My Lords, I read the exchanges yesterday in the other place and I welcome what the Minister has said about this. Out of interest, what reason—or should I say, what excuse—did Courtsdesk give when it was revealed that it was passing personal, private and legally sensitive information to a third-party…
Lords
Oral Questions
10 February 2026
Government Website: Registering a Death
As I said, nine days is the median. I confess to the House that death certificates are not my specialist subject, but I will do my best to investigate whether there are any delays and will write to my noble friend.
Lords
Proceedings
4 February 2026
China and Japan
My Lords, I welcome the Statement and the Prime Minister’s visit to Japan and China. As the Leader of the Opposition said, such visits are a vital part of the work of every Prime Minister. The Statement on China refers to a dedicated dialogue on cyber security. Can my noble friend tell the House any…
Lords
Debate
2 February 2026
2 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
The noble Lord is moving his amendment.
If it helps the Committee, I note that an intervention cannot be made when someone is moving an amendment. The noble Lord is moving his amendment.
Lords
Oral Questions
29 January 2026
2 contributions
Erasmus+ Eligibility: Asylum Seekers
My Lords, the UK has agreed terms to join the Erasmus+ programme in 2027. The scope of the programme is set by the European Commission, and diversity and inclusion is a key priority. Erasmus+ dedicates additional support to people with fewer opportunities, which includes people with migrant or refug…
Yes, my noble friend is absolutely right. This is an enormously exciting opportunity for learners, for educators, for young people and for our communities. It is an investment in opportunity for our young people, our workforce and our future, opening doors for tens of thousands of people across the …
Lords
Oral Questions
28 January 2026
2 contributions
National Police Service
My Lords—
When I was last Police Minister, in 2009-10, I rejected the proposal to privatise forensic science services, and I am pleased I did so. The Conservative Government then privatised forensic sciences and they have not been at the level of service that I would wish to see in the future. In the strategi…
Lords
Committee Stage
22 January 2026
Pension Schemes Bill
That concludes the business of the Committee today. However, I will say that we have had a distinguished young visitor with us for most of today’s Committee: a school student who is learning about pensions at school. I thank the Committee for presenting such a very good example of the serious way in…
Lords
Oral Questions
20 January 2026
2 contributions
Railways: East Coast Main Line
My Lords, the December 2025 timetable has provided more than 60,000 extra seats across the east coast main line each week, with faster services between London and Edinburgh and a third train per hour between London and Newcastle. Network Rail is leading development of a long-term strategy for the ro…
My Lords, the short answer is yes, I do agree. The £4 billion public investment in the east coast main line infrastructure in trains had stalled. Although Network Rail writes the timetable, it lacked the authority to implement it. Requiring ministerial approval amounted to an excessive level of cent…
Lords
Proceedings
19 January 2026
Northern Powerhouse Rail
My Lords, I am delighted that the right reverend Prelate raised the question she did because, by pure chance, I have a Question on tomorrow’s Order Paper about east coast main line capacity. What impact, when delivered, will the Statement, which I welcome, have on the east coast main line, as well a…
Lords
Debate
16 January 2026
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
I point out to the Committee that if Amendment 34 were to be accepted, it would pre-empt Amendment 35, which leads the next group.
The noble Lord, Lord Shinkwin, is taking part remotely, and I now invite the noble Lord to address us.
Lords
Proceedings
14 January 2026
Social Media: Non-consensual Sexual Deepfakes
My Lords, I hope the whole House welcomes the Secretary of State’s Statement. Can my noble friend say whether it is thought that the social media platform X understands the revulsion caused by its AI Grok tool? I ask this question of my noble friend because the reported comments of the founder of X …
Lords
Debate
7 January 2026
2 contributions
Crime and Policing Bill
My Lords, the noble Lord is slightly premature. Technically, we are debating Amendment 369ZA, to which the noble Lord, Lord Blencathra, is entitled to reply.
It is now appropriate for the noble Lord, Lord Marks, to tell the Committee whether he wishes to withdraw Amendment 369.
Lords
Oral Questions
6 January 2026
Channel Tunnel Infrastructure: Reliability
I thank my noble friend. I think it is a distraction to regard the electricity suppliers as the principal reason for the three separate failures. In fact, the first failure, we believe—or it is believed—was a train failure which brought down some of the wires. The second failure was an alarm on a fr…
Lords
Oral Questions
18 December 2025
Girls: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
I shall be honest: I have three girls, and they found their computing courses absolutely boring, and yet it should be one of the most inspiring subjects they can learn, so my noble friend is right. We are investing in this area and funding the National Centre for Computing Education’s I Belong progr…
Lords
Proceedings
16 December 2025
US National Security Strategy
My Lords, I would not expect my noble friend to pass public judgment on the national security strategy of the United States—that is a matter for the US—but it is a remarkable document. Although I am reassured by what my noble friend said about what happened in Congress last week, nevertheless, the U…
Lords
Debate
12 December 2025
Space Industry (Indemnities) Bill
My Lords, this is the second Bill this week that, in effect, transfers risk or cost away from private investors to the taxpayer or the fare payer, to help put Britain on the path to industrial success in the future. I say to the Minister, who supports the Bill, that this is a long way from the days …
Lords
Proceedings
26 November 2025
G20 and Ukraine
My Lords, I welcome the chance to discuss the Statement. This is an extremely difficult time for Ukraine—heaven knows that what they have had to live through over the past three and a half years has been difficult enough. It is also a test for the coalition of the willing. I join my noble friend Lor…
Lords
Proceedings
26 November 2025
Ministerial Code
My Lords, my noble friend the Minister referred to the establishment of the Ethics and Integrity Commission, which was indeed a manifesto commitment. Can she tell the House when she expects it, having been set up, to operate fully?
Lords
Proceedings
25 November 2025
Russian Ship “Yantar”
My Lords, given what we know the “Yantar” has been engaged in, would the Minister be able to tell the House whether the Government are now actively considering some of the suggestions made in the recent report by the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy in relation to the possibility of…
Lords
Committee Stage
19 November 2025
Football Governance Act 2025 (Specified Competitions) Regulations 2025
If it is acceptable, I hope that the Chair can express his congratulations to Scotland on their wonderful victory and on the wonderful goals that secured it; of course, like all noble Lords present, we wish all of the home nations every success in every sporting endeavour.