Lords
Debate
29 October 2025
7 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, before I respond on this group of amendments, I convey my get-well wishes to my noble friend Lady Hayman of Ullock, who, as noble Lords will realise, very much hoped to be here with us today, but unfortunately is unwell. I know that she wanted to take part in today’s discussions. We all se…
I thank all noble Lords who have participated in this debate. Amendment 115, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Willis of Summertown, seeks to ensure that local plans comply with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, and that an authority which prepares a local plan carries out …
+5 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
27 October 2025
9 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, before I address the amendments, I should say that I circulated a diagram of the respective responsibilities of, and links between, spatial development strategies, local plans and neighbourhood plans that I hope was helpful to noble Lords in our consideration of the Bill.
Amendment 90, ta…
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Grender, and the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Norwich for Amendments 93 and 94, which propose additional statutory obligations for strategic planning authorities in relation to the identification and safeguarding of chalk streams. With 85% of the wo…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
27 October 2025
9 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have participated in this very interesting debate for the very valuable contributions we have heard this afternoon. I have engaged with many noble Lords on these matters in the preceding weeks and our debate has focused on something on which I think we all agree…
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, for Amendment 87, which would require decision-makers to take account of the environmental delivery plans when making a planning decision under the Town and Country Planning Act. I agree, of course, that it is crucial that EDPs are integrated into t…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
24 October 2025
2 contributions
Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Bill
I shall be brief, because this is the last point I want to make from the report. It says:
“Several people were injured, five of whom were treated in hospital”.
Those five, I can confirm, were Israelis. It continues:
“Twenty to thirty Israeli supporters with minor injuries were taken in by the Jew…
The relevance of this is that the purpose of the Bill is to ensure safety at football matches. The interaction between the Bill and the need for guidance and guidelines, including for the police, on how it would be best used is fundamental to its success. Otherwise, what happens is that people will …
Lords
Debate
24 October 2025
2 contributions
Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill
Before the Minister sits down, I note that I agree with some of the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Jamieson, if not all of them. He makes some good points about the different gaps in and problems within our election laws. In our Second Reading and Committee debates, many of us across the House spo…
My Lords, it is quite difficult for a Welsh Labour politician to talk about elections dispassionately, but I will try to do that. I thank all those who have been involved in the Bill—my honourable friend Tracy Gilbert from the other place and, of course, all the officials and parliamentary officials…
Lords
Oral Questions
23 October 2025
10 contributions
Chinese Embassy
My Lords, this issue will go on and on; indeed, there was a UQ down in the other place this morning. I am not asking about the incompetent wannabe spies; I am asking about the Government’s motivation. The Prime Minister called in this application, as we know, following a discussion with Xi Jinping. …
The Minister mentions that all relevant planning considerations will be taken into account. Is it a relevant planning consideration that this country needs a new embassy in Beijing?
+8 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
22 October 2025
6 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in the debate.
I will first address Amendments 70 and 81, concerning flood risk and resilience within the planning system. They draw attention to the important matter of how we prepare for and mitigate the impacts of flooding, particularly in li…
My Lords, I thank all noble Lords for a very interesting debate on this topic. Next July, I will have the benefit of five days of Oasis concerts in the fantastic venue of Knebworth House, which is just about a mile away from my house, and this summer we enjoyed Old Town Live, a day-long festival for…
+4 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
22 October 2025
11 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, that was an interesting debate on these amendments. Believing in local people also means building the homes that they need and the infrastructure to support those homes. This problem with buildout did not commence in July 2024; it has been there for a long time, and this Bill is trying to …
We did consult on that very issue. We are still analysing the responses to the working paper. As soon as we have done that, I will inform the House of the outcome.
+9 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
22 October 2025
4 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, in speaking to Amendments 48 and 50, I shall later move government Amendments 49, 51, 66, 258 and 260. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Parkinson, and the noble Baronesses, Lady Pinnock and Lady Bennett, as well as the other noble Lords who have raised this issue during the Bill’s passage. I a…
My Lords, I welcome this amendment from the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, which seeks to ensure that the specified infrastructure project regulations are amended to enable a broader use and to ensure that we get value for money for customers.
Two procurement models for delivering infrastructure exis…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
21 October 2025
8 contributions
New Homes Target
My Lords, 1.5 million is exactly what the country needs, but few outside government believe that this target is achievable. One in four of those homes would have to be built in London. London’s target for this year is 88,000 homes; by June, 4,000 had been completed. One reason that developers give f…
Just after the war, a large number of prefab houses were built, with great success, and they lasted very well. Is there any good reason why one could not put up a lot of prefabricated houses, which would go a long way towards this number the Government want?
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
20 October 2025
10 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Fuller, for his amendment. I start by apologising to him for the meeting date, which I understand is 30 October. He will know from comments made earlier that I have had a great number of meetings before Report, so I can only assume that it was a misunderstandin…
My Lords, the amendments in my name seek to ensure that all regulations relating to the bill discount scheme set out in Clause 26 are subject to the affirmative parliamentary procedure.
The Government welcome the recommendation of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee and, through th…
+8 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
20 October 2025
9 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Well, well, my Lords, that was a wide-ranging debate for an opening debate on a purpose clause. Nevertheless, I thank those who contributed to the debate on the amendment in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock. I thank her for her extensive engagement between Committee and Report.
This is …
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh of Pickering, for her Amendment 2. It would require the Secretary of State to assess the cumulative impact of nationally significant infrastructure projects—NSIPs—on both the environment and the communities in which such projects are being…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Statutory Instrument
20 October 2025
Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations 2025
That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 10 July be approved. Relevant document: 33rd Report from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee. Considered in Grand Committee on 15 October.
Lords
Committee Stage
15 October 2025
5 contributions
Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations 2025
My Lords, these regulations were laid before the House on 10 July 2025. The Government are committed to the remediation of residential buildings with unsafe cladding in England. Our remediation acceleration plan sets out how we will remove barriers so that buildings are fixed faster. Crucially, this…
My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for her explanation of this substantial SI. Although the formula on page 15 may have deterred the casual reader, I found the Explanatory Memorandum at the end a helpful summary of what is proposed.
I welcome the measure as it is a key part of the package prop…
+3 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
14 October 2025
18 contributions
Renters’ Rights Bill
My Lords, in moving Motion A I will, with the leave of the House, speak also to Motions E, F, G, G1 and L, which are grouped together.
It is a great pleasure to bring the Renters’ Rights Bill back to the House of Lords to consider the amendments and reasons from the other place. I start by thanking…
My Lords, first, I thank the Minister for her opening remarks. Your Lordships should please note my interest in the register that I work for and am a shareholder in a veterinary business that cares for many pets. I also have the privilege of being a dog owner for many years.
My updated amendment se…
+16 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
14 October 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
That the amendments for the Report stage be marshalled and considered in the following order: Clauses 1 to 23, Schedule 1, Clauses 24 to 41, Schedule 2, Clauses 42 to 52, Schedule 3, Clauses 53 to 66, Schedule 4, Clauses 67 to 83, Schedule 5, Clauses 84 to 90, Schedule 6, Clauses 91 to 113, Title.
Lords
Debate
17 September 2025
14 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, this group of amendments relates to the regulation-making powers governing the nature of the restoration levy. The powers provide the framework for how the levy will operate and how it will be used to unlock development and deliver nature restoration. Let me reassure the noble Lord, Lord F…
The noble Lord is correct, and there are provisions for that in the process.
Turning to Amendment 307, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Gascoigne, I note that he is a non-native species of Surrey; I hope he is not an invasive species of Surrey. His amendment would limit what administrative expenses c…
+12 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
17 September 2025
5 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, this group includes government amendments to the overall improvement test that are part of our comprehensive package of amendments to ensure that everyone can have confidence that the nature restoration fund will deliver the improved outcomes for nature that are at the heart of this model …
As if by magic, I have the answer for who audits Natural England, so I can answer the noble Lord’s question. The accounts of Natural England are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. It is the National Audit Office, so I hope tha…
+3 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
15 September 2025
25 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his amendments on AI infrastructure and community energy projects. He is absolutely right to highlight the issue of the water and power required by data centres. Before I respond, I should say that we need to be very proud of our AI in this country. We have the t…
The noble Lord, Lord Lucas, makes an important point about reusing the energy created by data centres, which we are exploring. It is very important that the new towns task force has a chance to do its work. They will be subject to the planning process, just like all other applicants, when they put t…
+23 more contributions in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
15 September 2025
7 contributions
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards: Cost Caps for Landlords
I thank the Minister for her response. Surely the guiding principle should be that tenants in the social rented sector should have the same level of investment in their properties as those in the private sector. I think that is an important principle. The Government are proposing to increase the cur…
My Lords, there is a significant number of homes that remain hard to decarbonise for which the interventions required to meet energy efficiency standards can be extremely costly. In the social housing sector, while the majority of housing associations are on track to meet EER C by 2030, for some the…
+5 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
11 September 2025
13 contributions
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 145, 173, 174, 175 and 176, tabled by my noble friend Lady Whitaker, who is a passionate advocate for the provision of Gypsy and Traveller sites. I was very happy to discuss this with her yesterday during the debate on Awaab’s law. We have had many meetings on th…
As ever in your Lordships’ Committee, it has been a very interesting and wide-ranging debate on this group of amendments. I thank noble Lords for tabling amendments on the important topics of the protection of rivers, wildlife and animal welfare.
I will pick up a couple of general points. The noble…
+11 more contributions in this session
Lords
Committee Stage
10 September 2025
3 contributions
Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025
My Lords, before I begin on the instrument, I need to declare an interest for this piece of business. My daughter works for Settle housing association.
I pay tribute to the work of the noble Baroness, Lady Scott, on this issue. I know she cared about it as much as I do and worked very hard in the d…
My Lords, these are excellent regulations, sorely needed, and I commend our Government for bringing them forward. There is one problem that concerns me. They do not cover all social renters and, therefore, there is an element of discrimination. I should declare an interest as an officeholder in vari…
+1 more contribution in this session