Lords
Debate
13 July 2026
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
My Lords, I begin by making a short statement on legislative consent. The Government engaged with all three devolved Governments as soon as possible following the introduction of the Bill. A full devolution analysis was sent to all three devolved Governments on 18 May. Since then, my ministerial col…
Lords
Proceedings
8 July 2026
9 contributions
Unpaid Carers
My Lords, I pay tribute to the millions of unpaid carers across the UK whose compassion, sacrifice and dedication support loved ones every day and make an immeasurable contribution to our society and economy. The Government recognise the immense contribution made by unpaid carers and the pressures h…
My Lords, I totally agree with my noble friend that supporting unpaid carers is both a moral and economic imperative. When experienced people are forced to leave work, we lose their skills, productivity and contribution to our economy. That is why we are reviewing employment rights for unpaid carers…
+7 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
8 July 2026
3 contributions
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
My Lords, before turning to the amendments before us, I begin by placing on record my sincere thanks to the noble Lords, Lord Sharpe, Lord Hunt and Lord Fox, for the constructive and collegiate way in which they have engaged throughout the passage of this Bill. We have not agreed on every point, but…
My Lords, I am grateful for the contributions to this debate. Noble Lords have highlighted that the public interest test in Clause 2 is a vital part of the Bill and I very much agree. It is important that we get it right. Noble Lords have tabled several amendments to this clause and we have had frui…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
1 July 2026
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
My Lords, before I start, I am sure all noble Lords want to join me in wishing the England team the very best for the rest of the match this afternoon.
First, let me thank the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe, for his contribution and his amendments. Amendment 20, in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Fox, wo…
Lords
Committee Stage
30 June 2026
2 contributions
Register of Overseas Entities (Protection and Trusts) and Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Company Law) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
My Lords, these regulations will make targeted and technical amendments to strengthen the operation and transparency of the register of overseas entities, which I will refer to as the ROE. They will also correct a technical issue relating to limited liability partnerships, which I will refer to as L…
My Lords, I welcome the noble Lord, Lord Ashcombe, to his new role and congratulate him on it, and I thank both noble Lords for the points raised during this very short debate. I start by saying that the UK’s approach to the ROE is way ahead of international standards in this area. The Government ar…
Lords
Proceedings
30 June 2026
3 contributions
Steel Trade Measure
First, I welcome the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed of Tinsley, to his place and thank him for everything he has done so far for Sheffield Forgemasters. I thank both noble Lords for their contributions.
Let me begin with first principles. The United Kingdom needs a strong and resilient steel sector, bot…
I thank the noble Lord. Ministers, colleagues and officials from the department have regular meetings with the sector, with producers and downstream users through an arrangement of sector councils and all that. We regularly get feedback from them. If any such requirements do hamper, we will take not…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Debate
29 June 2026
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
My Lords, I thank all noble Lords for their constructive engagement in advance of Committee, and for all the amendments and valuable contributions that they will make during it.
Amendment 1 in the names of the noble Lords, Lord Sharpe and Lord Hunt, seeks to introduce a narrow definition of a “stee…
Lords
Statutory Instrument
23 June 2026
2 contributions
Employment Tribunal (Extension of Time Limits) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026
My Lords, before I kick off, I am sure all noble Lords will want to join me in wishing the England team good luck and all the very best wishes for tonight’s match.
I note the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, and I will address the points that he has raised. For context, these i…
My Lords, I will be speedy. First, I thank both noble Lords for their thoughtful contributions, which I respect. I will address the point that the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, made about the review of Section 10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999. The noble Lord is absolutely right: we are committed to …
Lords
Proceedings
18 June 2026
7 contributions
Steel Tariffs
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that question. While calls for delay are totally understandable, our existing steel safeguard will expire and cannot be extended under WTO rules. Without replacement measures, the UK risks becoming a destination for diverted, subsidised steel, as other jurisdicti…
My Lords, I will address the noble Lord’s first point. Following extensive engagement with downstream importers, we have introduced a transitional arrangement, as the noble Lord knows, so that the new tariff will not apply to goods contracted before 14 March and imported between 1 July and 30 Septem…
+5 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
16 June 2026
2 contributions
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
My Lords, steel is a historic British industry at the heart of our national story. For generations, steelworkers have forged not only steel but Britain’s prosperity. From Scunthorpe to Sheffield, from Port Talbot to Teesside, steel communities have powered our industrial success, strengthened our ec…
I will continue. In developing this legislation, we have drawn heavily on the framework established by the Banking Act 2009, adapting well-established precedents, rather than creating entirely new mechanisms. The principal transfer powers are subject to a sunset clause and will expire two years afte…
Lords
Proceedings
11 June 2026
8 contributions
Misinformation: Social Market Foundation Report
My Lords, the Government recognise the harmful impact of misinformation and the vital role of trusted local journalism in upholding democratic accountability. We continue to monitor emerging evidence, including the Social Market Foundation’s report. The Online Safety Act requires platforms to tackle…
My Lords, my noble friend raises an important point. The Online Safety Act captures disinformation intended to disrupt elections when it constitutes an electoral offence, including foreign interference, incitement of violence against candidates and false statements about personal character. The Defe…
+6 more contributions in this session
Lords
Debate
9 June 2026
Commercial Payments Bill [HL]
My Lords, at the outset I acknowledge the work of the previous Conservative Government in establishing the Office of the Small Business Commissioner under the Enterprise Act 2016, and in introducing the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations, which require large businesses and LL…
Lords
Proceedings
2 June 2026
10 contributions
Steel Import Restrictions
My Lords, the steel trade measure is being put in place to address the serious threat posed by global overcapacity to our domestic steel-making capability. Given the strategic and economic importance of steel, the Government cannot afford to leave the situation unaddressed. Today the DBT Secretary o…
My Lords, first, we use tariffs only as a last resort, and only in circumstances where we have no other choice. Without action, we risk losing domestic steel-making capability, which would mean that we could not mean critical infrastructure and defence needs without relying fully on imports. Further…
+8 more contributions in this session
Lords
Proceedings
28 April 2026
UK Biobank Data
My Lords, we are due to consider the Pension Schemes Bill, due from the other place. We will adjourn during pleasure until a point shown on the annunciator.
Lords
Debate
13 April 2026
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
My Lords, before the first group of amendments is considered, I want to remind the House of the previous guidance on conduct during Report stage. This is the final day on Report, and proceedings on this Bill need to conclude today. I therefore urge all noble Lords to apply good discipline to ensure …
Lords
Debate
25 March 2026
4 contributions
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
I cannot express my sadness enough about the issues that the noble Baroness raises, but I am seeking to reassure her and the House that the provisions we are bringing in will be sufficient as we move forward. That is the issue. I think the Minister she referred to from the conversation on Monday was…
My Lords, like other noble Lords, we very much welcome the Government’s amendment in relation to sibling contact and hope very much it makes a tangible difference in practice. I will speak briefly to my Motion F1, which relates to how we can provide the highest-quality care for the most vulnerable c…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
18 March 2026
7 contributions
EU Directive: Adequate Minimum Wages
I thank my noble friend for that reply, and I welcome this Government’s determination to deepen relations with the EU and ensure that UK workers’ rights do not fall behind those of their EU friends. This new directive has been described as a game-changer in the fight against in-work poverty and as s…
My Lords, I am sure the Minister would acknowledge that an important precursor to people having wages is for them to have a job. I am sure that he would also recognise, perhaps reluctantly, that the number of jobs available, particularly for people at the lowest end of the wage scale, has taken a hi…
+5 more contributions in this session
Lords
Statutory Instrument
17 March 2026
3 contributions
National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2026
My Lords, I note the regret amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe.
The context of this instrument is that the regulations were laid before Parliament on 2 February and approved by the other place on 2 March. Their purpose is to increase the national living wage and national minimum wage r…
My Lords, I am extremely grateful to the Minister for explaining and introducing this SI, to which I have tabled a regret amendment. But I am afraid I take a slightly different view from the one he has just explained.
Once again, we start with an ill-thought-out, anti-business measure by this Gover…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
17 March 2026
12 contributions
Fujitsu: Post Office Horizon Case
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. Given that Fujitsu knew from the beginning that its system was faulty; that it knew that it was altering remotely sub-postmasters’ accounts without the knowledge of the sub-postmasters; that it knew that the Government and the Post Office were denying …
My Lords, the situation outlined by my good friend, the noble Lord, Lord Arbuthnot, is right. Fujitsu provided the equipment for the Post Office and knew what was wrong with it, and, even worse, it had a contract to provide information in court to prosecute individual postmasters. Fujitsu was at the…
+10 more contributions in this session
Lords
Committee Stage
17 March 2026
4 contributions
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026
My Lords, these regulations were laid before the House in draft on 2 February. They make consequential amendments to references to the Information Commissioner and their office—the ICO—across the statute book. They reflect the reforms to the regulator’s governance structure introduced by the Data (U…
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his introduction. Of course, we recognise that this instrument is a technical necessity. It ensures that the statute book remains coherent as we transition from the Office of the Information Commissioner to the new Information Commission. Obviously, not to agree th…
+2 more contributions in this session
Lords
Committee Stage
16 March 2026
2 contributions
Media Literacy (Communications and Digital Committee Report)
My Lords, there is a Division in the House, so the Committee will adjourn for 10 minutes. There was a medical emergency in the Chamber earlier, which is why everything is out of sync. We have a hard finish at 8 pm, so if noble Lords vote swiftly come back, we might start before the 10 minutes is up …
I thank my noble friend the Minister and all noble Lords who have spoken in this wide-ranging debate, with some excellent questions. I thank the Minister for saying that he will later answer any questions to which we have not had an answer.
With a subject as wide-ranging as media literacy, it is di…