Lord Stockwood — Hansard — Westminster Brief

Lords Committee Stage 1 July 2026 6 contributions

Financial Services and Markets Bill [HL]

My Lords, the Government share the views of many in this debate, particularly on the importance of ensuring that the secondary growth and competitiveness objectives are comprehensively embedded in the work of the regulators. That is why the Bill legislates to extend the requirement for the regulator…

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Neville-Rolfe, and the noble Lords, Lord Altrincham and Lord Holmes, for tabling these amendments on statutory deadlines for regulatory approvals. The Government agree that determining authorisations and other regulatory applications must be prompt…

+4 more contributions in this session

Lords Proceedings 8 June 2026 10 contributions

Royal Mail

My Lords, Ofcom sets and monitors the Royal Mail’s quality of service targets and publishes annual performance data. Following its privatisation in 2013, Royal Mail fully met its first-class and second-class delivery targets in 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17 and 2019-20. Royal Mail met its second-class t…

In preparation for this Question, I spoke to both the CEO of Royal Mail and directors of Ofcom. For context, it is worth stating that letter volumes have halved in the last 10 years, while the number of addresses has increased significantly. While I agree with my noble friend that performance has no…

+8 more contributions in this session

Lords Debate 8 June 2026

Financial Services and Markets Bill [HL]

My Lords, the financial services sector is one of the UK’s greatest economic success stories: we are the world’s largest net exporter of financial services, and it makes up around 20% of UK exports. The sector made 8% of UK GVA in 2025, totalling £224 billion. It plays a vital role in our economy, u…

Lords Oral Questions 23 April 2026 9 contributions

Steel Sector

I thank the Minister for his Answer but, on that “robust” trade measure, can he say what proportion of UK steel imports of finished steel will be covered by the proposed reduced quotas and increased tariffs? Is it the intention to exclude Tata Steel and other finishing mills from import tariffs on t…

My Lord, can my noble friend the Minister indicate what further helpful measures there may be for this beleaguered industry in terms of energy costs? Green taxes, which are necessary, have dealt severe blows to the long-term prospects for steel, and in Wales we have seen the erosion of tens of thous…

+7 more contributions in this session

Lords Debate 12 March 2026 5 contributions

Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill

My Lords, this is a simple Bill, which I am honoured to bring to the House today. The Bill has two main provisions. It raises the statutory limits in the Industrial Development Act 1982 and the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991. These provisions ensure that the Government can continue to sup…

My Lords, it is pleasure to follow the Minister, and I look forward to sharing some wisdom and expertise—at least I hope so. I am grateful to the Minister for his introduction and for the opportunity to respond on behalf of these Benches. I say at the outset that we do not oppose the Bill. Updating…

+3 more contributions in this session

Lords Oral Questions 10 March 2026 9 contributions

Foreign Direct Investment

My Lords, we all want to see more inward investment, yet the figures on the Minister’s departmental website show a fall of about 12% over the last year. We hear from those businesses that are thinking about investing in the UK that they are very concerned about the £1 billion in additional costs tha…

My Lords, the Minister is no doubt aware of recent research published by King’s Business School late last year which estimates that foreign direct investment is 12% to 18% lower than it would have been had the United Kingdom not left the European Union. Does the Minister agree with me that the best …

+7 more contributions in this session

Lords Committee Stage 4 March 2026 2 contributions

UK-India: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

I really welcome the fact that the noble Lord’s department is doing that analysis. Can he undertake to publish it so that we can see what the comparisons are?

My Lords, it has been an extraordinary debate. I am privileged to have led it and to have led the International Agreements Committee. It is a great shame that space and parliamentary time did not allow this debate to take place in the Chamber, because I think many Members of the House would have be…

Lords Statutory Instrument 2 March 2026

Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Conferral of Functions) Regulations 2026

That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 26 January be approved. Considered in Grand Committee on 25 February.

Lords Committee Stage 25 February 2026

Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026

That the Grand Committee do consider the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026.

Lords Committee Stage 25 February 2026 5 contributions

Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Conferral of Functions) Regulations 2026

My Lords, I will speak also to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026. These instruments relate to the alternative dispute resolution, or ADR, chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act …

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for introducing the statutory instruments. This is not a very complicated issue and I do not have much to say about it, but I do have one or two questions. First, this emerged from the digital markets Bill, which I was happy to play a part in. I was a bit …

+3 more contributions in this session

Lords Oral Questions 23 February 2026 14 contributions

US Tariffs

I thank the Minister for that helpful reply. Does he agree that, following the Supreme Court judgment, the decision of the United States President to impose, even on a temporary basis, tariffs of up to 15% is deeply damaging to confidence, both in this economy and in that of the United States? Can t…

My Lords, would the Minister say whether the Government’s information leads them to suppose that the President’s choice of 15% and its differential impact on countries was deliberate or inadvertent?

+12 more contributions in this session

Lords Oral Questions 12 February 2026 7 contributions

Post Office Capture and Horizon Scandals

I thank the Minister for his Answer. My friend, Kuldip Gill, ran a post office in 1995 in my neighbourhood. He was accused by the Post Office of stealing £5,000. He protested but had to pay. A few months later, his contract was terminated by the Post Office. Without a job, and with financial pressur…

My Lords, the Capture system was the predecessor of the Horizon system. The Government are paying compensation to all the Capture sub-postmasters—except those who have convictions. Given that the Post Office’s behaviour towards the Capture sub-postmasters was every bit as bad as that towards the Hor…

+5 more contributions in this session

Lords Oral Questions 4 February 2026 9 contributions

Land Covenants: Supermarket Chains

I thank the Minister for that incomplete reply. The situation is absolutely unsatisfactory in that the seven main supermarket chains have been obliged to adhere to strict requirements on restrictive covenants in their area, preventing others from opening shops nearby, whereas newcomers such as Aldi …

My Lords, as well as the issue of Aldi and Lidl, there is also the issue of almost complete non-compliance with the 2010 order system. The CMA has identified multiple repeated breaches across all of the seven majors, as mentioned by the noble Lord. So, in addition to having this system, it is entire…

+7 more contributions in this session

Lords Oral Questions 27 January 2026 9 contributions

Hospitality Businesses

My Lords, the Government’s announcements are welcome, as far as they go, and will provide some short-term relief to three out of four pubs, but in three years’ time, when the discounts and the freeze end, bills will still rise by 76%. Also, there was nothing for hotels beyond a review of valuation m…

My Lords, while, of course, there is a need for holistic reform of business rates—the Liberal Democrats have long proposed a commercial land- owner levy—in the short term, just as the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe, suggested, reducing the retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier by 20p, as opposed to th…

+7 more contributions in this session

Lords Oral Questions 8 January 2026 2 contributions

Israel: Trade

Can the Minister say exactly what he wants to see, further than a ceasefire, to restart the trade talks?

We are waiting to see phase 2 of the ceasefire put in place. At that point, the dialogue can continue.

Lords Statutory Instrument 11 November 2025

Trade Act 2021 (Power to Implement International Trade Agreements) (Extension to Expiry) Regulations 2025

That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 16 September be approved. Relevant document: 37th Report from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee. Considered in Grand Committee on 10 November.

Lords Committee Stage 10 November 2025 5 contributions

Trade Act 2021 (Power to Implement International Trade Agreements) (Extension to Expiry) Regulations 2025

My Lords, these draft regulations authorise the enactment of Section 2(10)(b) and Section 2(11) of the Trade Act 2021 and extend the power within Section 2(1) for a further period of five years. I was pleased to see the SI pass through the other place, and I look forward to this debate. The extensi…

My Lords, I thank the Minister for introducing these regulations. This is my opportunity to express a personal welcome to him on his new ministerial responsibilities. I hope he enjoys them. For those of us who are veterans of the Trade Act 2021, such as the noble Lord, Lord Fox, and I—perhaps the no…

+3 more contributions in this session

Lords Proceedings 23 October 2025 2 contributions

Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025

My Lords—

My Lords, before the House adjourns, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Stockwood on a truly excellent maiden speech. I was honoured to have been one of his supporters when he came into the House only a week ago. He has had an extensive and successful business career and will be of great benefit to…