My Lords, it is a great privilege to follow the noble Lords, Lord Murphy and Lord Carlile. I do so with some temerity; I cannot understand why I have been put so high up the list, since my expertise in these areas is probably less than almost everybody else on this Committee. But I pay tribute to th…
My Lords, when my noble friend was the First Minister, and slightly before that, when I was the Secretary of State, I was less of a campaigner for this issue than he was. But I recognise that times have changed over the last few years. I am told that devolution is a process rather than an event—some…
My Lords, the report we are debating today, so ably introduced by my noble friend Lord Ricketts, is an important one, as it marks the first six months of the follow-up and implementation of the UK-EU summit last May. It is important, too, because our debate marks the beginning of the run-up to the p…
My Lords, as ever, this has been an important and interesting short debate, and it was a particular pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Murphy, who raised some important issues. It is useful to know that these reports are likely to be responded to in the early new year.
Particularly, perhaps, f…
My Lords, bearing in mind the last question regarding Wales—my noble friend the Minister was a Welsh MP and Minister and is now a Welsh Peer—I assume that the police and crime commissioners in England will be abolished and that the Welsh commissioners will be abolished at exactly the same time. I do…
My Lords, I declare my interest as a councillor in central Bedfordshire.
The Bill is most welcome, and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Murphy of Torfaen, for bringing it forward. It makes the necessary provisions to ensure that, where divergence has arisen across the whole of Great Britain, shared dem…
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…
My Lords, I join other noble Lords in extending a warm welcome to the noble Baroness, Lady Lloyd of Effra, particularly given her Welsh heritage, and to the noble Lord, Lord Stockwood. It is never easy coming straight on to the Front Bench in the Lords, but I congratulate her on an excellent maiden …
My Lords, I understand that no amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no noble Lord has indicated a wish to move a manuscript amendment or to speak in Committee. Unless, therefore, any noble Lord objects, I beg to move that the order of commitment be discharged.
My Lords, I understand that no amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no noble Lord has indicated a wish to move a manuscript amendment or to speak in Committee. Unless, therefore, any noble Lord objects, I beg to move that the order of commitment be discharged.
My Lords, in England, if you vote at any election, whether it is for Parliament, a local authority, a mayor or a police commissioner, you can apply for a postal or proxy vote online. In Wales and Scotland, you can vote having applied online only for parliamentary or, in Wales, for police commissione…
My Lords, I first voted in favour of Sunday opening in Pembrokeshire many years ago. I could attempt the Welsh; I think I would probably get it correct, but I fear that there are others here who might be more precise on the pronunciation. I was then a parliamentary candidate in Carmarthen—my first e…
My Lords, I am delighted to contribute to this debate and it is a huge pleasure to follow other noble Lords. I think it has been an interesting exposure so far of not only the passion that people have for this wonderful part of our country but the interest in what has brought the Bill to this point.…