Lords
Proceedings
10 September 2026
Jodrell Bank Observatory: Funding
My Lords, I draw attention to my registered interests and the fact that I received my physics degree at the University of Manchester, partly facilitated at Jodrell Bank. Can the Minister give an assurance that these changes will affect neither the teaching capacity associated with Jodrell Bank nor t…
Lords
Proceedings
9 September 2026
National Infrastructure Projects: Devolution
Will the Minister raise with her Treasury colleagues the perverse way in which the funding of infrastructure projects in England that should generate Barnett consequential payments to Wales fails to do so? For example, the Oxford to Cambridge rail project was designated as being directly beneficial …
Lords
Proceedings
7 September 2026
Rural Businesses: Taxation
My Lords, does the Minister accept that rural businesses are hit disproportionately by the increases in petrol and diesel prices that we have seen over recent months? These add to their costs: of inputs, of getting goods to the market and of those working in rural areas travelling to work. Is there …
Lords
Proceedings
2 September 2026
2 contributions
Data Centres: Water Resources
My Lords—
If I understand correctly, the Government are looking at the possibility of recirculating some of the coolant water. If that is the case, is there a possibility of using it for district heating purposes? Can the Minister give an assurance that any heat dissipated will be allowed only if it does not …
Lords
Proceedings
22 July 2026
Category 4 Steel Imports: Tariff-free Quotas
My Lords, the Minister will be aware, from our earlier discussion on the steel legislation that went through this House, of my concern relating to the availability of steel for defence purposes. Can he give an assurance that in considering these changes the Government have given full attention to th…
Lords
Proceedings
22 July 2026
Performing Artists and Musicians: Access to the EU
My Lords, I draw the House’s attention to my registered interest on this matter. Does the Minister accept that this issue has been festering for all the 10 years since the disastrous Brexit vote and that successive Governments have so far failed to bring forward new initiatives to crack it? What new…
Lords
Proceedings
16 July 2026
BBC Royal Charter: Gaelic Broadcasting
My Lords, in supporting the noble Baroness’s plea on behalf of the Gaelic language, and as a one-time board member of S4C, there was never a time when S4C had the certainty of adequate future funding. Is the Minister aware that S4C has called for more medium-term funding through a multi-year funding…
Lords
Debate
8 July 2026
Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill
My Lords, I am delighted to support the amendment put forward by the noble Lord, Lord Fox, and I agree with his earlier analysis. As it happens, I agree with a lot of what the noble Lord, Lord Redwood, said on this as well. Whereas there may be certain safeguards in Scunthorpe, there is considerable…
Lords
Proceedings
30 June 2026
Civil Service Pension Scheme
My Lords, does the Minister accept that a figure of 23,000 has been identified as the number of those who have been caught by this problem? Those who are newly retired may still have payments to make on mortgages on their houses and may be in danger of losing them. Is there no mechanism that can be …
Lords
Proceedings
16 June 2026
Children: Physical Punishment
My Lords, does the Minister agree that there has been overwhelming acceptance in Wales of the policy that was introduced by the former Labour Government? In the recent election, there was hardly an issue on this matter arising. Will she take the opportunity to discuss with her two colleagues who are…
Lords
Proceedings
10 June 2026
Farming and Food Production
My Lords, does the Minister accept that the backbone of food production in rural Wales and in many other areas is small family farms but that one of the banes of their lives is the red tape levels they have to face in undertaking their work? Will the Government please review the red tape pressure th…
Lords
Proceedings
10 June 2026
New Autism Strategy (Autism Act 2009 Committee Report)
My Lords, I am very grateful for this opportunity to speak in this short debate, as I was to serve on the Select Committee, although I did experience certain frustrations. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Rock, for her huge commitment to autism and the balanced way in which she chaired the committee…
Lords
Proceedings
1 June 2026
Devolved Public Services: Funding
My Lords, is the Minister aware of the huge controversy in Wales arising from the UK Government’s refusal to provide Barnett consequentials for capital rail projects such as HS2 and the Oxford to Cambridge rail link, on the spurious pretext that such south-east of England schemes are of direct benef…
Lords
Oral Questions
23 April 2026
Office for National Statistics Labour Market Data
The Government have always worked closely with the current Government of Wales and we will continue to work with any future Government in Wales. It will help if they continue to be led by the Labour Party, but we will see what the electorate decide. We are constantly aware that we must do more to su…
Lords
Oral Questions
21 April 2026
Midwives: Graduate Guarantee
I certainly agree with the noble Lord. I know he will understand that I can refer only to England in this context, but I take his point about Wales. I mentioned earlier that this situation very much needs sorting out and that is what we are doing. We are working closely with employers and universiti…
Lords
Oral Questions
16 April 2026
Data Centres: Energy Demand
I agree with the noble Lord that pumped hydro schemes are one method of ensuring that electricity is used as efficiently as it can be in terms of taking it in at some stages of the cycle and releasing it at others. A number of other arrangements can do that, such as batteries and other forms of long…
Lords
Proceedings
23 March 2026
UK Steel Strategy
My Lords, with the indulgence of the House, I welcome the strategy and the Statement, as far as it goes. The Government previously announced that £500 million would come to Port Talbot. Will any of the newly announced £2.5 billion come to Wales? Did the Welsh Government ask for part of that and were…
Lords
Debate
23 March 2026
Pension Schemes Bill
My Lords, I strongly support the objectives of Amendments 124, 128 and 154, as well as the similar provision made for Northern Ireland in Amendments 132 and 136. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Altmann, for all the work she has done, and continues to do, on this matter. I hope she will continue unt…
Lords
Oral Questions
17 March 2026
Fujitsu: Post Office Horizon Case
As I mentioned earlier, we are in constant conversation with Fujitsu. It has already committed to pay compensation, but how and when that happens is currently being consulted on.
Lords
Debate
11 March 2026
Crime and Policing Bill
I am following what the Minister is saying with great interest because it responds to the numerous points that have been made about the reorganisation that is needed to make sure there is no vacuum. The point I would press is that we have an election for the Senedd coming up in May. Trying to get a …
Lords
Oral Questions
10 March 2026
Foreign Direct Investment
What has been rewarding since I took this job on seven months ago is the ability to work with all the devolved nations, realising that every part of our country needs to benefit from the economic development that is coming through. We have members of our Office for Investment teams throughout the Un…
Lords
Oral Questions
9 March 2026
Crown Estate: Wales
Offshore will create up to 5,000 jobs—on top of the 3,000 jobs that will be created by the building of small modular reactors on Anglesey. It will provide energy for 1.5 million households. We are aiming in the right direction. As far as the supply chain is concerned, we will be investing £50 millio…
Lords
Oral Questions
24 February 2026
Prisons: Education
We will hear from the Conservative Benches next, then we will go to the Labour Benches.
Lords
Oral Questions
23 February 2026
US Tariffs
I will have to come back to the noble Lord on that question. The pharmaceuticals deal was for medical exports to the US for at least three years.