Lords
Oral Questions
23 February 2026
Global Biodiversity Loss and National Security
First, I congratulate the noble Baroness on a significant birthday this weekend. Secondly, as she knows, I am a great supporter of horticulture; I have recently been speaking to the Farming Minister about it and will continue to do so.
Lords
Oral Questions
9 February 2026
Royal Navy: Caribbean
I do not know the exact answer regarding presence, and I am very happy to find out more and come back to the noble Baroness, but what I do know is that we work closely with the JIATF. We maintain close co-operation through a UK liaison officer embedded with the US Joint Interagency Task Force in Flo…
Lords
Proceedings
26 January 2026
Arrangement of Business
My Lords, I am obliged to remind the Committee that, if there were to be a Division in the Chamber, we will adjourn for 10 minutes. It seems highly unlikely.
Lords
Proceedings
14 January 2026
Arrangement of Business
My Lords, I issue the standard warning that, if there is a Division in the Chamber, we immediately adjourn for 10 minutes.
Lords
Proceedings
15 December 2025
Arrangement of Business
My Lords, this seems an appropriate moment to have a short break before I call the next business—but not while I am still on my feet.
Lords
Debate
10 December 2025
2 contributions
Employment Rights Bill
Before I call Motion D1, I should alert the House to a typographical error in Amendment 72P. The reference to “page 37” should be to “page 87”. If the amendment is agreed to, it will be corrected by printing point. Motion D1 (as an amendment to Motion D)
I am sorry. It cannot be withdrawn, because the noble Lord has made a speech. I must put the question.
Lords
Oral Questions
20 November 2025
Water and Sewerage Companies: Statutory Consultees
The National Planning Policy Framework is very clear that housing and most other types of development should not be permitted in functional flood plains—that is, in flood zone 3b—where water must flow or be stored during floods. Where development is necessary in such areas, it should be made safe fo…
Lords
Committee Stage
11 November 2025
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
My Lords, there is a Division in the Chamber, in which case we would normally adjourn for 10 minutes. If it seems that there are back-to-back Divisions, I think it would be more suitable to come back when it appears that they are over.
Lords
Oral Questions
10 November 2025
Accidental Prison Releases
The number of people going to prison has increased and the number in prison will increase, but that is because reoffending rates are too high. Too many people are leaving prison still addicted to drugs and alcohol. Too many people leave with nowhere to live and then reoffend and go back in the syste…
Lords
Committee Stage
27 October 2025
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
My Lords, we have another Division, so the Committee is again suspended for 10 minutes.
Lords
Committee Stage
15 October 2025
Companies (Directors’ Report) (Payment Reporting) Regulations 2025
My Lords, I want to add to the point about enforcement that the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe, asked about. We have stepped up enforcement of these regulations and are currently writing to companies that we have identified as failing to comply with their reporting requirements. Out of the more than 500 co…
Lords
Debate
14 October 2025
3 contributions
Renters’ Rights Bill
My Lords, I will address Amendment 18, Motion C1 in place of Motion C. To recap very briefly on the substance of the amendment, the Bill punishes any landlord who serves notice on a tenant because the landlord is selling the property but the property fails to sell.
We could set this to music if the noble Baroness wishes. Where did I get to? I will not start again, the House has been too patient, but I will start halfway through.
The Bill punishes any landlord who serves notice on a tenant because the landlord is selling the property but the property then fail…
+1 more contribution in this session
Lords
Oral Questions
17 September 2025
Deforestation
The noble Baroness asks a very good question. It is terribly important that the right type of tree is planted in the right place. We know the impact that climate change is having on many of our native species, and we have to take a long-term view of that. There is no point in planting an awful lot o…
Lords
Debate
9 September 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
My Lords, I support most warmly all of the amendments in this group; I believe that they are very important indeed. Approaching it as they do from slightly different points of view, they all make the same fundamental point about the importance of building in arrangements so that, from the start, we …
Lords
Oral Questions
1 September 2025
2 contributions
Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023
My Lords—
I am so sorry to disappoint the noble Baroness, but I cannot give her a date. All I can say is that it is something I am actively looking at and working on. We are shortly going to be publishing the animal welfare strategy, which I have been preparing over the last 12 months; that will be out before…
Lords
Debate
23 July 2025
Employment Rights Bill
My Lords, there being an equality of votes, in accordance with Standing Order 55, which provides that no proposal to amend a Bill in the form in which it is before the House shall be agreed to unless there is a majority in favour of such amendment, I declare the amendment disagreed to.
Lords
Debate
16 July 2025
2 contributions
Employment Rights Bill
If Amendment 51 is agreed, I cannot call Amendment 52 by reason of pre-emption.
Schedule 3: Right not to be unfairly dismissed: removal of qualifying period, etc.
Amendment 51
I suggest that we take Amendment 53 and a number of consequential amendments en bloc.
Amendments 53 to 66
Lords
Committee Stage
15 July 2025
2 contributions
Armed Forces Act 2006 (Continuation) Order 2025
My Lords, as all noble Lords are back, we may as well resume.
My Lords, in finishing, I want to reinforce the comments from the noble Lord, Lord Lancaster, and ask not for more money for His Majesty’s Armed Forces—not least because this statutory instrument does not allow us to do that—but for the Minister and the MoD to think about making sure that our Armed …
Lords
Proceedings
8 July 2025
Arrangement of Business
My Lords, it appears that the technological problem has not been solved, so we are going to soldier on as best we can.
Lords
Debate
7 July 2025
Renters’ Rights Bill
My Lords, I too am anxious to have a better explanation. To me, the Bill seems very unfair, as it introduces two classes of people, one of whom will be disadvantaged at the same time as others are advantaged. It is one step forward and another one or two steps back. I hope that the Minister will be …
Lords
Debate
18 June 2025
Employment Rights Bill
That is most kind, but we must not be diverted from the business in hand. Is it your Lordships’ pleasure that this amendment be withdrawn?
Lords
Debate
16 June 2025
Employment Rights Bill
The noble Baroness will need to because it is an amendment, and therefore at the end one has to ask for it to be either considered or, by leave, withdrawn.
Lords
Debate
11 June 2025
3 contributions
Holocaust Memorial Bill
My Lords, I have not so far taken part in this debate, although I did in Committee. I simply want to say that I strongly support the amendment tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Carlile, but I want to get down to the nitty-gritty. Perhaps the Minister can help by answering my questions. I am trying to e…
My Lords, given the lateness of the hour and the fact that this amendment, in my name and that of other noble Lords, is rather unfortunately numbered 13—it does not bode well for this amendment, I fear—I will be as brief as I can.
I simply wish to seek the opinion of the Historic Buildings and Monu…
+1 more contribution in this session