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Committee of the Whole House (HL) and Debate on bill on Tuesday, 31 March 2009, in the House of Lords.

Postal Services Bill [HL]

Postal Services Bill (HL). Lords Committee stage second day. New clauses (Amendments 20 and 50A) debated and withdrawn. Clauses 10 to 19, and Schedule 2, debated and agreed to.

Secondary information

Type
Parliamentary proceeding
Reference
709 c962-1028,1035-64 
Session
2008-09
Department
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Legislative stage
Committee stage
Procedure
New clauses
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Related items
Deposited Paper DEP2009-1364
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Deposited papers
House of Lords
Deposited Paper DEP2009-1269
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Deposited papers
House of Lords
Proceeding contributions
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1063-4 (Link to this contribution) As if I would ever ignore the noble Lord’s advice. It has been a good debate. Courtesy dictates that...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1063 (Link to this contribution) I said that I would advise the noble Lord, and he is perfectly free to ignore my advice, not to divi...
Show all contributions (188)
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1063 (Link to this contribution) Could the noble Lord repeat that? It is not the right time to do what?
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1063 (Link to this contribution) It is not a time of night to divide the Committee, but I am extremely tempted to do so on the questi...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1064 (Link to this contribution) I thank the Minister for that. Of course, I would not overlook it. If you went through the Bill you ...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1064 (Link to this contribution) I do not want to end on a point of confrontation, but Clause 24 says: ""The Secretary of State must ...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1057 (Link to this contribution) Clause 18: Amendments of the RMPP Amendment 61 61: Clause 18, page 9, line 37, at end insert— "( )...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1057-8 (Link to this contribution) This may take longer. Amendment 61 is necessary because under Clause 18 the Secretary of State is gi...
Baroness Turner of Camden | 709 c1058-9 (Link to this contribution) I rise to support my noble friend’s amendment because, as he points out, the powers that are given t...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1059 (Link to this contribution) What makes it even worse is that it would be amended by negative resolution. So I agree with the poi...
Lord Razzall | 709 c1059-60 (Link to this contribution) We ought to have consensus in your Lordships’ House on this issue. I do not know whether the draftin...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1060-2 (Link to this contribution) We should differentiate between consultation and the concept of consent. The noble Lord, Lord Skelme...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1062-3 (Link to this contribution) I am not surprised that the Minister referred to the report of Delegated Powers and Regulatory Refor...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1063 (Link to this contribution) If the noble Lord is asking whether we should always follow the recommendation of the committee, I a...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1054-5 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 58 requires services contracted out to maintain a dispute resolution procedure, which I sh...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1052 (Link to this contribution) The noble Lord, Lord Clarke, rightly raises the possibility that the Bill would allow the Secretary ...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1053-4 (Link to this contribution) I thank my noble friend Lord Clarke for explaining his amendments. The intended use of subsection (4...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1052 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 56 56: Clause 17, page 9, line 20, after "RMPP" insert "if the exercise of that power wou...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1052 (Link to this contribution) Amendments 56 and 57 are linked and they relate to the next group. Clause 17(3) would allow the Secr...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1054 (Link to this contribution) One cannot ask for anything more. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 56 withdrawn. A...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1054 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 58 58: Clause 17, page 9, line 22, leave out "may" and insert "shall"
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1054 (Link to this contribution) I thank the Minister for his reply. I have said that I would take away what has been said and think ...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1054 (Link to this contribution) I very much understand my noble friend’s point; perhaps I may reflect on whether we can have some en...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1056-7 (Link to this contribution) The Minister has reassured me that I was on the right track before. He has not changed his position,...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1055-6 (Link to this contribution) We have been discussing the Government's intention in Clause 17 to enable the Secretary of State to ...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1016 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 42 42: Clause 16, page 8, line 21, leave out subsection (3)
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1016-7 (Link to this contribution) My Amendments 42, 45A and 47 in this group probe the Government's intentions in Clause 16 a little f...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1015-6 (Link to this contribution) It is partly a question of where the statutory responsibility lies. As I was explaining, it would no...
Baroness Turner of Camden | 709 c1016 (Link to this contribution) I thank my noble friend for that full response, and Members of the Committee who have participated a...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1019 (Link to this contribution) I am very grateful to the Minister for that extremely helpful explanation. Indexation is in part gov...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1019 (Link to this contribution) The important point here is what has to be provided in respect of accrued rights in the new scheme. ...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1017-8 (Link to this contribution) I shall try to help the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, to understand the detail of what is proposed ...
Lord Neill of Bladen | 709 c1015 (Link to this contribution) Of course, the Minister will be a position to put great pressure on the trustees to carry out the du...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1015 (Link to this contribution) The key issue is whether the requirement should be imposed on the Secretary of State, or whether tha...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1010-1 (Link to this contribution) It is not for me to perform the role of the Secretary of State in this debate, so I shall cease fort...
Baroness Turner of Camden | 709 c1011 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 40C 40C: Clause 16, page 8, line 20, at end insert— "( ) On making an order under subsect...
Baroness Turner of Camden | 709 c1011-2 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 40C stands in my name and that of my noble friends Lord Clarke and Lord Hoyle. I was persu...
Lord Hoyle | 709 c1012 (Link to this contribution) I support the amendment. It is moderate and I hope that the Minister will accept it. All that we are...
Lord Razzall | 709 c1012 (Link to this contribution) I have a short comment in support of the amendment. I was surprised when the noble Baroness, Lady Tu...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c1012-3 (Link to this contribution) I thank noble Lords for tabling this amendment. Like the noble Lord, Lord Razzall, who voiced his su...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1013-5 (Link to this contribution) I thank my noble friend Lady Turner for introducing this amendment and for all noble Lords who spoke...
Lord Neill of Bladen | 709 c1015 (Link to this contribution) Is the Minister really agreeing with the noble Lord, Lord Hoyle, that one of the things wrong with t...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1010 (Link to this contribution) Walk-sequencing machines are not yet installed. The modernisation agreement that I referred to embra...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1026 (Link to this contribution) This is a very nice atmosphere in which to be discussing these matters. Unanimity and friendship are...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1026 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 48 48: Clause 16, page 8, line 36, at end insert "to 16 December 2008 or later"
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1026 (Link to this contribution) I thank my noble friend for that clear explanation, but the amendment is a direct attempt to get a t...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1026 (Link to this contribution) Perhaps I did not do justice to the thrust of my noble friend’s points; I, too, shall look at the re...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1023-4 (Link to this contribution) The amendment is indeed comprehensive. I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Clarke, on neatly doing w...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1024-6 (Link to this contribution) These amendments give rise to a number of issues concerning the detail of the Government’s proposals...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1022 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 46 46: Clause 16, page 8, line 28, at beginning insert "Subject to subsections (7A) to (9...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1022-3 (Link to this contribution) I have tabled Amendments 46, 49 and 71. I prepared a paper at length on Sunday that referred to Amen...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1022 (Link to this contribution) Or something stronger, indeed. It depends who is paying.
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1022 (Link to this contribution) How could anyone resist such an invitation? When my noble friend talks about meeting to discuss thin...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1022 (Link to this contribution) My noble friend is right that it was not as good news as on the previous amendment. I was rejoicing ...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1022 (Link to this contribution) I am very happy to meet to talk through the specifics of this, because I think that what my noble fr...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1019 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 43 43: Clause 16, page 8, line 26, leave out "and"
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1019-20 (Link to this contribution) The three amendments in this group are obviously linked, and lead to the final one, which is to add ...
Baroness Turner of Camden | 709 c1020 (Link to this contribution) I support my noble friend, perhaps for a reason that he has not mentioned. It seems to me that this ...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1020-2 (Link to this contribution) I thank my noble friends for moving and speaking to the amendment. I think that it was originally gr...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1019 (Link to this contribution) I think that I understand that. However, at vesting day, for want of a better expression, there will...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1019 (Link to this contribution) I am sorry. I hope that the noble Lord will give me the chance to explain. Certainly for existing pe...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1019 (Link to this contribution) Clearly, I misunderstood. We will shortly have an amendment about the recipient when the pensions of...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1039-40 (Link to this contribution) I have tabled this amendment to suggest a small aspect of the new public pension scheme and its rela...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1039 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 50A 50A: After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause— "Trivial portability The Secre...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1042 (Link to this contribution) As I understand it, although I am perfectly willing to be corrected, when the agreement of April 200...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1041-2 (Link to this contribution) I do not quite see the connection with the new DC scheme. The noble Lord is right that the current s...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1041 (Link to this contribution) I think that it is the first time that I have heard the Minister say that this was an interesting id...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1040-1 (Link to this contribution) I am happy to address the interesting point that the amendment raises in relation to the position of...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1043-4 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 52 seeks to extend Clause 17(1) by adding, at the end of line 4, two specific points that ...
Lord Faulkner of Worcester | 709 c1043 (Link to this contribution) I must advise the Committee that, if this amendment is agreed to, I am unable to call Amendment 52 f...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1042-3 (Link to this contribution) My Amendment 51 is a probing amendment about the ongoing state of the RMPP. The noble Lord, Lord Cla...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1042 (Link to this contribution) Clause 17: Division of the RMPP into different sections Amendment 51 51: Clause 17, page 8, line 4...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1028 (Link to this contribution) I think that the best way I can sum up that response is that it is a stout defence which requires st...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1027-8 (Link to this contribution) These amendments relate to the provision for orders made under Clauses 16, 17, and 18 to have retros...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1036 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful for the dinner break, which gave me a chance to sort out some of these papers. Amendme...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1035 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 50 50: Clause 16, page 8, line 40, at end insert— "( ) If a new public scheme is wound up...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1037-8 (Link to this contribution) Some interesting issues have been raised. Perhaps I can say first to my noble friend Lord Clarke tha...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1036 (Link to this contribution) I am afraid that we on this side, the very few, cannot agree with either of the amendments tabled by...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1039 (Link to this contribution) Perhaps I may help my noble friend on two points. On the issue of the Secretary of State having a se...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1038-9 (Link to this contribution) I thank the noble Lord for his courtesy in referring to Amendment 55, which, because of my ineptitud...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1039 (Link to this contribution) That is very helpful. Another consequence of a segment going bust is the fact that the Pension Prote...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1052 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the Minister. I think that I now have it, and I beg leave to withdraw the amendment...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1050-1 (Link to this contribution) This has been an interesting debate which has strayed beyond the specifics of the amendment. I shall...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1049-50 (Link to this contribution) I did not interrupt the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, although I was invited to do so. However, unl...
Lord Hoyle | 709 c1048 (Link to this contribution) When I was in the other place and it appeared before the Trade and Industry Committee, we always use...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1048 (Link to this contribution) I am talking entirely from memory. Again, that was seen to be a mistake and was eventually stopped.
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1048 (Link to this contribution) It is easy to be wise after the event. Had we known what the effects would be, I do not think that a...
Lord Hoyle | 709 c1047 (Link to this contribution) My whole point about the pension holiday was that it went on far too long.
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1051-2 (Link to this contribution) Perhaps I may try now. To recap, Clause 17 is about the division of the RMPP into different sections...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1051 (Link to this contribution) We have had an occasion where "may" meant "shall", and now "may" means "could". The noble Lord sugge...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1046 (Link to this contribution) To clarify that point, the Secretary of State speaks for the Government on that issue.
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1047 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 52 52: Clause 17, page 9, line 4, at end insert— "(1A) If an order is made under subsecti...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1047 (Link to this contribution) It is very unlike the noble Lord to duck a challenge like that. I beg leave to withdraw the amendmen...
Baroness Turner of Camden | 709 c1044 (Link to this contribution) I support my noble friend Lord Clarke of Hampstead’s amendment. He is attempting to deal with the pr...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1044-6 (Link to this contribution) The hour is too late. I start by picking up on the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, ...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1044 (Link to this contribution) Before the Minister answers, is this a case where "may" means "shall"?
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1047 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 53 53: Clause 17, page 9, line 5, leave out subsection (2)
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1047 (Link to this contribution) I should like to comment on this amendment. I do not know whether that is out of order; I shall be t...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1047 (Link to this contribution) Amendments 53 and 54 probe the provisions in the Bill providing for further payments from the Secret...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c971 (Link to this contribution) The investment requirement depends on the extent to which the company is able and willing to moderni...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c971 (Link to this contribution) I am sorry to come back on this again. Regarding the Secretary of State’s last comment, is it not a ...
Lord Hoyle | 709 c971 (Link to this contribution) Could my noble friend quantify a little further what investment would be required? He has talked abo...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c967-70 (Link to this contribution) This group of amendments would introduce requirements for the Government to provide a number of repo...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c970-1 (Link to this contribution) Before the Secretary of State sits down, I would like to ask one question. When it is said that the ...
Lord Christopher | 709 c966 (Link to this contribution) Will my noble friend clear my mind on a specific aspect of the future? The amendments largely deal w...
Lord Blackwell | 709 c967 (Link to this contribution) While I have sympathy with the objectives of my noble friend’s amendments, we must be cautious about...
Lord Hoyle | 709 c966 (Link to this contribution) I will not address what my noble friend Lord Clarke has just said because I agree with every point h...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c962-3 (Link to this contribution) Our amendments in this group seek to ensure something that people from every point on the political ...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c963-6 (Link to this contribution) I start as I did last week by declaring an interest as a former postman, a former union official, an...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c962 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 20 20: After Clause 9, insert the following new Clause— "Reporting provisions Report on p...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c976 (Link to this contribution) Clause 14: Interpretation of Part 1 Amendment 31 31: Clause 14, page 7, leave out lines 3 to 5
Lord De Mauley | 709 c976 (Link to this contribution) Amendments 31 and 32 are probing amendments to ensure that the definition of "post office" is proper...
Lord Tunnicliffe | 709 c975 (Link to this contribution) Clause 12 requires the Crown to own all or the majority of the voting rights in a Post Office compan...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c976 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the Minister for his response. Once again, I am happy today to withdraw the amendme...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c977 (Link to this contribution) I do not believe that it is our intention to limit post offices any more than is the case at the mom...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c976-7 (Link to this contribution) Amendments 31 and 32 seek to remove or alter the protections that are provided by the definition of ...
Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan | 709 c977 (Link to this contribution) Does this mean that a privately owned Post Office would have to seek the permission of the Governmen...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c975 (Link to this contribution) This is a fairly small amendment seeking some clarification of Clause 12. I hope that the Minister w...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c975 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 30 30: Clause 12, page 6, line 16, leave out "on all or substantially all matters"
Lord De Mauley | 709 c975 (Link to this contribution) I thank the Minister for the sympathy that he expressed with the amendments. I also thank him for th...
Lord Hoyle | 709 c972 (Link to this contribution) My noble friend mentioned that the money raised would go back into investment in Royal Mail and I me...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c972 (Link to this contribution) No, because we do not know what the sum of money is that will constitute the proceeds from the sale....
Lord Stoddart of Swindon | 709 c972 (Link to this contribution) We keep hearing about modernisation—new products and what have you. We have been hearing about this ...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c973 (Link to this contribution) With respect, I refer the noble Lord to Part 3 of the Bill, which describes the duty to secure the p...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c973 (Link to this contribution) I thank all noble Lords for their contributions in what has been a very helpful debate. I thank in p...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c973 (Link to this contribution) Clause 12: Ownership of a company Amendment 28 28: Clause 12, page 6 , line 2, leave out "or any o...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c973-4 (Link to this contribution) Amendments 28 and 29 simply propose drafting improvements to a part of the Bill that by my reading d...
Lord Tunnicliffe | 709 c974-5 (Link to this contribution) I have sympathy with the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, and his reading of the clause. Amendment 28 wou...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c972 (Link to this contribution) I am a member of the Government, not the management of Royal Mail, and it is not my job or the job o...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c971-2 (Link to this contribution) I am sorry but the modernisation issue brings into focus the Secretary of State’s comments to this H...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c978-9 (Link to this contribution) I shall speak also to Amendments 36 and 38. I expect all Members of the Committee have read the summ...
Baroness Turner of Camden | 709 c979 (Link to this contribution) I should like briefly to support my noble friend in his amendments. They deal with qualifying member...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c977-8 (Link to this contribution) I thank the Secretary of State for his response and the noble Lord, Lord O’Neill, for his interestin...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c978 (Link to this contribution) Clause 15: Introduction Amendment 34 34: Clause 15, page 7, line 31, leave out from "person" to en...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c982 (Link to this contribution) I am not sure precisely when we can approach the Commission formally, but I think that we would, if ...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c982 (Link to this contribution) That is helpful on the question of proceedings in the Commission of the European Union, about which,...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c981-2 (Link to this contribution) My Lords, these amendments go to the heart of the definition in Clause 15 of the liabilities that th...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c979-81 (Link to this contribution) I have tabled Amendments 35 and 37 in this group. Not having spoken on the Bill before, I must decla...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c982-4 (Link to this contribution) "May" would be a better word. Both the qualifying time and qualifying members will be specified by ...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c982 (Link to this contribution) The Secretary of State said "could ramp up". Does that mean "will ramp up"?
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c984 (Link to this contribution) I can hardly withdraw an amendment that I have not moved; I have only spoken to it, technically. I ...
Lord Stoddart of Swindon | 709 c984-5 (Link to this contribution) Before the noble Lord, Lord Clarke, winds up on his amendment, I have a further question on the role...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c985 (Link to this contribution) The simple response, quite honestly, is that, if the European Commission chose not to give state aid...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c985 (Link to this contribution) I cannot resist interjecting that I never thought that I would hear the acronym TINA, invented by my...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c985-6 (Link to this contribution) I sincerely thank my noble friend Lady Turner for her nicely worded support for the basic principle ...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c987 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 39 to Clause 15 deals with additional voluntary contributions, commonly described as AVCs....
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c986 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 39 39: Clause 15, page 8, line 5, at end insert "other than additional voluntary contribu...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c988 (Link to this contribution) I immediately confirm that the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, is right that the Government’s intention ...
Lord De Mauley | 709 c987-8 (Link to this contribution) The noble Lord, Lord Clarke, raises some important points. The Royal Mail pension plan contains a va...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c989 (Link to this contribution) I do not know whether I have done something wrong. If the Secretary of State is agreeing with someth...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c995 (Link to this contribution) I do not know whether the Minister is going to leave that point, but when he says "members" does he ...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c995-9 (Link to this contribution) Yes, indeed. I touched on that point in part, and I will come to it again in due course. At the sam...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c991-3 (Link to this contribution) The amendments of the noble Lord, Lord Clarke, propose some interesting alternative drafting for the...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c993-5 (Link to this contribution) This group of amendments is focused on the protection that members of the RMPP are afforded in Part ...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c989 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 40 40: Clause 15, page 8, line 11, at end insert— "(4) The amount of any benefit payable ...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c989-91 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 40 is grouped with a number of other amendments. I shall speak also to Amendments 63, 64, ...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c1000 (Link to this contribution) I am happy to write to the noble Lord to set out the precise provisions in the Act to see how close ...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c999-1000 (Link to this contribution) I would certainly take up that offer with the very opposite of reluctance—I cannot think of the word...
Lord McKenzie of Luton | 709 c999 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the noble Lord. It is unfair to ask me a question and then deny me the chance to an...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c999 (Link to this contribution) My reaction to the Minister’s speech is, phew—if I may be allowed in this Chamber to use a four-lett...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1000-1 (Link to this contribution) I am delighted to hear a confession although I am not ordained to receive it. More seriously, this g...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1001 (Link to this contribution) Clause 16: Transfer of qualifying accrued rights to new public scheme Amendment 40A 40A: Clause 16...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1001-2 (Link to this contribution) I was brought up, parliamentarily speaking, to believe that when the words "the Secretary of State" ...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c1003 (Link to this contribution) The short answer, of course, to the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, is that his characterisation of t...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1000 (Link to this contribution) None the less, since this is not a trust-based scheme, does not the Secretary of State in a sense re...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1000 (Link to this contribution) I was not responsible for the size of this group of amendments. The noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, m...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1000 (Link to this contribution) I am just as guilty as the noble Lord. Perhaps, after his remarks, I am even more guilty, in which c...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1004 (Link to this contribution) Amendment 40B 40B: Clause 16, page 8, line 17, at end insert— "( ) No order may be made under subse...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1003-4 (Link to this contribution) I thought it was obvious from what I was saying that this was a probing amendment. However, I have g...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1004-5 (Link to this contribution) This amendment would ensure that Part 2 of the Bill—concerning the taking over of the assets and lia...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c1006-8 (Link to this contribution) The Government have made it clear that they accept Richard Hooper’s review’s recommendations as a pa...
Lord Hoyle | 709 c1006 (Link to this contribution) I welcome my noble friend’s remarks. He talked about political interference and the pensions holiday...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1005-6 (Link to this contribution) I could not resist the temptation to comment on the view of the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, about...
Lord Razzall | 709 c1005 (Link to this contribution) Contrary to the precedent that has been exhibited in the past three hours, I agree.
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1009 (Link to this contribution) I know that sometimes when I speak it is not in words quite as emollient as the Secretary of State, ...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1009 (Link to this contribution) My noble friend is of course right. The noble Lord, Lord Sainsbury, stood there telling me that we h...
Lord Hoyle | 709 c1009 (Link to this contribution) There are also the remarks that that service has faced up to the market. It has not faced liberalisa...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1008-9 (Link to this contribution) I listened carefully to the Secretary of State. He described the Hooper report as well researched. I...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead | 709 c1010 (Link to this contribution) With respect, it was not the noble Lord’s comment but the Secretary of State saying that it has to b...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1010 (Link to this contribution) Well, what on earth do I say to that? However, the noble Lord, Lord Clarke, in his original explosio...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1026-7 (Link to this contribution) This amendment is grouped with Amendments 60 and 62, which are all about retrospectivity. The amendm...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1046 (Link to this contribution) To sum up, "may" does mean "shall". Good, at least we have got that clear. The Minister has indeed s...
Lord Colwyn | 709 c1017 (Link to this contribution) If this amendment were to be agreed, I would be unable to call Amendments 43 to 45 because of pre-em...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c971 (Link to this contribution) Estimates of what the company requires in cash to modernise will vary from source to source. I would...
Lord Skelmersdale | 709 c1048-9 (Link to this contribution) That may well be, but that is not part of my experience, unlike that of the noble Lord. Surely to go...
Lord Mandelson | 709 c971 (Link to this contribution) The Royal Mail board does not support the privatisation of Royal Mail, which, among other reasons, i...
Subjects
Conditions of employment Contracts Industrial relations Finance Liability EU law Insolvency Government assistance Government shareholding Private sector Pensions Partnerships Post offices Pension funds Pension Protection Fund Postal services Ofcom Postal Services Commission Post Office Modernisation Regulation Voting rights Technology Royal Mail TNT
Legislation
Postal Services Bill (HL) 2008-09
Link
View this Parliamentary proceeding on www.publications.parliament.uk