To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to issue the guidance for independent qualified medical practitioners providing an opinion on permanent disability, fitness for regular work, qualifying injury and degree of disability document agreed with the Fire Brigades Union in June 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to issue the guidance for independent qualified medical practitioners providing an opinion on permanent disability, fitness for regular work, qualifying injury and degree of disability document agreed with the Fire Brigades Union in June 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 19 November 2008, Official Report, column 505W, on council tax: pensions, what proportion of local authority revenue went towards meeting pension liabilities and costs in the latest period for which information is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 19 November 2008, Official Report, column 505W, on council tax: pensions, what proportion of local authority revenue went towards meeting pension liabilities and costs in the latest period for which information is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil servants working in his Department and its agencies have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over £1 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil servants working in his Department and its agencies have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over £1 million.

My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Secretary of State for Justice and I wish to alert the House to new checks which have uncovered a problem with payments to an...

My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Secretary of State for Justice and I wish to alert the House to new checks which have uncovered a problem with payments to an...

My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Liam Byrne) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. My right honourable friends the Secretary of State for Health, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Secretary of State for...

My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Liam Byrne) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. My right honourable friends the Secretary of State for Health, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Secretary of State for...

My Lords, in February this year, as time was finally called on Northern Rock, we were presented with a Hobson's choice. After months of dithering we were rushed into passing the temporary Banking (Special Provisions) Bill, which went through both Houses of Parliament in just over three days. Today, this...

My Lords, in February this year, as time was finally called on Northern Rock, we were presented with a Hobson's choice. After months of dithering we were rushed into passing the temporary Banking (Special Provisions) Bill, which went through both Houses of Parliament in just over three days. Today, this...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his careful presentation of the Bill. Like the noble Baroness, I look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Lord, Lord Smith of Kelvin. This is an important Bill, the principles of which we support. Despite its general title, it deals with...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his careful presentation of the Bill. Like the noble Baroness, I look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Lord, Lord Smith of Kelvin. This is an important Bill, the principles of which we support. Despite its general title, it deals with...

My Lords, the debate today has been on a higher level than much of the public comment in the press and news bulletins. I am glad to be able to take part in a debate which is beginning to identify some of the underlying difficulties that have arisen in these...

My Lords, the debate today has been on a higher level than much of the public comment in the press and news bulletins. I am glad to be able to take part in a debate which is beginning to identify some of the underlying difficulties that have arisen in these...

My Lords, before I turn to the main body of my remarks on the Bill, I will comment on the position stated so forcefully by the noble Lord, Lord Bilimoria, who I regret is not in his place, and echoed by other noble Lords. That position is that returning regulatory...

My Lords, before I turn to the main body of my remarks on the Bill, I will comment on the position stated so forcefully by the noble Lord, Lord Bilimoria, who I regret is not in his place, and echoed by other noble Lords. That position is that returning regulatory...

My Lords, as my noble friend Lord Newby said—and as both the opening speakers summed up pretty well—we support the purposes of this Bill. However, as the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, said, there is some way for this Bill to travel. We are concerned about the wide regulation-making powers in...

My Lords, as my noble friend Lord Newby said—and as both the opening speakers summed up pretty well—we support the purposes of this Bill. However, as the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes, said, there is some way for this Bill to travel. We are concerned about the wide regulation-making powers in...

My Lords, first, I join in welcoming the noble Lord, Lord Smith of Kelvin, to this House and in congratulating him on an excellent maiden speech. It spoke to his experience and wisdom, to the great benefit he will bring to this House and to a subtle sense of humour...

My Lords, first, I join in welcoming the noble Lord, Lord Smith of Kelvin, to this House and in congratulating him on an excellent maiden speech. It spoke to his experience and wisdom, to the great benefit he will bring to this House and to a subtle sense of humour...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Smith of Kelvin, on his maiden speech. His experience and the insight that it brings will be a welcome addition to this House. As my noble friend Lady Noakes said, we on these Benches have offered our assistance and support to...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Smith of Kelvin, on his maiden speech. His experience and the insight that it brings will be a welcome addition to this House. As my noble friend Lady Noakes said, we on these Benches have offered our assistance and support to...

My Lords, this is not a very satisfactory Bill for a variety of reasons, as many noble Lords have said. It bears all the hallmarks of a hasty, knee-jerk piece of legislation, motivated by a sense of the need to do something. In that way, it is similar to the...

My Lords, this is not a very satisfactory Bill for a variety of reasons, as many noble Lords have said. It bears all the hallmarks of a hasty, knee-jerk piece of legislation, motivated by a sense of the need to do something. In that way, it is similar to the...

My Lords, I have stood from these Baron Benches, as they are called, for many years and spoken on similar subjects. It always gives me really great pleasure when the professors and economists buzz off. If the accountants could only go as well, life would be much easier. Banking problems...

My Lords, I have stood from these Baron Benches, as they are called, for many years and spoken on similar subjects. It always gives me really great pleasure when the professors and economists buzz off. If the accountants could only go as well, life would be much easier. Banking problems...

My Lords, Second Readings are an opportunity to debate what is in a Bill. However, they are also an opportunity to debate what should be in a Bill but is not. This Bill provides for pre-funding of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme—which has not been much talked about this afternoon—and...

My Lords, Second Readings are an opportunity to debate what is in a Bill. However, they are also an opportunity to debate what should be in a Bill but is not. This Bill provides for pre-funding of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme—which has not been much talked about this afternoon—and...

My Lords, coming this late into the debate one is always on the edge of one’s seat as to whether there is going to be anything left to say of the text one has brought in. I thought that I had got lucky until the noble Lord, Lord Williams of...

My Lords, coming this late into the debate one is always on the edge of one’s seat as to whether there is going to be anything left to say of the text one has brought in. I thought that I had got lucky until the noble Lord, Lord Williams of...

My Lords, it is always a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, who introduces a personal note into our debates which is genuine and pleasant. The noble Lord, Lord Stewartby, asked why we are here. This Bill has been pored over, as the Minister said, in consultation,...

My Lords, it is always a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, who introduces a personal note into our debates which is genuine and pleasant. The noble Lord, Lord Stewartby, asked why we are here. This Bill has been pored over, as the Minister said, in consultation,...

My Lords, to follow the intervention of the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, we have had the economists, the accountants, the lawyers and the bankers, and now I am intervening on behalf of the customers and consumers. I declare my interest as chair of the new organisation Consumer Focus. I support...

My Lords, to follow the intervention of the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, we have had the economists, the accountants, the lawyers and the bankers, and now I am intervening on behalf of the customers and consumers. I declare my interest as chair of the new organisation Consumer Focus. I support...