To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from the Association of Metropolitan Fire Authorities about the effect of cuts in the funding of fire and rescue services in England; what is their response to those representations; and what action they will take as a result.[HL1721]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from the Association of Metropolitan Fire Authorities about the effect of cuts in the funding of fire and rescue services in England; what is their response to those representations; and what action they will take as a result.[HL1721]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether cuts in financing the army and the reduction of 20,000 soldiers are designed to enable it to fit into a future European army.[HL1466]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether cuts in financing the army and the reduction of 20,000 soldiers are designed to enable it to fit into a future European army.[HL1466]

My Lords, the first thing I would like to do is warmly congratulate the noble Viscount, Lord Younger of Leckie, on his new job and wish him all the very best on the Front Benches. I know that this will be a particular treat for him as he takes an...

My Lords, the first thing I would like to do is warmly congratulate the noble Viscount, Lord Younger of Leckie, on his new job and wish him all the very best on the Front Benches. I know that this will be a particular treat for him as he takes an...

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, for raising this debate and for his remarkably concise gallop through all the issues that I hope this debate will eventually cover. It is particularly timely because we are in the middle of what must be the biggest cultural festival this...

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, for raising this debate and for his remarkably concise gallop through all the issues that I hope this debate will eventually cover. It is particularly timely because we are in the middle of what must be the biggest cultural festival this...

My Lords, speed-talking. Congratulations on the debate. Declare an interest: Lowry . I will concentrate on skills.

We on the Liberal Democrat Benches have campaigned long and hard on behalf of the creative industries, so I was particularly pleased about the introduction of tax

cuts for video games, animation and high-level television...

My Lords, speed-talking. Congratulations on the debate. Declare an interest: Lowry . I will concentrate on skills.

We on the Liberal Democrat Benches have campaigned long and hard on behalf of the creative industries, so I was particularly pleased about the introduction of tax

cuts for video games, animation and high-level television...

My Lords, I add my congratulations to the noble Earl on securing this debate three weeks into the London 2012 Festival, which is the best chance we have ever had to showcase the world-class nature of arts and culture in this country. I declare an interest as chair of the...

My Lords, I add my congratulations to the noble Earl on securing this debate three weeks into the London 2012 Festival, which is the best chance we have ever had to showcase the world-class nature of arts and culture in this country. I declare an interest as chair of the...

I thank the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, for introducing this debate, and obviously I must declare my interests. I have spent every day of my working life in the creative sector and have been lucky enough to witness extraordinary home-grown talent across the board, from musicians and designers to actors,...

I thank the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, for introducing this debate, and obviously I must declare my interests. I have spent every day of my working life in the creative sector and have been lucky enough to witness extraordinary home-grown talent across the board, from musicians and designers to actors,...

My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Earl for securing this important debate. I begin with a statistic: 15% of the population, 1% of the funding. Whether you find this as shocking as I do will depend on your attitude to the population group that it refers to, so let...

My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Earl for securing this important debate. I begin with a statistic: 15% of the population, 1% of the funding. Whether you find this as shocking as I do will depend on your attitude to the population group that it refers to, so let...

My Lords, I have had to cut the congratulations to my noble friend and the welcome to the Minister. I will focus on private support for the arts and on classical music, including music education.

Corporate support for the arts fell to its lowest level for seven years in 2010-11, which...

My Lords, I have had to cut the congratulations to my noble friend and the welcome to the Minister. I will focus on private support for the arts and on classical music, including music education.

Corporate support for the arts fell to its lowest level for seven years in 2010-11, which...

My Lords, as vice-chairman of the All-Party Group for Dance and a former governor of the Royal Ballet and the Royal Academy of Dance, I intend to dwell on dance this evening. The prestige and super standards of the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet attract not only international audiences...

My Lords, as vice-chairman of the All-Party Group for Dance and a former governor of the Royal Ballet and the Royal Academy of Dance, I intend to dwell on dance this evening. The prestige and super standards of the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet attract not only international audiences...

I wish to speak about a sector in which the UK leads the world—the television industry, particularly our thriving independent production sector. Figures published last week show that the indie sector now generates revenue of around £2.4 billion. This continued growth is due in great part to the Communications Act...

I wish to speak about a sector in which the UK leads the world—the television industry, particularly our thriving independent production sector. Figures published last week show that the indie sector now generates revenue of around £2.4 billion. This continued growth is due in great part to the Communications Act...

My Lords, I remind the House of my interests as chairman of trustees at the Donmar Warehouse theatre and at the Wordsworth Trust.

A starting point should also be an acknowledgement that the Government have taken some welcome steps in arts policy. They have, I am delighted to say, maintained the...

My Lords, I remind the House of my interests as chairman of trustees at the Donmar Warehouse theatre and at the Wordsworth Trust.

A starting point should also be an acknowledgement that the Government have taken some welcome steps in arts policy. They have, I am delighted to say, maintained the...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Clancarty for securing this debate, particularly since many of the arts and creative practitioners with whom I work are hard put to identify what the coalition wants from the sector, what its expectations are and how it is going to support its...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Clancarty for securing this debate, particularly since many of the arts and creative practitioners with whom I work are hard put to identify what the coalition wants from the sector, what its expectations are and how it is going to support its...

My Lords, I am delighted to add my thanks to the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, for introducing this debate, and to add my welcome to my noble friend Lord Younger, as he assumes his ministerial responsibility.

It has been a wide-ranging, although brief, debate at a gallop. I would just say...

My Lords, I am delighted to add my thanks to the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, for introducing this debate, and to add my welcome to my noble friend Lord Younger, as he assumes his ministerial responsibility.

It has been a wide-ranging, although brief, debate at a gallop. I would just say...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Earl for tabling this Question this evening. In many ways, it is an indictment of this Government that the question at the heart of the debate has to be asked. However, I welcome the noble Viscount, Lord Younger, to his new...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Earl for tabling this Question this evening. In many ways, it is an indictment of this Government that the question at the heart of the debate has to be asked. However, I welcome the noble Viscount, Lord Younger, to his new...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, on securing this debate. It gives me particular pleasure to respond this evening on my first occasion at the Dispatch Box, as the noble Earl and I entered this House at about the same time two years ago. As a Member...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, on securing this debate. It gives me particular pleasure to respond this evening on my first occasion at the Dispatch Box, as the noble Earl and I entered this House at about the same time two years ago. As a Member...

Lords question for short debate on whether they have a long-term strategy for the arts and cultural sector; and, if so, what that strategy is.

Lords question for short debate on whether they have a long-term strategy for the arts and cultural sector; and, if so, what that strategy is.

I. Letter dated 14/05/2012 from Lynne Featherstone MP to Keith Vaz MP regarding publication of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's assessment of decisions taken by Her Majesty's Treasury during the Spending Review of 2010. 1 p. II. Making fair financial decisions: an assessment of HM Treasury's 2010 Spending Review conducted under Section 31 of the 2006 Equality Act. 175 p.

I. Letter dated 14/05/2012 from Lynne Featherstone MP to Keith Vaz MP regarding publication of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's assessment of decisions taken by Her Majesty's Treasury during the Spending Review of 2010. 1 p. II. Making fair financial decisions: an assessment of HM Treasury's 2010 Spending Review...

Budget debate (fourth day). Motion on amendment of the law agreed on division (326 to 243). Motion on high income child benefit charge agreed on division (318 to 244). Motion on air passenger duty agreed on division (323 to 13). Motion on future taxation: rates of income tax) agreed on division (319 to 22). Motions to approve ways and means resolutions. Resolved. Other resolutions agreed on question.

Budget debate (fourth day). Motion on amendment of the law agreed on division (326 to 243). Motion on high income child benefit charge agreed on division (318 to 244). Motion on air passenger duty agreed on division (323 to 13). Motion on future taxation: rates of income tax) agreed on...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for making these interesting points. Was he as shocked as I was to see that, as a result of the measures that he introduced as Chancellor, there was £16 billion to £18 billion-worth of forestalling in 2009-10?

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for making these interesting points. Was he as shocked as I was to see that, as a result of the measures that he introduced as Chancellor, there was £16 billion to £18 billion-worth of forestalling in 2009-10?