I am sure it is much better to say exactly what we think about public affairs and this is certainly not a time when it is worth anyone’s while to court political popularity. I will therefore begin by saying what everybody would like to ignore or forget, but which must...

I am sure it is much better to say exactly what we think about public affairs and this is certainly not a time when it is worth anyone’s while to court political popularity. I will therefore begin by saying what everybody would like to ignore or forget, but which must...

Hear, hear!

Hear, hear!

My Lords, I think the principle of the regulations that the Minister has moved will be entirely uncontroversial to the House. Giving local authorities more powers to regulate air quality and the causes of poor air quality is the right thing to do. It is right that local authorities, which...

My Lords, I think the principle of the regulations that the Minister has moved will be entirely uncontroversial to the House. Giving local authorities more powers to regulate air quality and the causes of poor air quality is the right thing to do. It is right that local authorities, which...

I compliment the Minister on her extremely competent response to the debate. If it is in her briefing, could she tell the House the average age of taxis in London and outside it? If not, could she write to me with that information?

I compliment the Minister on her extremely competent response to the debate. If it is in her briefing, could she tell the House the average age of taxis in London and outside it? If not, could she write to me with that information?

On an extremely important point, will the noble Lord say why the coalition is proposing a fixed term of five years, which is longer than applies in virtually every democracy in the world with a fixed term and is longer than Parliament has introduced in respect of the devolved institutions...

On an extremely important point, will the noble Lord say why the coalition is proposing a fixed term of five years, which is longer than applies in virtually every democracy in the world with a fixed term and is longer than Parliament has introduced in respect of the devolved institutions...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Paul Clark) has made the following Ministerial Statement. I have issued today a report in response to public consultation for a scheme of continuous enforcement of motor insurance. The scheme proposes the enforcement of statutory motor insurance by comparing...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Paul Clark) has made the following Ministerial Statement. I have issued today a report in response to public consultation for a scheme of continuous enforcement of motor insurance. The scheme proposes the enforcement of statutory motor insurance by comparing...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Jim Fitzpatrick) has made the following Ministerial Statement. Subsequent to Written Answers I gave on 29 January and 2 April 2008 and my Written Ministerial Statements of 17 July 2008 to Parliamentary Questions on data handling, I would like to...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Jim Fitzpatrick) has made the following Ministerial Statement. Subsequent to Written Answers I gave on 29 January and 2 April 2008 and my Written Ministerial Statements of 17 July 2008 to Parliamentary Questions on data handling, I would like to...

I believe that that is precisely the case.

I believe that that is precisely the case.

That might happen through Connexions or through local authority B’s direct engagement with employers in its area, which might have nothing, as I said in response to the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, to do with the Connexions database. It could come through either route.

That might happen through Connexions or through local authority B’s direct engagement with employers in its area, which might have nothing, as I said in response to the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, to do with the Connexions database. It could come through either route.

I understand the noble Baroness's confusion. Like me, as a non-lawyer she might have thought that ““service provider”” in Clause 17(2)(b) might refer to a school. It does not. A ““service provider”” is defined in Clause 17(7), a huge subsection, which states: "““‘service provider’, in relation to a local education...

I understand the noble Baroness's confusion. Like me, as a non-lawyer she might have thought that ““service provider”” in Clause 17(2)(b) might refer to a school. It does not. A ““service provider”” is defined in Clause 17(7), a huge subsection, which states: "““‘service provider’, in relation to a local education...

I return to the point raised by the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, about the rights of employers to appeal against any enforcement action taken. That is the nub of the issue and will test whether a local authority is acting reasonably on a sound evidence base. The noble Lord, Lord...

I return to the point raised by the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, about the rights of employers to appeal against any enforcement action taken. That is the nub of the issue and will test whether a local authority is acting reasonably on a sound evidence base. The noble Lord, Lord...

Again, I seem to be holding the centre ground between two views put to me by noble Lords. The noble Baroness, Lady Morris, began by saying that we were in a potential police state, with people having powers to extract information, something which currently does not apply. I pointed out...

Again, I seem to be holding the centre ground between two views put to me by noble Lords. The noble Baroness, Lady Morris, began by saying that we were in a potential police state, with people having powers to extract information, something which currently does not apply. I pointed out...

No, these cases would always stay in the youth court and there is no question of any action leading to imprisonment. I need to make that absolutely clear. No process could be followed that could lead to a young person being imprisoned. We do not believe that Amendments Nos. 122...

No, these cases would always stay in the youth court and there is no question of any action leading to imprisonment. I need to make that absolutely clear. No process could be followed that could lead to a young person being imprisoned. We do not believe that Amendments Nos. 122...

I think I need to come back to the noble Lord on the precise issue. Only offences that are punishable by imprisonment or specified in regulations as recordable offences are automatically recorded on the national police computer. The offence in question under this Bill is not punishable by imprisonment and...

I think I need to come back to the noble Lord on the precise issue. Only offences that are punishable by imprisonment or specified in regulations as recordable offences are automatically recorded on the national police computer. The offence in question under this Bill is not punishable by imprisonment and...

It is precisely on that point that I will come back to the noble Lord. There are very limited circumstances in which such offences could conceivably be recorded on the police national computer. Even taking the tiny subset of cases that could end up in the youth courts with a...

It is precisely on that point that I will come back to the noble Lord. There are very limited circumstances in which such offences could conceivably be recorded on the police national computer. Even taking the tiny subset of cases that could end up in the youth courts with a...

A parenting contract might well be appropriate to meet precisely the objectives set out by the noble Lord. However, as I set out in response to a previous group of amendments, there are proper processes that need to be gone through in respect of a parenting contract. Provided those processes...

A parenting contract might well be appropriate to meet precisely the objectives set out by the noble Lord. However, as I set out in response to a previous group of amendments, there are proper processes that need to be gone through in respect of a parenting contract. Provided those processes...

Such rights of appeal are set out in the clauses we are debating. If the enforcement action went to a youth court, there is no question of a young person not having the rights to contest any action at every stage. The noble Baroness, Lady Morris, began by asking a...

Such rights of appeal are set out in the clauses we are debating. If the enforcement action went to a youth court, there is no question of a young person not having the rights to contest any action at every stage. The noble Baroness, Lady Morris, began by asking a...

It was so long ago I missed the fact that remarks had been made.

It was so long ago I missed the fact that remarks had been made.

We enter into further complexity in discussing the amendments in terms of the relationships between different clauses. Continuing the dialogue across groups that has been a feature of our debates so far, I shall add a few remarks to the earlier discussions that we had on the connection that the...

We enter into further complexity in discussing the amendments in terms of the relationships between different clauses. Continuing the dialogue across groups that has been a feature of our debates so far, I shall add a few remarks to the earlier discussions that we had on the connection that the...

I am not sure about that. I shall have to come back to the noble Baroness about whether PCTs are included. In respect of her question about the Border and Immigration Agency, the advice I have been given is that we do not believe that it would be in a...

I am not sure about that. I shall have to come back to the noble Baroness about whether PCTs are included. In respect of her question about the Border and Immigration Agency, the advice I have been given is that we do not believe that it would be in a...