My honourable friend the Minister of State for Employment Relations and Consumers Affairs (Jo Swinson) has today made the following Statement.

The UK has opted in to the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending Regulation (EC)...

My honourable friend the Minister of State for Employment Relations and Consumers Affairs (Jo Swinson) has today made the following Statement.

The UK has opted in to the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending Regulation (EC)...

The UK has opted in to the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 and directive 2009/22/EC (directive on consumer ADR).

The directive contains a provision which imposes a civil judicial co-operation obligation...

The UK has opted in to the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 and directive 2009/22/EC (directive on consumer ADR).

The directive contains a provision which imposes a civil judicial co-operation obligation...

My Lords, Amendments 1, 15 and 16 constitute a partial enactment in statute of a number of the recommendations made by Lord Justice Leveson in his report on the culture, practices and ethics of the press. The reasons given by the other place for disagreeing with these amendments reflect the...

My Lords, Amendments 1, 15 and 16 constitute a partial enactment in statute of a number of the recommendations made by Lord Justice Leveson in his report on the culture, practices and ethics of the press. The reasons given by the other place for disagreeing with these amendments reflect the...

Motion made, that the Committee takes note of Unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum dated 26 February 2013, submitted by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, relating to a draft Directive on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending Regulation (EC) No. 2006/2004 and Directive 2009/22/EC (Directive on consumer ADR), and a draft Regulation on online dispute resolution for consumer disputes (Regulation on consumer ODR). Agreed to on question.

Motion made, that the Committee takes note of Unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum dated 26 February 2013, submitted by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, relating to a draft Directive on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending Regulation (EC) No. 2006/2004 and Directive 2009/22/EC (Directive on consumer ADR), and...

In moving Amendment 11A I shall speak also to the other amendments in my name in this group and, indeed, to one that does not appear in the groupings list, Amendment 17G, unless the list has been amended subsequently, as this amendment is clearly part of the same series.

I start...

In moving Amendment 11A I shall speak also to the other amendments in my name in this group and, indeed, to one that does not appear in the groupings list, Amendment 17G, unless the list has been amended subsequently, as this amendment is clearly part of the same series.

I start...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the welcome publication of the draft royal charter by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, and the Prime Minister’s intention to submit the charter to the Privy Council for Her Majesty’s approval at the Privy Council’s May...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the welcome publication of the draft royal charter by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, and the Prime Minister’s intention to submit the charter to the Privy Council for Her Majesty’s approval at the Privy Council’s May...

I am very happy for the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to talk to her opposite numbers in the Scottish Government to

discuss how we go about these issues. As I understand it, the Scottish Government are taking a rather different approach from ours, but I am...

I am very happy for the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to talk to her opposite numbers in the Scottish Government to

discuss how we go about these issues. As I understand it, the Scottish Government are taking a rather different approach from ours, but I am...

It is a great pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for South East Cambridgeshire (Sir James Paice). As his contribution shows, we have a cross-party and cross-House consensus on this matter, and we should take it forward.

Amendment 28 provides that when the adjudicator publishes guidance, she must include guidance...

It is a great pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for South East Cambridgeshire (Sir James Paice). As his contribution shows, we have a cross-party and cross-House consensus on this matter, and we should take it forward.

Amendment 28 provides that when the adjudicator publishes guidance, she must include guidance...

My Lords, I will be brief in moving this amendment. It has the support of the noble Lord, Lord Puttnam, who apologises for not being in his place today. He is in the Far East on a long-arranged trip as one of the Prime Minister’s trade envoys there. He entirely...

My Lords, I will be brief in moving this amendment. It has the support of the noble Lord, Lord Puttnam, who apologises for not being in his place today. He is in the Far East on a long-arranged trip as one of the Prime Minister’s trade envoys there. He entirely...

My Lords, I shall speak to Amendments 1, 24 and 25 and associate myself with those tabled by the noble Baronesses, Lady O’Neill and Lady Hollins.

Four months have passed since the Second Reading of this Bill—

My Lords, I shall speak to Amendments 1, 24 and 25 and associate myself with those tabled by the noble Baronesses, Lady O’Neill and Lady Hollins.

Four months have passed since the Second Reading of this Bill—

My Lords, four months have passed since Second Reading; two days earlier, on October 7, the Prime Minister had committed to implement the Leveson recommendations so long as they were not, as he put it, “Bonkers”. Since returning from the Christmas Recess, I do not believe myself to be the...

My Lords, four months have passed since Second Reading; two days earlier, on October 7, the Prime Minister had committed to implement the Leveson recommendations so long as they were not, as he put it, “Bonkers”. Since returning from the Christmas Recess, I do not believe myself to be the...

My Lords, I have put my name to this amendment to Amendment 1, moved by the noble Lord, Lord Puttnam, because it is urgent to establish an effective, affordable and independent route for resolving claims of defamation. In doing so, I declare an interest as chair of the Equalities and

notus-xml...

My Lords, I have put my name to this amendment to Amendment 1, moved by the noble Lord, Lord Puttnam, because it is urgent to establish an effective, affordable and independent route for resolving claims of defamation. In doing so, I declare an interest as chair of the Equalities and

notus-xml...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Basildon

24: After Clause 17, insert the following new Schedule—

“SCHEDULE

Specialist Arbitration Service

1 An Independent Regulatory Board must provide an Arbitration Service in relation to defamation and related civil legal claims drawing on independent legal experts on a cost-only basis to the subscribing member.

2 The arbitration rules must...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Basildon

24: After Clause 17, insert the following new Schedule—

“SCHEDULE

Specialist Arbitration Service

1 An Independent Regulatory Board must provide an Arbitration Service in relation to defamation and related civil legal claims drawing on independent legal experts on a cost-only basis to the subscribing member.

2 The arbitration rules must...

Programme motion agreed to. Clause 1 agreed to. Schedule 1 agreed to. Clauses 2 and 3 agreed to. Clause 4 under consideration.

Programme motion agreed to. Clause 1 agreed to. Schedule 1 agreed to. Clauses 2 and 3 agreed to. Clause 4 under consideration.

My Lords, I am most grateful to all noble Lords speaking in this debate and to many other noble Lords, too many to mention by name, who have

expressed their support for the Bill but are unable to be here today. The Bill seeks to address two interrelated issues: the...

My Lords, I am most grateful to all noble Lords speaking in this debate and to many other noble Lords, too many to mention by name, who have

expressed their support for the Bill but are unable to be here today. The Bill seeks to address two interrelated issues: the...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Cox, on her eloquent and well informed speech, and I thank her for introducing the Bill and for all the hard work that I know preceded it. The noble Baroness is a redoubtable and fearless campaigner. For many years, she has worked...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Cox, on her eloquent and well informed speech, and I thank her for introducing the Bill and for all the hard work that I know preceded it. The noble Baroness is a redoubtable and fearless campaigner. For many years, she has worked...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Cox, for her Bill and support it in principle for two reasons. First, as a former chair of ACAS, where arbitration and mediation are its bread and butter, I feel strongly that the law in this area should not be brought into...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Cox, for her Bill and support it in principle for two reasons. First, as a former chair of ACAS, where arbitration and mediation are its bread and butter, I feel strongly that the law in this area should not be brought into...

My Lords, along with other noble Lords who have spoken so far in the debate, I pay tribute to the noble Baroness, Lady Cox, for introducing this Bill, which I too support strongly in principle. The noble Baroness has shown extraordinary commitment to this issue and has prepared extremely well,...

My Lords, along with other noble Lords who have spoken so far in the debate, I pay tribute to the noble Baroness, Lady Cox, for introducing this Bill, which I too support strongly in principle. The noble Baroness has shown extraordinary commitment to this issue and has prepared extremely well,...

My Lords, I am very pleased to rise today in support of the Bill of the noble Baroness, Lady Cox. I, too, wish to convey to her my congratulations not just on her commitment and determination in bringing this Bill forward but, indeed, on all the work that she does—often...

My Lords, I am very pleased to rise today in support of the Bill of the noble Baroness, Lady Cox. I, too, wish to convey to her my congratulations not just on her commitment and determination in bringing this Bill forward but, indeed, on all the work that she does—often...

My Lords, I echo the warm words of congratulation and appreciation for the characteristically heartfelt and informed speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Cox.

In February 2008, many column acres in the national media were given over to my friend and colleague, the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury, and...

My Lords, I echo the warm words of congratulation and appreciation for the characteristically heartfelt and informed speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Cox.

In February 2008, many column acres in the national media were given over to my friend and colleague, the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury, and...