I am not going to let this moment pass—I am sure no colleague would wish me to—without again reminding everyone present that this week marks the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings. On 7 July 2005, 52 people were killed in four separate attacks and 700 more were injured, many...

I am not going to let this moment pass—I am sure no colleague would wish me to—without again reminding everyone present that this week marks the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings. On 7 July 2005, 52 people were killed in four separate attacks and 700 more were injured, many...

May I join the shadow Leader of the House in marking the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings? We all remember that day well, and I am sure that the whole House will want to remember all those who died and those who were affected by it.

May I also take...

May I join the shadow Leader of the House in marking the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings? We all remember that day well, and I am sure that the whole House will want to remember all those who died and those who were affected by it.

May I also take...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) inflation, (b) changes to National Insurance contributions and (c) local authority fee uplifts on healthcare providers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) inflation, (b) changes to National Insurance contributions and (c) local authority fee uplifts on healthcare providers.

My Lords, I wish all noble Lords a happy new year. It is a pleasure to open this debate. I am aware that the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, has tabled a regret amendment expressing concern about the measures in the Bill. While I of course understand and respect the points...

My Lords, I wish all noble Lords a happy new year. It is a pleasure to open this debate. I am aware that the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, has tabled a regret amendment expressing concern about the measures in the Bill. While I of course understand and respect the points...

Moved by

Baroness Kramer

Moved by

Baroness Kramer

My Lords, before I begin, I say to the House that on these Benches, we will make sure that the words of appreciation and expressions of friendship for Baroness Randerson will be passed back to her family. I am sure that they will mean a great deal to them. I...

My Lords, before I begin, I say to the House that on these Benches, we will make sure that the words of appreciation and expressions of friendship for Baroness Randerson will be passed back to her family. I am sure that they will mean a great deal to them. I...

My Lords, I must start by thanking the noble Lord, Lord Livermore, for his clear explanation of this short and simple Bill, the context as he sees it, and the “happy new year” that we all hope to see, despite everything we will probably hear today.

I endorse the tribute from...

My Lords, I must start by thanking the noble Lord, Lord Livermore, for his clear explanation of this short and simple Bill, the context as he sees it, and the “happy new year” that we all hope to see, despite everything we will probably hear today.

I endorse the tribute from...

My Lords, I am in no doubt that taxes have to rise. The spending decisions made by the last Government—or rather the lack of them—the cost of the pandemic, higher interest rates and increasing demographic pressures all point in the same direction. Therefore, with a heavy heart, I broadly support...

My Lords, I am in no doubt that taxes have to rise. The spending decisions made by the last Government—or rather the lack of them—the cost of the pandemic, higher interest rates and increasing demographic pressures all point in the same direction. Therefore, with a heavy heart, I broadly support...

My Lords, I wish to make three quick points on this, the largest and probably most consequential, measure announced by the Chancellor

in the Budget. My first point is very tentative, as it relates to the promises on taxation made by major parties prior to general elections. We are an...

My Lords, I wish to make three quick points on this, the largest and probably most consequential, measure announced by the Chancellor

in the Budget. My first point is very tentative, as it relates to the promises on taxation made by major parties prior to general elections. We are an...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the right reverend Prelate. I look forward to him tabling amendments at a later stage in the consideration of the Bill to meet the requirements that, as he has quite rightly pointed out, are essential for transport for children with special needs.

This...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the right reverend Prelate. I look forward to him tabling amendments at a later stage in the consideration of the Bill to meet the requirements that, as he has quite rightly pointed out, are essential for transport for children with special needs.

This...

My Lords, we have heard a lot from the Minister and just now from the noble Lord, Lord Eatwell, about the alleged terrible situation in which the previous Government left the current Government. I have been known to criticise the previous Government myself, and there is a degree of truth...

My Lords, we have heard a lot from the Minister and just now from the noble Lord, Lord Eatwell, about the alleged terrible situation in which the previous Government left the current Government. I have been known to criticise the previous Government myself, and there is a degree of truth...

My Lords, this Bill delivers one of the most destructive policies invented by this Labour Government. I will not deal with the fact that it breaks a manifesto promise, though it does, or talk about its impact on much of the social fabric of our land, from charities to childcare,...

My Lords, this Bill delivers one of the most destructive policies invented by this Labour Government. I will not deal with the fact that it breaks a manifesto promise, though it does, or talk about its impact on much of the social fabric of our land, from charities to childcare,...

To govern is to choose. That is what the Labour Government have done: they have chosen to implement an increase in national insurance contributions, with a 1.25 percentage point rise for many providing care and support in health and social care sectors. That choice has implications for the provision of...

To govern is to choose. That is what the Labour Government have done: they have chosen to implement an increase in national insurance contributions, with a 1.25 percentage point rise for many providing care and support in health and social care sectors. That choice has implications for the provision of...

My Lords, in contributing to the debate on this Bill, I should declare my interest as a trustee of two charitable music organisations, which, like other charities, including hospices and those that help the homeless, as pointed out by the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, and others, will now have the...

My Lords, in contributing to the debate on this Bill, I should declare my interest as a trustee of two charitable music organisations, which, like other charities, including hospices and those that help the homeless, as pointed out by the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, and others, will now have the...

My Lords, I confess that I was intrigued by one former Conservative Prime Minister’s line of attack on the Bill. Liz Truss criticised what she described as “unfunded tax rises”. I am still trying to figure out what that means, but it is crystal clear that Liz Truss’s £45 billion-worth...

My Lords, I confess that I was intrigued by one former Conservative Prime Minister’s line of attack on the Bill. Liz Truss criticised what she described as “unfunded tax rises”. I am still trying to figure out what that means, but it is crystal clear that Liz Truss’s £45 billion-worth...

My Lords, I first seek your Lordships’ indulgence in paying my personal tribute to the noble Baroness, Lady Randerson. As we have already heard, she was always constructive in her engagement in the Chamber but also, importantly,

outside it. I know so: I worked with her on legislation during my...

My Lords, I first seek your Lordships’ indulgence in paying my personal tribute to the noble Baroness, Lady Randerson. As we have already heard, she was always constructive in her engagement in the Chamber but also, importantly,

outside it. I know so: I worked with her on legislation during my...

My Lords, charities of every kind are seeing massive increases in demand for their services. Many provide essential support and vital services to all parts of our society—to the vulnerable, the elderly and the homeless, and for children’s services, medical research and many other needs. I declare my interest as...

My Lords, charities of every kind are seeing massive increases in demand for their services. Many provide essential support and vital services to all parts of our society—to the vulnerable, the elderly and the homeless, and for children’s services, medical research and many other needs. I declare my interest as...

My Lords, on a number of occasions in your Lordships’ House I have stressed that investors, be they domestic, foreign, international, private or institutional, are willing to tolerate high taxes or regulation, but not both. It is the Government’s job to calibrate and recalibrate this delicate balance in the pursuit...

My Lords, on a number of occasions in your Lordships’ House I have stressed that investors, be they domestic, foreign, international, private or institutional, are willing to tolerate high taxes or regulation, but not both. It is the Government’s job to calibrate and recalibrate this delicate balance in the pursuit...

My Lords, I declare an interest as an employer who will be adversely affected by the employer’s national insurance contribution increase and the proposed reduction in the threshold for paying it.

Market economics is simple. It is a fact that, as you lower prices, you sell more goods. You need only...

My Lords, I declare an interest as an employer who will be adversely affected by the employer’s national insurance contribution increase and the proposed reduction in the threshold for paying it.

Market economics is simple. It is a fact that, as you lower prices, you sell more goods. You need only...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Howard. I am delighted to participate in this important debate. I should say straightaway that I am absolutely opposed to any rise in employer’s national insurance contributions, especially at this time when we need to get the economy...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Howard. I am delighted to participate in this important debate. I should say straightaway that I am absolutely opposed to any rise in employer’s national insurance contributions, especially at this time when we need to get the economy...