My Lords, I am so grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Featherstone, for introducing this Bill and doing so with such passion. Her commitment to this issue is incredibly impressive. I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Mackenzie of Sherwood, and am looking forward to hearing her maiden speech. Her commitment...

My Lords, I am so grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Featherstone, for introducing this Bill and doing so with such passion. Her commitment to this issue is incredibly impressive. I welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Mackenzie of Sherwood, and am looking forward to hearing her maiden speech. Her commitment...

My Lords, the Minister said that there are still some issues with PFI contracts, particularly with hospitals. Can he confirm the scale of the debt that hospitals are still burdened with because of PFI? What are the Government going to do to renegotiate those contracts and, if possible, renege on...

My Lords, the Minister said that there are still some issues with PFI contracts, particularly with hospitals. Can he confirm the scale of the debt that hospitals are still burdened with because of PFI? What are the Government going to do to renegotiate those contracts and, if possible, renege on...

My Lords, the Government have cut VAT, cut business rates and reinstated the £2 bus fare. Simultaneously, the cost of their borrowing continues to rise to increasingly frightening levels. The Prime Minister tells us that he is funding this through reprioritising spending within government, so can the Minister tell us...

My Lords, the Government have cut VAT, cut business rates and reinstated the £2 bus fare. Simultaneously, the cost of their borrowing continues to rise to increasingly frightening levels. The Prime Minister tells us that he is funding this through reprioritising spending within government, so can the Minister tell us...

Does the Minister agree that one of the most widening experiences for children is to experience other cultures and countries? One of the most effective things to broaden the minds of youngsters is therefore exchange visits with other countries—perhaps predominantly in Europe because it is closer, but with any country. What are the Government doing to expand the exchange visit programme?

Does the Minister agree that one of the most widening experiences for children is to experience other cultures and countries? One of the most effective things to broaden the minds of youngsters is therefore exchange visits with other countries—perhaps predominantly in Europe because it is closer, but with any country. What are the Government doing to expand the exchange visit programme?

My Lords, this fiasco has made clear that Capita cannot deliver what its chief executive promises. Can the Minister tell the House how many contracts with government Capita still has, whether there is any overall evaluation of how those contracts are performing, and how confident the Government feel, despite her...

My Lords, this fiasco has made clear that Capita cannot deliver what its chief executive promises. Can the Minister tell the House how many contracts with government Capita still has, whether there is any overall evaluation of how those contracts are performing, and how confident the Government feel, despite her...

My Lords, I commend the noble Lord, Lord Harris of Haringey, on securing this important and timely debate and introducing it in such a persuasive way. I confess to being somewhat daunted to be following the noble Baroness, Lady Neville-Jones, whose experience is so relevant to this debate and whose...

My Lords, I commend the noble Lord, Lord Harris of Haringey, on securing this important and timely debate and introducing it in such a persuasive way. I confess to being somewhat daunted to be following the noble Baroness, Lady Neville-Jones, whose experience is so relevant to this debate and whose...

My Lords, I welcome the report and the sensible recommendations in it. It highlights the current importance of cliques and networks in promotions in the police. There are comments such as:

“If you don’t have a network, you’re not going to get a promotion.”

The Met has decided that membership of organisations...

My Lords, I welcome the report and the sensible recommendations in it. It highlights the current importance of cliques and networks in promotions in the police. There are comments such as:

“If you don’t have a network, you’re not going to get a promotion.”

The Met has decided that membership of organisations...

My Lords, this is proving to be a passionate debate and no wonder—music has the power to stir emotions, lift the spirits and uplift the soul. More prosaically, as we have heard, it can create jobs and boost the economy, so I add my congratulations to MP4’s guitarist, the noble...

My Lords, this is proving to be a passionate debate and no wonder—music has the power to stir emotions, lift the spirits and uplift the soul. More prosaically, as we have heard, it can create jobs and boost the economy, so I add my congratulations to MP4’s guitarist, the noble...

The Ockenden report does a great job in looking at the problems in one specific trust. However, the problems go much deeper, as the Minister has said. It is cultural, and one of the cultural problems appears to be that there is a complete split between a contingent of midwives...

The Ockenden report does a great job in looking at the problems in one specific trust. However, the problems go much deeper, as the Minister has said. It is cultural, and one of the cultural problems appears to be that there is a complete split between a contingent of midwives...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the clearly heartfelt remarks of the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund.

Child poverty is a scourge on society, and that it should be at such a high level in this country is truly appalling. The Government’s latest strategy to alleviate it is a positive...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the clearly heartfelt remarks of the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund.

Child poverty is a scourge on society, and that it should be at such a high level in this country is truly appalling. The Government’s latest strategy to alleviate it is a positive...

My Lords, given that Thames Water was saddled with unsustainable debts and a very poor level of investment, does the Minister accept that, however justified, continuing to levy massive fines on a company for underperformance will simply and inevitably worsen its financial situation, and therefore

that the suggestion of a...

My Lords, given that Thames Water was saddled with unsustainable debts and a very poor level of investment, does the Minister accept that, however justified, continuing to levy massive fines on a company for underperformance will simply and inevitably worsen its financial situation, and therefore

that the suggestion of a...

My Lords, the Social Market Foundation report shows that misinformation flourishes particularly where conventional news has withdrawn from the market. Could the Minister consider ways in which schools might be encouraged to get their older students involved in producing local newspapers? For instance, covering local council meetings would be a fantastic education in politics and civil affairs.

My Lords, the Social Market Foundation report shows that misinformation flourishes particularly where conventional news has withdrawn from the market. Could the Minister consider ways in which schools might be encouraged to get their older students involved in producing local newspapers? For instance, covering local council meetings would be a fantastic education in politics and civil affairs.

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Gill, and I agree with everything she said. The impact that something like this could have on NEETs, for instance, has had no attention but really deserves it. I applaud the suggestion of the noble Lord, Lord John...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Gill, and I agree with everything she said. The impact that something like this could have on NEETs, for instance, has had no attention but really deserves it. I applaud the suggestion of the noble Lord, Lord John...

My Lords, attractions such as zoos and galleries have been campaigning for a long time for a cut in VAT. They argue that such a cut would result in equally high spending, because once people got over the threshold they would spend more in shops and restaurants, and that the...

My Lords, attractions such as zoos and galleries have been campaigning for a long time for a cut in VAT. They argue that such a cut would result in equally high spending, because once people got over the threshold they would spend more in shops and restaurants, and that the...

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the tax avoidance industry in this country appears to continue to thrive? If so, how does he explain that?

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the tax avoidance industry in this country appears to continue to thrive? If so, how does he explain that?

My Lords, as we enjoy day 4 of the debate on the King’s Speech, I will concentrate my remarks on health, although inevitably that is inextricably linked with housing. I am happy to endorse the remarks of the noble Baroness, Lady Donaghy, because what she says about osteoporosis is absolutely...

My Lords, as we enjoy day 4 of the debate on the King’s Speech, I will concentrate my remarks on health, although inevitably that is inextricably linked with housing. I am happy to endorse the remarks of the noble Baroness, Lady Donaghy, because what she says about osteoporosis is absolutely...

Will the Minister tell the House just how successful T-levels have been? Take-up by employers is said to have been mixed at best. That being the case, how is she going to persuade employers to take part in V-levels?

Will the Minister tell the House just how successful T-levels have been? Take-up by employers is said to have been mixed at best. That being the case, how is she going to persuade employers to take part in V-levels?

My Lords, the Justice and Home Affairs Committee deserves congratulations on producing such an excellent and thorough report. Congratulations are also due to those who have delivered their maiden speeches today, all of excellent quality—and I am sure there is one more to come.

The only thing in which our prison...

My Lords, the Justice and Home Affairs Committee deserves congratulations on producing such an excellent and thorough report. Congratulations are also due to those who have delivered their maiden speeches today, all of excellent quality—and I am sure there is one more to come.

The only thing in which our prison...

My Lords, on 5 January, I asked the Government if they could give us details of contracts with Palantir and Anduril. The noble Baroness,

Lady Anderson, said that, as an honorary captain in the defence of the country through the Royal Navy, it was of prime importance to her and...

My Lords, on 5 January, I asked the Government if they could give us details of contracts with Palantir and Anduril. The noble Baroness,

Lady Anderson, said that, as an honorary captain in the defence of the country through the Royal Navy, it was of prime importance to her and...