My Lords, the timetable for the start of IER was agreed with the Scottish Government and allowed the referendum to take place before IER got under way. There is no legal requirement to consult on this order, and electoral registration is at present within the competence of the UK Government....

My Lords, the timetable for the start of IER was agreed with the Scottish Government and allowed the referendum to take place before IER got under way. There is no legal requirement to consult on this order, and electoral registration is at present within the competence of the UK Government....

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 30 July (HL1654), whether HM Revenue and Customs has target times by which members of the public can reasonably expect to get through on the telephone and speak to an official; and by what...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 30 July (HL1654), whether HM Revenue and Customs has target times by which members of the public can reasonably expect to get through on the telephone and speak to an official; and by what...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether decisions on the next Comprehensive Spending Review will be taken before the outcome of the next Strategic Defence and Security Review.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether decisions on the next Comprehensive Spending Review will be taken before the outcome of the next Strategic Defence and Security Review.

The noble and learned Lord has made some very important points. I am not sure, strictly speaking—

The noble and learned Lord has made some very important points. I am not sure, strictly speaking—

I wish to comment briefly on the remarks made by the noble and learned Lord. He touches on some extremely important points. Just how permissible it is for us to comment on arrangements proposed for the other House, I am not sure, but I would suggest that the two points...

I wish to comment briefly on the remarks made by the noble and learned Lord. He touches on some extremely important points. Just how permissible it is for us to comment on arrangements proposed for the other House, I am not sure, but I would suggest that the two points...

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take regarding those prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay who return to the United Kingdom.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take regarding those prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay who return to the United Kingdom.

On hearing President Obama’s decision to close the interrogation centre at Guantanamo, I was pleased that that courageous and difficult step had been taken. It is of course against the principles of our own legal system for a citizen to be indefinitely imprisoned without charge. It is specifically contrary to...

On hearing President Obama’s decision to close the interrogation centre at Guantanamo, I was pleased that that courageous and difficult step had been taken. It is of course against the principles of our own legal system for a citizen to be indefinitely imprisoned without charge. It is specifically contrary to...

Lords question for short debate on what action they will take regarding those prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay who return to the United Kingdom.

Lords question for short debate on what action they will take regarding those prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay who return to the United Kingdom.

Perhaps I may be allowed a few concluding words. I thank all who have spoken, particularly the noble Lord, Lord West, for his thoughtful and thorough reply. There is a tendency, which I hope we have avoided, to adopt a tone of high moralistic disapproval of what has happened. We...

Perhaps I may be allowed a few concluding words. I thank all who have spoken, particularly the noble Lord, Lord West, for his thoughtful and thorough reply. There is a tendency, which I hope we have avoided, to adopt a tone of high moralistic disapproval of what has happened. We...

My Lords, as somebody who lives very close to salt marshes and mudflats, I say that the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, is right. They are not easily classifiable and need careful assessment by people who know about these things before a decision is made about how valuable a commodity they...

My Lords, as somebody who lives very close to salt marshes and mudflats, I say that the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, is right. They are not easily classifiable and need careful assessment by people who know about these things before a decision is made about how valuable a commodity they...

My Lords, I spoke previously on a matter of particular interest to me that seems relevant in this context: the protection of archaeological remains on the seabed. I referred to an article in British Archaeology, a serious academic magazine, which revealed that the Ministry of Defence had sold the contents...

My Lords, I spoke previously on a matter of particular interest to me that seems relevant in this context: the protection of archaeological remains on the seabed. I referred to an article in British Archaeology, a serious academic magazine, which revealed that the Ministry of Defence had sold the contents...

My Lords, Amendment 19 incorporates the care of archaeological articles found on the seabed among the responsibilities of the Secretary of State. I should explain that I am not a professional archaeologist in any sense. My interest was first aroused when, as a student at Oxford, the all-embracing curriculum of...

My Lords, Amendment 19 incorporates the care of archaeological articles found on the seabed among the responsibilities of the Secretary of State. I should explain that I am not a professional archaeologist in any sense. My interest was first aroused when, as a student at Oxford, the all-embracing curriculum of...

Clause 3: Performance Amendment 19 19: Clause 3, page 2, line 40, at end insert— "( ) These objectives should include the protection of items of archaeological interest on the seabed."

Clause 3: Performance Amendment 19 19: Clause 3, page 2, line 40, at end insert— "( ) These objectives should include the protection of items of archaeological interest on the seabed."

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his interesting remarks and for the sympathetic attitude that he has shown to the subject. I should make it clear that under existing law—I refer in particular to HMS "Victory"—although HMS "Victory" was in international waters, the fact that it was a British...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his interesting remarks and for the sympathetic attitude that he has shown to the subject. I should make it clear that under existing law—I refer in particular to HMS "Victory"—although HMS "Victory" was in international waters, the fact that it was a British...

My Lords, briefly, I support what my noble friend Lord Ramsbotham has just said. The issue of the Chagos islanders is very serious, and attention has been drawn to it by the use of the former British territory as a base for rendition flights. This is a subject of great...

My Lords, briefly, I support what my noble friend Lord Ramsbotham has just said. The issue of the Chagos islanders is very serious, and attention has been drawn to it by the use of the former British territory as a base for rendition flights. This is a subject of great...

If I may be so bold as to refer to an earlier stage in our discussions, this debate makes evident that the responsibilities entrusted to the MMO will be very considerable. I wonder whether the MMO will have sufficient resources to have this very broad remit, not only in relation...

If I may be so bold as to refer to an earlier stage in our discussions, this debate makes evident that the responsibilities entrusted to the MMO will be very considerable. I wonder whether the MMO will have sufficient resources to have this very broad remit, not only in relation...

The Minister kindly referred to Clause 112, "Interpretation of this Part". Perhaps I may add a brief comment on that clause. I am a little surprised to see that the interpretation refers largely to British vessels. As has been made clear from the recent reference to the wreck of HMS...

The Minister kindly referred to Clause 112, "Interpretation of this Part". Perhaps I may add a brief comment on that clause. I am a little surprised to see that the interpretation refers largely to British vessels. As has been made clear from the recent reference to the wreck of HMS...

I welcome what the Minister has just said about the protection of the marine environment in this clause. I referred at Second Reading to the anxieties that we have about certain offshore things that occur without any governmental control, in particular the searching for wrecks of historic ships. I hope...

I welcome what the Minister has just said about the protection of the marine environment in this clause. I referred at Second Reading to the anxieties that we have about certain offshore things that occur without any governmental control, in particular the searching for wrecks of historic ships. I hope...

I make a brief intervention arising from local knowledge. I am attracted by paragraph (e), on ““heritage and marine archaeology””, of the proposed new subsection. Living on the east coast of England I am extremely aware of the number of predators who come from hundreds of miles away to dig...

I make a brief intervention arising from local knowledge. I am attracted by paragraph (e), on ““heritage and marine archaeology””, of the proposed new subsection. Living on the east coast of England I am extremely aware of the number of predators who come from hundreds of miles away to dig...

Perhaps I may add a word to reflect a different point of view. I am a trustee of a charitable trust which had some money on deposit with a firm in London that was controlled by Landsbanki. We have succeeded in preventing this money being transferred against the wishes of...

Perhaps I may add a word to reflect a different point of view. I am a trustee of a charitable trust which had some money on deposit with a firm in London that was controlled by Landsbanki. We have succeeded in preventing this money being transferred against the wishes of...