My Lords, is it not a fact that we may raise any funds we need by having further work done on VAT? Does the Minister welcome the review announced on 23 June to extend online marketplace VAT liability examinations? Perhaps we might also explore the growing amount of money being made by social media companies that are moving away from social media into auctioning and businesses such as that, where there is potential for tax to be raised. Perhaps we might have a debate in this House where we can invite all to participate, come up with ideas and examine those areas that need examining, so that we have some fairness in the tax system.

My Lords, is it not a fact that we may raise any funds we need by having further work done on VAT? Does the Minister welcome the review announced on 23 June to extend online marketplace VAT liability examinations? Perhaps we might also explore the growing amount of money being made by social media companies that are moving away from social media into auctioning and businesses such as that, where there is potential for tax to be raised. Perhaps we might have a debate in this House where we can invite all to participate, come up with ideas and examine those areas that need examining, so that we have some fairness in the tax system.

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords, I hope we will raise our sights above some of our traditional disputes. The threat we face is a worldwide one, as is recognised with what happened with the attack on Hugging Face by OpenAI. This is truly a threat to the whole world, regardless of where we come from politically, and we must therefore look to get the maximum co-operation, on a worldwide basis, that we can secure. Could we, as a starter, start to write out what principles and what guidance we should seek to put into AI that should be minimum standards for a world application?

My Lords, I hope we will raise our sights above some of our traditional disputes. The threat we face is a worldwide one, as is recognised with what happened with the attack on Hugging Face by OpenAI. This is truly a threat to the whole world, regardless of where we come from politically, and we must therefore look to get the maximum co-operation, on a worldwide basis, that we can secure. Could we, as a starter, start to write out what principles and what guidance we should seek to put into AI that should be minimum standards for a world application?

My Lords, I am pleased to add my support to my noble friend Lady Hayter of Kentish Town. We need more lobbying transparency in the Lords.

We have been here before. My noble friend encouraged me to table a Private Member’s Bill on this topic back in 2016. I remind the...

My Lords, I am pleased to add my support to my noble friend Lady Hayter of Kentish Town. We need more lobbying transparency in the Lords.

We have been here before. My noble friend encouraged me to table a Private Member’s Bill on this topic back in 2016. I remind the...

My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed of Tinsley, on coming so high in the ballot; I hope his luck continues in his dealings with the Government on the Bill. I am one of those who support his efforts. I, too, would have welcomed the presence of...

My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed of Tinsley, on coming so high in the ballot; I hope his luck continues in his dealings with the Government on the Bill. I am one of those who support his efforts. I, too, would have welcomed the presence of...

Does the noble Lord agree that tagging has an important part to play in this—the investment in new technology should cover that—and are the Government going beyond that to explore implanted chips?

Does the noble Lord agree that tagging has an important part to play in this—the investment in new technology should cover that—and are the Government going beyond that to explore implanted chips?

My Lords, did the contract that was signed by the previous Government have penalties in it if the party failed to deliver what was required of them, and if so, are they being implemented?

My Lords, did the contract that was signed by the previous Government have penalties in it if the party failed to deliver what was required of them, and if so, are they being implemented?

My Lords, is it not a fact that, if we are to secure international agreements, we are dependent on the Chinese being willing to enter into them, and in particular our close friends the Americans, who are showing a preference not for international regulation but to lead the world, have competitiveness and be in charge? In those circumstances, I welcome what the Minister was saying about UK sovereignty. Could she define it a bit more precisely? Are we going to establish an independent sovereign UK AI which would give us greater power than we have at the moment?

My Lords, is it not a fact that, if we are to secure international agreements, we are dependent on the Chinese being willing to enter into them, and in particular our close friends the Americans, who are showing a preference not for international regulation but to lead the world, have competitiveness and be in charge? In those circumstances, I welcome what the Minister was saying about UK sovereignty. Could she define it a bit more precisely? Are we going to establish an independent sovereign UK AI which would give us greater power than we have at the moment?

I too join others in congratulating my noble friend Lady Lister on securing this debate. Like others, I express my great gratitude to her for the lifetime of campaigning that

she has undertaken on this front and the great successes that she has seen delivered latterly. I thank the Government...

I too join others in congratulating my noble friend Lady Lister on securing this debate. Like others, I express my great gratitude to her for the lifetime of campaigning that

she has undertaken on this front and the great successes that she has seen delivered latterly. I thank the Government...

Is my noble friend the Minister aware of the growing desire for the UK to have an independent sovereign entity in this field? That is going to cost a great deal of money, of course. First, can she copy the letter that she is sending to the noble Lord on...

Is my noble friend the Minister aware of the growing desire for the UK to have an independent sovereign entity in this field? That is going to cost a great deal of money, of course. First, can she copy the letter that she is sending to the noble Lord on...

My Lords, I am grateful to the committee for its work and its recommendations, and in particular very grateful to the chairman, the noble Baroness, Lady Scott of Needham Market, for a very comprehensive introduction.

I have some form on this. Rather like the noble Baroness, Lady Bottomley, I remember the...

My Lords, I am grateful to the committee for its work and its recommendations, and in particular very grateful to the chairman, the noble Baroness, Lady Scott of Needham Market, for a very comprehensive introduction.

I have some form on this. Rather like the noble Baroness, Lady Bottomley, I remember the...

I too am most grateful to the most reverend Primate for selecting this important topic, for her wide-ranging and stimulating speech and for proposing the three questions that we

should address. On her third, the truth, it is worth remembering that there was life on this planet before humanity. Notwithstanding...

I too am most grateful to the most reverend Primate for selecting this important topic, for her wide-ranging and stimulating speech and for proposing the three questions that we

should address. On her third, the truth, it is worth remembering that there was life on this planet before humanity. Notwithstanding...

My Lords, the Treasury gets criticised for being too short-termist these days. I am wondering whether it undertakes market research among the public about the extent to which there may be an opportunity to get greater investment from them if we were ambitious enough to try one or two tactics...

My Lords, the Treasury gets criticised for being too short-termist these days. I am wondering whether it undertakes market research among the public about the extent to which there may be an opportunity to get greater investment from them if we were ambitious enough to try one or two tactics...

To ask the Leader of the House what plans she has, if any, to establish a modernisation committee to review the effectiveness, efficiency and cost of the House of Lords’ legislative procedures.

To ask the Leader of the House what plans she has, if any, to establish a modernisation committee to review the effectiveness, efficiency and cost of the House of Lords’ legislative procedures.

My Lords, just over 15 years ago, there was considerable dissatisfaction here with the way our scrutiny work was being performed. The Leader’s Group was set up and reported in 2011, recommending improved focus and better organisation for more effective and efficient scrutiny. In the light of recent events, some of us have come to the view that it is high time again that we had a look at the way that we are undertaking our legislative procedures. I know that the Leader has been taking some steps to effect changes and wants to use the Procedure Committee, but I believe that we should have a more effective and fundamental review, in the way that we had in 2011, and that this would be better established by a separate Select Committee. I hope she will review her position on that and move forward soon.

My Lords, just over 15 years ago, there was considerable dissatisfaction here with the way our scrutiny work was being performed. The Leader’s Group was set up and reported in 2011, recommending improved focus and better organisation for more effective and efficient scrutiny. In the light of recent events, some of us have come to the view that it is high time again that we had a look at the way that we are undertaking our legislative procedures. I know that the Leader has been taking some steps to effect changes and wants to use the Procedure Committee, but I believe that we should have a more effective and fundamental review, in the way that we had in 2011, and that this would be better established by a separate Select Committee. I hope she will review her position on that and move forward soon.

My intervention will be brief and is addressed to the noble and learned Lord. Does he believe that his amendments will ever

be adopted and incorporated into a piece of legislation that will be passed in this Session? If in fact, as we read in many newspapers and in other...

My intervention will be brief and is addressed to the noble and learned Lord. Does he believe that his amendments will ever

be adopted and incorporated into a piece of legislation that will be passed in this Session? If in fact, as we read in many newspapers and in other...

To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker why there is a limit on the number of oral and written questions that Members of the House of Lords may table to scrutinise the performance and the legislation of His Majesty's Government.

To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker why there is a limit on the number of oral and written questions that Members of the House of Lords may table to scrutinise the performance and the legislation of His Majesty's Government.

To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker why there is no limitation on the number of amendments that Members of the House of Lords may table to legislation.

To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker why there is no limitation on the number of amendments that Members of the House of Lords may table to legislation.

My Lords, I think the Minister ought to get my noble friend Lord Sikka a job in HMRC. I have some connections there too. However, I start by paying great tribute to my good friend and associate, the noble Lord, Lord St John, with whom I have spent many hours...

My Lords, I think the Minister ought to get my noble friend Lord Sikka a job in HMRC. I have some connections there too. However, I start by paying great tribute to my good friend and associate, the noble Lord, Lord St John, with whom I have spent many hours...

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have conducted research into the behavioural response of the public if alcohol labelling displayed the calorie, sugar and energy contents on the same basis as all other drinks; and, if so, when the research will be completed and published.

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have conducted research into the behavioural response of the public if alcohol labelling displayed the calorie, sugar and energy contents on the same basis as all other drinks; and, if so, when the research will be completed and published.