My Lords, will the noble Lord give way?

My Lords, will the noble Lord give way?

I am very grateful to the noble Lord for giving way. This is an historic speech on his part; this is probably the most momentous missing of the point since the crowd called for Barabbas to be freed. Am I right in thinking that the Liberal Democrats will not vote...

I am very grateful to the noble Lord for giving way. This is an historic speech on his part; this is probably the most momentous missing of the point since the crowd called for Barabbas to be freed. Am I right in thinking that the Liberal Democrats will not vote...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister, who is a brilliant Minister, for her reply. But she erred slightly in blaming the EBacc, which provides no constraint on choice. What supports choice, of course, is the provision of music hubs. Under the coalition Government, Darren Henley’s music review ensured that they are there to provide support for all schools, but sadly, under the latter years of the Conservative Government, and under this Government, there has been no real-terms increase in funding for music hubs. We know that the incoming Prime Minister is a great fan of music and a champion of the Hallé Orchestra. Will the Minister encourage him to show “true faith” in our music hubs, end the “definitely maybe” culture of funding and guarantee a “new order” with a “wonderwall” of funding for them?

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister, who is a brilliant Minister, for her reply. But she erred slightly in blaming the EBacc, which provides no constraint on choice. What supports choice, of course, is the provision of music hubs. Under the coalition Government, Darren Henley’s music review ensured that they are there to provide support for all schools, but sadly, under the latter years of the Conservative Government, and under this Government, there has been no real-terms increase in funding for music hubs. We know that the incoming Prime Minister is a great fan of music and a champion of the Hallé Orchestra. Will the Minister encourage him to show “true faith” in our music hubs, end the “definitely maybe” culture of funding and guarantee a “new order” with a “wonderwall” of funding for them?

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady MacLeod, has made a vital point. Gaelic as an indigenous language is not just an integral part of the culture of these islands but the means of expression of two of the greatest poets of the 20th century, Sorley MacLean and Iain Crichton Smith. There is a statutory duty on the BBC to fund Welsh, which is quite right, but there is no similar statutory duty for Scots Gaelic. The last Government set up the Islands Forum, to ensure that the voice of Gaelic speakers was heard at the heart of Westminster. This Government abolished it. The Lord Speaker, when he was Scottish Secretary, ensured increased broadcasting funding for Gaelic. This Government have not yet made that commitment. Will the Government stand behind Gaelic speakers, whose contribution to our culture is so important?

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady MacLeod, has made a vital point. Gaelic as an indigenous language is not just an integral part of the culture of these islands but the means of expression of two of the greatest poets of the 20th century, Sorley MacLean and Iain Crichton Smith. There is a statutory duty on the BBC to fund Welsh, which is quite right, but there is no similar statutory duty for Scots Gaelic. The last Government set up the Islands Forum, to ensure that the voice of Gaelic speakers was heard at the heart of Westminster. This Government abolished it. The Lord Speaker, when he was Scottish Secretary, ensured increased broadcasting funding for Gaelic. This Government have not yet made that commitment. Will the Government stand behind Gaelic speakers, whose contribution to our culture is so important?

My Lords, I am grateful, as ever, to the Minister for his lucid and authoritative response. When I was a Minister, I saw how Palantir’s technology helped to save lives in the NHS. I saw how Palantir helped to ensure that those fleeing persecution from the Ukraine war could have a safe home in this country. I also appreciate that Palantir is playing a role in defending democracy, not just in the Middle East but in Ukraine. Is it therefore not a matter of regret to the Minister, as it is to me, that the Mayor of London has specifically ruled out Palantir helping to fight crime on the streets of London when the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has made clear that, as a result of the Mayor of London’s decision, our citizens will be less safe?

My Lords, I am grateful, as ever, to the Minister for his lucid and authoritative response. When I was a Minister, I saw how Palantir’s technology helped to save lives in the NHS. I saw how Palantir helped to ensure that those fleeing persecution from the Ukraine war could have a safe home in this country. I also appreciate that Palantir is playing a role in defending democracy, not just in the Middle East but in Ukraine. Is it therefore not a matter of regret to the Minister, as it is to me, that the Mayor of London has specifically ruled out Palantir helping to fight crime on the streets of London when the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has made clear that, as a result of the Mayor of London’s decision, our citizens will be less safe?

My Lords, one figure emerges from these papers with his already high reputation enhanced. I refer of course to Sir Olly Robbins, the former Permanent Secretary at the FCDO, and I am sure the noble Baroness, who is an excellent Minister, will agree with me that the memo that he...

My Lords, one figure emerges from these papers with his already high reputation enhanced. I refer of course to Sir Olly Robbins, the former Permanent Secretary at the FCDO, and I am sure the noble Baroness, who is an excellent Minister, will agree with me that the memo that he...

My Lords, I was delighted to hear from the Minister a brief summary of just some of the benefits that being outside the European Union has brought this country. Not only do we have an independent trade policy that allows us to protect steel jobs, but, just before the Recess,...

My Lords, I was delighted to hear from the Minister a brief summary of just some of the benefits that being outside the European Union has brought this country. Not only do we have an independent trade policy that allows us to protect steel jobs, but, just before the Recess,...

My Lords, whatever improvements might be made in dealing with the consequences of extraction of oil and gas from the North Sea in environmental terms, it is undoubtedly the case that the environmental and economic benefits are greater if we extract from our own native resources than if the resources are extracted from Russia and refined in a third country. Yet this Government have decided to relax sanctions on Putin’s Russia, to accept Russian oil refined in third countries and to acquiesce in the loss of jobs and investment in Aberdeen and the North Sea. How can it possibly make sense to strengthen Putin during a war against Ukraine and to leave people in Scotland jobless as a result?

My Lords, whatever improvements might be made in dealing with the consequences of extraction of oil and gas from the North Sea in environmental terms, it is undoubtedly the case that the environmental and economic benefits are greater if we extract from our own native resources than if the resources are extracted from Russia and refined in a third country. Yet this Government have decided to relax sanctions on Putin’s Russia, to accept Russian oil refined in third countries and to acquiesce in the loss of jobs and investment in Aberdeen and the North Sea. How can it possibly make sense to strengthen Putin during a war against Ukraine and to leave people in Scotland jobless as a result?

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Reid, made a very valid point. Capita was the organisation in charge of Army recruitment. It did such a bad job that even the MoD decided to dispense with its services. The Ministry of Defence has long experience with Capita. Capita was the principal...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Reid, made a very valid point. Capita was the organisation in charge of Army recruitment. It did such a bad job that even the MoD decided to dispense with its services. The Ministry of Defence has long experience with Capita. Capita was the principal...

I congratulate the Minister on the beautiful complexity of a scheme that picks winners and allocates taxpayers’ money to those winners so that they can avoid paying a subsidy to other winners that have been picked in the energy sector. Tony Benn would be proud.

My home city is Aberdeen. Given...

I congratulate the Minister on the beautiful complexity of a scheme that picks winners and allocates taxpayers’ money to those winners so that they can avoid paying a subsidy to other winners that have been picked in the energy sector. Tony Benn would be proud.

My home city is Aberdeen. Given...

My Lords, I support the points made by my noble friends Lady Barran and Lord Agnew. We are approaching the end of our consideration of this legislation, which comes as we all reflect on the huge gains that have been made by English schools in the last two decades. Improvements...

My Lords, I support the points made by my noble friends Lady Barran and Lord Agnew. We are approaching the end of our consideration of this legislation, which comes as we all reflect on the huge gains that have been made by English schools in the last two decades. Improvements...

My Lords, the inference from some comments during the course of this debate has been that somehow the issues raised in Wales and by the Senedd are peripheral to the centre of this legislation—not at all. The issues that have been raised by the debate are absolutely central to the...

My Lords, the inference from some comments during the course of this debate has been that somehow the issues raised in Wales and by the Senedd are peripheral to the centre of this legislation—not at all. The issues that have been raised by the debate are absolutely central to the...

I had concluded my remarks but I am grateful to the noble Lord for raising this point. Precision medicine, and the advances that it potentially holds for all of us, is a wonderful potential breakthrough, but changes not just to the legislation but to the regulations governing it will be...

I had concluded my remarks but I am grateful to the noble Lord for raising this point. Precision medicine, and the advances that it potentially holds for all of us, is a wonderful potential breakthrough, but changes not just to the legislation but to the regulations governing it will be...

I want to clarify absolutely what the noble and learned Lord the promoter of the Bill is saying. I believe he is saying that, if the Bill passes, we could have a situation where assisted dying is legal in Wales but the NHS does not provide any service—that is theoretically...

I want to clarify absolutely what the noble and learned Lord the promoter of the Bill is saying. I believe he is saying that, if the Bill passes, we could have a situation where assisted dying is legal in Wales but the NHS does not provide any service—that is theoretically...

Again, for clarity, if it were the case that Welsh Ministers thought that NHS resources were better devoted to improving palliative care, for example, or to doing something else, if they said that they would not be providing any resources to support assisted dying, then it would be legal but...

Again, for clarity, if it were the case that Welsh Ministers thought that NHS resources were better devoted to improving palliative care, for example, or to doing something else, if they said that they would not be providing any resources to support assisted dying, then it would be legal but...

My Lords, I am introducing six amendments in the name of my noble friend Lord Frost. My noble friend sends his apologies to your Lordships’ House. He is unavoidably detained but hopes to join us during the debate before 6 pm. In his absence, given that these specific amendments relate...

My Lords, I am introducing six amendments in the name of my noble friend Lord Frost. My noble friend sends his apologies to your Lordships’ House. He is unavoidably detained but hopes to join us during the debate before 6 pm. In his absence, given that these specific amendments relate...

Before the Minister sits down, he said that Amendment 4 is unnecessary because the Bill does not do what the promoters of Amendment 4 argue that it does. He did not say that it would be malign, that it would frustrate the efforts of the Government, that it was wrong...

Before the Minister sits down, he said that Amendment 4 is unnecessary because the Bill does not do what the promoters of Amendment 4 argue that it does. He did not say that it would be malign, that it would frustrate the efforts of the Government, that it was wrong...

My Lords, I am afraid that that answer is completely inadequate.

My Lords, I am afraid that that answer is completely inadequate.

Of all the U-turns that have been executed since the Minister joined the Treasury team, whether on the family farm tax, business rates or the winter fuel payment, which is his favourite?

Of all the U-turns that have been executed since the Minister joined the Treasury team, whether on the family farm tax, business rates or the winter fuel payment, which is his favourite?

I am very grateful. I note that the noble and learned Lord says he suspects that it would not. It might be of assistance, certainly to me if to no one else, if he, and indeed the Minister, could let me know, with greater clarity, whether or not my concerns...

I am very grateful. I note that the noble and learned Lord says he suspects that it would not. It might be of assistance, certainly to me if to no one else, if he, and indeed the Minister, could let me know, with greater clarity, whether or not my concerns...