Does the Senior Deputy Speaker agree that we could have far better consideration of a number of issues, including AI, if the House started sitting at a more sensible time? Has he seen the views—I am sorry to see them, because they are the views of

very senior Members—of the Procedure and Privileges Committee? It simply suggested two options: do nothing or do as little as possible. Does the Senior Deputy Speaker agree that we would be far better off if we started most days—not Monday, but the rest of the week—at 11 am?

Does the Senior Deputy Speaker agree that we could have far better consideration of a number of issues, including AI, if the House started sitting at a more sensible time? Has he seen the views—I am sorry to see them, because they are the views of

very senior Members—of the Procedure and Privileges Committee? It simply suggested two options: do nothing or do as little as possible. Does the Senior Deputy Speaker agree that we would be far better off if we started most days—not Monday, but the rest of the week—at 11 am?

My Lords, in agreeing strongly with my noble friend’s response to this Question on antisemitism, for the record can I get it clear, because there is a lot of loose language around this, that to support strongly the establishment of a Palestinian state is not antisemitic, to criticise the current...

My Lords, in agreeing strongly with my noble friend’s response to this Question on antisemitism, for the record can I get it clear, because there is a lot of loose language around this, that to support strongly the establishment of a Palestinian state is not antisemitic, to criticise the current...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 7 September (HL Deb col 506), what the cost of local government reorganisation has been so far to (1) central government, and (2) local authorities.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 7 September (HL Deb col 506), what the cost of local government reorganisation has been so far to (1) central government, and (2) local authorities.

My Lords, I very much associate myself with those who have congratulated my noble friend Lady Taylor of Bolton, who has performed the trick of delivering unanimous support from people who did not agree with one another on more than one occasion over the 40-odd years that she and I...

My Lords, I very much associate myself with those who have congratulated my noble friend Lady Taylor of Bolton, who has performed the trick of delivering unanimous support from people who did not agree with one another on more than one occasion over the 40-odd years that she and I...

Has my noble friend had time to reflect on the merits and demerits of EU membership, and the decision in particular of the people of Iceland over the weekend? Does she agree that a particular significance of that, which might be of relevance to this country, is that it was a decision made by the people of Iceland by over 80% of the electorate voting? There were also marked differences between the views of people in the capital and the views of people in the wider countryside.

Has my noble friend had time to reflect on the merits and demerits of EU membership, and the decision in particular of the people of Iceland over the weekend? Does she agree that a particular significance of that, which might be of relevance to this country, is that it was a decision made by the people of Iceland by over 80% of the electorate voting? There were also marked differences between the views of people in the capital and the views of people in the wider countryside.

Can my noble friend provide some details and facts? She may not be able to answer now, but I would like her to do so in writing. The Statement claims that there will be very substantial savings from this operation—savings of £1 billion are mentioned at one point—but it is...

Can my noble friend provide some details and facts? She may not be able to answer now, but I would like her to do so in writing. The Statement claims that there will be very substantial savings from this operation—savings of £1 billion are mentioned at one point—but it is...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for making this Statement. As he is in his place, I must also mention my noble friend Lord Blunkett, who brings experience and common sense to pretty much everything he does. There is a “but” coming, and it is this: I get slightly...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for making this Statement. As he is in his place, I must also mention my noble friend Lord Blunkett, who brings experience and common sense to pretty much everything he does. There is a “but” coming, and it is this: I get slightly...

My Lords—

My Lords—

Can my noble friend cheer us all up by reminding us, in the election following five years of coalition government, when the public were asked to give their judgment on it, how many Liberal MPs were left?

Can my noble friend cheer us all up by reminding us, in the election following five years of coalition government, when the public were asked to give their judgment on it, how many Liberal MPs were left?

My Lords, it is great to hear my noble friend’s tributes to the railway engineers, who keep the trains going at the same time that they are trying to build in many places new rail developments—which is a much harder job than building a new railway on a completely open tract of land. We may be very good, as we are, with those kinds of engineers. However, on the project for HS2 and similar proposals, particularly the line to Manchester, can my noble friend say whether the department has learned any lessons from the failed attempt to build a high-speed rail network? Virtually every other country in Europe is doing it, as are many in Asia, but we seem to lack the capacity. We really ought to be able to learn some lessons from this.

My Lords, it is great to hear my noble friend’s tributes to the railway engineers, who keep the trains going at the same time that they are trying to build in many places new rail developments—which is a much harder job than building a new railway on a completely open tract of land. We may be very good, as we are, with those kinds of engineers. However, on the project for HS2 and similar proposals, particularly the line to Manchester, can my noble friend say whether the department has learned any lessons from the failed attempt to build a high-speed rail network? Virtually every other country in Europe is doing it, as are many in Asia, but we seem to lack the capacity. We really ought to be able to learn some lessons from this.

My Lords, there is a great deal in this Statement that I warmly welcome: in particular, the bit the Minister has just referred to

about what was HS2, the link from Crewe to Manchester. He has repeated, and it is clear in the Statement, that

“we will retain land … already...

My Lords, there is a great deal in this Statement that I warmly welcome: in particular, the bit the Minister has just referred to

about what was HS2, the link from Crewe to Manchester. He has repeated, and it is clear in the Statement, that

“we will retain land … already...

To ask The Leader of the House how many private member's bills introduced in the Commons in this session have received Royal Assent.

To ask The Leader of the House how many private member's bills introduced in the Commons in this session have received Royal Assent.

My Lords, I particularly want to speak today because I am on the IRDC. I am proud that we completed a near-impossible task given to us by Parliament, which was to try to summarise the feelings of the Chagossian community on the UK-Mauritius agreement. I do not know precisely, but...

My Lords, I particularly want to speak today because I am on the IRDC. I am proud that we completed a near-impossible task given to us by Parliament, which was to try to summarise the feelings of the Chagossian community on the UK-Mauritius agreement. I do not know precisely, but...

To ask The Leader of the House to list the private member's bills that started in the Commons in this session and that are now being considered in the Lords, indicating the parliamentary stage they have reached so far.

To ask The Leader of the House to list the private member's bills that started in the Commons in this session and that are now being considered in the Lords, indicating the parliamentary stage they have reached so far.

My Lords, on Erasmus, I remind my noble friend that, as I am sure she knows, we are talking about very large sums of money. It was £570 million in the first year alone, and that is with a terrific 30% discount. When large sums of money are involved, I...

My Lords, on Erasmus, I remind my noble friend that, as I am sure she knows, we are talking about very large sums of money. It was £570 million in the first year alone, and that is with a terrific 30% discount. When large sums of money are involved, I...

To ask The Leader of the House to list the Lords-starting private member's bills that have had second readings in this session, indicating which of those have begun their committee stages.

To ask The Leader of the House to list the Lords-starting private member's bills that have had second readings in this session, indicating which of those have begun their committee stages.

My Lords, this is a question asked in all innocence. It is now 15 years since the OBR was established. Some of us have lived through the period before the OBR and the period since. Does my noble friend know of any academic studies or the like that suggest that...

My Lords, this is a question asked in all innocence. It is now 15 years since the OBR was established. Some of us have lived through the period before the OBR and the period since. Does my noble friend know of any academic studies or the like that suggest that...

Does my noble friend, with her long and distinguished experience of local government leadership, agree that, all too often, major local government reorganisations take longer than anticipated, cost more than anticipated and deliver fewer savings than anticipated? With that knowledge, which I am sure she is aware of in approaching...

Does my noble friend, with her long and distinguished experience of local government leadership, agree that, all too often, major local government reorganisations take longer than anticipated, cost more than anticipated and deliver fewer savings than anticipated? With that knowledge, which I am sure she is aware of in approaching...

Further to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Watts, we all know, and the Minister knows, that if a motorist goes through a red light, there are consequences, whether that is points on the licence, fines or maybe increased insurance costs. Can the Minister remind the House what penalties accrue to cyclists when they go through red lights?

Further to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Watts, we all know, and the Minister knows, that if a motorist goes through a red light, there are consequences, whether that is points on the licence, fines or maybe increased insurance costs. Can the Minister remind the House what penalties accrue to cyclists when they go through red lights?

My Lords, I strongly support the Statement to which my noble friend the Minister is responding. He was right to remind us of the history, which is that the Labour Party opposed the creation of these positions. We were 100% right in doing so, because they failed in their central...

My Lords, I strongly support the Statement to which my noble friend the Minister is responding. He was right to remind us of the history, which is that the Labour Party opposed the creation of these positions. We were 100% right in doing so, because they failed in their central...