Is the Minister aware that, due to the inefficiency of the Stortext system used by the Treasury Solicitor’s Department to pay its accounts with firms such as costs lawyers, some of these small firms have outstanding accounts going back to May? This compares unfavourably with HMRC, which pays its accounts with minimum delay.

Is the Minister aware that, due to the inefficiency of the Stortext system used by the Treasury Solicitor’s Department to pay its accounts with firms such as costs lawyers, some of these small firms have outstanding accounts going back to May? This compares unfavourably with HMRC, which pays its accounts with minimum delay.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Treasury Solicitor's Office is paying its small suppliers within the time recommended by Government guidelines; and, if not, why not.[HL2619]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Treasury Solicitor's Office is paying its small suppliers within the time recommended by Government guidelines; and, if not, why not.[HL2619]

My Lords, as chairman of the trustees of an almshouse trust, we have been considering going the alternative way of incorporation. We welcome the measures and shall be examining them at our meeting on 7 December. We think that this is a much better way to go than the current...

My Lords, as chairman of the trustees of an almshouse trust, we have been considering going the alternative way of incorporation. We welcome the measures and shall be examining them at our meeting on 7 December. We think that this is a much better way to go than the current...

Is the Minister aware that Rolls-Royce, in order to fund its suppliers, has lent them £500 million, because the banks are not doing so?

Is the Minister aware that Rolls-Royce, in order to fund its suppliers, has lent them £500 million, because the banks are not doing so?

On what basis is the Committee Office funded and why, with this huge influx of new Members, could more resources not be given to it to enable these additional committees and the existing ones to be adequately funded?

On what basis is the Committee Office funded and why, with this huge influx of new Members, could more resources not be given to it to enable these additional committees and the existing ones to be adequately funded?

My Lords, I think it may be appropriate that I speak to my amendment at this stage. In so doing, I declare my interests as a member of the British Group of the IPU, although I have not attended any of its delegations, and as a participant in the Lord...

My Lords, I think it may be appropriate that I speak to my amendment at this stage. In so doing, I declare my interests as a member of the British Group of the IPU, although I have not attended any of its delegations, and as a participant in the Lord...

As an amendment to the above Motion, at end to insert ““but with the addition of the following words at the end of the first sentence in paragraph 22- ““whether or not the House is sitting.””, and with the omission of the words ““(if the House is sitting)”” in the...

As an amendment to the above Motion, at end to insert ““but with the addition of the following words at the end of the first sentence in paragraph 22- ““whether or not the House is sitting.””, and with the omission of the words ““(if the House is sitting)”” in the...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Krebs, for initiating this debate and for his excellent chairmanship of the sub-committee. I also thank our secretariat and special adviser for all they did to support us in producing the report. It was a very interesting inquiry exploring a highly innovative...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Krebs, for initiating this debate and for his excellent chairmanship of the sub-committee. I also thank our secretariat and special adviser for all they did to support us in producing the report. It was a very interesting inquiry exploring a highly innovative...

My Lords, I welcome this debate, introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Broers, on the Science and Technology Committee’s original and follow-up reports on internet security and the Government’s responses to these reports. I, too, am disappointed by the generally unenthusiastic response of the Government to the initial report and...

My Lords, I welcome this debate, introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Broers, on the Science and Technology Committee’s original and follow-up reports on internet security and the Government’s responses to these reports. I, too, am disappointed by the generally unenthusiastic response of the Government to the initial report and...

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made in determining the cause of the crash landing of British Airways Boeing 777 aircraft G-YMMM at Heathrow Airport on 17 January.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made in determining the cause of the crash landing of British Airways Boeing 777 aircraft G-YMMM at Heathrow Airport on 17 January.

My Lords, can the Minister be categoric as to whether the Reading terminus is being seriously considered, or is it merely pie in the sky?

My Lords, can the Minister be categoric as to whether the Reading terminus is being seriously considered, or is it merely pie in the sky?

My Lords, I welcome the Crossrail Bill for the benefits that it will bring to all parts of the metropolis and its businesses. However, I am disappointed that the more ambitions Superlink scheme did not find favour with the promoters, as I think that in the longer term it would...

My Lords, I welcome the Crossrail Bill for the benefits that it will bring to all parts of the metropolis and its businesses. However, I am disappointed that the more ambitions Superlink scheme did not find favour with the promoters, as I think that in the longer term it would...

My Lords, I had the pleasure of serving under the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Harrison, on these two Bills. It is the second time that I have served on such a committee. Last year, I served on the Select Committee which looked at the Leicester, Maidstone and Liverpool...

My Lords, I had the pleasure of serving under the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Harrison, on these two Bills. It is the second time that I have served on such a committee. Last year, I served on the Select Committee which looked at the Leicester, Maidstone and Liverpool...

My Lords, I welcome this debate drawing attention to the growth in passenger and freight traffic, and I look forward to hearing more about the Government’s paper, Delivering a Sustainable Railway. I am particularly interested in the proposed infrastructure changes at Reading and Birmingham. It is interesting to note that...

My Lords, I welcome this debate drawing attention to the growth in passenger and freight traffic, and I look forward to hearing more about the Government’s paper, Delivering a Sustainable Railway. I am particularly interested in the proposed infrastructure changes at Reading and Birmingham. It is interesting to note that...

My Lords, does the Minister agree that Crossrail would be much more effective if it was extended as I suggested?

My Lords, does the Minister agree that Crossrail would be much more effective if it was extended as I suggested?

My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Lord, Lord Renton, for introducing this debate on the report. I served on the previous Information Committee as well as on this one. The joint meetings between the Information Committee and the Commons Administration Committee entailed a lot of work. In fact, the...

My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Lord, Lord Renton, for introducing this debate on the report. I served on the previous Information Committee as well as on this one. The joint meetings between the Information Committee and the Commons Administration Committee entailed a lot of work. In fact, the...

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, if the proposed road pricing schemes for the cities of Leicester, Nottingham and Derby are authorised, they will ensure that the planned Kegworth Parkway railway station serving the above cities on the Midland main line route from the east Midlands to London is built and operational...

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, if the proposed road pricing schemes for the cities of Leicester, Nottingham and Derby are authorised, they will ensure that the planned Kegworth Parkway railway station serving the above cities on the Midland main line route from the east Midlands to London is built and operational...

My Lords, I welcome this debate on the report the Merits Committee on the management of secondary legislation, produced under the guidance of our chairman, the noble Lord, Lord Filkin. I came on to the committee at its inception in 2003, not knowing precisely what I had let myself in...

My Lords, I welcome this debate on the report the Merits Committee on the management of secondary legislation, produced under the guidance of our chairman, the noble Lord, Lord Filkin. I came on to the committee at its inception in 2003, not knowing precisely what I had let myself in...

My Lords, is the Minister aware of a 1930s scheme called the grand contour canal, which I think was at the 600-foot contour? It was devised to take water all around England, providing both water distribution and navigation—or recreation, in this day and age. It would have covered the entire country to...

My Lords, is the Minister aware of a 1930s scheme called the grand contour canal, which I think was at the 600-foot contour? It was devised to take water all around England, providing both water distribution and navigation—or recreation, in this day and age. It would have covered the entire country to...