My Lords, today’s debate has already shown how complicated is the proposal for mercy killing—for that is what we are discussing. The desire to relieve seemingly unbearable suffering is understandable and even praiseworthy, but the means chosen may involve even more suffering for others, whose vulnerability may not be immediately...

My Lords, today’s debate has already shown how complicated is the proposal for mercy killing—for that is what we are discussing. The desire to relieve seemingly unbearable suffering is understandable and even praiseworthy, but the means chosen may involve even more suffering for others, whose vulnerability may not be immediately...

My Lords, I begin by apologising for my late arrival by a few minutes. I came rather a long way and the transport was not quite up to scratch.

I start by saying that I am opposed to assisted dying—as I think is well known—which has monopolised the discussion today, although...

My Lords, I begin by apologising for my late arrival by a few minutes. I came rather a long way and the transport was not quite up to scratch.

I start by saying that I am opposed to assisted dying—as I think is well known—which has monopolised the discussion today, although...

My Lords, as the Minister will expect, I found that Answer wholly unsatisfactory. We are in the early stages of a major crisis. At present, a lot of our supply comes from nuclear and coal stations, which provide about 40% of our national demand, with the rest coming from gas. Much of this plant is 40 years old and quite a lot of it is 50 years old—well beyond the date by which one would have expected it to have been retired. The task of replacing it is enormous and will take a long time. We ought not to feel complacent at all, because estimating the date of the necessary retirement of this plant is not easy. Can she assure me that the dates and programmes for the retirement of 40 or 50 year-old plant are clearly specified, together with plans for replacing it?

My Lords, as the Minister will expect, I found that Answer wholly unsatisfactory. We are in the early stages of a major crisis. At present, a lot of our supply comes from nuclear and coal stations, which provide about 40% of our national demand, with the rest coming from gas. Much of this plant is 40 years old and quite a lot of it is 50 years old—well beyond the date by which one would have expected it to have been retired. The task of replacing it is enormous and will take a long time. We ought not to feel complacent at all, because estimating the date of the necessary retirement of this plant is not easy. Can she assure me that the dates and programmes for the retirement of 40 or 50 year-old plant are clearly specified, together with plans for replacing it?

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking in response to the recent projection by Ofgem of a fall in the generating plant margin from 14% at present to 4% in the next four years.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking in response to the recent projection by Ofgem of a fall in the generating plant margin from 14% at present to 4% in the next four years.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the total subsidy to be provided for wind power for the period 2000–2050.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the total subsidy to be provided for wind power for the period 2000–2050.

My Lords, after eight years of annual debates during the past decade on the lack of strategy in the privatised electricity supply industry, common sense has prevailed. Those debates criticised the lack of any commitment to nuclear power, the failure to provide for replacement of ageing power stations, the growing...

My Lords, after eight years of annual debates during the past decade on the lack of strategy in the privatised electricity supply industry, common sense has prevailed. Those debates criticised the lack of any commitment to nuclear power, the failure to provide for replacement of ageing power stations, the growing...

My Lords, I begin by reminding noble Lords that this amendment is about the use of human-animal embryos, and the proposal is that they should not be used if reasonable alternatives are available. The debate has rather turned into a conception of the amendment as an attack on all embryonic...

My Lords, I begin by reminding noble Lords that this amendment is about the use of human-animal embryos, and the proposal is that they should not be used if reasonable alternatives are available. The debate has rather turned into a conception of the amendment as an attack on all embryonic...

I am reluctant to prolong this very informative discussion, but there are one or two points that I want to make in favour of the amendment. I, too, have been greatly impressed by a number of debates on ethical issues in this House during the past 17 years or so....

I am reluctant to prolong this very informative discussion, but there are one or two points that I want to make in favour of the amendment. I, too, have been greatly impressed by a number of debates on ethical issues in this House during the past 17 years or so....

I shall not go into them, because they would provoke further argument and extend the discussion to no useful end, but I shall select one. The Nuffield Council does wonderful work, but it has strong science links and is supported by the Wellcome Foundation, which is a medical research charity...

I shall not go into them, because they would provoke further argument and extend the discussion to no useful end, but I shall select one. The Nuffield Council does wonderful work, but it has strong science links and is supported by the Wellcome Foundation, which is a medical research charity...

My Lords, as has been said, the first inquiry by the Select Committee on Science and Technology was published in March 1999—eight and a half years ago. In the subsequent years, Government have shown a mixture of procrastination, indecision and, most importantly, a failure to grasp the nature of the...

My Lords, as has been said, the first inquiry by the Select Committee on Science and Technology was published in March 1999—eight and a half years ago. In the subsequent years, Government have shown a mixture of procrastination, indecision and, most importantly, a failure to grasp the nature of the...

Lords debate on motion to call attention to issues facing the electricity supply industry and to the case for a strategic decision mechanism. Motion withdrawn.

Lords debate on motion to call attention to issues facing the electricity supply industry and to the case for a strategic decision mechanism. Motion withdrawn.

rose to call attention to issues facing the electricity supply industry and to the case for a strategic decision mechanism; and to move for Papers. The noble Lord said: My Lords, this is the fifth annual debate on the subject, and the problems which initiated the series remain unaddressed and...

rose to call attention to issues facing the electricity supply industry and to the case for a strategic decision mechanism; and to move for Papers. The noble Lord said: My Lords, this is the fifth annual debate on the subject, and the problems which initiated the series remain unaddressed and...

My Lords, as usual, we have had a stimulating and wide-ranging debate, and I want to pick up one or two points that particularly seem to call for comment. First, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Ford, for her contribution and I congratulate her on her antecedents, which are of...

My Lords, as usual, we have had a stimulating and wide-ranging debate, and I want to pick up one or two points that particularly seem to call for comment. First, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Ford, for her contribution and I congratulate her on her antecedents, which are of...

My Lords, first, I want to associate myself with the remarks made by my noble friend Lord Alton, who stole most of my points and made them much more eloquently than I could have done, so I am grateful to him. Since I am not going to repeat them, I...

My Lords, first, I want to associate myself with the remarks made by my noble friend Lord Alton, who stole most of my points and made them much more eloquently than I could have done, so I am grateful to him. Since I am not going to repeat them, I...

My Lords, terminally ill people are vulnerable people—afraid and apprehensive of approaching death and the manner of its arrival. They are very sensitive to suggestion and there is no shortage of potential coercive influences, some apparent, some less so. Most insidious is the atmosphere created by the environment in which...

My Lords, terminally ill people are vulnerable people—afraid and apprehensive of approaching death and the manner of its arrival. They are very sensitive to suggestion and there is no shortage of potential coercive influences, some apparent, some less so. Most insidious is the atmosphere created by the environment in which...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. It is not my task to summarise the discussion, but I congratulate noble Lords who have taken part on the standard of discussion. It has been an excellent debate. The absence of old friends has been offset very thoroughly by the acquisition of...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. It is not my task to summarise the discussion, but I congratulate noble Lords who have taken part on the standard of discussion. It has been an excellent debate. The absence of old friends has been offset very thoroughly by the acquisition of...