To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the decline in UK birth rates on levels of pension spending.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the decline in UK birth rates on levels of pension spending.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of financial insecurity on birthrates.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of financial insecurity on birthrates.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what analysis her Department has conducted on the UK's birth rate and the economic impact of that rate.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what analysis her Department has conducted on the UK's birth rate and the economic impact of that rate.

To ask the Minister of the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has conducted on the potential impact of the falling birth rate on public services and long-term demographic change.

To ask the Minister of the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has conducted on the potential impact of the falling birth rate on public services and long-term demographic change.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the reasons for the declining birth rate.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the reasons for the declining birth rate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of childcare costs on the UK birth rate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of childcare costs on the UK birth rate.

Letter dated 11/06/2026 from Lord Wilson of Sedgefield to Baroness Nargund regarding issues raised during the debate on Declining Birth Rates: Family test and hubs, Big Tech, AI productivity gains, and fair contribution, long-term fiscal consequences of demographic change. 3p.

Letter dated 11/06/2026 from Lord Wilson of Sedgefield to Baroness Nargund regarding issues raised during the debate on Declining Birth Rates: Family test and hubs, Big Tech, AI productivity gains, and fair contribution, long-term fiscal consequences of demographic change. 3p.

Lords question for short debate on what assessment they have made of the UK's declining birth rates in an ageing population, and the impact of this demographic shift on the workforce, demand for public services and economic growth.

Lords question for short debate on what assessment they have made of the UK's declining birth rates in an ageing population, and the impact of this demographic shift on the workforce, demand for public services and economic growth.

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to debate this important topic in your Lordships’ House. “Demography is destiny” is an old saying that has never felt more urgent. The UK faces a demographic shift that threatens an unfolding economic crisis. This issue has concerned me for nearly two...

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to debate this important topic in your Lordships’ House. “Demography is destiny” is an old saying that has never felt more urgent. The UK faces a demographic shift that threatens an unfolding economic crisis. This issue has concerned me for nearly two...

My Lords, I declare an interest as chief executive of the Kemnal Academies Trust. I am also a non-exec director at Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, for securing this vital debate; it is a pleasure to listen to her expertise on this topic....

My Lords, I declare an interest as chief executive of the Kemnal Academies Trust. I am also a non-exec director at Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, for securing this vital debate; it is a pleasure to listen to her expertise on this topic....

I thank my noble friend Lady Nargund for raising this important issue; it was a good illustration of the expertise that is brought before this House. I recognise the important work that she has done in this area, looking at the barriers to parenthood and the need for family-friendly policies....

I thank my noble friend Lady Nargund for raising this important issue; it was a good illustration of the expertise that is brought before this House. I recognise the important work that she has done in this area, looking at the barriers to parenthood and the need for family-friendly policies....

My Lords, as we have heard, declining birth rates carry profound economic and social consequences. The story of human origins in the Book of Genesis begins with a God-given mandate to populate the Earth, and supports the basic goodness of family life. The Christian tradition has consistently affirmed the value...

My Lords, as we have heard, declining birth rates carry profound economic and social consequences. The story of human origins in the Book of Genesis begins with a God-given mandate to populate the Earth, and supports the basic goodness of family life. The Christian tradition has consistently affirmed the value...

My thanks, too, to my noble friend for opening this debate.

My Lords, it seems ironic that some of the very same politicians who framed the falling birth rate as a crisis have also pledged to bring back the two-child benefit cap. Meanwhile, the far right peddles racist conspiracy theories about...

My thanks, too, to my noble friend for opening this debate.

My Lords, it seems ironic that some of the very same politicians who framed the falling birth rate as a crisis have also pledged to bring back the two-child benefit cap. Meanwhile, the far right peddles racist conspiracy theories about...

My Lords, I am most grateful to my colleague, the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, for having secured this debate, and to the noble Baroness, Lady O’Grady, for having introduced the business of intergenerational solidarity. I want to concentrate on the other end—not on birth but on this older population, because...

My Lords, I am most grateful to my colleague, the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, for having secured this debate, and to the noble Baroness, Lady O’Grady, for having introduced the business of intergenerational solidarity. I want to concentrate on the other end—not on birth but on this older population, because...

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lady Nargund on securing this debate, and I note how busy she seems to have been today. I have a strange feeling that she is only just getting started in your Lordships’ House—let us see what happens next. This debate is a veritable...

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lady Nargund on securing this debate, and I note how busy she seems to have been today. I have a strange feeling that she is only just getting started in your Lordships’ House—let us see what happens next. This debate is a veritable...

My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, for her choice of subject—what a neatly symmetrical pairing it was. I wish I could have been here for the earlier debate.

I am one of the ageing—or, I admit, aged—generation, a very lucky generation, a post-World War II baby boomer,...

My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, for her choice of subject—what a neatly symmetrical pairing it was. I wish I could have been here for the earlier debate.

I am one of the ageing—or, I admit, aged—generation, a very lucky generation, a post-World War II baby boomer,...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, on securing her first QSD, and on her perceptive comments after a lifetime devoted to reproductive medicine. I thank all noble Lords who have spoken. I was particularly struck when the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Chelmsford reminded us that...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, on securing her first QSD, and on her perceptive comments after a lifetime devoted to reproductive medicine. I thank all noble Lords who have spoken. I was particularly struck when the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Chelmsford reminded us that...

I thank my noble friend Lady Nargund for introducing this debate, which is very important to the long-term future of the country. The contributions we have heard show that it is a very complicated issue which is determined not just by one factor. A lot of factors are involved, and...

I thank my noble friend Lady Nargund for introducing this debate, which is very important to the long-term future of the country. The contributions we have heard show that it is a very complicated issue which is determined not just by one factor. A lot of factors are involved, and...

You do not have to use it.

You do not have to use it.

I will do my best. The right reverend Prelate commented that family hubs will draw on what we know works from Sure Start, and the Best Start in Life programme will provide essential support for parents and families. The Government are committed to providing funds for all local authorities to...

I will do my best. The right reverend Prelate commented that family hubs will draw on what we know works from Sure Start, and the Best Start in Life programme will provide essential support for parents and families. The Government are committed to providing funds for all local authorities to...