Happy birthday, Mr Speaker—I suspect you may be relieved that we cannot sing in the Chamber.

I was recently approached by a small business owner in my constituency of Edinburgh West who faces bill of almost £30,000 for the period of lockdown when her business was closed. She is getting no sense out of British Gas Lite about why she is facing this bill, and I am getting no response from it. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how we can find out what is happening?

Happy birthday, Mr Speaker—I suspect you may be relieved that we cannot sing in the Chamber.

I was recently approached by a small business owner in my constituency of Edinburgh West who faces bill of almost £30,000 for the period of lockdown when her business was closed. She is getting no sense out of British Gas Lite about why she is facing this bill, and I am getting no response from it. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how we can find out what is happening?

My hon. Friend the Minister for Energy Consumers (Miatta Fahnbulleh MP) made the following Statement today:

On 1 April, Rebel Energy announced that it planned to cease trading. Following this announcement, Ofgem confirmed that it would seek to appoint a Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) to protect Rebel Energy’s customers, ensuring...

My hon. Friend the Minister for Energy Consumers (Miatta Fahnbulleh MP) made the following Statement today:

On 1 April, Rebel Energy announced that it planned to cease trading. Following this announcement, Ofgem confirmed that it would seek to appoint a Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) to protect Rebel Energy’s customers, ensuring...

On 1 April, Rebel Energy announced that it planned to cease trading. Following this announcement, Ofgem confirmed that it would seek to appoint a Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) to protect Rebel Energy’s customers, ensuring no disruption and continuity of service for all customers.

Following a competitive process to get the...

On 1 April, Rebel Energy announced that it planned to cease trading. Following this announcement, Ofgem confirmed that it would seek to appoint a Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) to protect Rebel Energy’s customers, ensuring no disruption and continuity of service for all customers.

Following a competitive process to get the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has received interim findings from OFGEM’s investigation into British Gas on the forced installation of prepayment meters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has received interim findings from OFGEM’s investigation into British Gas on the forced installation of prepayment meters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what data his Department holds on (a) the number of prepayment meters forcibly installed by British Gas between 1 January 2022 and 31 January 2023 and (b) the number of those subject to forced installation that have since...

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what data his Department holds on (a) the number of prepayment meters forcibly installed by British Gas between 1 January 2022 and 31 January 2023 and (b) the number of those subject to forced installation that have since...

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has set a deadline for OFGEM to publish findings of its investigation into British Gas and the forced installation of prepayment meters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has set a deadline for OFGEM to publish findings of its investigation into British Gas and the forced installation of prepayment meters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with Ofgem on British Gas's billing system migration; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of that migration on customers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with Ofgem on British Gas's billing system migration; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of that migration on customers.

Lords second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Lords second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to propose for your Lordships’ consideration what I believe are urgently needed changes in the law to protect UK workers from gross exploitation. I am referring to the shameful practice of dismissal and re-engagement, otherwise known as fire and rehire, where workers...

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to propose for your Lordships’ consideration what I believe are urgently needed changes in the law to protect UK workers from gross exploitation. I am referring to the shameful practice of dismissal and re-engagement, otherwise known as fire and rehire, where workers...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Woodley, in this debate. I trust that what I say is fully within the guidelines laid down by my noble friend Lord Cameron when, as the then Prime Minister, he appointed me here and said, “See what you...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Woodley, in this debate. I trust that what I say is fully within the guidelines laid down by my noble friend Lord Cameron when, as the then Prime Minister, he appointed me here and said, “See what you...

My Lords, I declare my interest as former leader of the TUC. It is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Balfe, and also to congratulate my noble friend and fellow trade unionist Lord Woodley on bringing forward this Bill.

In the wake of the P&O Ferries scandal, Grant Shapps,...

My Lords, I declare my interest as former leader of the TUC. It is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Balfe, and also to congratulate my noble friend and fellow trade unionist Lord Woodley on bringing forward this Bill.

In the wake of the P&O Ferries scandal, Grant Shapps,...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow my noble friend Lady O’Grady. I too compliment my noble friend Lord Woodley on securing the Bill. I declare my trade union interests as in the register.

Fire and rehire is widespread, as my noble friends Lady O’Grady and Lord Woodley and the...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow my noble friend Lady O’Grady. I too compliment my noble friend Lord Woodley on securing the Bill. I declare my trade union interests as in the register.

Fire and rehire is widespread, as my noble friends Lady O’Grady and Lord Woodley and the...

My Lords, what happened at P&O was a dreadful abuse of employment rights—an abuse that was rightly condemned but one that, regrettably, is not limited to a few ruthless employers such as P&O. Employers across our economy, public sector and private sector alike, are now routinely using fire and rehire...

My Lords, what happened at P&O was a dreadful abuse of employment rights—an abuse that was rightly condemned but one that, regrettably, is not limited to a few ruthless employers such as P&O. Employers across our economy, public sector and private sector alike, are now routinely using fire and rehire...

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Woodley on this much-needed Bill, which will make the UK a better place for workers and businesses alike. As my noble friends Lord Woodley and Lord Hendy have explained, the Bill does not completely ban fire and rehire; it merely curbs the

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My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Woodley on this much-needed Bill, which will make the UK a better place for workers and businesses alike. As my noble friends Lord Woodley and Lord Hendy have explained, the Bill does not completely ban fire and rehire; it merely curbs the

notus-xml...

My Lords, it is a genuine pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Sikka. It is not the first time his admirable forensic skills have made the House much better informed. He is, in my view, the antithesis to the widely held view that accountants are boring; he is certainly...

My Lords, it is a genuine pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Sikka. It is not the first time his admirable forensic skills have made the House much better informed. He is, in my view, the antithesis to the widely held view that accountants are boring; he is certainly...

My Lords, I should declare that I am a member of Unite, an excellent trade union. I am glad to follow my distinguished noble colleagues in this House; it is an honour. In truth, this has not really been a debate. The case has been set out with total clarity...

My Lords, I should declare that I am a member of Unite, an excellent trade union. I am glad to follow my distinguished noble colleagues in this House; it is an honour. In truth, this has not really been a debate. The case has been set out with total clarity...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the gap. I would have had my name on the list, but I did not expect to be here for the start of the debate. I declare an interest, in that this year, I shall clock up 50 years of membership...

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the gap. I would have had my name on the list, but I did not expect to be here for the start of the debate. I declare an interest, in that this year, I shall clock up 50 years of membership...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed today, and especially acknowledge the contribution of the noble Lord, Lord Balfe, on the Conservative Benches.

I declare my interests as the director of several businesses and companies, as set out in the register. I have been in business for the...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed today, and especially acknowledge the contribution of the noble Lord, Lord Balfe, on the Conservative Benches.

I declare my interests as the director of several businesses and companies, as set out in the register. I have been in business for the...

I am, as always, extremely grateful to noble Lords for this debate. Before we begin, I direct Members of the House to my register of interests, although I do not believe there is any conflict relating to the Bill today. I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Woodley,...

I am, as always, extremely grateful to noble Lords for this debate. Before we begin, I direct Members of the House to my register of interests, although I do not believe there is any conflict relating to the Bill today. I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Woodley,...

I thank the Minister for giving way. Does he agree that the Bill offers employers the flexibility to consult their workers before the terms of the employment are changed? It does not ban the practice; it is just a last resort that offers a consultation period with the employees.

I thank the Minister for giving way. Does he agree that the Bill offers employers the flexibility to consult their workers before the terms of the employment are changed? It does not ban the practice; it is just a last resort that offers a consultation period with the employees.