To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits for the conferencing facilities in the Government Hub in York to also have acoustic level concert facilities, enabling York to have a concert hall in a central location in...

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits for the conferencing facilities in the Government Hub in York to also have acoustic level concert facilities, enabling York to have a concert hall in a central location in...

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to provide additional funding for the establishment of new concert halls.

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to provide additional funding for the establishment of new concert halls.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I start by thanking my noble friend for stepping into the breach unexpectedly. In moving the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Entry to Venues and Events) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 I will speak also to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2021. These regulations...

My Lords, I start by thanking my noble friend for stepping into the breach unexpectedly. In moving the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Entry to Venues and Events) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 I will speak also to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2021. These regulations...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his informed and helpful introduction, coming as he does from the cockpit of European politics of yesteryear. I also acknowledge my noble friend Lady Merron. When I was in another place, I always observed how cogent and persuasive she was when debating business...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his informed and helpful introduction, coming as he does from the cockpit of European politics of yesteryear. I also acknowledge my noble friend Lady Merron. When I was in another place, I always observed how cogent and persuasive she was when debating business...

My Lords, some of us may remember a propaganda campaign during World War II—if people are old enough, that is; we were not necessarily there. It was called, “Careless Talk Costs Lives”—in this case, livelihoods. I did not support the imposition of plan B before Christmas as I foresaw certain...

My Lords, some of us may remember a propaganda campaign during World War II—if people are old enough, that is; we were not necessarily there. It was called, “Careless Talk Costs Lives”—in this case, livelihoods. I did not support the imposition of plan B before Christmas as I foresaw certain...

My Lords, here we are, rather surreally, at a debate about regulations that were passed so many weeks ago that we are debating them as they are being abolished. It makes a mockery of the idea of scrutiny before we start. Since I have been in the House, I have...

My Lords, here we are, rather surreally, at a debate about regulations that were passed so many weeks ago that we are debating them as they are being abolished. It makes a mockery of the idea of scrutiny before we start. Since I have been in the House, I have...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for introducing these regulations and welcome the opportunity to debate the important issues they concern. However, in common, I am sure, with other noble Lords, I feel that our timing is not exactly right. I must confess that I am struggling with...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for introducing these regulations and welcome the opportunity to debate the important issues they concern. However, in common, I am sure, with other noble Lords, I feel that our timing is not exactly right. I must confess that I am struggling with...

My noble friend might recollect that the midwife of the National Health Service was a Welshman: Aneurin Bevan.

My noble friend might recollect that the midwife of the National Health Service was a Welshman: Aneurin Bevan.

I have great pleasure in acknowledging that—where else could such an innovator and leader have come from?

It is important to make reference to the points raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Fox, about those who take action around schools and vaccination centres. Noble Lords will remember that we had a...

I have great pleasure in acknowledging that—where else could such an innovator and leader have come from?

It is important to make reference to the points raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Fox, about those who take action around schools and vaccination centres. Noble Lords will remember that we had a...

My Lords, first, I pay tribute to the NHS—not just to our hospitals but to GPs, upon whom a very large burden has fallen with the good news about the reduction in hospital cases with the omicron variant. There has been a surge of requests for help from people who...

My Lords, first, I pay tribute to the NHS—not just to our hospitals but to GPs, upon whom a very large burden has fallen with the good news about the reduction in hospital cases with the omicron variant. There has been a surge of requests for help from people who...

I thank all noble Lords who took part in this debate and for the continued scrutiny to which they subject the Government. It is important—I am sure all agree—that any Government of the day should be held to account. It is our responsibility to come here and be held to...

I thank all noble Lords who took part in this debate and for the continued scrutiny to which they subject the Government. It is important—I am sure all agree—that any Government of the day should be held to account. It is our responsibility to come here and be held to...

The Government believe that the measures we are debating today are balanced and proportionate responses to the virus. Mandatory vaccine or test certification was brought in as part of the plan B measures to control the transmission of the omicron variant. Test, trace and self-isolation remains an important line of...

The Government believe that the measures we are debating today are balanced and proportionate responses to the virus. Mandatory vaccine or test certification was brought in as part of the plan B measures to control the transmission of the omicron variant. Test, trace and self-isolation remains an important line of...

That is so important. The point that I made was about lumping everybody together. That is what I was really saying about schools. It is one thing to invade a vaccine centre, which is one reason to introduce public spaces protection orders—the super-fast ones, which I think are illiberal anyway—but...

That is so important. The point that I made was about lumping everybody together. That is what I was really saying about schools. It is one thing to invade a vaccine centre, which is one reason to introduce public spaces protection orders—the super-fast ones, which I think are illiberal anyway—but...

I take the noble Baroness’s point that not everyone who is against vaccines is unvaccinated or an anti-vaxxer. It is a very difficult balance to get in a free society. It is important that

people are allowed to criticise, but they also need to be challenged robustly. That is what...

I take the noble Baroness’s point that not everyone who is against vaccines is unvaccinated or an anti-vaxxer. It is a very difficult balance to get in a free society. It is important that

people are allowed to criticise, but they also need to be challenged robustly. That is what...

The Minister rightly emphasised the continued need to get tested, as did the Prime Minister in the other place, but we hear that free lateral flow tests are to come to an end. What assessment has been made of the impact of that cessation when we are still being encouraged...

The Minister rightly emphasised the continued need to get tested, as did the Prime Minister in the other place, but we hear that free lateral flow tests are to come to an end. What assessment has been made of the impact of that cessation when we are still being encouraged...

All I can say to the noble Baroness at this stage is that I, too, heard the rumour today that some paper had been leaked. I have not had a chance to have it verified that there is any truth to the story. As soon as I do, I will...

All I can say to the noble Baroness at this stage is that I, too, heard the rumour today that some paper had been leaked. I have not had a chance to have it verified that there is any truth to the story. As soon as I do, I will...

On a point of clarification, I did not say that we should not continue testing; I said that there are clearly circumstances where we must and that there are sections of society that need to be tested. My point was that the tests are not free; they have a cost...

On a point of clarification, I did not say that we should not continue testing; I said that there are clearly circumstances where we must and that there are sections of society that need to be tested. My point was that the tests are not free; they have a cost...

I thank my noble friend for the clarification, but I suspect that the debate will continue, and that is what we expect in a free society.

I end by continuing to urge everyone to get vaccinated and have their booster dose. We are looking at how we can get to communities...

I thank my noble friend for the clarification, but I suspect that the debate will continue, and that is what we expect in a free society.

I end by continuing to urge everyone to get vaccinated and have their booster dose. We are looking at how we can get to communities...

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Motion to consider. Agreed to on question.