I thank the deputy shadow Leader of the House for his remarks. Before I turn to his specific questions, may I remind the House that today is World Suicide Prevention Day? When someone takes their own life, the impact on family and friends is devastating and widespread. Today is an...

I thank the deputy shadow Leader of the House for his remarks. Before I turn to his specific questions, may I remind the House that today is World Suicide Prevention Day? When someone takes their own life, the impact on family and friends is devastating and widespread. Today is an...

I am grateful to the Leader of the House for outlining the business and, of course, the recess dates. It is always good to look forward to the next recess.

Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of the appalling terrorist attacks on the United States. We remember the thousands of innocent people...

I am grateful to the Leader of the House for outlining the business and, of course, the recess dates. It is always good to look forward to the next recess.

Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of the appalling terrorist attacks on the United States. We remember the thousands of innocent people...

Some constituents are facing exorbitant service charges for retirement properties inherited from a family member that are proving impossible to sell. One of my constituents is paying £770 a month in service charges for an empty one-bedroom flat, after inheriting the home from their late mother. What steps will the Government take to regulate the sector and stop these companies ripping people off?

Some constituents are facing exorbitant service charges for retirement properties inherited from a family member that are proving impossible to sell. One of my constituents is paying £770 a month in service charges for an empty one-bedroom flat, after inheriting the home from their late mother. What steps will the Government take to regulate the sector and stop these companies ripping people off?

I have great sympathy with what the hon. Member says, and the Housing Minister has just indicated that he would be happy to meet him. That is something that we want to tackle. We have been very clear on service charges and fleecehold, and we will make sure that we bring forward legislation that protects people from unfair charges.

I have great sympathy with what the hon. Member says, and the Housing Minister has just indicated that he would be happy to meet him. That is something that we want to tackle. We have been very clear on service charges and fleecehold, and we will make sure that we bring forward legislation that protects people from unfair charges.

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, this is not the first time I have introduced a Bill in this form that closely follows the Law Commission recommendations for financial relief for cohabitants in 2007, and for improving a cohabitant’s position on the death of an intestate partner in 2011.

However, we now have a real...

My Lords, this is not the first time I have introduced a Bill in this form that closely follows the Law Commission recommendations for financial relief for cohabitants in 2007, and for improving a cohabitant’s position on the death of an intestate partner in 2011.

However, we now have a real...

My Lords, I am delighted to be able to support the noble Lord, Lord Marks, in introducing his Second Reading of this Cohabitation Rights Bill. In lay man’s language, I suppose one could

call it the “unmarried couples divorce Bill”. The Bill reflects modern societal habits and ways of living,...

My Lords, I am delighted to be able to support the noble Lord, Lord Marks, in introducing his Second Reading of this Cohabitation Rights Bill. In lay man’s language, I suppose one could

call it the “unmarried couples divorce Bill”. The Bill reflects modern societal habits and ways of living,...

My Lords, I am very happy often to bow to the expertise of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Garnier. It is unnecessary for him to be quite so polite about me, although I am grateful to him for it.

I supported the earlier Bill from the noble Lord, Lord Marks,...

My Lords, I am very happy often to bow to the expertise of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Garnier. It is unnecessary for him to be quite so polite about me, although I am grateful to him for it.

I supported the earlier Bill from the noble Lord, Lord Marks,...

My Lords, listening to the speech from the noble Lord, Lord Marks, has entirely ruined the speech I had prepared. I was about to come heavily down against the Bill, because I come from a very poor community where marriage is almost non-existent and many of our poor social outcomes...

My Lords, listening to the speech from the noble Lord, Lord Marks, has entirely ruined the speech I had prepared. I was about to come heavily down against the Bill, because I come from a very poor community where marriage is almost non-existent and many of our poor social outcomes...

My Lords, I welcome this Bill and thank the noble Lord, Lord Marks, for introducing it. The Bill would provide important legal protections for many financially vulnerable people in cohabiting relationships. It would benefit women in religious-only marriages, so I am going to focus my comments on Muslim women.

Around 25%...

My Lords, I welcome this Bill and thank the noble Lord, Lord Marks, for introducing it. The Bill would provide important legal protections for many financially vulnerable people in cohabiting relationships. It would benefit women in religious-only marriages, so I am going to focus my comments on Muslim women.

Around 25%...

My Lords, this Bill would impose a far-reaching legal regime on millions of adults who have expressly chosen not to marry or enter a civil partnership. The fact that some may think they have rights is no justification for taking away the liberty of others. Some may not know the...

My Lords, this Bill would impose a far-reaching legal regime on millions of adults who have expressly chosen not to marry or enter a civil partnership. The fact that some may think they have rights is no justification for taking away the liberty of others. Some may not know the...

My Lords, this may have been one of those occasions when noble Lords felt that they should have started their speeches with, “As I was saying”. I do not think I have spoken on this subject before, although I have listened to a number of debates. My noble friend has...

My Lords, this may have been one of those occasions when noble Lords felt that they should have started their speeches with, “As I was saying”. I do not think I have spoken on this subject before, although I have listened to a number of debates. My noble friend has...

My Lords, I pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames, who has pursued this issue with—if I may say so—characteristic persistence and conviction over many years, introducing substantially similar Bills on a number of occasions. These Bills undoubtedly raise important questions of law, policy and fairness.

I do...

My Lords, I pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames, who has pursued this issue with—if I may say so—characteristic persistence and conviction over many years, introducing substantially similar Bills on a number of occasions. These Bills undoubtedly raise important questions of law, policy and fairness.

I do...

The noble Lord called me “the noble Lord”.

The noble Lord called me “the noble Lord”.

I am sorry. I did slip into that. I know that sometimes people say “the noble Lord”; I was not trying to be rude or forget that the Minister is in fact a noble Baroness. I hope she will forgive me; it was entirely accidental and unintended.

My Lords, and the...

I am sorry. I did slip into that. I know that sometimes people say “the noble Lord”; I was not trying to be rude or forget that the Minister is in fact a noble Baroness. I hope she will forgive me; it was entirely accidental and unintended.

My Lords, and the...

My Lords, it is always a pleasure to speak after the noble Lord, Lord Wolfson. Of course I accept his apology for what was obviously a slip of the tongue. Before I turn to the points he made, which are interesting and valid as always, I start with the noble...

My Lords, it is always a pleasure to speak after the noble Lord, Lord Wolfson. Of course I accept his apology for what was obviously a slip of the tongue. Before I turn to the points he made, which are interesting and valid as always, I start with the noble...

My Lords, I am very grateful to everyone who has contributed to this debate on a Private Member’s Bill. It is an unusual position that we find ourselves in, with my Private Member’s Bill, which was introduced just after the

King’s Speech, and the consultation, which was announced on 5...

My Lords, I am very grateful to everyone who has contributed to this debate on a Private Member’s Bill. It is an unusual position that we find ourselves in, with my Private Member’s Bill, which was introduced just after the

King’s Speech, and the consultation, which was announced on 5...

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the consultation into increasing inheritance rights for cohabitants will begin; when he expects it to be completed; when he expects proposals based on this consultation to be brought before Parliament; and which piece of legislation he expects the changes to be...

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the consultation into increasing inheritance rights for cohabitants will begin; when he expects it to be completed; when he expects proposals based on this consultation to be brought before Parliament; and which piece of legislation he expects the changes to be...