Results 1-20 of 6,871 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Malcolm Wicks

Olympics: Energy National Policy Statements (9 Nov 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: I very much welcome the statement, but, given the inevitably long time scales for the development of new nuclear and carbon capture and storage, and getting to where we need to be in relation to our renewables needs, is there not a danger that up to 2020 we could see a new dash for gas? Will that not inevitably increase import dependency, at a time when the world will be thirsty for energy;...

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Banking Reform (3 Nov 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: Given the proud and honest record of the mutual building societies, in contrast to what has happened in the commercial sector, why are the Government not more enthusiastic about options to enable and facilitate the remutualisation of parts of the banking sector, perhaps starting with the decent part of Northern Rock?

Business of the House: Social Care Green Paper (29 Oct 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Madam Deputy Speaker, not least because of your long-standing experience, interest and indeed work in this area. I want to present a brief analysis of why the issue that we are debating is so vital to us, and why it is so vital for us to crack it in an appropriate way, in the next Parliament at the latest. I also want to make some comments on...

Business of the House: Social Care Green Paper (29 Oct 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: That is an interesting and difficult point. When people can simply provide information by themselves or with the help of a relative, through a computer, that is often convenient, but a fellow human being will often be needed to assess a situation properly. The Minister will doubtless be able to respond to that point when he addresses my related point. My second point deals with effective care...

Business of the House: Social Care Green Paper (29 Oct 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: I agree with the hon. Gentleman that that is one way through this. We could use empowerment, by giving more of a say—more of the budget—to the individual herself or himself. Another way through would be to be more radical about trying to pool budgets across agencies. Some such pooling goes on in health and social care. I think that the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell has...

Business of the House: Social Care Green Paper (29 Oct 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: Yes, that is helpful. Going for a social insurance option would not necessarily guarantee universal free care—a proportion could still be affected under the kind of arrangement that my hon. Friend has advocated. If we are consulting and thinking this through for a White Paper, that option should be there on the table.

Business of the House: Social Care Green Paper (29 Oct 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: I am happy to give way, but I must conclude soon to let others speak.

Business of the House: Social Care Green Paper (29 Oct 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: Of course. Unlike the era of Beveridge and another great Liberal—I am being polite today— [ Interruption. ] I am referring to Lloyd George; this is, after all, the centenary of his introducing the old age pension, is it not? [ Interruption. ] Perhaps we could have a Lib-Lab pact—you never know.

Business of the House: Social Care Green Paper (29 Oct 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: Well, he is a liberal with a small "l". Unlike that era, we are now, demographically, in a situation where people might not only be retired for 30 or so years of their lives but, because of developments in higher and further education, be in education for 20 or 25 years. The issue that we are confronting is how to afford all the things we want in our social policies—both when people are...

Opposition Day — [16th Allotted Day]: Caring for the Elderly (15 Jul 2009)

Malcolm Wicks: On the default retirement age, does the Minister agree that, in the coming years, with longer life expectancy, the idea that one retirement age should apply to all is bound to be thrown into the dustbin of British social history? Would it not be sensible if the Government came forward now and said that that was their position? It is a sensible position, and it will soon happen.

Opposition Day — [16th Allotted Day]: Caring for the Elderly (15 Jul 2009)

Malcolm Wicks: Given that the serious question of how we care for a growing number of frail, elderly people did not suddenly arise in 1997, and given that for 25 years or more, Governments have dodged that serious social question, left over from the Beveridge reforms, will the hon. Gentleman engage, as I think he says he will, in the serious debate on the subject that was kicked off by the Secretary of...

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Care and Support (Reform) (14 Jul 2009)

Malcolm Wicks: Given that this has been a growing issue for hundreds of thousands of families for at least 25 years, and given also that we should acknowledge the cross-governmental failure to grasp the nettle of long-term costs, will the Secretary of State agree to be at least as bold as William Beveridge was in 1942, when he looked at the risks facing early post-war society in a radical way and came up...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Elderly People (Long-term Care) (8 Jul 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: What the Government's policy is on the funding of the long-term care costs of elderly people.

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Elderly People (Long-term Care) (8 Jul 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: I know that all Members offer their condolences to the families who have suffered such terrible losses in Afghanistan—those brave men—and also closer to home in my right hon. and learned Friend's own constituency. Given that the cost of care associated with the ageing of our already elderly population is in many respects an unfinished chapter in the history of the modern welfare...

Prayers: Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Bill (12 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: We have had a good, essential and therefore encouraging debate on the Bill, although it involved an outbreak of flu. However, I understand the need for the interruption. I thank Treasury Ministers and officials for their great help in planning the Bill and my presentation of it. I especially thank my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary for his speech today and his support for the...

Prayers: Swine Flu Update (12 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: Across Whitehall and in many parts of the economy a great deal of planning has taken place because of fears of an outbreak of avian flu. I thank the Secretary of State for his calm and well informed statement and I am grateful to his Opposition counterparts for their approach. Will the Secretary of State assure the House, as I expect he can, that what we learn from swine flu will be fed into...

Prayers: Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Bill (12 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Wicks: I know that the hon. Gentleman was not implying this, but he will know that my Bill is sponsored by members of the Conservative party and by the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable), the Liberal Democrats' Treasury spokesman, as well as by members of my party. I understand the other point that he made, and we would welcome Conservative support for one or two controversial Bills that are...