Results 1-20 of 323 for speaker:Lord Taverne

Queen’s Speech — Debate (5th Day) (15 May 2013)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, I want to address the implications of a referendum in 2017, which I do not think have been properly considered very often. I very much agreed with the remarks made by my noble friend Lord Howell when he said that the European Union is, at present, in a state of flux. It faces entirely new circumstances and completely new challenges, but that is not an argument in favour of having a...

Homeopathy — Question (19 March 2013)

Lord Taverne: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Department of Health removed from the NHS Choices website the advice that there was no good quality evidence to show that homeopathy was more successful than placebo.

Homeopathy — Question (19 March 2013)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, I am delighted to hear that the passage has been restored. However, it is disturbing that inquiries made under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that officials deleted the passage as it stood in response to lobbying by a charity founded by the Prince of Wales. They seemed to be more concerned not to offend that formidable lobbyist than to listen to the advice of their Chief...

Referendums — Question (5 March 2013)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, will the Minister recommend to his colleagues in the Government the address of Edmund Burke to the electors of Bristol, its comments on the role of Members of Parliament and its relevance to the current addiction to referendums?

Defamation Bill — Third Reading (25 February 2013)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, I still feel that the words I moved at an earlier stage are better than those of the Government but, as both sides wish to give effect to what was said in the Flood case, there is not that much between us. In the circumstances, I shall not move my amendment. Amendment 2 not moved. Bill passed and returned to the Commons with amendments.

Defamation Bill: Report (5 February 2013)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, I appreciate my noble friend's determination to give effect to the Flood judgment. I am not sure that the advice that he has received from his department on interpretation is the right view and I hope that he will not just look at the elegance and the style but consider the remarks made by my noble friend Lord Lester. In the circumstances, I shall withdraw the amendment but it may...

Defamation Bill: Report (5 February 2013)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendment 7. I have taken no part in Committee. I should explain why I am moving this amendment today. I tabled my amendments at the request of Sense about Science, a charity which I founded just over 10 years ago, and from which I have recently retired. It has certainly played a prominent part in the proceedings on the reform of libel law, and I have followed...

EU: Prime Minister's Speech — Motion to Take Note (31 January 2013)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, I want to address a question to my noble friends in the Conservative Party, and it goes to the root of the whole approach to Europe. The Conservative Party has traditionally been the party of law and order. It always seemed to me that the Conservative Party was at its best when its approach was pragmatic and not ideological. However, I find it very hard to reconcile that view with...

European Union: Recent Developments — Motion to Take Note (17 December 2012)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, I shall also concentrate on one issue-justice and home affairs. What are the Government's reasons for exercising the block opt-out? Two reasons were given at a recent Law Society conference. The first was that the European Court of Justice will impose a Europe-wide criminal justice system and will erode our common law. This was also an argument advanced by the chairman of the...

Written Answers — House of Lords: EU: Trade Agreements (11 December 2012)

Lord Taverne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the value of the European Union's current trade agreements with non-European Union countries to the United Kingdom economy and United Kingdom businesses.

Cycling: Infrastructure — Question (10 December 2012)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, does the Minister accept that the bicycle is the most efficient machine ever invented for converting energy into motion and that the bicycle could be accurately described as a green car that can run on tap water and tea cakes and has a built-in gym? Does he therefore agree that it makes sense to base policy for private urban transport on the motto, "Two wheels good; four wheels bad"?

Written Answers — House of Lords: EU: Trade Agreements (5 December 2012)

Lord Taverne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the current trade agreements between the European Union and non-European Union countries.

Written Answers — House of Lords: Exports (4 December 2012)

Lord Taverne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of United Kingdom businesses exporting goods and services to other European Union countries.

Economy: Quantitative Easing — Question (12 November 2012)

Lord Taverne: My Lords-

Economy: Quantitative Easing — Question (12 November 2012)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, there is an urgent need in British industry for long-term loans for SMEs. The trouble is that our banks are not very good at this. Banks in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Canada are much better. Will the Government seriously consider following their pattern and setting up an investment bank or institution that specialises in providing such loans, perhaps modelled on the German...

Alcohol: Pricing — Question (29 October 2012)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, having regard to strong results from Canada and from the Sheffield University research, which seem to indicate a very strong link between prices and the beneficial effects on hospital admissions, crime, absence from work because of alcoholism, and unemployment due to alcoholism, will the Government also consider a minimum price per unit of 50p, and will they link that with banning...

NHS: Evidence-based Medicine — Question (10 October 2012)

Lord Taverne: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that treatment provided by the National Health Service is founded on evidence-based medicine.

NHS: Evidence-based Medicine — Question (10 October 2012)

Lord Taverne: My Lords, the Secretary of State has announced his support for homeopathy and his opposition to research into hybrid stem cells. He has also stirred up the abortion debate. Would the Minister perhaps persuade the Secretary of State to make a public reassuring statement that he will not use his position as head of the health service to promote the kind of anti-science views and primitive...