Results 1-20 of 317 for in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates' speaker:Lord Beaumont of Whitley

Housing: Carbon Dioxide Emissions (3 March 2008)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What level of compliance with building regulations is assumed in the calculation of official government estimates on carbon dioxide emissions from domestic buildings.

Housing: Carbon Dioxide Emissions (3 March 2008)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her reply, but why have the Government failed to implement the recommendations of the 2005 environmental Select Committee report on housing to increase compliance with the building regulations?

Energy: Renewable Technologies (22 October 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made in developing renewable energy policies other than through the European Emissions Trading Scheme.

Energy: Renewable Technologies (22 October 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer, which was reasonably satisfactory. He will be aware that the DTI report on draft options on renewable energy cast some doubt on whether the Government would be able to achieve 20 per cent of energy supply from renewables by 2020. The report suggested using the European Emissions Trading Scheme or statistical manipulation to achieve this very...

Foreign Policy (21 June 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I join the noble Baroness, Lady Hooper, in her commendation of the Council of Europe. The more I see of our involvement in the European Union and what it forces us to do, the more I admire the Council of Europe, which operates entirely on a voluntary basis, with no powers of compulsion. It is a most excellent organisation, to which we should pay more attention. I join everyone else...

European Union (Implications of Withdrawal) Bill [HL] (8 June 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I have always been a Euro-phile, if that term means someone who loves Europe and European culture. There was even a time long ago when I was a Euro-phile meaning one who thought that the European Union was a good thing to be in. Indeed my wife and I joined with the then Lord Gladwyn in hosting a conference called "Europe—after Britain joins". Later, after we had joined, my...

Piped Music etc. (Hospitals) Bill [HL] (17 April 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I understand that no amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no noble Lord has indicated a wish to move a manuscript amendment or to speak in Committee. Therefore, unless any noble Lord objects, I beg to move that the order of commitment be discharged.

Piped Music etc. (Hospitals) Bill [HL] (16 March 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I thank the noble Lords who have taken part in this debate. The standard has been raised by the literary contribution of the noble Earl, Lord Howe. I also thank the noble Lord, Lord Addington, for his measured reply. He and the noble Earl said that it was a question for local decision and common sense—indeed, everyone said that. I quite agree that where that is in place, it is...

Piped Music etc. (Hospitals) Bill [HL] (16 March 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. It will not have escaped the attention of those of your Lordships who are doomed to be here for last business on a Friday that we have been here before. I have initiated a debate on piped music in general and I moved the Second Reading of a Bill which covered piped music in public transport and health establishments, which I...

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL] (20 February 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I speak in support of Amendment No. 19, which seeks to leave out line 33 at page 210. I remind noble Lords whose attention may not necessarily be concentrated on this particular matter that line 32 states: "A power to use force does not include power to use force against persons". Line 33 continues, "except to the extent that regulations provide that it does". Those are slightly...

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL] (31 January 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: moved Amendment No. 62: Schedule 12 , page 203, line 21, at end insert— "( ) This Act expressly preserves all common law rights restricting entry by force to a private dwelling by a civil enforcement agent."

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL] (31 January 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 78, 63, 68, 67, 72, 69, 71 and 73. The amendment is intended to undergo the damage to a constitutional convention under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. I shall speak in particular to Amendment No. 67. The Act tore up 400 years of common law that had achieved balance of justice between bailiffs and debtors. Neither this House nor another...

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL] (31 January 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, of course I realise the good intentions of the Minister—even, occasionally, the good intentions of the Government. The trouble is that when you have simplification and clarification, which sound as if they are very good in themselves, and the dusting is done, what may be dusted away and hardly noticed is something very valuable which happens to be lurking in a corner. In a...

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL] (31 January 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister, who is obviously taking immense trouble over this area. Although the two sides are moving together, I cannot say that we are completely satisfied, and we would like to see more in the Bill. However, this is not something that I want to take to Third Reading, particularly under the new definitions of what should be done at that stage, as it is a matter...

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL] (31 January 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: moved Amendment No. 57: Schedule 12, page 200, line 34, at end insert— "4A (1) The following fall into the definition of exempt goods so as to preclude seizure of— (a) any goods which are fixtures or fittings attached to the premises including goods which are plumbed in or connected to water, fuel or power supplies, (b) domestic animals and animals kept as pets, (c) guard dogs,...

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL] (31 January 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, first of all I would like to say a word about the groupings. The next few groups—those down to Amendment No. 73—are almost all in my name. I had an opportunity to change the groupings when I got an e-mail this morning telling me what they were but, for one reason or another, I was not able to do it. I have no complaints about that; I had every opportunity. I merely want...

Conventions: Joint Committee Report (16 January 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I put my name down to take part in this debate for two reasons. First, I have been in this House as a life Peer longer than any other life Peer who still attends—possibly as long as any other Peer in this House, and I have seen changes happen over a long period. Secondly, it is a matter in which I was interested very early on. My grandfather felt passionately about the matter,...

Piped Music and Showing of Television Programmes (Hospitals) Bill [HL] (15 January 2007)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, I beg to introduce a Bill to provide for the Secretary of State to draw up a plan to prohibit piped music and the showing of television programmes in the public areas of hospitals and to require the wearing of headphones by persons listening to music in public areas of hospitals. I beg to move that this Bill be now read a first time. Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Bill read a...

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill [HL] (29 November 2006)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, this is a large Bill and I will devote my speech only to Part 3. The noble Lord, Lord Newton, had a rather elegant phrase for avoiding dealing with other parts of the Bill; I will merely say that in my case it is due to pure ignorance. I will be asking for information from the Minister on various points on which my colleagues and I have been unable to collect the correct answers and...

Debate on the Address (27 November 2006)

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: My Lords, there are many things in the gracious Speech that the sole Green Party representative in Parliament might have chosen to speak on. For a time, I was tempted to speak on international affairs to protest against our illegal involvement in two wars and to point out that no one had ever dabbled in the affairs of Afghanistan or Mesopotamia with profit to anyone concerned. Not all that...