Results 1-20 of 33 for hunting speaker:Viscount Astor

House of Lords (Members' Taxation Status) Bill [HL]: Committee (12 Mar 2009)

Viscount Astor: ...country, you pay English taxes. However, the noble Lord's Bill does not just include residents; it covers residents and domiciles. My question is this, and it is as much for the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, on the government Front Bench as it is for the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott: did he expect, when he wrote this, a candidate from a British Overseas Territory appointed to your Lordships' House...

House of Lords Bill [HL]: Second Reading (27 Feb 2009)

Viscount Astor: ...and break that undertaking given by the former Lord Chancellors, the noble and learned Lords, Lord Irvine of Lairg and Lord Falconer of Thornton. It was also confirmed by the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, at Second Reading. There may be a very bizarre replacement system for those of us who finally succumb and move on to an even higher chamber. Although it works—admittedly only just—it...

House of Lords Bill [HL]: Second Reading (27 Feb 2009)

Viscount Astor: .... That point answers the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Grocott, and the right reverend Prelate. I welcome the opportunity given to me by the noble Lord, Lord Lea, to join the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, and my noble friend Lord Caithness on the Trotskyist Benches and I look forward to Committee stage of this Bill.

House of Lords (Members' Taxation Status) Bill [HL] (24 Apr 2008)

Viscount Astor: ...follow the example my noble friend sets for all in this House. My noble friend Lord De Mauley put clearly the policy of the Conservative Party on this, which I agree with, and the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, put the Government's view, which was extremely helpful. The noble Lord raised one issue and I wonder whether he can expand on it. Are these issues being debated or discussed by the...

House of Lords (Amendment) Bill [HL] (22 Feb 2008)

Viscount Astor: ...both expected reform would come sooner rather than later. That is why the deal was agreed. We all expected that, and it is a surprise that we have not had any stage two reform. The noble Lord, Lord Hunt, said that the Government would produce a White Paper. Rather surprisingly, that means that I have a certain amount of sympathy for the contribution of the noble Lord, Lord Lea. A White...

Hunting Bill (15 Nov 2004)

Viscount Astor: ...not made the test any easier by adding "wildlife management": it was the Government's original intention and they should own up to that. Our second change is that we have added all forms of legal hunting to be passed by the registrar. That is fair and principled. Some will pass the test; some will not. That is a perfectly clear position. We have not made it any easier for any of those...

Hunting Bill (11 Nov 2004)

Viscount Astor: My Lords, perhaps I may ask the noble Lord, Lord Sewel, one question. His amendment has the merit of making the hunting he envisages registered hunting. But I notice that there is nothing in the amendment about foot packs. So, can I presume that if I was able to ride my horse up the hills he proposes in these less favoured areas that would be allowed under his amendment? I am interested...

Hunting Bill (11 Nov 2004)

Viscount Astor: My Lords, as I understand it, the noble Lord's amendment would allow hunting to continue in less favoured areas, but there is nothing in it that relates specifically to foot packs. If it were possible to ride a horse up the hill in the relevant area, that kind of hunting could continue.

Hunting Bill (11 Nov 2004)

Viscount Astor: My Lords, this House must see these amendments for what they are. They are a clever and, I have to say, somewhat cynical ploy to ban hunting. That is what they represent; it is nothing else. When the noble Lord, Lord Tunnicliffe, introduced the amendment, he said that he knew nothing about hunting. I have to say that that is one issue on which I can agree with him. He has not spoken at any...

Hunting Bill (27 Oct 2004)

Viscount Astor: ...question to ask is this: should such bodies be part of the consultation process? It is important that animal welfare bodies are given a role to play, but should organisations that are either pro-hunting or anti-hunting also have a role? That is a question which the Committee has to decide. But we ought to be clear that we should say either that those bodies, whether pro-hunting or...

Hunting Bill (27 Oct 2004)

Viscount Astor: I support the speeches of the noble Baroness, Lady Mallalieu, and my noble friend Lord Crickhowell. The problem with both amendments is that they would introduce unregistered hunting. If we go back to the original debates we had in this House when the Government first introduced the hunting Bill, one of the reasons that concerns were expressed about hunting was the lack of control. As we...

Hunting Bill (26 Oct 2004)

Viscount Astor: ...ask the Minister a slightly different question, which relates specifically to Clause 2(2). That subsection states: "The Secretary of State may . . . amend Schedule 1 so as to vary a class of exempt hunting". I do not want to go into the detail of Schedule 1 but, following what was said by my noble friend, can the Minister tell us under what principles the Government are including those...

Hunting Bill (26 Oct 2004)

Viscount Astor: ...I have looked at the Bill, but I cannot find where that comes in. It is not in Clause 1. Can the Minister tell me where it comes in? He said the power was limited in the way that it affected exempt hunting and exempt animals. I cannot find it in the Bill. I am sure that the Minister and his advisers will be able to tell me quickly where it is.

Hunting Bill (26 Oct 2004)

Viscount Astor: When one listens to the noble Lord, Lord Faulkner, one gets the impression that there were two Burns reports. One report, which said that hunting was cruel, was printed and given to a select few, mostly on the noble Lord's side of the House, while a second, on which the noble Lord, Lord Burns, and my noble friend Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior, have spoken on many occasions, was publicly...

Hunting Bill (12 Oct 2004)

Viscount Astor: ...Lady Morris of Bolton on her excellent maiden speech. No doubt she will be relieved to hear that we do not take eight hours over the Second Reading of every Bill. We have before us a Bill to ban hunting. It is a Bill that Alun Michael, the Minister in another place has described as "unworkable" and "unenforceable". On 14 May 2003, before the introduction of his previous Bill licensing...

Hunting Bill (12 Oct 2004)

Viscount Astor: ...; it was a mistake. I have clearly said that before, and I will say it again. However, unlike the noble Lord, Lord Graham of Edmonton, I am prepared to consider whether I should change my views on hunting. Unfortunately, the noble Lord has never changed his views. But never mind; as we know, he and I will never agree. If the Government were consistent about animal welfare, they would look...

Hunting Bill (21 Oct 2003)

Viscount Astor: Before the Minister answers, I would be grateful if he would address who is hunting and who is not. I made the point about foot-followers and people in cars. What is their position? I would be grateful for his explanation, as he has not addressed the issues.

Hunting Bill (21 Oct 2003)

Viscount Astor: I thank the noble Baroness for introducing this important amendment. As the noble Lords, Lord Donoughue and Lord Skidelsky, said, whatever one's views about hunting, this amendment is probably required. It is crucial, as it deals with intent. Like the noble Baroness, I sat through the three days of evidence-taking at Portcullis House, and I welcomed the Alun Michael Bill when it was first...

Hunting Bill (16 Sep 2003)

Viscount Astor: My Lords, it is over 18 months since this House last had a substantive debate on hunting. The issues before us have changed very little. We are once again debating animal welfare, conservation in the countryside, civil liberties and the meaning of tolerance in a free society. However, the Government's attitude towards them has changed dramatically. Last year they preached tolerance, proposed...

Hunting: Civil Service Impartiality (14 May 2003)

Viscount Astor: My Lords, has the Minister attended a hunt meet? If he has not, will he do so in order to improve his knowledge and, indeed, his impartiality?