🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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My Lords, the hour is late and it would not be profitable to reopen the whole debate, although after the Lord Chancellor's speech it is tempting to do so. I should like to confine myself to saying that in his advocacy of business as usual and everything is tickety-boo, I thought that the noble and learned Lord perhaps did not do justice to the contributions from around the House. If he was...
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rose to move, That this House takes note of the report of the Constitution Committee on Waging War: Parliament's Role and Responsibility (15th report, Session 2005—06, HL Paper 236) and the follow-up report (third report, Session 2006—07, HL Paper 51).
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My Lords, I ask the indulgence of the House when I apologise for having kept noble Lords waiting for 15 minutes. I was told that there was to be a Statement and I was not in the Palace when I was due to be. I am sorry about that, given the demands on your Lordships' time. In introducing the Constitution Committee's report on war-making powers, I should start with several votes of thanks. The...
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rose to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of Chinese investment in Africa. My Lords, the purpose of this Question for a short debate is to draw the attention of the Government and your Lordships' House to the new Chinese scramble for Africa. In preparing for the debate, it occurred to me, perhaps rather impertinently, that although the People's Republic...
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My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Sainsbury, and his wise words derived from experience about the need to curb the regulatory state in all its aspects. I am afraid that I may not be able to avoid returning to those lofty constitutional heights, as it is my honour to serve as chairman of your Lordships' Constitution Committee, but I hope that I will do so in the...
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My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that it was exactly 30 years ago, in 1976, in his Dimbleby lecture, that the late Lord Hailsham described our constitutional arrangements as—what was it?
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I was just checking. He described it as an elective dictatorship. Does the noble Baroness agree that in the intervening years—despite, as she rightly said, a flurry of constitutional reform in the first years of this Government—on the whole, the power of the Executive has increased, is increasing and ought to be diminished? Finally, does she agree that, given the plethora of outside...
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My Lords, I join the tributes that have been paid to the noble Lord, Lord Fowler. It is true that we would not have had an agreed report without his shrewd and genial chairmanship. I am most grateful for it, and for the way he introduced the debate today. I should declare an interest as a former chairman, following the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, of the Broadcasting Standards Commission and as...
More of Lord Holme of Cheltenham's speeches and debates
✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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asked Her Majesty's Government: Which department has responsibility for coordinating the follow-up to the Commission for Africa report.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: When the current review of policy by the Home Office on the residential and naturalisation status of former serving members of the Brigade of Gurkhas will be completed and published. Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are proposing any action to avert the closure of the King Edward VII hospital in Midhurst.
More of Lord Holme of Cheltenham's written questions
