🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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My Lords, I too thank the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, for this timely opportunity to discuss the impact of Brexit on the creative industries. As might be anticipated in sectors such as film and television, both of which are active in production and distribution internationally, the reaction to the EU referendum result was largely negative. A poll of PACT members showed that 85% were...
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My Lords, two years ago, when your Lordships debated the Deregulation Bill in Grand Committee, the noble Lord, Lord Grade, moved an amendment to repeal Section 73 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, and almost all noble Lords supported repeal. The noble Lord, with his wide media experience, highlighted again today how broadcasters in the United States are able to invest billions...
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My Lords, I, too, congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Morgan, on her chairing of our Select Committee and her excellent introduction to the debate. Much will have changed in the ever-expanding digital world in the 16 months since our report was published. We offered our conclusions to, and drafted a digital agenda for, whichever Government might be elected at last year’s May general...
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My Lords, I welcome this early opportunity to comment on the White Paper published last week, A BBC for the Future: A Broadcaster of Distinction. An 11-year term for the new BBC charter is in line with past practice of 10 years, with the extra year designed to delay partisan pressure until after the general election fixed for 2025. However, the proposed “health check” review of the BBC...
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My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Lord, Lord Best, and the Communications Committee for this excellent debate based on their excellent report, both of which highlight in particular the importance of better governance, greater diversity and protection against political pressure. The report anticipates that the existing BBC Trust will be replaced by an independent regulator—most likely Ofcom,...
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My Lords, recent public consultations have raised concerns that the BBC is too London-centric. While MediaCityUK in Salford helps compensate for the decline of ITV production across the north, other English regions could be better served. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland feel that they, too, deserve a better deal. The Campaign for Broadcasting Equality has also expressed concern about low...
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My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, for his introduction to the debate. As a time-served marine fitter, I identify with his comments on apprenticeships, on which I now hope to build. In his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced an apprenticeship levy of 0.5% to be paid by companies with payrolls of more than £3 million per annum, effective from April 2017. It is...
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My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lady Prosser for initiating this important debate and for opening it so well. Since the 1997 Labour Government, there has been cross-party support for increasing the number of apprenticeships. By reducing the skills gap in key sectors of the economy, the shared intention is to close the productivity gap between the UK and other leading nations. Craft...
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✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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To ask Her Majesty's Government what treatment options for people with severe dystonia they expect the NHS Commissioning Board to commission. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individual funding requests were submitted in 2010-11 for deep brain stimulation to treat cases of severe dystonia. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether patients suffering from Parkinson's dystonia and...
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how eligibility criteria for treatments such as deep brain stimulation will be determined following the passing to the proposed NHS Commissioning Board of commissioning of specialised services. To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the NHS Commissioning Board to publish eligibility criteria for the commissioning of deep brain stimulation. To ask Her...
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The Highways Agency lights roads in accordance with the British Standard for Road Lighting, BS5489. This provides for sufficient but not excessive light to enable people to use the roads safely. Local authorities also light roads to the British Standard. The Highways Agency already installs modern low-spillage luminaires when providing new lighting schemes or renewing ones. These reduce the...
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The European rail traffic management system (ERTMS) year 1 progress report, published by the Strategic Rail Authority and the Rail Safety and Standards Board on 19 May 2003, does not state a value of preventing a fatality (VPF) figure. The report states that the total cost of implementing ERTMS level 2 system D is now estimated to be £3.7 billion over 40 years, and that overall ERTMS will...
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Sections 16A-I of the Railways Act 1993, as introduced by Section 223 of the Transport Act 2000, will be implemented once a number of exemptions from the new provisions it will put in place are completed. The exemptions are expected to be finalised shortly and hence permit commencement of the new provisions.
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The Strategic Rail Authority has published its conclusions and a paper, Sensitive Lorry Miles: Results of Analysis, which summarise the findings of the consultants' reports. A copy of that summary is being placed in the Libraries of the House.
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We do not have figures for vehicles imported from outside the European Union with bull bars fitted but we would expect the number to be small, given that a commitment not to fit rigid bull bars covers many non-European car manufacturers. The most effective way of controlling after-market bull bars is via technical standards in European legislation. We have submitted a technical proposal to...
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The Blue Badge Scheme and the enforcement powers to protect it do not apply to off-street car parks. There are no plans to change that position. Vehicles can be clamped on private land, but the legality depends on the circumstances of the particular case and whether the clamper has acted reasonably in the protection of private property rights. Off-street car parks are private property and the...
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