🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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My Lords, does the Minister agree that even deeper and wider embedding of diagnostics across the NHS, including more in community pharmacists and GP surgeries, would help in the fight against not only antimicrobial resistance but other infectious diseases? In addition, it would stimulate the venture capital business in diagnostics. All these factors together have the potential to boost NHS...
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My Lords, no pressure there then. Let me first say, in contrast to the noble Lord, Lord Lamont, how pleased I am to see the Government shifting their rules to deliberately allow for greater public investment spending as a share of GDP. As a vocal advocate of such a move, I think it is highly welcome. Keeping it at 2.6% is a vast improvement over what otherwise would have been a further...
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My Lords, I add my welcome to the new Ministers and wish them very well and the best of luck in their important roles. I also congratulate the noble Lords, Lord Petitgas and Lord Vallance, on their maiden speeches. Occasionally, as we all suffer long hours into the night, one wonders how the tone of debate in this place can be raised, but I am sure we all agree that the noble Lord, Lord...
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My Lords, it also my pleasure to speak in this important debate and, as always, to hear such a vast array of different and generally extremely eloquent opinions, which somewhat intimidates me, despite my role in some of these issues in the past. In that regard, I also welcome the Minister to her new role. Having sat there myself once, I know that it is an interesting challenge. Reflecting on...
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My Lords, it is quite a remarkable pleasure and an honour to welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Moyo, to this House, and to speak immediately after her excellent maiden speech. I am not sure whether the noble Baroness remembers this, but we once shared a nice dinner in Knightsbridge. I would never have imagined that I would be stood here welcoming that particular colleague, or any colleague, to...
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I too add my congratulations and best wishes to my noble friend Lady Gohir, the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Birmingham and the noble Baroness, Lady Neville-Rolfe—perhaps best wishes especially to the noble Baroness, Lady Neville-Rolfe, for serving a second stint. Long-term economic growth is driven by two things: the growth of a country’s labour force and its productivity...
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My Lords, I too express my disgust at this development. It is the culmination of many years of the style of ownership that has been so permissible under the way football has evolved. I am extremely sad that my own football obsession, Manchester United, is right in the middle of it. I applaud the Government’s seemingly strong stance. In this regard, I echo the call from the noble Lord, Lord...
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My Lords, I give my own congratulations to the noble Lord, Lord Khan of Burnley. I particularly welcome his passion and plea for more for the northern powerhouse. In view of the short time, I will make five specific points. First, yet again this was not a normal Budget, as it was understandably geared towards Covid-related support. This makes it hard to assess the true economic priorities for...
More of Lord O'Neill of Gatley's speeches and debates
✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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The Treasury does not hold information about individual EU funded projects, so the detailed information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Information about EU funded projects in the UK is in the public domain, e.g. a list of European Structural and Investment Funds beneficiaries is available on Gov.uk. In line with the Chief Secretary’s letter of 12th August, a...
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The Government does not collect data on the number of workers earning less than the personal allowance who are also members of pension schemes that operate a net pay system. The Government does not hold employee level data on employees enrolled in net pay pension schemes, as such schemes are not obliged to report pension contributions to HM Revenue and Customs. The Government does not...
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As noted in the 2012 report by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), the empirical literature suggests that the impact of migration on productivity may be mixed and heavily dependent on the type of migrant coming to the UK. Migrants may increase productivity either through a simple ‘batting average’ effect if they work in higher productivity roles relative to the average for...
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The IMF Executive Board discussed the report entitled The IMF and the crises in Greece, Ireland, and Portugal on 19 July 2016. The UK plays an active part in such dialogues. While we welcome the report, board discussions remain confidential until the minutes are made accessible three years after the meeting. The Chairman’s summing up, and the statement by the IMF Managing Director offering...
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Since April 2016 savers have benefitted from a new Personal Savings Allowance of up to £1,000 for basic rate taxpayers, and £500 for higher rate taxpayers. They can also save up to £15,240 tax-free in ISAs this tax year. Together these measures mean that 95% of taxpayers have no savings tax to pay at all.
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The government continues to value the IMF’s forecasts and other analytical outputs, which are supported by high quality technical analysis and data-gathering. This is used alongside the government’s own analysis, and the work of other institutions. We do not believe that the International Evaluation Office’s (IEO) report entitled The IMF and the Crises in Greece, Ireland and Portugal...
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HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes the number and value of flexible payments made from pensions since April 2015. The quarterly publication does not include breakdowns of pension payments by characteristic, nor are there any plans to. In accordance with the National Statistics Code of Practice, Official Statistics are shared with a minimal number of named officials 24 hours prior to...
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The Infrastructure and Projects Authority has received seven proposals from prospective commercial partners for the proposed Broadband Investment Fund. Officials are currently evaluating the proposals and carrying out due diligence. The government will announce a decision in due course.
More of Lord O'Neill of Gatley's written questions
