🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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My Lords, I will briefly add my support to Motion A1 from the noble Baroness, Lady Bowles, to remove the mandation reserved power. On Monday, the Minister told us: “On the question on fiduciary duty, nothing in the Bill disapplies trustees’ existing duties of loyalty, prudence and acting in members’ best interests”. Her argument was that “the savers’ interest test allows a scheme...
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To follow up on that, can the Minister explain how a windfall tax paid to the Treasury ends up reducing people’s bills?
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My Lords, I offer Motion E1, in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Bowles, my wholehearted support. I also say in passing that I wholeheartedly support Motion G1 in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes. The Minister has once again explained that the mandation powers are intended to backstop the voluntary Mansion House agreement. She has tabled an amendment that simply limits the...
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My Lords, I want very quickly to ask the Minister a question on Motions D and D1. I say at the outset that I agree with almost every word that the noble Baroness, Lady Altmann, said. I entirely agree that one year is too short. I have at least two pensions that have not been touched for that long, which would fall into the dormant category; I would not consider them dormant, but there we go....
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My Lords, we have had a lot of discussions in this House over the last year about employment rights and particularly about unfair dismissal. To be fair, a dismissal must have a valid reason—we cannot make a rigid judgment on the dismissal of Olly Robbins at this stage—but it must also follow fair procedure. That typically means investigating the issue, informing the employee in writing,...
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As I understand the noble Baroness’s argument, the focus on cost is the problem. This Bill solves that with the value-for-money framework, so why do we also need the mandation power?
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My Lords, when you are trying to solve a problem, it is best to try to understand the root causes of the problem and then resolve those causes—diagnose and treat the disease, not the symptoms. That is why I have repeatedly asked the Minister why she believes UK pension funds have been so reluctant to invest in so-called UK productive assets. I know she gets frustrated with me asking this...
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My Lords, I declare my interest as a trustee of the Galloway Fisheries Trust and chairman of the Fleet District Salmon Fishery Board. The single biggest cause of peatland destruction has been the historic indiscriminate planting of non-native conifers on peatlands. About 18% of UK peatland has been destroyed in that way. While new planting on deep peat is rightly no longer allowed, the...
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✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Finance Committee, to respond on his behalf. There are a number of private businesses that operate using facilities within the Palace of Westminster, including the Gym, Creche and Hairdressers, none of which have requested or received financial support from the House of Lords Administration. As these are private businesses, we are not...
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To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of Seasonal Coefficient of Performance which is achieved by air and ground source heat pumps in real-life installations compared to those stated in the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Product Directory; and what plans they have (1) to introduce a requirement that real-life performance and efficiency must be...
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The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Finance Committee, to respond on his behalf. Scaffolding was removed around the roof level of the Elizabeth Tower in October 2020. More scaffolding is expected to be removed towards the end of this year and continuing into 2022. Covid-19 has restricted the progress of the refurbishment. The completion date will be later than the planned...
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To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proportion of nitrous oxide sold for catering purposes but used for recreational purposes; whether they consider the recreational use of nitrous oxide to be harmful or to be a gateway drug amongst young people; and whether they have any plans to tighten the rules relating to the supply of nitrous oxide.
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To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible reduction in tax receipts from the UK financial services industry as a result of the actions being taken by financial services businesses to enable their businesses to operate after Brexit.
More of Lord Vaux of Harrowden's written questions
