Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that helpful Answer. Can he confirm the statement made by the right honourable lady, the previous Secretary of State for Scotland, who on 18th December 2002 said in the other place that she planned to fight the next general election on the new boundaries? Does the Minister expect any objections to come from local authorities about the allocation of the new...
Baroness Wilcox: rose to move, as an amendment to the Motion that the House do not insist on its Amendment No. 130 to which the Commons have disagreed and do agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 130A to 130L in lieu thereof, leave out from "House" to end and insert "do insist on its Amendment No. 130".
Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, I beg to move Amendment No. 130M as an amendment to the Motion standing in the name of the noble Lord, Lord McIntosh, to insist on Lords Amendment No. 130 to which the Commons have disagreed. We on these Benches do welcome the steps the Government have taken with these amendments. They provide greater assurances to religious broadcasters for, in the words of the Minister today and...
Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have spoken, both today and at earlier stages in the Bill. Nothing alters the fact that the Government are bringing in a Bill that is flawed. It is discriminatory to single out religious organisations in primary legislation and ban them from even entering the competition for certain categories of broadcasting licence. We stand by the principle...
Baroness Wilcox: Give in!
Baroness Wilcox: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the reply by the Lord Chancellor on 14 July, what interests Ministers will need to disclose to their Permanent Secretaries which they have not already registered in the appropriate House of Parliament.
Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, I speak in support of the recommendations in the report of the European Union Sub-Committee D. I congratulate the members of the committee and the noble Earl, Lord Selbourne, for painstakingly and patiently covering the ground—or should that be seabed—yet again. They captured the frustration felt by conservationists and fishermen alike in this country at the Commission's failure...
Baroness Wilcox: moved Amendment No. 1: Page 1, line 5, at end insert "with particular reference to achieving a reduction in such emissions by 20 per cent. by 2010 based on 1990 levels and maintaining such reduction after 2010"
Baroness Wilcox: I should like to preface my remarks on this and the other amendments that I shall be moving by repeating the protest made by my noble friend Lady Miller of Hendon at Second Reading, a protest made also by the noble Lord, Lord Ezra, and by the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip. The way in which the Bill has been dealt with first in another place and even more importantly in your Lordships' House...
Baroness Wilcox: As the Minister said, he and I have just exchanged views on the fisheries report. As someone who knows how to fillet a fish knows, it all depends who is going to get the fillet and who will finish up with the frame with very little on it, which is exactly how I feel now. This is pretty shameful stuff. We will be judging against targets that will be difficult for us to find in future. I was...
Baroness Wilcox: moved Amendment No. 2: Page 1, line 23, leave out from "household" to end of line 24 and insert "which needs to spend more than 10 per cent. of its income on fuel costs to heat its home to 21 degrees celsius in the living room and 18 degrees celsius in occupied bedrooms"
Baroness Wilcox: Clause 1(1)(d) requires the Government to report on its progress in, "reducing the number of people living in fuel poverty in the United Kingdom". As drafted, the Bill purports to define fuel poverty. It is worthwhile looking at the words that the Government choose to use, which are that, "a person is to be regarded as living in fuel poverty if he is a member of a household living on a lower...
Baroness Wilcox: I thank the Minister for that answer, which is now on the record. I thank my noble friend Lord Elton for his most helpful clarification. I was entertained by the interventions of the noble Earl, Lord Erroll. I hope that he does not invite me to stay with him in Scotland too often because I should freeze and have to bring my own "hottie" with me. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
Baroness Wilcox: moved Amendment No. 4: Page 2, line 4, at end insert "in respect of residential accommodation and at least one energy efficiency aim in respect of office accommodation"
Baroness Wilcox: In moving Amendment No. 4, I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 5 and 6 to Clause 2 and Amendments Nos. 7 to 9 to Clause 3. Clauses 2 and 3 are identical, except to the extent that Clause 2 relates to England and Clause 3 relates to Wales. Clause 1(1) refers to the United Kingdom no fewer than four times in seven lines. The Government are claiming to have a uniform sustainable energy policy...
Baroness Wilcox: I thank the Minister for that clarification and I am happy to beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
Baroness Wilcox: moved Amendment No. 10: Page 5, line 4, after "2003," insert "or no more than three months after this section shall come into effect (whichever shall be the later),"
Baroness Wilcox: This is purely a drafting amendment to remove an anomaly from the Bill, an anomaly no doubt caused by the time that it has taken the Bill to find its way through Parliament. Clause 5 requires the Secretary of State to make announcements about the very important combined heat and power targets before the end of 2003. Time flies and perhaps the Government have not noticed that we are almost at...
Baroness Wilcox: We just wanted the Minister to know that we are watching and reading every point through this long period. Of course, I am happy to withdraw the amendment.
Baroness Wilcox: moved Amendment No. 11: Page 8, line 5, leave out "renewable" and insert "sustainable"