Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the decision to reduce the size of the Accession Council and to hold a ballot also applies to Privy Councillors from (1) Commonwealth, or (2) other countries.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Accession Council on the death of the Sovereign could be held in Westminster Hall; and if not, why not.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultations were undertaken by the Privy Council with Privy Councillors prior to the decision to reduce the size of the Accession Council.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the decision to reduce the size of the Accession Council and to hold an annual ballot of Privy Councillors only applies to the next meeting of the Accession Council or whether annual ballots will continue thereafter.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government which minister made the decision (1) to reduce the size of the Accession Council, and (2) to hold a ballot of Privy Councillors to attend the Council.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Cabinet Secretary has issued any new guidelines to Special Advisers in 10 Downing Street relating to their role during the period in which the new leader of the Conservative Party is being elected.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: My Lords, has my noble friend read the speech of Henry Kissinger in Davos, where he advised attendees at the conference not to get swept up in the mood of the moment and suggested that negotiations to end the war had to begin in the next two months “before it creates upheavals and tensions that will not be easily” contained? He suggested that the starting point for negotiations should be...
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: My Lords, I draw the attention of the House to my entry in the Register of Lords’ Interests. I express my dismay—indeed, anger—at this extraordinarily cruel treatment of Nazanin after agreement had been reached between the two Governments for her release. Was this not a clear breach of the understanding that had been reached between the two Governments? Is this not the second time in...
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received representations from charities about difficulties in sending medicines, including paracetamol, by lorry to Ukraine.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ask the EU to ease the administrative and paperwork requirements for lorries carrying medicines and humanitarian supplies to Ukraine.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to assist small charities attempting to take humanitarian supplies by lorry to Ukraine via the EU, and (2) to help them obtain the correct permits.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: My Lords, while I agree with what my noble friend Lord Balfe said—that it would be better if donations were given in cash rather than goods—my noble friend will be aware that a number of individuals, charities and companies have attempted to supply goods and medicines through the EU to the people of Ukraine or people on the border, but have experienced great difficulty with customs and...
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: My Lords, given that the official position, now established, is that NATO will not fight even if Ukraine is invaded, does it not effectively mean that Ukraine is not likely to become a member of NATO—and has not the President of the United States said that Ukraine is a long way from membership of NATO? Given that, why is it so difficult to come up with a formula that could assure Russia...
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: My Lords, I appreciate what the Minister said—the Government are altering not the sanctions, merely the period of time—but I confess to being surprised when I heard this. A month seems a very short period in which to expect somebody to find work in their usual area. Could it not be extended a bit?
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: My Lords, this Bill is highly unusual. It may be unique in the world because I do not think any other country has a national system of subsidy control. The United States does not; the EU does, but of course it is a collection of countries. I think this is the only national system of subsidy control. Of course, we had to have a national system because it was part of the negotiation with the EU...
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: My Lords, following my noble friend Lod Moylan’s Question, does my noble friend the Minister remember that one of the main arguments put forward for HS2 was the economic cost of faster travel time by HS2, and that an economic calculation was made of the economic benefit caused by the faster travel? Will she use the same methodology to apply to traffic congestion in London?
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the statement by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office quoted in the Financial Times on 4 November that clean energy equities in emerging and developing markets "consistently outperform the MSCI Emerging Markets Index" were cleared with (1) the Financial Conduct Authority, and (2) ministers.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their proposed investment of up to £25 million in the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Asian renewable energy investment trust has been approved by the accounting officer of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office launched a tender process before proposing an investment of up to £25 million in the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Asian renewable energy investment trust.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they used in developing their proposal to invest up to £25 million in the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Asian renewable energy investment trust; and whether those criteria included an assessment of the number of such trusts that are already established.