Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, does my noble friend agree with me that fascism is a creeping cancer? Had we been a bit firmer in the 1930s rather than allowing someone to come back carrying a piece of white paper, we may well have avoided the following six years.
Lord Davies of Coity: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps, if any, they are taking to appoint a football regulator.
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, I am extremely encouraged by my noble friend's response. However, I should like to draw to his attention and to ask for his views about the current negotiations taking place with the television companies, which are likely to produce over £1 billion in funding over the next five years--a 20 per cent increase. Is he aware that on the last occasion that a deal was struck with the...
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords--
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords--
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, like a number of other noble Lords, I have sat through the whole debate and found many of the arguments wide ranging. Some contributions have been more temperate and tolerant than others. Nevertheless, it has been a very good debate. As the House is aware, I have argued consistently that this is a matter of conscience. That was why as a matter of conscience I voted against the...
Lord Davies of Coity: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to bring further areas into the badger culling trial recommended by Professor Sir John Krebs to address questions about the incidence of tuberculosis in cattle.
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords--
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, my noble friend is aware of the concern of dairy farmers about the incidence of TB. Can she advise the House of the progress that is being made to reduce and it is to be hoped eventually eradicate this problem?
Lord Davies of Coity: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the terms of reference for the review which they have asked Gurbux Singh to conduct on the Global Cultural Diversity Congress.
Lord Davies of Coity: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the future status of the NHS Pensions Agency.
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware of recent media reports concerning the enormous influx of prostitutes from the former Soviet Union, some of whom will be very young? If so, what are the Government doing to prevent that happening in the future?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, I, too, wish to express my gratitude to the noble Lord, Lord Carlile, for introducing this topic this evening. Despite the difficulties he has experienced I wish at the outset to pay tribute to the work of Alun Michael, who became First Secretary of the new Assembly last May. It was he who coined the phrase "dynamic devolution". In my view the people of Wales are in his debt because...
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, I too express gratitude to the noble Earl, Lord Russell, for introducing this debate. I start with a confession. Until yesterday morning I thought that last week had not been a good one for me. The week started with my speaking and voting against the Government, having been driven by conscience. As the week progressed I was given to understand that the Government had resisted the...
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, does my noble friend agree that a Question such as this should be viewed with a degree of suspicion and certainly surprise coming, as it does, from an Opposition who defended the hereditary system for so long and now want to act in haste to make further changes?
Lord Davies of Coity: It was not so long ago that I spoke in this Chamber opposing the reduction in the age of consent. The view that I take on the issue before us today is the same as I took then; that is, to protect the interests of young people and children and to do nothing whatever to increase the level of risk to which they are exposed, even if that risk is small and acknowledging that there will be no...
Lord Davies of Coity: I certainly do not believe that it is necessary to follow public opinion in all cases, but I believe that it would be unwise to ignore it. I do not think that we hold a monopoly in terms of people's knowledge and feelings on issues of morality and conscience. Because most people believe that protection is afforded by Section 28, its removal can only damage respect for the Labour Government....
Lord Davies of Coity: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to publish the third report to Parliament on the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme.
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, rather than the Minister for Women recommending that the Prime Minister take paternity leave, has not the provision been made available for families, in particular the children, who would otherwise be disadvantaged, so that those who do not require such leave do not have to take it?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, is my noble friend aware that in the 1980s I represented shop workers when the question of Sunday trading was debated in both Houses? It was the party opposite who wanted to abandon the 1952 shops legislation. It brought in deregulation by default because this House was opposed to the system. However, does my noble friend agree that, although there may not be too many complaints...