Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, the issue of irresponsible lending has been widely canvassed. My concern is that the victims are the ones whose homes are repossessed. Does the Minister believe that the penalties for irresponsible lending are sufficient?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, I am extremely pleased with the Answer that my noble friend gave about reducing working hours in the National Health Service to less than 48. However, could he advise the House on the extent to which workers in the National Health Service who work less than 48 hours but may do a second job outside are taken into consideration?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, my noble friend the Minister has rightly referred to the barbaric mutilation of children. If, later in life when those children have grown up, they are prepared to bring evidence forward, does he feel that the services are such that prosecutions can successfully be brought about at that time in retrospect?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, the issue of irresponsible lending has been widely canvassed. My concern is that the victims are the ones whose homes are repossessed. Does the Minister believe that the penalties for irresponsible lending are sufficient?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, the original assessment was around £600 million. It has gone up to £800 million, which is a 30 per cent increase. Is it not a bit much for the insurance industry to threaten not to provide insurance cover for these people?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, while having some sympathy with the terms of the Question, the issue of compulsion strikes me as rather strange. If the Government are now being requested to compel the broadcasting authorities to take a certain action, where do we stop? Is it not true that if we went along this line we would end up with the broadcasting system that the Soviet Union once had?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, I wonder whether my noble friend—
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, can my noble friend confirm reports that the major problem with the German troops is that they will not fulfil their responsibilities after dark?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, will my noble friend advise those in the House who are concerned with this Question of the precise details of accidents that have occurred to those who have been involved with drugs and drink?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords—
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Lamont, referred to the humanitarian disaster in Iraq. Can my noble friend confirm that it is believed that if we prematurely withdraw our troops the humanitarian disaster will be even greater?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, I want to ask my noble friend a direct question rather than go round the mulberry bush with it. As the terms of reference for the European Court of Human Rights were established a long time ago and the world has since changed, does he agree that those terms of reference should now be amended?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords—
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, recognising that to remove a reference to "undistorted competition" will affect the achievement of a fully functioning internal market, can my noble friend advise the House on the extent, if any, to which that will have an impact on employment opportunities within the European Union?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords—
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords—
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords—
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, perhaps I can advise my noble friend. He will not be aware that, about 20 years ago, I sat with Sir Alistair Graham on the general council of the TUC. I am very pleased to hear my noble friend commend Sir Alistair's work on behalf of the Government since then. However, does he agree that perhaps more than enough mischief has been caused by the press in this matter, given that Sir...
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, I welcome what my noble friend has said about the extent to which the Government will make provision. However, have they evaluated the extent of the problem inasmuch as they know the number of children they will have to cater for?
Lord Davies of Coity: My Lords, I am pleased to hear my noble friend say that smoking has gone down from 28 per cent to 24 per cent, but can he advise the House how that reduction is distinguished as between men and women?