Lord Laird: My Lords, I am most grateful for this opportunity to draw attention to the dreadful state of the agriculture industry in Northern Ireland. I join those who salute my noble friend Lord Palmer for initiating the debate. My noble friend Lord Molyneaux of Killead correctly and with great clarity drew attention on Monday night to the state of the farming industry in Northern Ireland. I have no...
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much public money is spent on public transport per head of the population in Northern Ireland; and how this compares with the similar calculation per head of the population in the rest of the United Kingdom.
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to invest in the railway system in Northern Ireland in the next five years; and whether plans include funding for new rolling stock.[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to introduce a rapid transit system based on rail or bus from North Down to the centre of Belfast.
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, whether there were any increases in 1986 or subsequent years in the number of: (a) deaths caused by cancer, including leukaemia; or (b) cases of cancer, including leukaemia.
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, whether any of the restrictions on the movement of sheep or cattle in the restricted areas are still in force; and, if not, when was the last such restriction lifted, and in what part or parts of the United Kingdom.
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, whether any particular areas of the United Kingdom were more severely affected by the fall-out than other areas; and, if so, which were the worst affected areas.
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they have to celebrate the creation of the Union flag as the flag of the United Kingdom through the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland of 1801.
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to celebrate the centenary of the Australian colonies becoming the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 2001.
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 7 February (WA 60), what consultations were undertaken and what factors were taken into account in the development of policy on the celebration of the bicentenary of the creation of the United Kingdom; and why the Foreign and Commonweath Office answers for this policy area.
Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to celebrate the bicentenary of the creation of the United Kingdom through the 1801 Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland.
Lord Laird: My Lords, I am delighted to be able to support this order today. I am from Belfast and I have been a member of the Ulster Unionist Party for 35 years. I have spent all my life living in the Province and have many relations there. I should like to underline the remarks that have been made in the House this afternoon about the turmoil inside the Unionist community that has been caused in the...
Lord Laird: My Lords, this is the first time that I have had the honour of addressing your Lordships' House so I stand here today with mixed emotions. As a new boy in this House, I join with my new colleagues in having to rely heavily on the many acts of kindness, thoughtfulness and support that I have received from noble Lords, the staff and the attendants. Their patience and thoughtfulness to a novice...