Lord Carlile of Berriew: My Lords, much of the focus of the debate, including some excellent maiden speeches, has been on the criminal justice system. All I want to say about that system tonight, before I turn to the health issues upon which I really want to speak, is this. The gracious Speech would have been far more impressive if it had focused not on meddling around with the mode of trial system, but rather on...
Lord Carlile of Berriew: My Lords, does the Minister recognise that her announcement will be welcomed throughout Wales and that Welsh farmers regard this as a British issue to be dealt with as quickly as possible in all four parts of the United Kingdom? Does she also recognise that there is now available the very elusive jewel of the united support of the whole industry? This would be a very fine moment for the...
Lord Carlile of Berriew: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for allowing me to intervene and apologise for being the third person to interrupt him. In the balance between delay and a fair result in a trial, does he agree that a fair result wins by a mile on every occasion?
Lord Carlile of Berriew: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for giving way. With his very distinguished service in the police and his very distinguished representation of senior police officers, would he agree that the occasional rogue police officer (there are some) who seeks to obtain a wrongful conviction by telling lies would far rather tell those lies to a magistrates' court than to a jury?
Lord Carlile of Berriew: My Lords, I hope that your Lordships will allow me the indulgence of the four minutes available, as I understand it, under the gap convention. As so little time is available, I shall not fall into the lawyer's habit of repeating of what other lawyers have already said. Nor shall I criticise the noble and learned Lord the Attorney-General for changing his mind. I have known the noble and...
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many students were awarded degrees in fine art by United Kingdom universities in 1999; and how many they expect to graduate this year and in the coming three years.
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their policy towards support for contemporary painters and sculptors, including direct and indirect measures to increase available exhibition space in publicly owned premises.
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is their policy to include a fine art component in the budgeting for and construction of public buildings and other public works.
Lord Carlile of Berriew: My Lords, in considering any proposals for the closure of Crown Courts in north and mid-Wales and Cheshire, for which the noble and learned Lord is responsible, will he bear in mind the frequent exchange of cases between courts in those areas, the very sound partnership which has existed there for many decades and, in that context, the continuing value of the Wales and Chester circuit?
Lord Carlile of Berriew: Perhaps I may--
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any special measures are in existence to audit the clinical performance and drug prescription record of single-handed practitioners in general practice; and What is their policy towards single-handed general medical practice.
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps, if any, were taken between 1976 and 1999 to terminate or to impose conditions or sanctions on contracts between Dr Harold Shipman and the National Health Service.
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many National Health Service consultant psychiatrists have been (a) erased and (b) suspended by the General Medical Council in each of the years from 1992 to date; and what was the effect on the consultant's contract of each case of suspension; and What arrangements are in place to disseminate in the National Health Service adverse findings made against...
Lord Carlile of Berriew: My Lords, I apologise to the noble Baroness for my negligent discourtesy earlier. As someone who has had the unhappy experience of examining witnesses in North Wales, Cheshire and Liverpool institutional child abuse cases on behalf of the prosecution and, in other cases, on behalf of the defence, perhaps I may offer two important practical conclusions from the Waterhouse report. First, the...
Lord Carlile of Berriew: rose to ask Her Majesty's Government whether their policy objectives in relation to devolution of power to Wales are being achieved. My Lords, I welcome this opportunity to debate in this House the progress of the National Assembly for Wales. I am very grateful for the significant number of noble Lords, many of whom have served Wales with great distinction, who have indicated a wish to speak...
Lord Carlile of Berriew: My Lords, I, too, should like to congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Palmer, on initiating this debate. As I am sure we would all expect of the noble Lord, his speech was true and realistic. There was no word of exaggeration in it; indeed, noble Lords may feel that it is remarkable that an opening speech in a debate of this kind should have such a consistent echo through all the speeches that...
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are supporting to ensure the cleanliness of Welsh beaches and their improved safety for holidaymakers visiting Wales in 2000.
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will introduce measures to facilitate the retirement of farmers from farms which are to continue as farming units.
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether sufficient progress is being made in Kosovo towards the restoration of the rule of law in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is their policy to provide assistance in the form of police, judges and others with the function of restoring a stable system of criminal and civil justice.
