Baroness Barran: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Addington, for securing this debate on such an important subject and at such a critical time for the voluntary sector. I also thank everyone involved in charities and the huge number of volunteers for everything that they have done and will do to be such a key part of the fight against Covid-19. We have had a varied set of contributions today. I reassure...
Lord Bilimoria: My Lords, although business is very grateful for the help that the Government are giving, including the new bounce-back loans, which are 100% guaranteed up to £50,000, the Minister said that just £4 billion has been given to 25,000 companies in the six weeks since the scheme launched. Will the Government consider guaranteeing up to £500,000 for 100% of the banks, as the Swiss and the...
Lord Bilimoria: My Lords, I am sure the Minister is aware that Germany, as part of its bazooka €1.1 trillion package, is guaranteeing 100% of loans of up to €500,000 to its small and medium-sized companies and of up to €800,000 for those with up to 250 employees. The Swiss have given out 98,000 loans—six times more than the UK, and their economy is one-eighth the size of ours. They guarantee 100% up...
Lord Bethell: My Lords, I join the noble Baroness, Lady Wheeler, and others in remembering those who have suffered from this dreadful disease. I pay tribute to those in healthcare and other key workers on the front line who selflessly and heroically help deal with this awful epidemic. I have a personal reason to thank in particular those BAME social care staff who take a particular risk and often take on...
Baroness Scott of Bybrook: ...particularly thank the noble Baroness, Lady Tyler, for proposing the debate, but also for the work she has done in this area over many years—thank you. In the interests of the well-being of noble Lords, I will try to keep my closing remarks as succinct as I can. The first duty of government is to keep people safe, and to protect and promote the health, well-being and prosperity of the...
Baroness Sugg: My Lords, I thank every Member of the House who has attended the debate and contributed today. We have heard some very powerful messages from across the Chamber, and I am really pleased to be closing the debate. It is important to use the opportunities presented to us on International Women’s Day and other days like this, to ensure that the issue of gender equality really gets the attention...
Baroness Berridge: My Lords, I join other noble Lords in paying tribute once again to the noble Lord, Lord Addington, who is a noted champion of neurodiversity. I thank him and other noble Lords for their speeches this evening on this important topic. The attainment gap that we are dealing with here is a very serious issue. It is the Government’s ambition that every child should have access to a world-class...
Lord Foster of Bath: My Lords, I will speak to Amendment 1, standing in my name and that of my noble friend Lord Addington. Before I begin, I congratulate the Minister on her prescience in predicting that before this stage of our Committee deliberations, the Commonwealth Games Federation would have found a solution to the issues of shooting and archery. I note that our second group of amendments will give us...
Lord Grantchester: This has been an excellent debate on the imperatives of climate change. I start by thanking my noble friend Lord Browne of Ladyton for initiating the debate and throwing down the challenge with the report entitled Absolute Zero by UK FIRES, a research collaboration of five British universities. I also welcome the noble Lord, Lord Oates, to his party’s Front Bench. The report is an excellent...
Baroness Barran: My Lords, I thank your Lordships for your valuable contributions to the debate today. I will try to address some of the points raised during the debate but if I am unable to respond fully, I will ensure that I will follow up with a letter on any points that I have not covered. I echo the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Griffiths, about the progress, energy and commitment that we have seen...
Lord Holmes of Richmond: My Lords, it is a pleasure to take part in this debate. I declare my interests, as set out in the register. I cannot see any of the signage at Birmingham New Street Station. I am at absolutely no disadvantage whatever. It is a delight that Birmingham has been awarded the Commonwealth Games. I am delighted, but I also share the sadness for South Africa, and the hope that soon the Commonwealth...
Lord Bilimoria: My Lords, does the Minister agree that the withdrawal agreement is only the end of the beginning? If the Government are already talking about diverging from EU regulations and standards, what are the chances of a free trade agreement with our biggest trading partner, which makes up 50% of our trade?
Division number 1 See full list of votes (From The Public Whip)Content Lord Aberdare Lord Addington Lord Adonis Lord Anderson of Ipswich Lord Anderson of Swansea Baroness Andrews Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville Baroness Barker Lord Bassam of Brighton Lord Beecham Lord Beith Baroness Benjamin Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle Lord Berkeley Lord Bhatia...
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: My Lords, it is a great pleasure and privilege to conclude today’s debate on Her Majesty’s gracious Speech. First, I declare my farming interests, as set out in the register. I am most grateful to my noble friend Lady Vere for opening the debate so comprehensively and with panache. I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in this diverse debate on critical issues. I agree with the...
the Earl of Sandwich: My Lords, I am sure that the noble Baroness will always remain in the sun, as far as this House is concerned. International development is not listed in the title of this debate, but we have had some powerful speeches and it has of course cropped up from time to time. Our new Secretary of State led on it yesterday and our own noble Lord, Lord Ahmad, joined in. The Library briefing also made...
Division number 2 See full list of votes (From The Public Whip)Content Lord Borwick Lord Brabazon of Tara Viscount Bridgeman Lord Bridges of Headley Lord Carrington of Fulham Baroness Deech Lord Dixon-Smith Lord Dobbs Earl of Erroll Lord Forsyth of Drumlean Lord Framlingham Lord Freeman Lord Grade of Yarmouth Lord Hamilton of Epsom (teller) Lord Henley Lord James of Blackheath Lord Jones of...
Division number 1 See full list of votes (From The Public Whip)Content Lord Borwick Lord Brabazon of Tara Baroness Brady Viscount Bridgeman Lord Bridges of Headley Lord Brougham and Vaux Lord Carrington of Fulham Lord Carrington Lord Cope of Berkeley Baroness Couttie Viscount Craigavon Lord Dannatt Baroness Deech Lord Dixon-Smith Lord Dobbs Lord Elton Earl of Erroll Lord Forsyth of Drumlean...
Lord Bilimoria: Can the Minister clarify something? We pay that £1 billion per month anyway as part of our membership. As the Minister said, it is just under £10 billion net and we get the benefits of being in the European Union while we are paying it. So how can he say that we are paying an extra £1 billion when we are still a member of the European Union?
Division number 13 See full list of votes (From The Public Whip)Content Earl Attlee Lord Blencathra Lord Borwick Viscount Bridgeman Lord Bridges of Headley Baroness Byford Lord Caine Earl of Caithness Lord Carrington Earl Cathcart Lord Cavendish of Furness Lord Colgrain Lord Cope of Berkeley Baroness Couttie Lord de Mauley Baroness Deech Lord Dixon-Smith Lord Dobbs Lord Dunlop Lord Empey...
Division number 12 See full list of votes (From The Public Whip)Content Earl Attlee (teller) Lord Blencathra Lord Borwick Viscount Bridgeman Lord Bridges of Headley Baroness Byford Lord Caine Earl of Caithness Lord Carrington Earl Cathcart Lord Cavendish of Furness Lord Colgrain Lord Cope of Berkeley Baroness Couttie Lord Crathorne Lord de Mauley Baroness Deech Lord Dixon-Smith Lord Dobbs...
