Lord Haskel: My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Phillips, is right to be concerned at the high earnings in the City and the low earnings of teachers. The noble Lord, Lord Griffiths, suggested that that is an indication of a dynamic and growing economy. However, a polarised economy is manifestly unjust. Is it inevitable that we have to sacrifice social justice and a more equitable society for a dynamic and...
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I too thank and congratulate my noble friend Lord Tomlinson for giving us this opportunity to debate Nice and enlargement after a period of reflection. Make no mistake: enlargement is a very big step and will have a major impact on all of us. My noble friend Lord Tomlinson reminded us that enlargement would make a major contribution to stability and security in Europe. I agree that...
Lord Haskel: My Lords, it is quite clear that Mr Alastair Campbell is a civil servant at the present time. What happens if an election is called?
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I had the privilege of serving on the committee with the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin. I am delighted to see the noble Lord back in this House. He is obviously making up for lost time--I see that he is speaking in both of today's debates. I am especially pleased to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Platt. She made reference to WISE. The House will know that she played an important role in...
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his intervention. It is, indeed, Queensgate. The Royal Institution is setting up a science media centre to provide, as it says in its literature, "a focal point from which scientists explain the nature of their work, discuss its consequences and engage in public discussion over the benefits and risks". Of course, the British Association already plays an...
Lord Haskel: My Lords, can my noble friend tell the House whether self-assessment has had any impact on tax evasion? Do all these complications enable people to evade tax?
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I have no special interest to declare. I am just an ordinary consumer strongly in favour of broadcasting, and I am grateful to my noble friend Lord Gordon for this opportunity to tell your Lordships the reasons why. Public service broadcasting makes a special and distinct contribution to the sense we have of being a nation. That is why I am a supporter of public service...
Lord Haskel: My Lords, does my noble and learned friend agree that while age discrimination extends to many other areas apart from the Civil Service, there is one example of progressive views on age discrimination; that is, in your Lordships' House?
Lord Haskel: My Lords, the state pension at retirement is a relatively new idea. It was a progressive idea introduced in 1948 at a time when life expectancy was low, largely because of people's poor health. Thanks to healthier ageing, the time has come to rethink the concept of a fixed age for retirement. The Foresight document makes a very powerful case for this. I am most grateful to the noble Baroness,...
Lord Haskel: My Lords, is it really helpful to our armed services for us to debate the technical specifications of their equipment in public in this manner?
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, on having selected tax as the topic for debate today. There is no better topic than tax to illustrate the contrast between a Tory administration and a Labour administration. During the Tory administration perhaps the rich paid less tax, but the poor certainly paid more. As a result, a quarter of our children were born into poverty and...
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for giving way. The point I was making is that the difference between productivity in Britain and productivity among our competitors is, on various measures, between 10 and 20 per cent. If we improve our productivity and introduce more growth into the economy, that is how we shall improve our standard of living.
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for giving way. If one does one's own tax return and sends it in by the end of October, the Revenue will work out one's tax. One does not have to do it oneself.
Lord Haskel: My Lords, does my noble and learned friend agree that it is very easy to criticise a half-done business deal? Does he further agree that noble Lords opposite should save their criticisms for when the deal is completed rather than make them when it is half done?
Lord Haskel: My Lords, this initiative is but one part of an international movement to reduce third world poverty. The movement is led by Great Britain, and especially by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. We have recognised that the least developed countries are stuck in a vicious cycle of debt, poverty and under-development because they are excluded from world trade and are...
Lord Haskel: My Lords, my noble friend will be aware that the unions are threatening strike action over safety on the London Underground. Can he tell the House whether anything is being done to reassure the unions in that respect? Indeed, can be say whether there is any further information regarding this threatened strike about which we ought to be aware?
Lord Haskel: My Lords, have the Government considered naming and shaming companies that manufacture instruments of torture?
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for giving way. Does not the noble Lord agree that as the day was allocated to the Labour Back Benches it is up to them to decide how to dispose of it?
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I support the Bill for all the health reasons given by the noble Lord, Lord Walton. I certainly agree that advertising affects consumption. But the Bill is not about the right to smoke or grow tobacco; it is not about humbug and it is not about sex. It is all about banning the advertising and promotion of tobacco products. It is an attempt to regulate tobacco advertising and...
Lord Haskel: My Lords, I disagree with the noble Lord's list. His list did not include the banning of guns, for example. The fact that guns have been banned has probably saved a large number of lives, so he had better add all those on.