Independent Water Commission

Baroness Falkner of Margravine Excerpts

Tuesday 29th October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

The Government have not handicapped the commission; they have given the commission a clear target, overview and scope. Where housing, planning, agriculture and drainage interlink with strategic planning for the water system, they are in scope. In some circumstances, that could include, for example, agricultural run-off or housing development—it just has to be within that scope. Having said that, just because the other areas that my noble friend referred to are not in scope of the commission, that does not mean that the Government are not taking them very seriously or not continuing to do further work on these issues.

[Baroness Falkner of Margravine (CB)]

My Lords, I welcome the review and, in particular, the appointment of Sir Jon Cunliffe, who, in his time regulating financial services at the Bank of England, proved his thorough understanding of regulatory frameworks. My point is about scope and timing. We are told that an advisory group will be established to inform him and that he will refer to, and consult with, expert stakeholders. After that, the commission will also publish a general call for evidence to bring in a broad range of other views, which I assume is the public part—I see the Minister nodding, so presumably there will be a public consultation. My question therefore is: does she sincerely believe that six months is adequate? This review is profoundly important and pulls together so many different strands, as others have mentioned, so it is more important to get it right than to get it on the record quick.

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

As the noble Baroness said, Sir Jon Cunliffe is an excellent choice as chair, and we are very pleased to have him. He is already looking at who could be part of the advisory group—that is taking place—and who the broader advisers will be. We want to have it open to the public and consumers, because it is important that they too have their say. Now that we have the chair appointed, we are, as a matter of urgency, getting the other members of the advisory group in place and getting the other people involved who need to be involved, including the public, as quickly as possible.

Higher Education (Basic Amount) (England) Regulations 2010

Baroness Falkner of Margravine Excerpts

Tuesday 14th December 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Triesman]

I can only say to the noble Baroness, for whom I have genuinely huge respect, that the reality in those families is that they have to have confidence to believe that university is for them, despite the fact that there has often never been a history in those families of going to university. They have to believe that it will work for them and that they will not, through the rest of their lives, regret having made that change.

[Baroness Falkner of Margravine]

My Lords—

[Lord Triesman]

I think that we are coming towards the end, and I promised that I will be brief, so let me finish.

I ask the House: please study the facts, establish the evidence and take your decisions based on the knowledge that we have, not on hopeful guesses about what may take place. If you do not think that the evidence is there, set in motion a means of achieving that evidence, so that decisions can be taken on the evidence.

Many in this House with great distinction have argued over the years that we should always go for pre-legislative scrutiny and that we should spend the time to make sure that we knew what we were doing. Two and three-quarter hours is a fair time, but it is not the scrutiny that should change the university system of the United Kingdom for decades to come, without the knowledge that is essential to take that decision.

I have argued that I believe that it will be fundamentally damaging; I know that others will argue—on the supply and the demand side, incidentally—that that is not the case. That debate cannot be held until the White Paper promised by the noble Lord, Lord Henley, and the noble Baroness, Lady Wilcox, and the other bits of this picture are in front of the House, so that the entire picture can be studied.

That is my final point to the House. It is about the dignity and the way in which the House deals with itself. Fundamental change—game-changing change in legislation—to be followed by the White Paper that establishes the basic arguments? That cannot conceivably be the way for a Parliament to proceed. I wish to test the opinion of the House.