Information between 23rd July 2025 - 11th October 2025
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| Division Votes |
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23 Jul 2025 - Employment Rights Bill - View Vote Context Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House One of 11 Non-affiliated Aye votes vs 1 Non-affiliated No votes Tally: Ayes - 290 Noes - 143 |
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23 Jul 2025 - Employment Rights Bill - View Vote Context Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House One of 9 Non-affiliated Aye votes vs 1 Non-affiliated No votes Tally: Ayes - 271 Noes - 138 |
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23 Jul 2025 - Employment Rights Bill - View Vote Context Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House One of 10 Non-affiliated Aye votes vs 1 Non-affiliated No votes Tally: Ayes - 171 Noes - 189 |
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23 Jul 2025 - Employment Rights Bill - View Vote Context Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee voted Aye - in line with the party majority and against the House One of 8 Non-affiliated Aye votes vs 2 Non-affiliated No votes Tally: Ayes - 198 Noes - 198 |
| Speeches |
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Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee speeches from: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee contributed 1 speech (681 words) 2nd reading Friday 19th September 2025 - Lords Chamber Department of Health and Social Care |
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Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee speeches from: Defence Industrial Strategy
Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee contributed 1 speech (120 words) Wednesday 10th September 2025 - Lords Chamber Ministry of Defence |
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Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee speeches from: European Framework Programme 10
Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee contributed 1 speech (68 words) Thursday 4th September 2025 - Lords Chamber Department for Science, Innovation & Technology |
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Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee speeches from: Republic of Ireland: Defence Co-operation
Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee contributed 1 speech (98 words) Wednesday 3rd September 2025 - Lords Chamber Ministry of Defence |
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Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee speeches from: Casement Park: Spending Review
Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee contributed 1 speech (130 words) Wednesday 23rd July 2025 - Lords Chamber Northern Ireland Office |
| Written Answers |
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Tobacco: Counterfeit Manufacturing and Smuggling
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer) Monday 15th September 2025 Question to the HM Treasury: To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the report by KPMG Illicit cigarette consumption in Europe, published on 11 June, what steps they are taking towards countering illicit cigarette consumption and the rise of counterfeit and non-duty-paid goods entering the UK market. Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury) The Government has dedicated significant resource to tackling illicit tobacco and has set out its approach to doing so in successive strategies dating back to 2000. These strategies have been highly effective in reducing the estimated duty gap for cigarettes from 16.9% in 2005 to 10.5% in 2023/24 and for hand-rolling tobacco from 65.2% to 22.9% over the same period.
HMRC publishes annual data on seizures, criminal investigations and civil penalties related to tobacco. Between April 2023 and March 2024, HMRC and Border Force seized 1.36bn cigarettes and 92,435kg of hand-rolling tobacco.
In January 2024, HMRC and Border Force published the latest illicit tobacco strategy, ‘Stubbing Out the Problem’, setting out a continued commitment to reduce the trade in illicit tobacco with a focus on reducing demand, and to tackle and disrupt the organised crime groups behind the illicit tobacco trade. [1] The strategy was supported by £100 million of new smokefree funding over 5 years to boost existing HMRC and Border Force enforcement capability.
[1] Stubbing out the problem: A new strategy to tackle illicit tobacco - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) |
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Independent Reporting Commission
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer) Friday 12th September 2025 Question to the Northern Ireland Office: To ask His Majesty's Government when they will announce the independent expert who will scope out the viability of a transition process within the remit of the Independent Reporting Commission. Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip) The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland expects to be in a position to make an announcement on this appointment in the near future. |
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Gerry Adams
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer) Wednesday 24th September 2025 Question to the Northern Ireland Office: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will legislate to reverse the effect of the judgment of the Supreme Court in R v Adams [2020] UKSC 19 to ensure that Gerry Adams is not entitled to receive public money due to his detention in the 1970s and to restore the doctrine created as a result of the judgment in Carltona v Commissioners of Works [1943] 2 All ER 560 under which a duly authorised official is able to take executive decisions on a Secretary of State's behalf. Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip) The main issue here is the application of the Carltona principle in the context of Interim Custody Orders. The previous Government’s attempt to address this following the 2020 Supreme Court judgment in Adams has been found by the Northern Ireland courts to be incompatible with our international obligations and we need to find a better way of reaffirming this principle.
The Government is carefully exploring how to address this complex issue alongside our clear commitment to implement legacy mechanisms that are fully compliant with human rights, and will do so in upcoming Primary Legislation.
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Abortion: Decriminalisation
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer) Friday 10th October 2025 Question to the Department of Health and Social Care: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the decriminalisation of abortion upon the rights and responsibilities of medical professionals, including those with conscientious objections to participation in abortion procedures. Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) The House of Commons has voted to add a clause to the Crime and Policing Bill which disapplies the criminal offences related to abortion from women in relation to their own pregnancy. These offences would still apply to medical professionals and third parties who do not abide by the rules set out in the Abortion Act 1967. Under section 4(1) of the Abortion Act 1967, medical professionals have the right to refuse to participate in terminations of pregnancy, other than where the termination is necessary to save the life of, or prevent grave injury to, the pregnant woman. This right is limited to refusal to participate in the procedure or procedures themselves and not to pre- or post-treatment care, advice, or management. |
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Abortion: Decriminalisation
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer) Friday 10th October 2025 Question to the Department of Health and Social Care: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential risks to vulnerable women, including those who may be subject to coercion or abuse, if abortion were to be decriminalised; and what safeguarding measures they plan to put in place to protect them. Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) No assessment has been made. It is for Parliament to decide the circumstances under which abortions should take place. As with other matters of conscience, abortion is an issue on which the Government adopts a neutral stance and allows members of Parliament to vote according to their moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. The House of Commons has voted to add a clause to the Crime and Policing Bill which disapplies the criminal offences related to abortion from women in relation to their own pregnancy. These offences would still apply to medical professionals and third parties who do not abide by the rules set out in the Abortion Act 1967. The safeguarding of children, young people, and adults who are at risk is a fundamental obligation for everyone who works in the National Health Service and its partner agencies. Following the decriminalisation of abortion for pregnant women acting in relation to their own pregnancy, the Department will consider whether sufficient safeguards are already in place or whether additional guidance is needed. |
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Abortion: Decriminalisation
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer) Friday 10th October 2025 Question to the Department of Health and Social Care: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of abortion decriminalisation on public confidence in the protection of unborn children and wider societal attitudes towards the value of life. Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) No assessment has been made. It is for Parliament to decide the circumstances under which abortions should take place. As with other matters of conscience, abortion is an issue on which the Government adopts a neutral stance and allows members of Parliament to vote according to their moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. |
| Calendar |
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Wednesday 5th November 2025 10:30 a.m. Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee - Private Meeting View calendar - Add to calendar |
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Wednesday 22nd October 2025 10:30 a.m. Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee - Private Meeting View calendar - Add to calendar |
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Wednesday 29th October 2025 10:30 a.m. Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee - Private Meeting View calendar - Add to calendar |