Mobile Phone and Broadband Prices

Debate between Baroness Lloyd of Effra and Lord Watts

Tuesday 9th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The resilience of our network is absolutely critical. A fibre network is more resilient to many shocks, so the move to fibre will provide more resilience in the future. It is very important that in this transition from the PSTN to the fibre network, vulnerable customers are supported and have the back-up they need in cases of power cuts, and so on. The transition from the PSTN to the other network has already taken place for a large number of consumers in this country and is well on track towards the final handover.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, can I bore the House again? Our regulators are some of the worst in the world and they are letting the public down. We are not holding them to account. Is it not about time that some of these individuals got sacked and replaced by people who will protect the public?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

There are very important roles for our regulators. There are also very important governance systems in place that govern how regulators work and how they are accountable to Parliament. I do not think there is any case at present to take the action my noble friend suggests.

Data Adequacy Status: EU Data Protection Standards

Debate between Baroness Lloyd of Effra and Lord Watts

Thursday 4th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

That is a very good point. I was able to discuss with my Malaysian counterpart the potential for a digital trade agreement when I was in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year. I very much hope that we can progress that to promote digital trade—and likewise with the EU. I assure the noble Lord that the Government are working extremely actively to progress the EU reset.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, is this not just another example of the disaster of Brexit, which was spelled out, in all places, in the Telegraph a couple of weeks ago, demonstrating the damage that has been done to the country? Do we not need to speed up our relations and discussions to get back to some sensible agreement with our main trading partner in Europe?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

My noble friend is right about the importance of making swift progress to reset the relationship to promote trade and get all the agreements in place under the EU reset, which goes from everything from energy to defence and security—all sorts of areas where we can make real progress to support the UK economy.

Built Environment Sector

Debate between Baroness Lloyd of Effra and Lord Watts

Tuesday 28th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

I think the noble Lord knows that that is an issue the Treasury will be dealing with in due course.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, can the Minister give us an update on the practice, carried out for many years under the previous Government, of land banking by housing companies? Is she able to recall the promise that we would deal with this? Can she give us an update?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

This question is very pertinent. I am afraid that I cannot give him the full details on that right now, so, if I may, I promise to follow up in writing with him.