Children: Television

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall and Lord Newby

Tuesday 1st July 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Newby]

My Lords, the slight problem with that line of argument is that it would open the way to tax breaks on virtually every kind of expenditure. At the moment, as noble Lords will be aware, the Government’s ability to make tax cuts is severely constrained by the overall financial situation.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, does the Minister not agree that that is a counsel of despair? The children’s television that is produced in this country is, generally speaking, of a very high quality. He mentioned earlier that the problem for that sector of the industry is in finding a market. If there were more of it, there might be a bigger market for it overseas as well as in the UK. Some encouragement to what is a widely respected part of the industry might not come amiss and would certainly help to encourage our exports.

[Lord Newby]

My Lords, the noble Baroness makes a strong point. Again, this is the point that the industry is making and that the Treasury will listen to and consider over the coming months.

Children: Childcare Costs

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall and Lord Newby

Thursday 31st January 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Newby]

My Lords, obviously one of the problems with simply having a tax relief-based scheme is the one that the right reverend Prelate refers to. That is why we are looking at a number of options, some of which are tax based and others of which are not. I hope very much, however, that the Government will be in a position to make an announcement on this very shortly.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall]

My Lords, going back to the question from the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, does the Minister agree that one of the real problems in the provision of childcare is the very low rates of pay that are awarded to people who are in fact qualified and have a great deal to offer, but who are in the main only able to earn extremely low wages? If the Government’s plan is to put more burdens on those people by increasing the numbers of children that they can look after, is it likely that that will do anything at all either for the childcare or for the people delivering it?

[Lord Newby]

My Lords, I think the question that we have to look at in terms of the number of children is why it is that those countries that, by common consent, have the best childcare provision in the world have higher ratios of children. The answer is partly that we need to have a combination of things of which better training is one. The pay is very low, but the Government will fund the additional free support which I mentioned earlier at a higher average rate of pay than is currently paid across the sector.

Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Exemption) (Amendment No. 2) Order 2011

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall and Lord Newby

Monday 17th October 2011 Grand Committee

[Lord Newby]

My Lords—

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall)]

My Lords, I believe that the Minister has not yet finished the speech he wishes to make in order to put the Motion. We must first put the Motion before it can be discussed, so we must wait until he is ready to say that he wishes to put it.