Tackling Antisemitism: National Security Adviser
Debate between Baroness Twycross and Lord Callanan(5 days, 23 hours ago)
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Baroness Twycross (Lab)
The views to which the noble Lord alludes are held by an individual who does not represent this Government in any capacity. As the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government said earlier today, the person concerned is the wife of the National Security Adviser, not the National Security Adviser. In political discourse, it is important to maintain a distinction between government employees and their families.
Lord Callanan (Con)
My Lords, the Campaign Against Antisemitism has expressed serious concerns about the public comments of Sarah Helm, the wife of the National Security Adviser, to whom the Minister just referred. The Government have said, quite rightly, that Sarah Helm does not represent them. However, in a post during a public exchange on X last night, in response to the question of whether her husband was involved in the decision to proscribe Palestine Action, Sarah Helm denied it and said, “Nope”. Can the Minister tell the House how Ms Helm knew whether her husband was involved? None of us knows who in government was involved in that decision. How does she know who was involved?
European Union: Trade
Debate between Baroness Twycross and Lord Callanan
Lord Callanan (Con)
My Lords, the Minister just told the House that there would be no return to freedom of movement. The Prime Minister is travelling to Brussels next week to meet with EU leaders. According to media reports this morning, they are going to ask him to agree to a new youth mobility scheme. Can the Minister say whether that is not a return to freedom of movement?
Baroness Twycross (Lab)
A youth mobility scheme is absolutely not a return to freedom of movement. If the noble Lord wishes to have a longer discussion about the youth mobility scheme, there will be a longer debate on this issue later today. We will obviously be looking at EU proposals on a range of issues, but there are no plans for a Europe-wide youth mobility scheme.
Hospitality Industry
Debate between Baroness Twycross and Lord Callanan(3 years, 9 months ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Lord Callanan) (Con)
My Lords, officials at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy use a range of data sources, including the ONS, Statista and IBISWorld, to assess the impact of the current economic situation on hospitality businesses. In addition, Ministers and officials work closely with hospitality businesses and the main trade bodies, including UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association, and the British Institute of Innkeeping, which provide us with valuable data on levels of trading and economic performance.
Baroness Twycross (Lab)
My Lords, the cost of living crisis is causing hardship not only to individuals and families but to the businesses that employ millions of people in the UK hospitality sector. Many of those businesses are on the brink of closure, not least due to food inflation and spiralling energy costs. Will the Government reverse their decision to reduce support for the sector in relation to energy bills and retain a permanent lower rate of 12.5% VAT? Will the Government also commit to updating their hospitality strategy, published in 2021, to ensure that the sector can meet the challenges that it now faces?
Lord Callanan (Con)
The noble Baroness makes a good point. We will certainly keep the hospitality strategy under review. It is worth recognising that we have offered considerable support to the sector, as we have to all businesses. I am afraid that we cannot continue to provide such levels of support. Nevertheless, support is available through business rates relief and other policies, and we continue to liaise closely with the sector.