National Insurance: Charity Sector
Debate between Baroness Twycross and Lord Watts(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Baroness Twycross (Lab)
The noble Lord gives a powerful example of the valuable work that charities undertake. It is hugely difficult for this Government to find ways of filling the £22 billion black hole. The Charities Minister has met representatives and we are keen to work with and hear from individual charities where they have concerns, so if the noble Lord has specific examples that he would like to share with me, I ask him to get in touch.
Lord Watts (Lab)
My Lords, has the Minister received an apology from the Opposition for crashing the economy, driving public services to the worst state they have ever been in and for not coming forward with any solutions as to how we can address these problems? They left us to make difficult decisions that we do not want to make, but it is their mess.
Baroness Twycross (Lab)
My noble friend makes an important point. I have not personally received an apology. I would not necessarily expect such an apology to come to me; I would expect it to be made to the nation.
Cultural Sector: Freedom of Speech
Debate between Baroness Twycross and Lord Watts
Baroness Twycross (Lab)
The noble Baroness raises a really interesting point. It goes some way from the original Question so I will be honest and say, rather than answering it on the hoof, that I would be very happy to sit down with her and talk through the issue that she raises in more detail.
Lord Watts (Lab)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the rules for what was permitted to be put out on social media were written before it was controlled by two billionaires, who seem to be determined not to have any fact checking in their processes? Can the Minister assure us that when we are drawing up and making our rules, we make sure that people are not allowed to put things out on social media that have not been fact checked?
Baroness Twycross (Lab)
As my noble friend the Leader of the House said yesterday, the new approach taken by Meta, which I think my noble friend Lord Watts refers to, relates to the United States and not Europe, where fact checking will remain. As my noble friend said, all platforms will want to ensure that their information is as accurate as possible. I know that noble Lords across the House will agree with that point.
Procurement Act 2023
Debate between Baroness Twycross and Lord Watts(4 months, 1 week ago)
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Lord Watts (Lab)
My Lords, it seems to me that it would be good for the Opposition to visit Germany, where there is a great relationship between trade unions and employers and the productivity rate is much higher, and compare it with the failed policy of the last Government.