Eurotunnel
Debate between Earl of Courtown and Lord Sherbourne of Didsbury
The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, this is all about guaranteeing capacity. As I said before, there are measures to improve security and traffic flow at the border, benefiting both passengers and businesses. This will include improved access to the UK tunnel. This will happen whether there is no deal or we get a deal. So the money will be well spent and this will go on for longer than the next four weeks.
Lord Sherbourne of Didsbury (Con)
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that, while this payment to Eurotunnel is highly controversial, for most people in the country the most important point is for the Government to ensure that, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, we have supplies of pharmaceutical and medical products that come into the country effectively and on time?
The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, my noble friend is right. Patients can have confidence in the Government’s contingency plans to work with suppliers who provide medicines and other medical supplies to the UK to ensure the continuity of supply. We have selected the best way of ensuring that patients continue to receive the medicines, devices and medical supplies they need.
BBC
Debate between Earl of Courtown and Lord Sherbourne of Didsbury
Lord Sherbourne of Didsbury (Con)
My Lords, there will be a very broad welcome for the Government’s decision to have a majority of the new BBC board as independent, not government-appointed, members. However, I urge my noble friend to take note of two points. First, in addition to them being independent, I hope that the criteria for deciding who might be appropriate will take into account an understanding of the very rapidly changing world of television in the future, which will be the world in which the BBC has to operate. Secondly, I again urge that there would be real advantage in terms of enhancing the independence of board members if they were appointed for one term only, so they would not feel the need to curry favour to ensure a renewal of their appointment.
The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, the draft charter allows the independent non-executive directors to have two terms of four years each. No doubt the department will listen carefully to what my noble friend has said.
BBC: Independence
Debate between Earl of Courtown and Lord Sherbourne of Didsbury
The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Alli, for that question. I am glad—the House might have got a little impatient with 15 questions. The department is aware of the letter from the noble Lord and will respond as soon as it can. It is also willing to hold a meeting with the noble Lord to go through these items. I will not give a commitment to 14 days at this moment but if there is any more news I can give, I will report to the noble Lord.
Lord Sherbourne of Didsbury (Con)
My Lords, would it not help to entrench the independence of the BBC if the appointments made to the board were for one term only so there was no risk of board members currying favour in the hope of another appointment? Indeed, did not the previous chair of Ofcom choose to serve for only one term? Is that not a record worth following?
The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, I thank my noble friend. I am sure that my colleagues in the department will take careful note of the one-term issue. I should add that the appointment process for the board members will follow OCPA guidance and public sector best practice.