Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 1 Report

Debate between Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth and Lord Fowler

Thursday 31st October 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

That this House takes note of the Phase 1 report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, before we embark on the next debate, it is appropriate that we collectively show our respect and appreciation for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire and their families. I therefore invite the House now to rise and to observe a one-minute silence.

The House observed a one-minute silence.

Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill [HL]

Debate between Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth and Lord Fowler

1st reading (Hansard): House of Lords
Tuesday 18th June 2019 Lords Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Wales Office (Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth) (Con)]

My Lords, as a matter of convenience for the House, I beg to move that the Bill be read a first time.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the Question is that this important Bill be now read a first time.

UK Response to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa

Debate between Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth and Lord Fowler

Thursday 12th March 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

I thank the noble Baroness for her comments and totally agree with her points about bravery, as I have indicated. On screening passengers arriving from affected countries, she will know that the regular direct service between Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom has been suspended sine die, which I am sure is appropriate. We have enhanced the screening in place at Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester airports, and at the St Pancras Eurostar service, where the vast majority of people travelling from affected areas arrive. No screening procedure will be able to identify 100% of the people arriving, but we are confident that the measures we have come close to that, and we obviously keep them under review.

[Lord Fowler (Con)]

My Lords, we obviously all join the Minister in hoping for the recovery of the healthcare worker and in his tribute to everyone from the UK working in Sierra Leone, who work in some danger to their own health. But is not the crucial part of the Statement that he has just made the aspiration to build a more resilient health system for the future? Are there not too many health systems in Africa that are simply not fit for purpose and which do not serve the public in those countries adequately? This week, we made a very important decision on development aid, on an all-party basis, but I wonder whether the next step should not be to devote even more resources in that development budget to improving healthcare around the world, particularly in these countries. Is that a message that he can take back to the department?

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, my noble friend is correct. Clearly, the most immediate aim is to ensure that we get the number of cases down to zero. That is in sight, although it will take months not weeks. Beyond that, the aim is to build a resilient healthcare system for the future in Sierra Leone. There is the personal commitment of the Secretary of State to that and an ongoing commitment from the Government to Sierra Leone. Beyond that, I very much hope that this can be an object lesson for the future in how to achieve that in Africa and, indeed, globally. I will certainly take that message back. It is something we should all cherish and aim for.