BBC: Resignation of Director-General

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Monday 12th November 2012 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

The right reverend Prelate makes a very important point, with which I concur. I encourage all people who have suffered this horrendous abuse to come forward, as a large number already have. I also agree with him that our thoughts today should be with these people who have suffered so badly. His point is well made.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

My Lords, will the Minister confirm that heads have rolled at the BBC as a result of a story written not by a BBC journalist but by a freelancer—a Mr Angus Stickler? He sold his story to a “Newsnight” team which was reeling from the consequences of the fallout of the Savile business. The “Newsnight” team was in chaos as a result of that. I am not trying to excuse what happened but let us be absolutely clear: it was not a “Newsnight” employee. It was someone from outside the organisation who, I hope, will no longer be providing information or stories to the BBC in the future.

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

The noble Lord makes an interesting point. It is still the case, however, that the BBC remains responsible, despite the fact that, allegedly, there was a freelance journalist involved. Again, these issues will be looked at as part of the ongoing inquiries.

Employment: Sickness Absence

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Wednesday 25th January 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Freud]

One of the things that the sickness absence review did was to look at the mismatch in what people were trying to do. The worst of the mismatches was that GPs were signing people off on their sick notes because they could not do a particular job, while the work capability assessment later looked at whether they could do any job. It is those mismatches that we need to stop and sort out.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

I suffer from ankylosing spondylitis, which the noble Lord will know is a long-term disease. Does he have any provisional views on the recommendations in the report on physiotherapy services?

[Lord Freud]

My Lords, I think I tried to deal with this a little earlier. There is inadequate support across a whole range of occupational health therapies, including physiotherapy. We are taking our time to do this properly, but one of the important implications is the question of what provision is needed for people who are of working age and in danger of going out of the workforce. We seem to have far too little provision generally, and we will probably need to bulk it up.

Energy: Winter Fuel Payment

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Monday 19th December 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Freud]

My Lords, I am grateful to be told where my sympathies are but the reality is that about 500,000 people would be affected and the saving would be about £40 million a year. It would be expensive and difficult to do and, therefore, on its own, it would not be a good idea. That does not suggest where my sympathies are at all.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

Would not this proposal actually penalise low-income group, basic-rate taxpayers?

[Lord Freud]

I am sorry—I missed the point of that question. Will the noble Lord repeat it?

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

Would not the proposal penalise low-income group, basic-rate, elderly taxpayers?

[Lord Freud]

No, I do not think so. This is just a universal benefit that is paid on a simple basis to households that need it. Older people above 80 receive rather more than those below that age.

Benefits: EU Nationals

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Monday 7th November 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Freud]

My Lords, amazingly, we do not have those data, but that is clearly not the present Government’s problem as we are looking to get those data. Our concern is that, if we let in benefit tourists in the way the Commission is looking for us to do, the costs of doing that could be up to £2.5 billion a year. Noble Lords will be absolutely aware that we have many better ways of spending that money on people who are in this country and who have been making a contribution to this country.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

When are the Government going to comment on the uprating? A lot of people out there in the country will want to know.

[Lord Freud]

I have already made my position on that absolutely clear.