Thames Tideway Tunnel

Debate between Lord De Mauley and Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton

Wednesday 14th May 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

We have thought very carefully about that, my Lords, and we have concluded that it would be more expensive. However, as I said, green infrastructure and SUDS solutions are part of the long-term solution.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton (Lab)]

My Lords, why did the Minister fail to answer the question put by my noble friend Lord Grantchester?

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, because there probably would not be time to do it justice. However, I assure noble Lords that the question of how we structure this project is complicated and we are being extremely careful about it.

Food Banks

Debate between Lord De Mauley and Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton

Thursday 20th March 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, we are not proposing to record the number of food banks or the potential number of people using them or other types of food aid. To do so would place unnecessary burdens on the wonderful volunteers trying to help their communities. The report is a useful summary of evidence from providers and charities. The provision of food aid ranges from small, local provision through to regional and national schemes. The landscape is mostly community-led provision responding to local needs. It is not the Government’s role to tell them how to run the services they provide.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister said that the answer to the problem of people using food banks is for them to be in employment. Without doing research, how on earth can the Minister justify that statement? So many people are working and using food banks—those on zero-hours contracts, et cetera. Is the Minister aware that, in many parts of the country, food banks cannot accept food that needs cooking because those using food banks have had their power cut off through poverty?

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, the noble Baroness raises a number of issues, and I am not going to have time to do them all justice. She raises the issue of the working poor, and she is right to do so. We agree, as I said earlier, that some of the poorest households in the country are struggling. That is why, for example, we are increasing the minimum wage and increasing the personal tax allowance, taking 3.2 million people out of income tax altogether. That is why we have frozen fuel duty and why we have helped local authorities freeze council tax.

Forestry

Debate between Lord De Mauley and Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton

Tuesday 5th February 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, as part of the Red Tape Challenge, tree preservation order regulations have been included on the website. We are not saying that we want to get rid of the regulations or protection for trees. It is a chance for the public to tell us which regulations are working, which are not, which should be scrapped, which should be simplified and what can be done differently.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton]

My Lords, will the Minister please answer in full the question asked by my noble friend Lady Royall?

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, I consider that I have done so.

Disabled People: Employment

Debate between Lord De Mauley and Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton

Thursday 15th March 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, I do not think it is a question of favouring one group over another; it is a matter of targeting the resources better at the whole disabled population. Remploy takes up one-fifth of the entire budget of employment support for disabled people. We feel, and indeed are advised by the Sayce review and the disabled lobby, that this is a more appropriate way to target the resources.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton]

My Lords, will the Minister confirm that nothing in the legislation concerning devolution to Wales would prevent the Government doing what the Welsh Assembly wants?

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, I cannot give the noble Baroness an answer to that because I have not studied the devolvement legislation. However, I will write to her with an answer.

Employment: Market and Coastal Towns

Debate between Lord De Mauley and Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton

Tuesday 12th July 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, I am not, and I will follow that up with my colleagues.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton]

My Lords, would the Minister care to comment on the savage cuts in local authority spending for areas such as Blackpool in the north, where the reduction in public expenditure is far greater than the Government have made either in the south of England or in Civil Service and government spending?

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, I know that the noble Baroness takes this issue very seriously. The Government are especially aware of some of the northern coastal towns—she mentioned one. A question was asked earlier about local enterprise partnerships. They now cover all northern coastal towns. As locally owned and genuine business civic partnerships, they are taking the strategic lead for economic growth and creating the right conditions for private sector growth along the coast, supported by budget measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises.

Government Spending

Debate between Lord De Mauley and Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton

Wednesday 26th May 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, I am most grateful to my noble friend Lord Burnett for that point. As he is aware, there will be a Budget shortly, which will tackle the task he has suggested. There will also be established an Office for Budget Responsibility. Its job will be to root out and identify the items to which he specifically referred.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton]

My Lords, given that many Conservative-controlled authorities have a zero-rate increase this year and cuts already, will the Minister explain in greater detail which of the services not ring-fenced do not assist the most vulnerable people? Which services specifically do his Government consider to be un-ring-fenced and therefore expendable?

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Farrington, for her kind question. It will be a principle of this Government that such matters will be for local government to decide.