Covid-19: Public Health Information

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Tuesday 8th December 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, the noble Lord makes an important point. In terms of reaching all vulnerable groups, those without access to the internet are important. This is taken into consideration. I can assure the noble Lord that the performance of the Covid campaign is reviewed in detail twice a week between the centre and agencies, but I will underline the significance of the specific point he raised.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. We now come to the third Oral Question.

Summit of Democratic Governments

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Monday 30th November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, I have not mentioned President-elect Biden and his initiative on democracies—the noble Lord puts words that were never in my mouth. The Government will support any initiative from whatever quarter, including the President-elect, to promote democracy in the world.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed, and that finishes Question Time.

Wales: Customs Sites

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Wednesday 25th November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Agnew of Oulton (Con)]

My Lords, the difference for the vast majority of traders between a deal and no deal is simply the level of tariffs that will have to be put into the HMRC and DIT systems. So their readiness needs to be at the same level, whether it is a deal or no deal.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. We now move to the third Oral Question.

Ministerial Code

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Tuesday 24th November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, as I have said, I cannot comment on the details of the investigation or on who was involved. I think that many would be surprised by my noble friend’s hypothesis. However, I can say again that the Prime Minister has reviewed the matter, including Sir Alex Allan’s report, and does not consider that the code was breached. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary have issued a letter setting out the joint responsibilities of Ministers and Permanent Secretaries. As my noble friend implies, there is a duty on both sides to work together harmoniously. I believe that we should now all get on with the job of doing good public service.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed and it brings Question Time to an end.

Home Secretary: Allegations of Bullying

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Monday 2nd November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, the noble Lord has made an important point. As I have indicated to the House, full assistance is provided to those who make complaints. There is also a facility to make complaints without the disclosure of names. I agree with what the noble Lord has about the Valuing Everyone training, and I confirm to the House that all Cabinet Ministers, including the Prime Minister, have either taken Parliament’s important Valuing Everyone training or have made arrangements to do so.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed and we have dealt with all the supplementary questions.

Civil Servants: Public Procurement

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Thursday 29th October 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, as I said in my first Answer, humility, respect for proper conduct and ethics are the best guide for any person at any level or in any place in public service. To that extent, I agree with the noble Lord.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. We now come to the fourth Question.

EU: Non-financial Services

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd September 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Whitty (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, nearly three years ago I chaired an inquiry into non-financial services. As far as I can see, and from what the Minister says, virtually none of the concerns of those sectors has yet resulted in an actual agreement, even in draft. It would of course be helpful if the Minister could undertake to get his department to reply to each of the recommendations in that report but, for today, perhaps he could respond on just two sectors. On the creative industries—music, film, broadcasting and theatre in particular—what progress has been made for reciprocal provisions on intellectual property, free movement, particularly mode 4, and even such basic things as transportation of musical instruments and theatrical scenery, for example? On transport, specifically aviation—I declare my vice-presidency of BALPA in the first sector—and road haulage, aside from any short-term contingency provisions—

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

Too long.

[Lord Whitty (Lab)]

Progress has to be made on obtaining long-term reciprocal EU-UK arrangements for those sectors.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

Before the Minister replies, I remind Members that we have now gone for four and a half minutes and have had only two questions. If people could keep their questions short, it would be much appreciated by the House.

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, I cannot answer all the questions that the noble Lord has asked, for the reasons discussed, but I will seek out the answer to his question on his report. So far as reciprocal arrangements are concerned, I repeat what I said earlier: namely, that the Government are seeking to make progress but there are technical delays in the negotiations as a result of the EU’s position.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, the Government are not giving a running commentary on the negotiations. We remain in close contact with our EU counterparts. There were discussions yesterday and we look forward to the next round of talks in London next week. I can promise my noble friend that we will publish the agenda for that next round towards the end of the week as usual.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. I apologise to the two Members who have been excluded.

Parliament: Restoration and Renewal Project

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd July 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True]

My Lords, a number of factors have been raised by noble Lords during our various exchanges of which I have taken careful note, and the considerations that my noble friend has put forward are among those. Indeed, they were alluded to in the Prime Minister’s letter, along with timelines, the effect on the work of Parliament and so on, which were specifically referred to.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed.

12.50 pm

Intelligence and Security Committee: Russia Report

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Thursday 9th July 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True]

My Lords, I certainly endorse what the noble Baroness said: we have no quarrel whatever with the Russian people, their great culture and their achievements. I have said that we are fully aware of the activities of the current regime. The Government are fully engaged at all times in trying to protect the integrity of democratic processes within this country.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed.

Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Monday 15th June 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True [V]]

My Lords, again, I cannot anticipate the announcements that the Government will make. The noble Lord is quite right, as always: the Act stipulates that the majority on the committee should be Members of the House of Commons, but it says nothing about the others.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed.