Disabled People: Sports Stadia
Debate between Lord Gardiner of Kimble and Lord Mawhinney
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
My Lords, the track record is immense. We have only to look at the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Commonwealth Games to see how vibrant volunteering is. We want to develop that across a broad piece, but I shall certainly take back what the noble Lord said.
Lord Mawhinney (Con)
My Lords, my noble friend in his earlier Answer gave a comprehensive and impressive list of things that people were undertaking and that the Government were doing. The slight danger in his Answer might conceivably be the implication that we were short of knowledge about what the problem was. When does my noble friend think that this will become an issue of political will rather than more and more about persuasion and trying to find out information that is readily available at the moment?
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
My Lords, one reason why we wanted to have the survey was that there was a lot of anecdotal evidence. We want firm evidence from both the clubs and disabled fans across a range so that we can properly address this matter. The survey concludes on 28 February. I hope that many more sporting clubs will contribute to that process. Then we can start to plan and remedy what has been unsatisfactory for too long.
Living Wage
Debate between Lord Gardiner of Kimble and Lord Mawhinney
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
My Lords, the Government have directed their focus entirely in terms of low pay on taking action to help through the tax system. Indeed, they raised the income tax allowance to take 2 million of the lowest-paid people out of tax altogether. From next April someone on the minimum wage working full time will see their income tax bill cut in half, and if they work 28 hours a week they will no longer pay income tax. That is a direct result of what this Government are doing to assist the low paid.
Lord Mawhinney
My Lords, how many jobs do the Government estimate would be lost if the living wage was substituted for the national minimum wage?
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
My Lords, I do not have that figure in front of me but my noble friend has raised something which I think has also been raised by the Federation of Small Businesses. It is clearly important that we make sure that in asking and encouraging business to pay more, it happens only where it is possible. What we cannot have is job creation and job retention put in jeopardy.