UK Citizens Resident Overseas: Verification

Debate between Lord Lexden and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Wednesday 29th March 2023 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, if they are registered as citizens of this country, they can then vote, but if they are not, they cannot.

[Lord Lexden (Con)]

I join the noble Baroness opposite in paying tribute to Harry Shindler OBE, who campaigned for years to achieve votes for life for all British citizens. It was marvellous that those who had worked with him, such as me and the noble Lord the Leader of the House, were able to celebrate at lunch with him towards the end of last year. Sadly, as the noble Baroness mentioned, he died a month ago, aged 101.

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

He is sorely missed.

Levelling Up: Funding Allocation

Debate between Lord Lexden and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Monday 23rd January 2023 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I thank the right reverend Prelate for that question and I will have to give him a written answer: I do not have that information on the north-east devolution deal.

[Lord Lexden (Con)]

What are the implications for Northern Ireland? Is it receiving its fair and proper share of the funding? Will it be spent in Belfast and throughout the Province for the benefit of all sections of the community?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, a very fair amount of money went out to all the devolved authorities across the country and it will be up to the local authorities that put in a bid as to how that money is spent, according to the projects that they bid for.

Social Mobility Commission

Debate between Lord Lexden and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Thursday 12th January 2023 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I have no answer for the noble Lord on that one. The questions I am answering are on a completely different subject.

[Lord Lexden (Con)]

My Lords, as my noble friend Lord Baker of Dorking pointed out, the key to greater social mobility must lie in education reform. By a happy coincidence, this House is about to establish a Select Committee on that very subject.

Housing: Leasehold Properties

Debate between Lord Lexden and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Monday 17th October 2022 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, we are continually looking at how we can support the rented sector through this particularly difficult time. On Section 21, as the noble Baroness probably knows, the Prime Minister has said that she will not change her decisions on that either.

[Lord Lexden (Con)]

My Lords, does not the point of the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, underline the importance of doing all we can to induce voters in Scotland to vote for parties other than the Scottish nationalists, preferably the Conservative and Unionist Party?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I agree with my noble friend.

Covid-19: One Year Report

Debate between Lord Lexden and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Thursday 25th March 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, there is a five-minute time limit.

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord Lexden) (Con)]

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, has withdrawn from the debate, so I call the noble Lord, Lord Bhatia.

Northern Ireland Protocol

Debate between Lord Lexden and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Thursday 11th March 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, we want to continue work in the joint committee to address outstanding concerns, to provide space for those discussions without the threat of significant disruption. We have taken several temporary, operational measures to provide more time for businesses to adapt to the new requirements, consistent with our pragmatic and proportionate implementation of the protocol.

[Lord Lexden (Con)]

What has been the reaction of the business community in Northern Ireland to the strenuous and welcome efforts that the Government are making to diminish the problems that they face as a result of the protocol? Do the Government have a plan—a road map even—to replace the protocol with a set of arrangements capable of commanding the confidence of a majority of our fellow countrymen and women in Northern Ireland, whose faith in the union has been shaken by the Government’s departure from the commitment, on which Ministers set such store, to restore full sovereignty in every part of our country?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, we have been in close contact with the business community across Northern Ireland as we have announced these measures, and there have been several expressions of support. That is because we are focused, as everybody should be, on avoiding unacceptable disruption to day-to-day lives and ensuring an effective flow of trade from east to west. On my noble friend’s other point, the protocol is explicit that it rests on democratic consent across Northern Ireland; all sides need to work to sustain it. That is why we are committed to giving effect to the protocol in the pragmatic and proportionate way that was intended, taking account of the Belfast agreement in all its dimensions: north-south and east-west. That is why we want to work with the EU on a durable and pragmatic arrangement for trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the long term.

Criminal Justice: Imprisonment for Public Protection

Debate between Lord Lexden and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Wednesday 9th December 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I will take the noble Lord’s ideas back to the service. However, we have to remember that an offender serving an IPP sentence may only be recalled when they have breached their licence conditions in such a way as to indicate that they are a risk, and that risk has escalated to a level where they can no longer be safely managed in the community.

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord Lexden) (Con)]

The noble Lord, Lord German, has withdrawn, so I call the noble Lord, Lord Farmer.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

As I have said before, public protection has to be our priority. We recall only those assessed as posing an unacceptably high risk of harm to the general public. But of course we need to keep this under review, and each of those cases and offenders is under constant review.

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord Lexden) (Con)]

The noble Baroness, Lady Fox of Buckley, has withdrawn, so I call the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey of Didcot.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, every prisoner has a key worker, who is dedicated to providing support for individual prisoners at any one time and to understanding any mental health issues they might have. We are also working very closely with the Samaritans in our prisons and are supporting the excellent Listener scheme, in which prisoners help other prisoners with emotional support. Last but not least are the four key priorities for prison managers’ training. This includes an awareness training module for staff to identify and recognise mental health issues and substance misuse.

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord Lexden) (Con)]

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

Covid-19: Community Resilience Development Framework

Debate between Lord Lexden and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Wednesday 9th December 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

The noble Baroness is right. We hope that come the end of this spring and over the summer, a lot of people involved in the community and charity sectors will be out working again and getting their money as they normally do. In the meantime, we are keeping all of this under review.

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord Lexden) (Con)]

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

Probation Workforce Strategy

Debate between Lord Lexden and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Monday 21st September 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, I do not know about the history that the noble and learned Lord mentions, but I know that we have committed and professional staff in the probation service who will work tirelessly to ensure that they put their points forward and do their work to make sure that our country is safe.

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord Lexden) (Con)]

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