Covid-19: National Memorial

Debate between Lord McColl of Dulwich and Lord True

Wednesday 8th December 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord True (Con)]

I will bow to the superior ingenuity of the noble Lord opposite on that question.

[Lord McColl of Dulwich (Con)]

My Lords, the question has been raised about trying to prevent mortality from a future epidemic. The present epidemic is largely due to—or at least made much worse by—the fact that 71% of British people over the age of 70 are obese, and obesity and Covid are a fatal combination. If we want to prevent future mortalities, we have to get the nation to slim down. The Prime Minister has raised the whole question of reducing obesity by himself taking three stone off and advocating that that is what we should all be doing.

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, my noble friend lays a gentle stiletto between my ribs. Apart from the humorous side of it, there is a very serious side to what my noble friend says. There is an unequivocal connection in the terms that he describes, which each of us should bear in mind and which we should all be well aware of.

EU: Visa-free Short-term Travel Mobility

Debate between Lord McColl of Dulwich and Lord True

Wednesday 21st October 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, the original Question was about visa-free and short-term travel; tourism is certainly germane to the Question and I am sorry if that was unsatisfactory to the noble Baroness. I have referred to our efforts on short-term visits in relation to business activities. Our offer on mode 4 is extremely generous and we continue to impress on EU negotiators that the agreement we are proposing is very much in their workers’ interests as well as our own.

[Lord McColl of Dulwich (Con) [V]]

My Lords, what efforts are Her Majesty’s Government making to ensure that the visa-free short-term travel arrangements will not be used by traffickers to get their victims into the UK, because it looks as though there will be no effective checks at the borders?

[Lord True (Con)]

My Lords, I assure the noble Lord that the UK authorities will remain eternally vigilant against this bestial criminal activity.