Covid-19: Economic Package

Lord McNicol of West Kilbride Excerpts

Wednesday 13th May 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Agnew of Oulton]

My Lords, the newly announced Self-employed Income Support Scheme, which opened today, will be kept open as long as it is needed. That is what we have said all along: we will do what is needed. We need to see how successful it is and how many people it gets to. I am not aware of any advanced thinking on a pay freeze on the public sector or any other measures. As my right honourable friend said yesterday, it is too early for us to be looking at these measures. We need to get through this stage of the crisis. On the noble Baroness’s third question, we have been increasing the number of lenders available on all schemes since they opened. I am sure that this will continue.

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord McNicol of West Kilbride) (Lab)]

I remind all noble Lords to please ask brief questions.

[Lord Marland (Con)]

My Lords, I draw attention to my various business interests listed in the House of Lords register. I start by complimenting the Chancellor and his team. I am sure all noble Lords would like to thank my noble friend the Minister for his tireless efforts throughout this horrendous crisis. The programme of support for business has been far better than that in 2008. The pressure on banks, for example, to perform has been a very good thing and the furlough scheme has been an act of near genius. I also applaud the new scheme for the self-employed, launched today, which the Minister touched on a moment ago. Perhaps he can advise noble Lords of the applications received to date.

I urge caution, however, in announcing an extension to the furlough scheme until October. That will not only cost us £100 billion but will, I am afraid, support many businesses that were ailing before this crisis. I am also aware of a number of profitable and productive businesses that will continue to use it when they have strong enough balance sheets to support their activities without government support. Will the Minister assure us that steps are being taken to prevent malpractice?

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Agnew of Oulton]

My Lords, my right honourable friend in his Statement yesterday extended the existing terms of the furlough scheme until the end of July. I think we will have better knowledge of the disease and our ability to contain it by then, but I take on board the noble Lord’s comments and I will take them back to my colleagues in the Treasury.

[The Deputy Speaker]

My Lords, the time allotted for the Statement is now up. Today’s Virtual Proceedings are complete and are adjourned. Good night.

Virtual Proceeding adjourned at 8.29 pm.

G20 Summit

Lord McNicol of West Kilbride Excerpts

Monday 8th July 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord McNicol of West Kilbride (Lab)]

My Lords, every speaker in tonight’s debate has touched on the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Howell, and the letter that he sent to the Prime Minister in June. In preparing for tonight’s debate I was going through the letter, highlighting the bits which were of interest, and I highlighted virtually all of it. It would be of interest to know whether there was a response from the Prime Minister to the noble Lord’s letter of 13 June and, as has been touched on by many of the speakers tonight, to the important issues that were raised in it.

Also in preparation for tonight, I looked at the declaration. Its language, which many noble Lords have touched on this evening, reminds me of a number of manifestos that I have seen over the years. The question that arises from it, which has been raised by the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, my noble friend Lord Grocott and other noble Lords, is: how is the delivery monitored and kept an eye on as we progress? Perhaps the Minister could touch on that.

The UK was once a great champion of values and principles on the global stage, and the difference between the G20 only a decade ago and our position in the world now could not be starker. The Osaka summit showed how the UK’s role has, sadly, become greatly diminished.

On the issue of climate change, in the coming decades this must be a priority for each of us; we owe it to our children. Since recently adopting Labour’s policy of net zero emissions by 2050, surely the Government realise that the UK must now persuade other states to do the same. The UK alone cannot avoid the greatest threat that our planet has ever faced. With France also now working towards net zero, I hope that the international community can build momentum and quickly make net zero the norm. While it is encouraging that 19 of the 20 representatives reiterated their support for effective and speedy action on climate change, the omission of the US is increasingly worrying. As the noble Lord, Lord Hannay, and the noble Baronesses, Lady Anelay and Lady Northover, touched on, the UK must be the voice which puts climate change at the top of the agenda.

I worry that trade may have been an awkward topic for the Prime Minister. After all, in the background to the summit her likely successor as Prime Minister continued to insist the benefits of a no-deal Brexit and the consequential ripping up of every trade agreement which the UK is currently party to. I cannot imagine that the Prime Minister was in the best position to lay the foundations for future trade arrangements at the G20. However, looking towards a future whereby the next Government may be in a position to do so, most certainly, it should not be used to fund brutal conflicts—and on that, I come to our relations with Saudi Arabia. It is of deep regret that the UK has continued to arm the Saudi forces. Last week, the Court of Appeal ruled that UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen are unlawful. Can the Minister confirm whether the judgment was raised during the bilateral meetings between the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince?

It was 10 years ago, back in 2009, that the UK last hosted the G20. As was my noble friend Lord Judd, I am reminded of the financial aid deal that Gordon Brown delivered at that summit and how, under the Labour Government, the UK led the G20 in a coming together of the world to face the great challenges of the day. It is in that exact spirit that the UK should and could lead the world in overcoming the great challenges we face now: climate change, the global migration crisis, rising concern about nationalism, populism and protectionist Governments, and the enormous inequality across the globe.

I regret that, when looking at Britain in the world today, many will see a country shying away from the global stage and failing to build the relationships we will need if we are to solve the problems of the future.