Lord Oates Portrait

Lord Oates

Liberal Democrat - Life peer

Became Member: 5th October 2015


International Agreements Committee
23rd Apr 2020 - 31st Jan 2023
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Energy and Climate Change)
29th Jan 2020 - 11th May 2022
European Union Committee
29th Oct 2019 - 31st Mar 2021
EU External Affairs Sub-Committee
2nd Jul 2019 - 23rd Apr 2020
EU Justice Sub-Committee
26th Jan 2016 - 5th Sep 2017


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Oates has voted in 12 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Lord Oates Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Labour)
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
(2 debate interactions)
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(2 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Leader of the House
(2 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(2 debate contributions)
Ministry of Justice
(1 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Lord Oates's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Oates, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Lord Oates has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Lord Oates has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 8 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
2nd Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to imposing per-cycle fines on electric cycle rental companies for each cycle that is left obstructing a public highway or footway.

The Government recognises that when implemented well and managed effectively, shared cycle schemes can have real benefits in terms of sustainable, efficient, and greener transport.

However, too often dockless cycles are parked obstructively on the pavement causing a serious safety hazard to disabled people.

Safety is the Department for Transport’s top priority, and we are carefully considering next steps to tackle these issues while reaping the benefits these schemes can bring.

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
6th Jan 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take, following the Nuffield Health and Manchester Metropolitan University report Unlocking the 'miracle cure', published in December 2024, to support healthcare professionals in prescribing physical activity as part of routine NHS care.

The Government has not made a specific assessment of the report. However, the Government welcomes the announcement of the new venture between Manchester Metropolitan University and Nuffield Health and will be keen to learn from this work as it delivers physical activity support to people living with chronic conditions.

The National Health Service, together with local authorities, provides a range of services such as exercise on referral and social prescribing, including exercise classes, falls prevention through strength and balance classes for older adults, walking groups and promotion of digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app.

Interventions like the one in Manchester demonstrate the valuable work across local areas to embed movement into people’s care. There are other established examples of local NHS and local government approaches across the country that integrate physical activity into clinical care including perioperative care and cancer and cardiac rehabilitation.

NHS England is working closely with partners nationally and locally to explore how the NHS might galvanise support to make physical activity a core part of NHS care, to benefit patients, NHS staff and the wider public. By empowering clinicians and healthcare professionals with the skills and confidence to discuss and promote physical activity, by integrating it into key clinical pathways and by aligning it with Core20PLUS5 for adults, children and young people, the NHS could help to transform patient outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

Whilst the Government and NHS recognise the value of integrating physical activity into clinical care, prevention will always be better, and cheaper, than cure. The Health Mission, on which the Department leads, is focused on shifting towards a more preventative approach to healthcare.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
6th Jan 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the Nuffield Health and Manchester Metropolitan University report Unlocking the 'miracle cure', published in December 2024, and whether those findings will inform their plans to integrate physical activity into NHS treatment pathways for preventing and managing long-term health conditions.

The Government has not made a specific assessment of the report. However, the Government welcomes the announcement of the new venture between Manchester Metropolitan University and Nuffield Health and will be keen to learn from this work as it delivers physical activity support to people living with chronic conditions.

The National Health Service, together with local authorities, provides a range of services such as exercise on referral and social prescribing, including exercise classes, falls prevention through strength and balance classes for older adults, walking groups and promotion of digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app.

Interventions like the one in Manchester demonstrate the valuable work across local areas to embed movement into people’s care. There are other established examples of local NHS and local government approaches across the country that integrate physical activity into clinical care including perioperative care and cancer and cardiac rehabilitation.

NHS England is working closely with partners nationally and locally to explore how the NHS might galvanise support to make physical activity a core part of NHS care, to benefit patients, NHS staff and the wider public. By empowering clinicians and healthcare professionals with the skills and confidence to discuss and promote physical activity, by integrating it into key clinical pathways and by aligning it with Core20PLUS5 for adults, children and young people, the NHS could help to transform patient outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

Whilst the Government and NHS recognise the value of integrating physical activity into clinical care, prevention will always be better, and cheaper, than cure. The Health Mission, on which the Department leads, is focused on shifting towards a more preventative approach to healthcare.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
9th Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the financial savings to the UK when a fully trained healthcare worker is recruited from overseas to work in the NHS.

There has been no estimate made of the financial savings to the United Kingdom when a fully trained healthcare worker is recruited from overseas to work in the National Health Service.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
6th Jan 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the whereabouts and safety Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital.

We are concerned by the reports of the IDF operation at Kamal Adwan hospital, and the reported detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and others. In recent weeks, the Minister for the Middle East raised this case, along with the wider need to ensure healthcare facilities in northern Gaza are protected, and to enable WHO and ICRC access, with both Israel's Ambassador to the UK, and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Haskel. Israel must allow medical staff to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed. On 27 December, the Minister for the Middle East made it clear to Israel's government that the situation in northern Gaza cannot continue and raised our serious concern about repeated strikes on Kamal Adwan hospital, and the safety of civilians and medical workers there.

Furthermore as the Minister for the Middle East reiterated on 8 January, Israel must urgently clarify the reasons for detaining health workers in Gaza, including Hassam Abu Safiya and Mohammed Hamouda, to ensure Gazans have access to effective healthcare and that civilians are protected at all costs.

Lord Collins of Highbury
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
13th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will press for the publication in full of the report of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2023 Zimbabwe Harmonised elections prior to any further consideration of the readmission of Zimbabwe to the Commonwealth.

The UK greatly values the Commonwealth Secretariat's work on observation missions. The full report of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2023 Zimbabwe Harmonised elections has now been circulated to all members. It is for the Commonwealth Secretariat to decide when to publish the report publicly.

Lord Collins of Highbury
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
25th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Work Rights Centre report The forgotten third: Migrant care workers' views on improving conditions in England's adult social care sector, published on 12 November, what consideration they have given to introducing special status or bridging visas to prevent the exploitation of migrant care workers at risk of losing their immigration status.

Exploitation of migrant care workers is completely unacceptable. Where exploitation does occur, we will take robust action.

Home Office and Department for Health and Social Care officials are working closely together, and with the Directors of Adult Social Services to support care workers who have been displaced as a result of sponsor licence revocations. An important part of this work includes finding the workers a suitable sponsor who can offer them long term secure employment. Care providers acting as sponsors for migrants in England must be registered with the Care Quality Commission.

The Government will continue to keep under review what further action may be necessary to tackle exploitation, including removing non-compliant employers’ ability to bring overseas workers to the UK.

Lord Hanson of Flint
Minister of State (Home Office)
14th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidelines entry clearance officers apply when considering a visit visa applicant’s income history in assessing whether they are a genuine visitor to the UK; what procedures are in place to ensure quality and consistency in entry clearance decisions for visit visa applications; and what appeal and complaint mechanisms are available for rejected visit visa applicants.

The Immigration Rules for Visitors set out that visitors must have sufficient funds to cover all reasonable costs in relation to their visit without working or accessing public funds. In assessing whether an applicant has sufficient funds, decision makers will consider the individual’s personal circumstances, including any evidence provided. There is also provision in the rules for an applicant’s travel, maintenance and accommodation to be provided by a third party.

The Visit Caseworker Guidance provides guidance to decision makers when assessing Visitor applications. Additional guidance for applicants is also available in the Supporting Documents guidance, which sets out suggested evidence required for the different types of visits including what types of financial documents applicants can present. These guidance documents are published on gov.uk

UK Visas and Immigration regularly reviews visit visa decisions as part of their overall decision quality approach. UKVI regularly undertakes decision maker training and refresher training courses, and uses lessons learned reviews to enhance and improve decision quality.

Lord Hanson of Flint
Minister of State (Home Office)