Scotland Bill

Debate between Lord Pearson of Rannoch and Baroness Rawlings

Wednesday 28th March 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Pearson of Rannoch]

I merely say that the record will confirm that the noble Lord has not answered the question that I asked him.

[Baroness Rawlings]

My Lords, I remind noble Lords that on Report a Member may speak only once except for a short question of elucidation to the Minister.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Pearson of Rannoch]

Before the Minister replies, to qualify what the noble and learned Lord, Lord Cameron of Lochbroom, asked, will the Minister be specific and say whether the empty space could include a tax on Sassenachs who own cottages, a window tax or a land tax?

[Baroness Rawlings]

My Lords, perhaps I may remind the House that:

“Only the mover of an amendment or the Lord in charge of the bill speaks after the minister on report except for short questions of elucidation”—

as I mentioned before—

“to the minister or where the minister speaks early to assist the House in debate”.

[Lord Pearson of Rannoch]

The Minister was still speaking and I asked a very short question, to which I look forward to the reply.

BBC: Licence Fee

Debate between Lord Pearson of Rannoch and Baroness Rawlings

Monday 7th November 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Pearson of Rannoch]

My Lords, given that the BBC’s charter and fee require it to cover matters of public interest fairly, how do the Government react to the statistic that, over the past six years, the BBC has dedicated less than 0.04 per cent of its news and news-related coverage to the case for our withdrawal from the European Union, which case is supported by at least 50 per cent—and growing—of the British people?

[Baroness Rawlings]

It would surprise me if the noble Lord, Lord Pearson, did not ask a European Union-related question. I do not have the statistics on the BBC’s coverage of our possible withdrawal from the EU, but no doubt the department will find them for me and I will send them to him.

Media: Ownership

Debate between Lord Pearson of Rannoch and Baroness Rawlings

Thursday 11th November 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Pearson of Rannoch]

Even so, my Lords, will the Government encourage the BBC to fulfil the single promise that it made in the wake of the Wilson report in 2005, which was to explain to the British people how the institutions of the European Union interact and their effect on British life?

[Baroness Rawlings]

The European Commission will have a role in this because it is wide-ranging. DG4 is examining whether the merger may result in a loss of effective competition in the market. It must decide by 8 December whether to clear the merger or to proceed to a full second stage of investigation.