North Sea Gas

Lord Roberts of Llandudno Excerpts

Wednesday 7th September 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

We have not failed to make sure there is sufficient gas in case of emergency. As I just said, we get 45% of our supplies from our domestic sources; we have extensive LNG terminals; we have a good relationship with Norway, which has another part of the North Sea and supplies gas to the UK. We are much better served than the rest of the European Union in these matters.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD)]

Is the Minister really serious about this, and will what he advocates be in the plan which we receive tomorrow? There is so much concern, not only among ordinary families, who are desperately concerned in many cases, but among businesses. Only this morning, I had a message from a local businessman in my town of Conwy. He said that the amount his energy is going to cost this coming year is six times what it was in the past year, from £148,000 to £790,000. When we have businesses that are going to breach nearly £1 million to keep their business going, no wonder there is great consternation. What will the plan be about tomorrow?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I totally agree with the noble Lord. Of course, the issue of energy security is completely different from the issue of being able to afford it, and we are all, of course, all too painfully aware of the tremendous increases in gas prices in particular that have taken place recently. There will be important announcements tomorrow. The noble Lord will understand that I cannot tell him what they are at this stage, but he will not have long to wait to find out.

Energy Prices: Electricity Bills

Lord Roberts of Llandudno Excerpts

Wednesday 13th October 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

We always keep these things under review, but I outlined the many steps that we are taking and if necessary, we will look further at what we can do to help.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the foolhardy thing is that universal benefit has been completely demolished just when the poorest, most vulnerable people will be fighting to keep warm this winter? Will the Government not reverse that decision, and can they give us something fresh that will help the most vulnerable in a very harsh winter?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I outlined earlier the support mechanism that we already have in place: the warm home discount, the winter fuel payment, cold weather payments and an additional £500 million household support fund, which has been available to councils to help the most in need over the winter.

Covid-19: Vaccine Trials

Lord Roberts of Llandudno Excerpts

Wednesday 13th January 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I do not have specific information on the Bangladeshi community and how many took part in the trials. I only have the information on BAME communities as a whole. These distinctions are quite hard to draw sometimes, but certainly if that information is available, I will write to the noble Baroness.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD) [V]]

I welcome this Question, because it shows how we are all in this together, without regard to nationality, ethnic group or blood group. The Prime Minister said that the two nurses helping him most when he was in hospital were from Portugal and from New Zealand. The first vaccine came from Belgium. We are all in this together. The virus is no respecter of persons. Neither are we relying on our own people to nurse and to be medics—

[The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con)]

I am sorry, my Lords. We have asked people to keep their questions short, so that everyone can ask their question.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD) [V]]

All I ask is for an assurance from the Minister that, when this is over, those on the front line who have been so devoted to us will be allowed to stay in the United Kingdom and not cast to one side.

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

The noble Lord makes some important points. We will certainly look closely at this.

Covid-19: Impact of No-deal Brexit on Vaccine Supplies

Lord Roberts of Llandudno Excerpts

Wednesday 16th December 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

As I just told the noble Baroness, Lady Ludford, we have put robust contingency arrangements in place; a huge amount of planning has gone into it and we are confident that there will be no disruption to medical supplies.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD) [V]]

The arrival last week of the vaccine from Belgium was greeted with great joy in the UK. We know also, for instance, that 98% of our consignments of insulin come from Germany and Denmark. We rely so much on other people and other nations. Can the Minister give me one instance of the benefit there will be for those who rely on medicines after we leave the European Union?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

We co-operate on medicines supply with countries all over the world, not just in Europe. Those countries also rely on supplies from the United Kingdom, so we are confident that we will maintain good relations with other European and world nations and co-operate on these matters to our mutual benefit.

Covid-19: Small Businesses

Lord Roberts of Llandudno Excerpts

Thursday 29th October 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I totally accept the noble Lord’s point; he raises an important issue. But accepted payment terms vary from sector to sector, and a one-size-fits-all approach is not, in our view, the best way to deliver a culture change. Government would be restricting businesses’ ability to negotiate terms, which could have a negative effect on the UK economy by making business more difficult to do.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD) [V]]

Many of the small businesses in my area of course are linked with the holiday trade: Llandudno and the Conwy valley are well known for that. After the pandemic eases, people will not be able to travel very far into the European continent, so home holidays will become more attractive, but the holiday industry—cafés, hotels and venues—need help to tide them over the interim period. Can the Government think of any way—say, with tax, or helping with other things such as rents and rates—to make it easier for those who are desperately struggling to survive in the tourist industry to come through this epidemic?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

The noble Lord highlights an important issue. Of course we want to encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of our excellent local tourist industry—an important industry, including in Wales, to which the noble Lord referred. There have been a number of schemes to help small businesses: we have introduced business rate holidays, plus all the various grant schemes to try to keep those businesses afloat.

Productivity: Work-related Stress

Lord Roberts of Llandudno Excerpts

Thursday 15th November 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Henley]

I admire the noble Lord’s ingenuity in trying to extend the Question to a great many other subjects. Stress has many causes; we understand that there is a problem with it; that is why we commissioned the review by the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson—not the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, sitting opposite me—and Paul Farmer. It is also why the Government accepted what they suggested.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD)]

My Lords, if Brexit comes in and Airbus and other firms move out of north Wales, with some 7,000 jobs and 400 apprenticeships going with them, will that increase or decrease the stress of those involved in those industries?

[Lord Henley]

My Lords, I suspect that what will increase stress in those industries is the noble Lord and others putting about scare stories of that sort.

Airbus

Lord Roberts of Llandudno Excerpts

Tuesday 26th June 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD)]

Is the Minister aware that Brexit could destroy the future of many young people? Four thousand youngsters have gone through the training programme in Airbus. At the moment, 400 apprentices are employed and trained at Broughton, and another 130 will join them. Brexit would destroy the future of these people. Is not it time that the Government really thought again about this insane proposal that they are supporting?

[Lord Henley]

My Lords, the noble Lord will not be surprised that I do not agree with him, and he is wrong to pose such threats to the young people who are working for Airbus, for example, and being trained and making progress. We have skills and talents and want to make sure that they can continue to be used in the world that we are moving into post Brexit.

Brexit: Aerospace and Automotive Industries

Lord Roberts of Llandudno Excerpts

Tuesday 14th March 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

I think that the Prime Minister has made it absolutely clear that it is our intention to negotiate a free trade agreement with the European Union. That is the policy priority over the next two years.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD)]

My Lords, has the Minister considered the situation of Airbus, which is in Flintshire in North Wales and employs 7,000 people, as well as people in the ancillary industries? The wings are produced in Broughton, and there are plants in Filton, near Bristol, Hamburg and Toulouse. The whole of the European Union is involved in building the Airbus. How will we secure the future of those jobs, not only in Wales but in the rest of the European Union?

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

The noble Lord makes an extremely important point. Airbus, in a sense, is globalisation writ large. France, given the huge investment in Toulouse, Germany and the UK—Wales and England —have a very great mutuality of interest in negotiating a deal that enables Airbus to compete competitively with Boeing. So it would be extraordinary if we cannot negotiate a deal that enables Airbus to continue to prosper.