National Lottery Heritage Fund Grants: Conservation Management Plans

Debate between Lord Watts and Lord Ashton of Hyde

Wednesday 24th April 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, have the Government asked the copyright owners whether they will donate their copyright to the nation?

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

The Government have not been in touch with the 1,300 grantees but, as I said, the fund is producing a list of the 500 to 600 for which conservation management plans might have been produced. It will be able to ask those copyright holders whether they are interested in doing that.

Brexit: Tourism

Debate between Lord Watts and Lord Ashton of Hyde

Tuesday 19th February 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

No, my Lords. Tourism in Wales, to which the noble Lord referred, is a devolved competence and Visit Wales is in charge of that as part of the Welsh Government, but I am not going to rely on that. We have been engaging with the sector extensively over the last two years, and we are aware of the immigration priorities. The sector has submitted evidence to the Migration Advisory Committee on the shortage occupation list. In respect of specific levers to mitigate workplace shortages, we need to improve productivity, invest in skills and career development, and reduce high turnover. These are a key focus of the proposed tourism sector deal, which has now entered into formal negotiations; we hope to announce it shortly.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, I understand that the review body has accepted the case for farm workers being given a special deal after Brexit. Who has this review group been talking to? Is it talking to tourism industry groups and musicians et cetera? It seems to me to have lost the ability to see what is going on in the economy.

General Data Protection Regulation

Debate between Lord Watts and Lord Ashton of Hyde

Tuesday 5th June 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, would it be a good idea for the Government to allow small clubs to opt out of that if their membership wished to?

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

No, I do not agree with that, for the reason I have just given.

Brexit: Digital Single Market

Debate between Lord Watts and Lord Ashton of Hyde

Tuesday 8th May 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

I have to disagree with the noble Lord: urgency is not lacking, and considerable work is going on. Clearly, when we are about to undertake some of the most important negotiations that we have had for decades, we would not want to outline exactly what our negotiating position was before we did it. We absolutely take on board what the noble Lord and the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, have said and understand the importance of the digital area. That will take place within the broader single market negotiations.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, the digital industry is very important to the British economy. What options are the Government considering to deal with this problem? Can they spell them out?

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

I think it would be mad to spell them out before we even start the negotiations.

UK Sport: Elite Sport Funding

Debate between Lord Watts and Lord Ashton of Hyde

Thursday 23rd February 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

My Lords, that is a very valid question for debate. In fact, my noble friend Lord Elton raised exactly that subject when we discussed this about two weeks ago. I am not sure that I agree with the noble Baroness that winning medals does not encourage participation. After each Olympics when we do well, there is a great resurgence in interest in sport. However, there is a genuine debate on whether we should concentrate on medals or broaden the appeal. Medals are not the only thing that matters, but they matter a lot to a lot of people. For the next Olympic cycle we have given UK Sport a remit to win medals, as it has in the past, but I accept that in future we may want to change that.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, following on from the last question, do not all elite athletes have to start at the grass roots? What does the Minister think about the fact that any coach taking children has to pay £200 out of their own pocket to do the courses required?

Social Enterprise

Debate between Lord Watts and Lord Ashton of Hyde

Tuesday 10th January 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

Well, I know that the noble Lord has experience, and I would be interested to see him one day when he is doing that. As for social enterprise, we are strengthening it—and we are doing a lot to do that, including the Chancellor, who has increased the social investment tax allowance. I do not think that you can say that it is moving slowly when 1 million people work for social enterprises.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

Do the Government have any plans to try to support social enterprise to employ ex-prisoners? This is an area where they fall down in terms of job opportunities. Is this not a unique opportunity? Should not the Government give financial support to setting up such enterprises?

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

That is a very good idea. The whole point of social enterprises and mission-led businesses, which are not quite the same thing, is to have a particular social purpose such as that one. I agree with the noble Lord that that would be an excellent thing. The Government are trying to enable more private, local authority and charity investment by setting up things such as incubators to do exactly the sorts of things that the noble Lord has suggested.

Gambling

Debate between Lord Watts and Lord Ashton of Hyde

Thursday 20th October 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ashton of Hyde]

My Lords, I do not know whether the noble Lord was listening to what I said before. The last triennial review was held in 2013 and the next one will be held in 2016. As regards Newham Council’s application under the Sustainable Communities Act, it is true that the second response—we have responded once—was due in July, so it is some months overdue. The best place to review the evidence in that appeal, which was about reducing the stakes on FOBTs—I accept that problems can be caused by those; I do not doubt that—will be in the forthcoming triennial review, which will call for evidence on these subjects.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords—