Engineered Stone and Silicosis
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith(11 months ago)
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Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
I am pleased that the noble Baroness has raised this point. She will know that the HSE is different from Safe Work Australia because the latter does not work as a national workplace regulator and instead sets policy. According to our figures, Australia has reported 260 cases of silicosis. However, a significant number of workers using engineered stone in Australia are known to be SMEs or sole traders, who remain hard to reach. To answer the question of the noble Baroness, we are very much in touch with Australia on this important matter.
The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, is participating remotely.
Lord Campbell-Savours (Lab) [V]
My Lords, as someone with former downstream involvement in the industry, I welcome this important Question. I suggest that we confine any debate on further restriction to the dry cut of granite, cement and quartz and not to other products. Engineered stone is primarily quartz; if cut wet, there is little problem but, if cut dry, it can lead to dust and lung problems and may well require further regulation. This is a problem primarily in Europe, as there is now very little dry-cut activity in the United Kingdom.
Economic Situation
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
I agree with my noble friend. We have already said that the announcement of the medium-term fiscal plan on 31 October will be accompanied by the independent OBR assessment of the economic and fiscal outlook. Much work is going on. My noble friend need not be reminded that this was originally going to be on 23 November; it has been deliberately brought forward to 31 October to provide further stability about what we are looking to do.
The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, we have a remote contribution from the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours.
Lord Campbell-Savours (Lab) [V]
My Lords, the Government assured us that co-ordinated international action would undermine Russia’s economy and protect ours. Why then is today’s rouble stronger than in any almost any recent period? On 15 April, at the beginning of the immediate crisis, there were 105 roubles to the pound; today there are 70 to the pound. Currencies do not normally strengthen when economies are under pressure or under attack. What is the explanation?
Transport for London: Funding
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
Most certainly. My noble friend is absolutely right: about 26,000 staff work for TfL, and they work extremely hard on our behalf. As she pointed out, the difficulties that have arisen over the pandemic have been quite extraordinary, and I pay tribute to the staff on behalf of the Government.
The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, we will now move on—oh, I am sorry, the noble Lord, Lord West, wants to ask a question.
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
I also wish the river were used more; I am the beneficiary of it, in that I use what I would call a ferry from Battersea Power Station up to the London Eye. My understanding is that this service is privately owned and not funded by the Government. The noble Lord makes an extremely good point; it is a valuable service, particularly during the strikes, when more people have needed to use it. I hope that more people will look at the river as a permanent means of transport.
The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, I apologise that we have fallen behind the time, but I am delighted that the noble Lord, Lord West of Spithead, asked his question.
Shipbuilding: Use of British Steel for Royal Navy
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
The noble Baroness makes a good point. The Government recognise the importance of research and development into the UK steel sector’s transition to low-carbon steel production. She will know that we have provided over £600 million in relief to make electricity costs more competitive, and created the £315 million industrial energy transformation fund to support high energy use businesses. There is more I could go into, but the noble Baroness will know that we are on this.
The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed.
House of Lords: Politically Exposed Persons
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
Indeed. We are a strong member of the Financial Action Task Force, so we are in touch with other countries about what they do. As I said earlier, we have one of the strongest regimes, but it is up to us in the UK, particularly now that we have left the EU, to review how we operate. By the way, the noble Baroness will know that we are undertaking a review on the anti-money laundering regulations, which will report in June 2022.
The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed.
Climate Change Risk: National Audit Office Guidance
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
The right reverend Prelate will know that Defra leads on environmental matters and on the greening government commitments, or GGCs, the UK Government’s ambitions to improve the environmental performance of its own estate and operations. We expect the greening government commitments to be published in the very near future.
The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
The noble Lord, Lord Berkeley, is not present, so I call the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer.
Baroness Kramer (LD)
My Lords, many Members here sit on boards and know, as I do, that however good the risk assessment process, change is driven only where a named senior executive is responsible. How many government departments and other public bodies have a named senior executive responsible for action on climate change and climate change risk?
Council Tax
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith(3 years, 3 months ago)
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The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed.
Chinese Products and Companies: Human Rights Violations
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
It might be both of those but if we look at the work being done through the G7, which is the high-level stuff, trade Ministers have committed to work together to protect individuals from forced labour, including mitigating the risks of it. We are convening a technical discussion in order to share lots of data and evidence. G7 leaders are committed to continuing to work together through domestic means and multilateral institutions to protect individuals. That very much relates to my noble friend’s question on China.
The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. We now come to the fourth Oral Question.
Northern Ireland: Jewish Community
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)
Perhaps a discussion on the importance of eating is for a separate debate but I take the first point that my noble friend made with the due seriousness it deserves. We are mindful that many communities in Northern Ireland have specialised foods which are deeply important to their culture and spiritual beliefs, and we will always act to ensure that these are adequately supplied. However, I assure my noble friend that, in the supermarkets we have been in touch with, we are pleased to note that there is no disruption at this time, although there were specific issues during Passover which he will know about, and which DAERA and Defra, working together, helped the sector to navigate.
The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed.
Northern Ireland: Victims Payment Scheme
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie
Those two questions were precise. I happened to listen to the speech of the noble Lord, Lord Hain, last night; like today, I was left in no doubt about the strength of feeling. I will need to write to the noble Lord, Lord Faulkner, with the specific detail on Citizens Advice and his second question.
The Senior Deputy Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. The Virtual Proceedings will now adjourn until a convenient point after 12.30 pm for the Motion in the name of the noble Viscount, Lord Younger of Leckie.
Northern Ireland: Customs
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie
The noble Baroness is right. It is very important indeed that we in the UK support Northern Ireland businesses as much as possible. I assure the noble Baroness that the detail from the heavy work being prepared as part of implementing the protocol will come out within weeks, as I said earlier.
The Senior Deputy Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)
The Earl of Kinnoull. No? We will go on to the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett of Manor Castle, and come back if the noble Earl, Lord Kinnoull, reconnects.
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (GP)
Even with the light-touch barriers the Minister referred to, there would clearly be extra costs on goods coming from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Given the low wage levels in Northern Ireland—£50 per week below the UK average—how do the Government plan to ensure that workers are compensated for the extra costs that would be in effect as a result of any barriers of any sort?
Viscount Younger of Leckie
The noble Baroness raises an interesting point. I feel sure that those will be part of current discussions. If there is anything more to add to that answer, I will write to the noble Baroness.
The Senior Deputy Speaker
I revert to the noble Earl, Lord Kinnoull. Unfortunately, there is no connection. The time allowed for this Question has elapsed. The Virtual Proceedings will now adjourn until a convenient point after 4 pm for the Motions in the name of the noble Lords, Lord Bethell and Lord Hunt of Kings Heath.
Scotland Bill
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith(8 years, 9 months ago)
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Viscount Younger of Leckie
I believe that it is right that we should adjourn the House, with the agreement of the House, until 7.40 pm.
Lord McFall of Alcluith
My Lords, I think we should just keep going since we are in the swing.
Viscount Younger of Leckie
With the agreement of the House, let us move on to the next amendment.
United Kingdom: Exports
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie
My noble friend is right that, through the efforts of UKTI, our focus goes very much beyond the eurozone and the European economy. Despite the tough conditions, UK exports to emerging economies have increased in recent years. It is very pleasing to note that, since 2010, UK exports to the Far East—to China—have increased by 52%, to India by 24% and to Brazil by 37%. However, there is still much more work to do.
Lord McFall of Alcluith (Lab)
My Lords, with 70% of all Scottish exports going to the rest of the United Kingdom and 600,000 jobs in Scotland depending on the link with the rest of the UK, not least 200,000 financial services sector jobs, what are the Government doing to inform people of this successful entity and to ensure the continuation of what has been the most successful currency union in the world for 300 years?
Viscount Younger of Leckie
I acknowledge what the noble Lord says. As he will be aware, the UK’s position is that Scotland is stronger in the UK and the UK is stronger with Scotland in it. As part of the UK, Scotland has a stronger place in the world and is a major player on the international stage. As the noble Lord alluded to, the rest of the UK is the primary destination for Scottish exports, accounting for around 70% of Scottish exports, worth around £48 billion in goods and services. Scotland as an export destination accounts for approximately 10% of exports from the rest of the UK.
Economy: Business Investment
Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord McFall of Alcluith
Viscount Younger of Leckie
My noble friend is right. I am aware of this and the Government are working hard to increase trade in this area. My noble friend Lord Livingston recently headed up a successful trade mission to Colombia and Mexico, with some promising leads. I take this opportunity to congratulate my noble friend Lady Bonham-Carter on her excellent work as the Prime Minister’s trade envoy to Mexico. Exports of British goods to Mexico increased by 51% between 2009 and 2012.
Lord McFall of Alcluith (Lab)
My Lords, is the Minister aware that the banking system here is responsible for 80% of the loans to small businesses in this country, unlike in the US? This intermediation system is bursting. Until the Government look at the issue of capital and equity support for businesses, we ain’t going to regenerate this economy in all parts of the country.
Viscount Younger of Leckie
I am afraid I do not accept the negative attitude that comes from the noble Lord. In fact, much has been done to provide financial support for businesses. Over the last quarter of 2013, the banks lent an average of £4 billion each month to SMEs. In the same period in 2012, the average was £3.1 billion. Respondents to the Bank of England’s Credit Conditions Survey reported that the overall availability of credit to the corporate sector increased significantly in the final quarter of 2013.