"My Lords, I welcome the concessions from the Government on welfare reform. Having been a Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive with responsibility for welfare reform and disability benefits, I know that this is a difficult issue.
"My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the chairman of the Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee, the noble Lord, Lord Carlile. I thank my noble friend the Minister for her presentation of this statutory instrument. I should indicate that I am a member of the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee in …..." Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick - View Speech
"My noble friend will recall that I and others discussed with her in the last few weeks trying to ring-fence funding in the Cabinet Office and Downing Street specifically for policing in Northern Ireland and to transfer it to the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that it is used not …..." Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick - View Speech
"As a former Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, I say that the Minister will appreciate that that sort of commitment from the June monitoring process is not really a commitment because I know personally that these sorts of commitments were made to me as Housing Minister and they never …..." Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick - View Speech
"My Lords, can my noble friend the Minister indicate whether the Government have any plans to restrict the export of plastics through powers under the Environment Act to encourage recycling at home, rather than offshoring the problem?..." Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick - View Speech
"My Lords, I want to congratulate my noble friend Lady Keeley on obtaining this debate, and of course I congratulate my noble friend Lady Debbonaire on her passionate maiden speech.
"My Lords, in supporting the request made by the noble Baroness, Lady O’Loan, we are well aware of the political situation in the Northern Ireland Executive. In view of that, can my noble friend talk to her friend the Secretary of State to ensure that ring-fenced funding for the PSNI …..." Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick - View Speech
"My Lords, I commend my noble friend the Minister on the courageous decision to make the necessary changes to the winter fuel payment and bring some joy to many pensioners. The Government should be congratulated on actually listening to what the people are saying. In that respect and under the …..." Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick - View Speech
"To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to address the shortage of Creon, a cancer medication, reported by the National Pharmacy Association, and what steps they plan to take to prevent similar shortages in future...." Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick - View Speech
"My Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for that Answer, but there are some suggestions that pharmacies are struggling to obtain this important medication, which addresses pancreatic enzyme therapy. Given the struggles that pharmacies are facing, could my noble friend the Minister therefore outline what consideration has been …..." Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick - View Speech