Brexit: Customs and Border Staff

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall

Monday 6th February 2017 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

The British public certainly did vote for more border control and this Government are very clear that we need to balance immigration with the skills that we need to provide services in this country. In terms of the savings, experts have given all sorts of figures and I will not at this point try to guess.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that asking rational and legitimate questions about process is not the same as not accepting the result of the referendum?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

Asking rational questions is perfectly legitimate; noble Lords tend to ask rational questions, and that is totally legitimate. There is a wide range of views in both your Lordships’ House and the other place but I think we all accept the outcome of the referendum.

Mental Health Units: Police Response

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall

Wednesday 23rd November 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, the noble Lord and I agree on one level because if someone has a mental health problem or is experiencing a mental health crisis, that is a health issue. However, if someone demonstrates behaviour that is either a danger to themselves or to others, including the staff in mental health settings, there may be no other option. Of course these situations are rare, but as I say there may be no other option than for police restraint to be used.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister has referred to the Government’s intention to put an additional £1 billion into mental health services between now and, I think she said, 2020. Can she say when that money is going to be delivered? If, as I suspect, it is what might be called back loaded, what is to happen in the meantime?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

I think that the noble Baroness is being slightly cynical, but I will write to her with a breakdown of when the funding might be expected to be released.

Housing: New Build

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall

Monday 22nd February 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, we are, and I am pleased to tell my noble friend that a report only last week showed that the decline in home ownership that we have seen over the past 15 to 20 years has halted for the first time.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

Would the Minister care to have another go at answering the question asked by my noble friend Lord Lea? The demand in London is not coming from London itself but very substantially from overseas. The supply is meeting that demand and not the very real demand from Londoners themselves. Does she not agree that the Government really need to address that problem?

Housing: London

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall

Monday 26th October 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, housing associations that have a charitable purpose will be exempt from that policy. However, under our new, invigorated right to buy policy, we intend to replace every house sold with a new home.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, would the noble Baroness care to reconsider the answer that she gave my noble friend Lord Campbell-Savours? Viewed from some perspectives, there is no housing shortage in London: flats are being thrown up all over the city. However, they are being sold off at enormous prices and then left empty. Does she really think that in these circumstances it is appropriate to give—if I may say so without offence—what is more of a shrug-of-the-shoulders response on the subject of planning permission?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, I hope that I did not give the impression of a shrug of the shoulder. If one were to walk around certain parts of London, one may well be forgiven for thinking that many of the houses—certainly in certain parts of central London—were bought but not lived in. In fact, I understand that that rate has gone down; about 2% of all housing in London is not lived in. However, affordable starter homes, particularly for those in the age group that has found it difficult to get on the housing ladder, are a very good way forward.

Women in the Workplace

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall

Thursday 9th July 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

In other words, we are going in the opposite direction. I think it is only a good thing that more women are employed in senior positions. This Government have made a real effort in that direction.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, would the noble Baroness have another go at answering the question from my noble friend Lord Kinnock? She implied that in some way the £9 living wage to which the Government aspire will mitigate the losses that people incur in the loss of tax credits, but she did not answer his question about the evidence which the Resolution Foundation put forward that, in fact, the needful figure would be £12. What is her answer to that question?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

I apologise as I only took one of the questions from the noble Lord. I have not read the report from the Resolution Foundation. I am happy to respond in writing.