"My Lords, the Chancellor said that every single penny of the money raised from this new VAT would be ring-fenced for state education, but the Prime Minister subsequently said that the decision to levy VAT on private school fees has allowed the Government to invest in housing. Will the Minister …..." Earl of Effingham - View Speech
"My Lords, ambulance delays in Wales have increased fourfold over the past seven years, and PISA scores are lower than the OECD average in reading, science and maths. With all due respect to the Welsh Administration, does the Minister believe that further powers should be devolved to Wales if it …..." Earl of Effingham - View Speech
"My Lords, does the Minister know any chief financial officer who talks down prospects for their company? Why does she think the Chancellor spent nine months talking down the UK economy, which has contributed to Grangemouth, Mossmorran and other factories closing down and the subsequent loss of jobs?..." Earl of Effingham - View Speech
"My Lords, please allow me to congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Trees, former president of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, on his success in guiding this important Bill to its Third Reading in your Lordships’ House. Today we see a Private Member’s Bill sail through both Houses of Parliament …..." Earl of Effingham - View Speech
"My Lords, this instrument, as the Minister has outlined, amends the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 to ensure that additional essential requirements covering cyber security, data protection and fraud prevention apply to certain categories of radio equipment marketed in Northern Ireland. The objectives of these requirements are sensible. In an era …..." Earl of Effingham - View Speech
"My Lords, the Minister mentioned October 2022 in his previous response, so I ask him: is the yield on the 30-year UK government bond higher now than it was in October 2022?..." Earl of Effingham - View Speech
"My Lords, I thank all noble Lords for their valuable contributions. It would be wrong not to pay particular thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Alton, for his advocacy concerning the Hillsborough families and for public accountability more widely.
"My Lords, His Majesty’s loyal Opposition are grateful to the Minister for introducing these regulations, which seek to extend and strengthen the framework for addressing modern slavery and human trafficking risks in NHS supply chains. This is an issue on which there is—and must always remain, ad aeternum—cross-party consensus. No …..." Earl of Effingham - View Speech
"My Lords, His Majesty’s loyal Opposition are supportive of these regulations, which seek to ban wet wipes containing plastic. We commend the Government on pressing ahead with this important measure, which was first initiated by the previous Conservative Government in 2024. It is both a long-overdue and necessary step in …..." Earl of Effingham - View Speech
"My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have made such valuable contributions to this discussion. At a time when provisions for disabled students are further stretched and needed more than ever, this debate is incredibly important.