"I very much welcome the openness of the answers that my noble friend has been giving to what are very serious, important questions. I want to raise an issue that has not been raised. I happen to be very keen to avoid having an elected president in this country, and …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"To ask His Majesty’s Government whether they will set a target to lay before Parliament the Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance on single-sex spaces before the first anniversary of the guidance being sent to the Equalities Minister...." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"I say to the Government that the inexcusable delay in operating this makes it look like political party management is being elevated above the national interest. That is not good enough...." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"My Lords, I agree with Clause 1. If there was a vote on it, I would vote for it. I may not carry the Committee with me but, having sat through Committee and one day of Second Reading— I could not attend the first day—I feel we have reached the …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"My Lords, I will give a specific example. On 8 January, at col. 1416, the noble Lord, Lord Stevens, made a short speech, which consisted of about six specific questions. One of them was about the interaction of the health service and the Bill. Later that evening, I said to …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"I warn my noble friend that this morning the Environment and Climate Change Committee took evidence from three water companies. We discovered that storing water in reservoirs is very expensive; it is a lot cheaper to store it in aquifers. So what are the prospects of extending the aquifer that …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"With respect, he did not say that. The noble Lord, Lord Stevens, said it would not be done “in effect”, the implication being—I do not disagree with what the noble Baroness is saying—that the Government have given a date which is beyond when this is expected to be law. The …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"My Lords, the way to avoid introducing for the first time a guillotine Motion on a Bill in this House is for my noble and learned friend to specifically come within the next 10 days to answer each and every question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Stevens of Birmingham. …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"The noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, specifically ruled out changing the age. He wanted to put qualifications on it; that was as far as he went...." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"I thank the Minister for that Answer; it was a fairly simple Question. But does my noble friend understand that the delay and constant difficulty in giving straight answers to questions about the guidance gives the strong impression that the Government are being held to ransom by a tightly knit …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech