"Why does my noble friend think most of the media, a good many Members of this House and informed opinion outside actually think exactly what the noble Lord, Lord Gove, asked—that we have relaxed the view on Russia? Why has that impression got around?..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"In view of the practical issues that my noble friend has raised, would it be possible to give this House and the other House 24 or 48 hours’ notice of when the release is going to be? It will not be any good coming back after the Recess on the …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"My Lords, at the third time of asking—I am grateful to my noble friend for his forbearance—I have just two brief questions. Why have Ministers never met any of the leaders of For Women Scotland, whose case ended up in the Supreme Court? One of those, Marion Calder, is sitting …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the merits of implementing the proposed Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance on single sex spaces by means of primary legislation...." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"My Lords, as usual, I came to listen and not to speak, but there are a couple of things that have been said to which I want to react. I agree entirely with my noble friend Lady Hayter, to be honest.
"My Lords, I think our language should be quite moderate tonight. There is no crowing from this side of the House and no attack on the hereditaries. I wholly agree with everything that has been said. I have worked with the hereditaries, having been here 24 years now, after 27 …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"To follow up the point about universities made by the noble Lord, Lord Young, the Xinjiang province of China grows 20% of the world’s cotton. Since it became technically possible to check garments for where the cotton was grown, the laundering of that cotton by the Chinese—because they do not …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"This amendment has just turned up here. It is for this House; it was not dealt with in the Commons. That is why we are debating it. It is a brand-new amendment. It is extensive—two or three pages.
"My Lords, I will contribute briefly on this group. In general, the amendment produced by my noble friend the Minister is to be applauded. It is massive and detailed—but this is one of the issues. We are on Report in the House of Lords. The House of Commons will never …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech
"My noble friend referred to the Government’s procurement plans. In my experience, I never found any government procurement plans; there were departmental procurement plans. It was impossible in particular regions to get the prisons, the schools and the hospitals to work together, because they had their own budgets and decision-making. …..." Lord Rooker - View Speech