Social Mobility Strategy

Lord Ryder of Wensum Excerpts

Tuesday 5th April 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Willis of Knaresborough]

My Lords—

[Lord Ryder of Wensum]

My Lords—

[Lord Richard]

My Lords—

[Lord McNally]

My Lords, I am on my feet, so noble Lords have to sit down. As we have 12 minutes, I suggest that we go to my noble friend Lord Willis, then to my noble friend Lord Ryder and then to the noble Lord, Lord Richard.

[Lord Ryder of Wensum]

My noble friend’s judgment—

[Lord Richard]

My Lords—

[Lord McNally]

I may get it wrong but I am trying to help the House, with 12 minutes to go.

[Lord Ryder of Wensum]

Can my noble friend please clarify why the Statement that he has just given to your Lordships’ House apparently bears scant resemblance to the Statement given earlier by the Deputy Prime Minister in the other place? I picked up a copy of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Statement in the Printed Paper Office just before coming into the House and I would like to know the reason why the two Statements are markedly different. Was it because the committee under the Deputy Prime Minister met between the two Statements, had an argument and decided to change the text?

[Lord McNally]

No. I am not aware that there is a difference between the two Statements. If there is, I apologise. This was the Statement I was given to read. Well done to my noble friend for such a helpful intervention. I am sure that his long experience in government has come to his aid. Perhaps somebody would like to work out what the differences are. Otherwise, I will write to the noble Lord if there are marked differences.