Debate on the Address

My Lords, as ever, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lords, Lord Strathclyde and Lord McNally. I am delighted to congratulate my noble friend Lord Giddens on moving the Motion on the gracious Speech. My noble friend has an outstanding record of academic achievement in the social and political sciences and as director of the London School of Economics. Not only has he helped to shape the thinking about our world and how it is changing, he has framed the language for the debate. We are all familiar with the third way. However, I must confess to my noble friend that I found the double hermeneutic a little harder to understand. The first book that I read as a sociology undergraduate in 1973 was written by my noble friend, so I was very pleased to receive a signed copy of the fifth edition of his book Sociology a few weeks ago. I have not mastered all of its 1,094 pages, but it was described as readable and entertaining. That is my noble friend’s great strength: an ability to take complex issues and make them understandable. My noble friend Lady Morgan has dedicated her life and career to campaigning for social justice, equality and fair access for those in need of support, including her work at Shelter and the National Asthma Campaign. Her achievements as the chief executive of the breast cancer charity Breakthrough from 1996 to 2005 deserve our utmost admiration and respect. When she first addressed this House in 2004, it was to champion the cause of those suffering from a debilitating disease—on that occasion, mine workers suffering from emphysema and bronchitis. My noble friend is one of the youngest Members of the House. Indeed, on her introduction, she was the youngest Baroness in the House. She brings to this House her experience in the campaigning and charity sectors, her energy and considerable enthusiasm. I congratulate her on her speech. I thank both my noble friends for their excellent speeches and look forward to their continued contributions to the work of the House. I am delighted to see the noble Baroness, the Lord Speaker, in her place at state opening. I am sure that all noble Lords agree that our Speaker is a credit to this House and will want to join me in congratulating her on her first few months in office. I now turn to the detail of the gracious Speech. The package being put forward today is designed to meet the twin concerns of modern government: how to ensure the security of our citizens in a changing and evolving world; and how to keep pace with and meet the challenge of change—an agenda looking forward to the next 10 years. The rapid pace of technological change, the challenge of globalisation and the effects of human activity on the environment are all issues that require responsible citizenship and responsible leadership. I am delighted that a Labour Government are showing the way in that leadership. That is why the Government will focus on continuing to create strong, secure and stable communities. We will continue the programme of public service reform and build on our achievements in institutional reform. We will respond to the challenges of climate change by seeking to secure long-term energy supplies, while protecting the planet for future generations. Those are all challenges requiring international action and a global response, requiring a Britain strong in Europe, a strong partner with the United States, committed to tackling global poverty and focused on the future. Now, more than ever, we will need to harness innovation for the greater goal of preventing further destruction of our environment. The noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, asked which Bills will be introduced in this House. This week, we will introduce Bills on mental health, consumer protection and courts and tribunals. Before Christmas, we will introduce Bills on further education and legal services reform. The noble Lord also asked several questions about the process of House of Lords reform. My noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor will deal with issues relating to the further reform of this House in the debate on the Address next Thursday. However, I take this opportunity to thank those Members who sat on the Joint Committee on Conventions, and who produced the very thoughtful and thought-provoking report. It is a significant achievement that the Committee unanimously agreed the report. For that, our thanks should also go to the committee’s chairman, my noble friend Lord Cunningham of Felling, who demonstrated his usual adroitness in dealing with a potentially contentious issue. This is my fourth state opening as Leader of the House, and I continue to feel honoured and privileged to be able to serve Her Majesty’s Government and your Lordships’ House. As many noble Lords will know, this House runs on good relationships. Despite the inevitable pressures of business, good will is maintained, and Members on all sides of the House contribute to an atmosphere that allows us to focus on the task in hand. I am grateful to all Members for making that possible. In the nine years in which I have been in this House, I have seen it change. In 1997, there were just over 1,200 Peers. Most were men. Today, the membership is about 750. More women and ethnic-minority Peers have entered the House since 1997. I am only the third woman, and the first black woman, to be Leader. Our first Lord Speaker is also a woman. Through these changes, this House is beginning to reflect the diversity that is modern Britain. We should all be proud of this change; I know that I am. I also thank the Clerk of the Parliaments and all the staff who work so hard to support us in our work. Before I conclude, I would like to remember for a moment those Members—good friends and colleagues—whom we have lost in the 18 months since our last state opening. Sadly, the list this time is very long. We have lost 26 of our Members, including Lord Merlyn-Rees, Lady Blatch, Lord Chan, Lord Ackner and Lord Stratford. We will miss them all, and we will miss their contributions. I look forward to the new Session and its challenges, and I hope that noble Lords do, too. I support the Motion. On Question, Motion agreed to, and debate adjourned accordingly until tomorrow.