My Lords, it is a real privilege to follow the noble Baroness. I have been in the House for less than two years, but she has always struck me as a real star. I have marvelled at the way in which she has managed to make the Government’s case on...

My Lords, it is a real privilege to follow the noble Baroness. I have been in the House for less than two years, but she has always struck me as a real star. I have marvelled at the way in which she has managed to make the Government’s case on...

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Owen. I congratulate the hon. Member for Dudley South (Mike Wood) on securing this incredibly important debate and the vigour with which he is going about his role as chair of the all-party parliamentary beer group. As chair of...

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Owen. I congratulate the hon. Member for Dudley South (Mike Wood) on securing this incredibly important debate and the vigour with which he is going about his role as chair of the all-party parliamentary beer group. As chair of...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Hayman, and congratulate her on securing this debate and on bringing her own experience to bear on it. I will raise two issues briefly. The first is the dreadful initial response of the World Health Organization and what lessons are being learned...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Hayman, and congratulate her on securing this debate and on bringing her own experience to bear on it. I will raise two issues briefly. The first is the dreadful initial response of the World Health Organization and what lessons are being learned...

My Lords, first I thank my noble friend Lady Smith for introducing the debate. It is a speech I do not think I would have cared to try. Next, I have to slightly rap my noble friend Lord Storey across the knuckles. Not everybody in this debate has got their...

My Lords, first I thank my noble friend Lady Smith for introducing the debate. It is a speech I do not think I would have cared to try. Next, I have to slightly rap my noble friend Lord Storey across the knuckles. Not everybody in this debate has got their...

But, my Lords, we are now in 2017. Some of my best friends are hereditary Peers, but this is not about the individuals concerned; it is about the system. Many “Blackadder” fans in your Lordships’ House will remember the Dunny-on-the-Wold by-election. As Blackadder said, it was half an acre of sodden marshland in the Suffolk fens with an empty town hall, a population of three rather mangy cows, a dachshund named Colin and a small hen in its late forties. Such rotten boroughs in real places had larger electorates than some of our hereditary Peers’ by-elections and they were abolished in 1832. We all know that my noble friend Lord Grocott has a cunning plan. Is it not time for the Government to support his Bill?

But, my Lords, we are now in 2017. Some of my best friends are hereditary Peers, but this is not about the individuals concerned; it is about the system. Many “Blackadder” fans in your Lordships’ House will remember the Dunny-on-the-Wold by-election. As Blackadder said, it was half an acre of sodden marshland in the Suffolk fens with an empty town hall, a population of three rather mangy cows, a dachshund named Colin and a small hen in its late forties. Such rotten boroughs in real places had larger electorates than some of our hereditary Peers’ by-elections and they were abolished in 1832. We all know that my noble friend Lord Grocott has a cunning plan. Is it not time for the Government to support his Bill?

I beg to move,

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for affordable home ownership; to require the inclusion of rent to buy homes in the definition of affordable housing; to make provision for a minimum proportion of new affordable housing to be available on affordable...

I beg to move,

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for affordable home ownership; to require the inclusion of rent to buy homes in the definition of affordable housing; to make provision for a minimum proportion of new affordable housing to be available on affordable...

Absolutely.

One slightly positive point was the establishment of the commission chaired by the former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. However, while Aung San Suu Kyi was talking about implementing its recommendations, her social media, Facebook page and website were carrying flashing “fake rape” signs. At the same time, the UN was...

Absolutely.

One slightly positive point was the establishment of the commission chaired by the former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. However, while Aung San Suu Kyi was talking about implementing its recommendations, her social media, Facebook page and website were carrying flashing “fake rape” signs. At the same time, the UN was...

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) spreads when infected animals mix with new herds. It can also be spread through badgers infected with the disease. Bovine TB can spread from cattle to humans, although the risk of infection is very low. Cattle are tested routinely to detect infection early and prevent the disease from spreading. Infected cattle, and cattle that has been in direct contact with infected animals, are slaughtered.

In terms of longer term trends, the number of new herd incidents has declined since 2012, while the number of animals slaughtered has increased. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs attributes this rise to better testing, particularly in herds known to have been infected previously.

There were 4,395 new herd incidents in 2018 and 44,656 animals were slaughtered due to bovine TB. Bovine TB is more common in certain parts of the country; the South West saw the most incidents and animals slaughtered, while Scotland saw the least.

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) spreads when infected animals mix with new herds. It can also be spread through badgers infected with the disease. Bovine TB can spread from cattle to humans, although the risk of infection is very low. Cattle are tested routinely to detect infection early and prevent the disease from...

I am particularly concerned about university accommodation, as I said earlier. As I understand it, the position at the University of Bath is that accommodation is ring-fenced, in the sense that receipts from halls of residence are ploughed back into more halls of residence. The position in Bath is slightly...

I am particularly concerned about university accommodation, as I said earlier. As I understand it, the position at the University of Bath is that accommodation is ring-fenced, in the sense that receipts from halls of residence are ploughed back into more halls of residence. The position in Bath is slightly...

I spoke to BAE this morning as soon as I heard the news. What support will the Department for Work and Pensions provide to those affected? Will the Government assure me that any support package includes Isle of Wight workers affected at the BAE Cowes plant in my constituency? May...

I spoke to BAE this morning as soon as I heard the news. What support will the Department for Work and Pensions provide to those affected? Will the Government assure me that any support package includes Isle of Wight workers affected at the BAE Cowes plant in my constituency? May...

Yes, I do, but the problem is that local authority budgets are under tremendous pressure, so they are going for the cheapest price. If somebody goes to them and says, “I can get rid of your waste for less”, what are they going to do? One council in Wales was...

Yes, I do, but the problem is that local authority budgets are under tremendous pressure, so they are going for the cheapest price. If somebody goes to them and says, “I can get rid of your waste for less”, what are they going to do? One council in Wales was...

My Lords, I enter the debate with some trepidation given the contributions from people who have much greater experience of direct negotiations and of life in Northern Ireland. However, I am a member of the EU committee and fully participated in this inquiry. I add my thanks to the staff...

My Lords, I enter the debate with some trepidation given the contributions from people who have much greater experience of direct negotiations and of life in Northern Ireland. However, I am a member of the EU committee and fully participated in this inquiry. I add my thanks to the staff...

Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to legislate to prohibit farmers from placing (1) bulls, and (2) cows with calves, in fields traversed by a public footpath.

Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to legislate to prohibit farmers from placing (1) bulls, and (2) cows with calves, in fields traversed by a public footpath.

Before I start my speech, may I thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, the Speaker and all the office staff, the police and everyone else who takes care of us here? I wish them all a very happy summer recess, when they all go off on their holidays. We are extremely...

Before I start my speech, may I thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, the Speaker and all the office staff, the police and everyone else who takes care of us here? I wish them all a very happy summer recess, when they all go off on their holidays. We are extremely...

My Lords, I have previously argued that the separate Euratom treaty gave the Government an opportunity and useful alternatives for transition by not triggering Article 50 simultaneously with Euratom. I know that left some institutional untidiness to sort out, but it would have meant both sides looking for the solution,...

My Lords, I have previously argued that the separate Euratom treaty gave the Government an opportunity and useful alternatives for transition by not triggering Article 50 simultaneously with Euratom. I know that left some institutional untidiness to sort out, but it would have meant both sides looking for the solution,...

There are a number of communities on islands off the coast of England, particularly on the Isle of Wight (IoW) and Isles of Scilly (IoS), who currently only have transport links to the mainland via ferries and/or aircraft. Using these ferry or aircraft services to and from English islands would require greater travel time and expense than the equivalent distance travelled by road. There are currently no formal island ‘frameworks’ or schemes for English islands agreed at government-level, which provide for transport subsidies or extra funding due to any remoteness created by this additional time and expense.

The absence of such schemes has been raised on a number of occasions in Parliament, often with comparisons made to schemes that support communities in Scottish islands. For example, Andrew Turner, Conservative MP for the IoW from 2001–17, argued in the House of Commons in 2014 that:

The Barnett formula gives the Scottish Parliament money to spend on many things that this Government cannot afford. CalMac provides ferry services to Scottish islands. It received a grant of £73 million last year—more than half its revenue. My constituents living on the island receive no such benefits. They pay the full operating costs and profits, and the fares that they pay also have to service the company’s massive debts. Through their taxes, they subsidise Scottish ferries.

In 2012, Lord Berkeley asked the Government “what action they are taking to create a lifeline passenger ferry link to the Isles of Scilly in line with the Scottish Government’s ferries policy”, arguing that the IoS ferry “only runs for seven months every year and the return fare is £90. This compares with Islay in Scotland where there are several ferries a day all the year round and the return fare is £12.50”.

The Coalition Government stated on a number of occasions that it did not believe additional support was needed for either the IoW or the IoS. In 2013, then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport Stephen Hammond, stated:

This is a competitive market, and it is for the ferry operators to decide the level of fares and services based on market conditions. […] There are more than 200 sailings to and from the island each day, so there is no apparent market failure.       

In 2012, then Lords Spokesperson for the Department for Transport, Earl Attlee, noted on the ‘lifeline’ issue for IoS ferries that he was “aware that passenger transport services to and from the mainland are regarded by residents of the Isles of Scilly as a lifeline”, yet he also said that “ferry services, unlike most of those to the Scottish Islands, are able to operate commercially without subsidy and have done so for many years”.

In 2014, an Islands Framework was agreed between the UK Government and the councils of the Western Isles/Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands, in response to the 'Our Islands, Our Future' campaign led by those three councils. The Framework “recognises the island groups face particular challenges”, including that of transport. In 2012, the Scottish Government published its Ferries Plan for Scottish ferry services from 2013–22. Under the plan, the Scottish Government has made a commitment that it is willing to take over the operation of any ‘lifeline’ ferry service. In addition, it made a commitment to roll-out a Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) scheme across the network as the basis for single fares, for lifeline ferry services only. Under the RET, the Scottish Government stated that “ferry users will pay the same rate per mile, regardless of where they are travelling from and to by ferry”.

There are a number of communities on islands off the coast of England, particularly on the Isle of Wight (IoW) and Isles of Scilly (IoS), who currently only have transport links to the mainland via ferries and/or aircraft. Using these ferry or aircraft services to and from English islands would...

May I thank the Minister for his speech and, as this is my first opportunity to do so, may I welcome him to his new post? Although they have already left, may I, on behalf of Her Majesty’s Opposition, add our gratitude and thanks to Mr Nicholls and Mr Wright,...

May I thank the Minister for his speech and, as this is my first opportunity to do so, may I welcome him to his new post? Although they have already left, may I, on behalf of Her Majesty’s Opposition, add our gratitude and thanks to Mr Nicholls and Mr Wright,...

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 1 March 2017 to Question 65037, which items from the Government Art Collection have been displayed at public museums or galleries in the UK in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 1 March 2017 to Question 65037, which items from the Government Art Collection have been displayed at public museums or galleries in the UK in the last 12 months.

Like my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Diana Johnson), I became engaged in this issue after 2010, when constituents contacted me, and one constituent in particular—a remarkable man called Andrew March, whom I shall say a little about in a moment.

I feel slightly ashamed that I...

Like my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Diana Johnson), I became engaged in this issue after 2010, when constituents contacted me, and one constituent in particular—a remarkable man called Andrew March, whom I shall say a little about in a moment.

I feel slightly ashamed that I...