My Lords, what assessment has been made of the security risks associated with the use of US tech and digital suppliers, particularly given that the current US regime is focusing on protecting its technology from external regulation?

My Lords, what assessment has been made of the security risks associated with the use of US tech and digital suppliers, particularly given that the current US regime is focusing on protecting its technology from external regulation?

My Lords, I declare an interest as the chair of ACAS, as set out in the register. I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for his detailed introduction to these two SIs.

As we know, these proposals are part of the rollout of the Employment Rights Act reforms, which...

My Lords, I declare an interest as the chair of ACAS, as set out in the register. I am grateful to my noble friend the Minister for his detailed introduction to these two SIs.

As we know, these proposals are part of the rollout of the Employment Rights Act reforms, which...

My Lords, does my noble friend agree that managers and senior leaders of businesses need greater investment in the skills and ability to resolve workplace conflict at the earliest point, rather than letting those disputes fester and become entrenched? This would give a better impact on productivity, staff retention and business costs. What is being done to encourage that greater investment in skills in the workplace?

My Lords, does my noble friend agree that managers and senior leaders of businesses need greater investment in the skills and ability to resolve workplace conflict at the earliest point, rather than letting those disputes fester and become entrenched? This would give a better impact on productivity, staff retention and business costs. What is being done to encourage that greater investment in skills in the workplace?

My Lords, I am pleased to speak in this debate on the gracious Speech and to welcome the focus on public sector reform and delivery. This is my first intervention since I was appointed the chair of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. As noble Lords know, ACAS is independent...

My Lords, I am pleased to speak in this debate on the gracious Speech and to welcome the focus on public sector reform and delivery. This is my first intervention since I was appointed the chair of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. As noble Lords know, ACAS is independent...

I thank my noble friend for that. The additional funding that has been given to the British Business Bank is welcome, but will it be encouraged to take higher risk stakes in

some of our more innovative companies? Can we be assured that it has the expertise to make those critical judgments?

I thank my noble friend for that. The additional funding that has been given to the British Business Bank is welcome, but will it be encouraged to take higher risk stakes in

some of our more innovative companies? Can we be assured that it has the expertise to make those critical judgments?

To ask His Majesty’s Government what criteria are used by the British Business Bank when investing in UK businesses.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what criteria are used by the British Business Bank when investing in UK businesses.

My Lords, the launch of the AI and the Future of Work Unit is of course very welcome, but how will it account for the varied AI growth opportunities around the country, which might be very different from place to place? It is important that we ensure that everyone can be supported into better, tailored jobs, and they need to be relevant to their local economy. We do not want a plan that is one size fits all when it needs to be varied around the regions.

My Lords, the launch of the AI and the Future of Work Unit is of course very welcome, but how will it account for the varied AI growth opportunities around the country, which might be very different from place to place? It is important that we ensure that everyone can be supported into better, tailored jobs, and they need to be relevant to their local economy. We do not want a plan that is one size fits all when it needs to be varied around the regions.

My Lords, given the worrying flow of some UK quantum companies taking money from or moving abroad, particularly to the US, in search of additional funding, is my noble friend the Minister confident that we are doing enough to map where in the UK the expertise is? It is important to us for national security, apart from anything else, that we have our own sovereign capability. Are we mapping it as well as we can and do we have an early warning system, such that we can intervene when some of these newly developing companies are thinking of going abroad, so that we can give them the support, funding or whatever else they need to stay in the UK, where we need them to grow?

My Lords, given the worrying flow of some UK quantum companies taking money from or moving abroad, particularly to the US, in search of additional funding, is my noble friend the Minister confident that we are doing enough to map where in the UK the expertise is? It is important to us for national security, apart from anything else, that we have our own sovereign capability. Are we mapping it as well as we can and do we have an early warning system, such that we can intervene when some of these newly developing companies are thinking of going abroad, so that we can give them the support, funding or whatever else they need to stay in the UK, where we need them to grow?

My Lords, the evidence on the impact of early years investment is compelling, as my noble friend the Minister has outlined. It matters for health, growth, skills and employment—almost every outcome we can imagine is improved by early intervention. What steps are being taken to

ensure that child development and family support are given the priority they deserve, not just in the very welcome Best Start hubs but right across government?

My Lords, the evidence on the impact of early years investment is compelling, as my noble friend the Minister has outlined. It matters for health, growth, skills and employment—almost every outcome we can imagine is improved by early intervention. What steps are being taken to

ensure that child development and family support are given the priority they deserve, not just in the very welcome Best Start hubs but right across government?

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the expected impact of the new Best Start Family Hubs in England.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the expected impact of the new Best Start Family Hubs in England.

My Lords, it gives me great pleasure to welcome my noble friend Lord John and thank him for his excellent maiden speech, which was both entertaining and wise, as befits a barrister of over 25 years’ standing. I am sure we were all impressed by his knowledge and insight into...

My Lords, it gives me great pleasure to welcome my noble friend Lord John and thank him for his excellent maiden speech, which was both entertaining and wise, as befits a barrister of over 25 years’ standing. I am sure we were all impressed by his knowledge and insight into...

My noble friend has described all the action being taken already on this issue, which was a very important part of our debate on the Employment Rights Bill. We heard some compelling arguments then about the importance of making progress on this issue. In light of all the meetings my noble friend has described, is she prepared to convene a meeting of Peers on a cross-party basis to update us and make sure that the voices around the Chamber are also heard appropriately?

My noble friend has described all the action being taken already on this issue, which was a very important part of our debate on the Employment Rights Bill. We heard some compelling arguments then about the importance of making progress on this issue. In light of all the meetings my noble friend has described, is she prepared to convene a meeting of Peers on a cross-party basis to update us and make sure that the voices around the Chamber are also heard appropriately?

My Lords, there are more than 250,000 empty homes in this country, and that number is rising. What are the Government doing to tackle that scourge of empty properties, as surely it is the quickest way of tackling some of the housing crisis that we face?

My Lords, there are more than 250,000 empty homes in this country, and that number is rising. What are the Government doing to tackle that scourge of empty properties, as surely it is the quickest way of tackling some of the housing crisis that we face?

My Lords, among its many findings, the review identified that there is a proliferation of different business support schemes designed to improve technology adoption and productivity. Many of these are short lived, their impact is variable and they are hard for SMEs to navigate. What consideration is being given to streamlining business support based on the evidence of which interventions have proved most successful in the past?

My Lords, among its many findings, the review identified that there is a proliferation of different business support schemes designed to improve technology adoption and productivity. Many of these are short lived, their impact is variable and they are hard for SMEs to navigate. What consideration is being given to streamlining business support based on the evidence of which interventions have proved most successful in the past?

To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the Technology Adoption Review.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the Technology Adoption Review.

My Lords, it is becoming increasingly apparent that overseas, in different countries, there are huge numbers of almost industrial-scale scams going on. Will the new fraud strategy include a way of tackling some of the international problems that we have? Is my noble friend the Minister liaising with some of those countries where we know that this is a really prevalent activity?

My Lords, it is becoming increasingly apparent that overseas, in different countries, there are huge numbers of almost industrial-scale scams going on. Will the new fraud strategy include a way of tackling some of the international problems that we have? Is my noble friend the Minister liaising with some of those countries where we know that this is a really prevalent activity?

My Lords, while it is of course important that platforms maintain the standards Ofcom has set for them, does my noble friend the Minister also agree that parents have an important role to play in all of this to make sure that the parental controls on devices are implemented in full? Is there not more of a role for digital literacy for adults, to make sure they are keeping a proper eye on what their children are doing and that they comply with the regulations?

My Lords, while it is of course important that platforms maintain the standards Ofcom has set for them, does my noble friend the Minister also agree that parents have an important role to play in all of this to make sure that the parental controls on devices are implemented in full? Is there not more of a role for digital literacy for adults, to make sure they are keeping a proper eye on what their children are doing and that they comply with the regulations?

My Lords, on the assumption that we get approval on 27 December, will my noble friend the Minister move quickly to make sure, as per the economic reset with the EU, that

we reduce trade barriers and boost economic growth, which has been held back in this country by Brexit for far too long?

My Lords, on the assumption that we get approval on 27 December, will my noble friend the Minister move quickly to make sure, as per the economic reset with the EU, that

we reduce trade barriers and boost economic growth, which has been held back in this country by Brexit for far too long?

My Lords, given the concerns that exist about the misuse of AI by pernicious actors, can my noble friend the Minister reassure the House that the Government are regularly stress-testing these threats, that we are preparing robust answers to them and that we will not therefore have any catastrophic incidents in this country? Will the lessons from the stress testing, if they exist, inform any future legislation?

My Lords, given the concerns that exist about the misuse of AI by pernicious actors, can my noble friend the Minister reassure the House that the Government are regularly stress-testing these threats, that we are preparing robust answers to them and that we will not therefore have any catastrophic incidents in this country? Will the lessons from the stress testing, if they exist, inform any future legislation?

My Lords, it is a real challenge to get the workforce in the 5 million or so SMEs to embrace the advantages of AI while obviously understanding the pitfalls as well. What are the Government doing to make sure that SMEs do not get left behind in the technology race?

My Lords, it is a real challenge to get the workforce in the 5 million or so SMEs to embrace the advantages of AI while obviously understanding the pitfalls as well. What are the Government doing to make sure that SMEs do not get left behind in the technology race?