My Lords, further to the question from the noble Lord, Lord Alton, the world’s greatest humanitarian crisis, in Sudan, was not mentioned in the Government’s agenda for the G20 presidency. Surely, as the UN Security Council penholder for the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, we will raise this. What are our ambitions in the G20 presidency for that crisis?

My Lords, further to the question from the noble Lord, Lord Alton, the world’s greatest humanitarian crisis, in Sudan, was not mentioned in the Government’s agenda for the G20 presidency. Surely, as the UN Security Council penholder for the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, we will raise this. What are our ambitions in the G20 presidency for that crisis?

I think I might be correct, but I am sure the noble Lord will correct me if not. The Scottish Lords of Parliament, who were part of those elected to serve after the Acts of Union, had themselves to be re-elected at the start of each new Parliament. They did...

I think I might be correct, but I am sure the noble Lord will correct me if not. The Scottish Lords of Parliament, who were part of those elected to serve after the Acts of Union, had themselves to be re-elected at the start of each new Parliament. They did...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness who spoke in the gap. She knows that I have the highest admiration for the work she does, and the utmost affection for her. She has been and continues to be an outstanding ambassador for Parliament as a whole,...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness who spoke in the gap. She knows that I have the highest admiration for the work she does, and the utmost affection for her. She has been and continues to be an outstanding ambassador for Parliament as a whole,...

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords, in reply to my noble friend’s question about the Debt Management Office, the Minister said that it was part of the Bank of England and that he would write to my noble friend, which I am grateful for. To help him draft the letter, might he quote from the DMO website, which says under “Who we are”:

“In institutional terms, the DMO is legally and constitutionally part of HM Treasury … The Chancellor of the Exchequer determines the policy and financial framework within which the DMO operates”.

Will that assist the Minister in the drafting of his letter to my noble friend?

My Lords, in reply to my noble friend’s question about the Debt Management Office, the Minister said that it was part of the Bank of England and that he would write to my noble friend, which I am grateful for. To help him draft the letter, might he quote from the DMO website, which says under “Who we are”:

“In institutional terms, the DMO is legally and constitutionally part of HM Treasury … The Chancellor of the Exchequer determines the policy and financial framework within which the DMO operates”.

Will that assist the Minister in the drafting of his letter to my noble friend?

My Lords, I, too, welcome the noble Lord to his ministerial position; I think this House is greatly enhanced by people who served in the Scottish Parliament, personally, and I wish him luck in his role. The area where I live, the Scottish Borders, has the lowest average working wage, and we also have too high levels of outward migration of those in the workforce, including young people. Working across the border, businesses have to navigate both devolved and reserved legislation, and when Governments are not working together in an area such as the Scottish Borders, that exacerbates the problem rather than resolves it. What initiatives can the Minister take with his colleagues here to ensure that in the Border area, cross-border work is enhanced rather than diminished?

My Lords, I, too, welcome the noble Lord to his ministerial position; I think this House is greatly enhanced by people who served in the Scottish Parliament, personally, and I wish him luck in his role. The area where I live, the Scottish Borders, has the lowest average working wage, and we also have too high levels of outward migration of those in the workforce, including young people. Working across the border, businesses have to navigate both devolved and reserved legislation, and when Governments are not working together in an area such as the Scottish Borders, that exacerbates the problem rather than resolves it. What initiatives can the Minister take with his colleagues here to ensure that in the Border area, cross-border work is enhanced rather than diminished?

My Lords, the choice of who forms the Israeli Government is for the Israeli people and them alone. Our foreign policy is for our Government, and our legislation is for this Parliament. No British Jewish person should be held to account for the actions of another Government—an Israeli Government. Antisemitism,...

My Lords, the choice of who forms the Israeli Government is for the Israeli people and them alone. Our foreign policy is for our Government, and our legislation is for this Parliament. No British Jewish person should be held to account for the actions of another Government—an Israeli Government. Antisemitism,...

I also welcome the Minister to her brief. I should perhaps declare I was on that visit too, but I saw nothing untoward between the Minister and the noble Lord, Lord Callanan. This is also my first opportunity—since she is here—to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, for her service...

I also welcome the Minister to her brief. I should perhaps declare I was on that visit too, but I saw nothing untoward between the Minister and the noble Lord, Lord Callanan. This is also my first opportunity—since she is here—to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, for her service...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness—

4.42 pm

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness—

4.42 pm

I remain happy to have followed the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, who reminded us of the blight in our country: the extreme levels of difference in social deprivation from postcode to postcode. This is also an urban-rural issue. If the Prime Minister is to be successful, it will be about...

I remain happy to have followed the noble Baroness, Lady Nargund, who reminded us of the blight in our country: the extreme levels of difference in social deprivation from postcode to postcode. This is also an urban-rural issue. If the Prime Minister is to be successful, it will be about...

My Lords, Andy Burnham is the seventh Prime Minister in the 13 years I have been a Member of this House. Under our unstable one-party government system, Prime Ministers have had an average tenure of 21 months in my time. I worked out that this is precisely the average lifespan...

My Lords, Andy Burnham is the seventh Prime Minister in the 13 years I have been a Member of this House. Under our unstable one-party government system, Prime Ministers have had an average tenure of 21 months in my time. I worked out that this is precisely the average lifespan...

My Lords, I welcome the Minister to his post and I wish him the very best in carrying out his role. I know that he has visited Nepal and that he will be acutely aware of the impact of this disaster. I associate these Benches with the words of the...

My Lords, I welcome the Minister to his post and I wish him the very best in carrying out his role. I know that he has visited Nepal and that he will be acutely aware of the impact of this disaster. I associate these Benches with the words of the...

My Lords, it is a privilege to follow the noble Lord, Lord True, and the Leader, and their very eloquent and emotional tributes to Herbert. Herbert was Convenor of the Cross Benches when I entered this House in 2013. He was always helpful, courteous and polite. For the whole of...

My Lords, it is a privilege to follow the noble Lord, Lord True, and the Leader, and their very eloquent and emotional tributes to Herbert. Herbert was Convenor of the Cross Benches when I entered this House in 2013. He was always helpful, courteous and polite. For the whole of...

My Lords, I will take this opportunity also to welcome the continuation in their role of the Leader and the Chief Whip.

My Lords, I will take this opportunity also to welcome the continuation in their role of the Leader and the Chief Whip.

I apologise to the Chief Whip if I have just doomed his chances in the reshuffle. Now all of his Back-Benchers are keeping a beady eye on their phones to learn his fate. I also thank on behalf of these Benches the outgoing Ministers for their service. They were open,...

I apologise to the Chief Whip if I have just doomed his chances in the reshuffle. Now all of his Back-Benchers are keeping a beady eye on their phones to learn his fate. I also thank on behalf of these Benches the outgoing Ministers for their service. They were open,...

The noble Baroness is well aware that there are recognised ways that the usual channels operate. She may protest, and if she wishes to intervene again, I am happy to take it.

The noble Baroness is well aware that there are recognised ways that the usual channels operate. She may protest, and if she wishes to intervene again, I am happy to take it.

My Lords, I indicated that these Benches were not consulted or written to with regard to the noble Lord. That is perfectly clear. When the press were told at 9.38 pm, when the House was still sitting, there was no convening of the usual channels to discuss the business ahead....

My Lords, I indicated that these Benches were not consulted or written to with regard to the noble Lord. That is perfectly clear. When the press were told at 9.38 pm, when the House was still sitting, there was no convening of the usual channels to discuss the business ahead....

The usual channels were not convened, informed or written to. When we were notified that a Motion had been tabled, that is not the way that the usual channels operate our business. I wonder whether the noble Baroness can confirm the point that the Leader indicated. Had the other Benches...

The usual channels were not convened, informed or written to. When we were notified that a Motion had been tabled, that is not the way that the usual channels operate our business. I wonder whether the noble Baroness can confirm the point that the Leader indicated. Had the other Benches...

The Chief Whip, who is back in his place, or the Opposition Chief Whip might be able to confirm to the House whether the Motion had been tabled before the noble Baroness informed those she claims were consulted. No—there is silence. I think that confirms that matter. So, we are...

The Chief Whip, who is back in his place, or the Opposition Chief Whip might be able to confirm to the House whether the Motion had been tabled before the noble Baroness informed those she claims were consulted. No—there is silence. I think that confirms that matter. So, we are...

My Lords, as Hansard will show and as I indicated very clearly, there was no debate on the Government’s priorities, political or legislative, in this House, as the noble Lord is seeking that we have. It is his right not to be consistent—I understand that—but when it comes to Prime...

My Lords, as Hansard will show and as I indicated very clearly, there was no debate on the Government’s priorities, political or legislative, in this House, as the noble Lord is seeking that we have. It is his right not to be consistent—I understand that—but when it comes to Prime...