Letter dated 04/06/2026 from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill to Chris Hinchliff MP regarding points raised about the Railways Bill during a meeting with the Association of British Commuters (ABC) and associated proposed amendments for Report stage of the Bill: passenger and disability rights duty, Passenger Watchdog duties and enforcement powers, public sector equality duty, public investment and general duties, ORR’s duty to promote competition . 5p.

Letter dated 04/06/2026 from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill to Chris Hinchliff MP regarding points raised about the Railways Bill during a meeting with the Association of British Commuters (ABC) and associated proposed amendments for Report stage of the Bill: passenger and disability rights duty, Passenger Watchdog duties and enforcement...

Lords debate on King's speech (second day) on economic growth, trade and EU partnership.

Lords debate on King's speech (second day) on economic growth, trade and EU partnership.

My Lords, it is a great honour for me to open our five-day debate on the gracious Speech. These moments allow us to reflect on how much we have achieved after many constructive hours of debate, lots of votes and the occasional—or maybe not so occasional—late night. Noble Lords know...

My Lords, it is a great honour for me to open our five-day debate on the gracious Speech. These moments allow us to reflect on how much we have achieved after many constructive hours of debate, lots of votes and the occasional—or maybe not so occasional—late night. Noble Lords know...

My Lords, when the Chancellor of the Exchequer made her first speech in that office on 8 July 2024, she said that, by growing the economy, the Government could

“rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off”.

That was not a modest claim; it was the central economic wager...

My Lords, when the Chancellor of the Exchequer made her first speech in that office on 8 July 2024, she said that, by growing the economy, the Government could

“rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off”.

That was not a modest claim; it was the central economic wager...

My Lords, nearly two years ago, the general election resulted in a brief outbreak of euphoria on the Benches opposite, and then, during the long parliamentary Session that followed, reality bit. During that campaign, as we heard, growth was declared as the number one priority of that Government, and yet,...

My Lords, nearly two years ago, the general election resulted in a brief outbreak of euphoria on the Benches opposite, and then, during the long parliamentary Session that followed, reality bit. During that campaign, as we heard, growth was declared as the number one priority of that Government, and yet,...

My Lords, most of us agree that economic growth is critical. I am very pleased to see that it is on the board, as it is one of the best topics that we are discussing in this response to the gracious Speech. Growth widens the choices that are available for...

My Lords, most of us agree that economic growth is critical. I am very pleased to see that it is on the board, as it is one of the best topics that we are discussing in this response to the gracious Speech. Growth widens the choices that are available for...

My Lords, I am pleased to speak in this debate on the gracious Speech and wish all noble Lords well in this new Session. I declare an interest as president of the Rural Coalition.

It is an honour to follow the noble Lord, Lord Burns, particularly with his north-east roots. I...

My Lords, I am pleased to speak in this debate on the gracious Speech and wish all noble Lords well in this new Session. I declare an interest as president of the Rural Coalition.

It is an honour to follow the noble Lord, Lord Burns, particularly with his north-east roots. I...

My Lords, it is an honour to follow the excellent contribution from the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Newcastle. Her messages are directly relevant also to the area where I live, the south-west of England, and I congratulate her on her thoughts. It is also always daunting to follow...

My Lords, it is an honour to follow the excellent contribution from the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Newcastle. Her messages are directly relevant also to the area where I live, the south-west of England, and I congratulate her on her thoughts. It is also always daunting to follow...

My Lords, is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Barber of Chittlehampton, given his background as head of the Prime Minister’s policy unit under Tony Blair. Also, if I might, I will commend to colleagues his book, entitled Instruction to Deliver, which sets out very much the...

My Lords, is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Barber of Chittlehampton, given his background as head of the Prime Minister’s policy unit under Tony Blair. Also, if I might, I will commend to colleagues his book, entitled Instruction to Deliver, which sets out very much the...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, whose brand of Conservative politics I have always personally admired. He raises very important questions about the steel industry. However, I will make just two points. First, I agree that there is a case for a...

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, whose brand of Conservative politics I have always personally admired. He raises very important questions about the steel industry. However, I will make just two points. First, I agree that there is a case for a...

My Lords, it is always a great and nostalgic pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Liddle, whose enthusiasm for rejoining the European Union reminds me of the remarks of Samuel Johnson about a friend of his who was contemplating a second marriage—that it was a triumph of hope over...

My Lords, it is always a great and nostalgic pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Liddle, whose enthusiasm for rejoining the European Union reminds me of the remarks of Samuel Johnson about a friend of his who was contemplating a second marriage—that it was a triumph of hope over...

My Lords, when I am speaking about the gracious Speech, I normally speak in the debate day on foreign affairs. But in January of last year, I was appointed the UK trade envoy for Azerbaijan and central Asia, so perhaps it is more appropriate that I speak on the day...

My Lords, when I am speaking about the gracious Speech, I normally speak in the debate day on foreign affairs. But in January of last year, I was appointed the UK trade envoy for Azerbaijan and central Asia, so perhaps it is more appropriate that I speak on the day...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Alderdice, is right to warn us all that our relative prosperity and power is waning.

I have always been happy to fully support this Government’s main aim, as set out in the general election and repeated in all the economic speeches that I have heard...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Alderdice, is right to warn us all that our relative prosperity and power is waning.

I have always been happy to fully support this Government’s main aim, as set out in the general election and repeated in all the economic speeches that I have heard...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Redwood, and to perhaps offer a slightly different perspective. I declare my interest as a member of the Great British Energy start-up board and my responsibilities around a just transition.

We live in times of global economic shocks, from...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Redwood, and to perhaps offer a slightly different perspective. I declare my interest as a member of the Great British Energy start-up board and my responsibilities around a just transition.

We live in times of global economic shocks, from...

My Lords, following the noble Baroness, Lady O’Grady, I too want to focus on the theme from yesterday’s gracious Speech as being one of security—defence security, energy security and economic security. I will resist the temptation to make a joke about job security, particularly as I believe the Health Secretary...

My Lords, following the noble Baroness, Lady O’Grady, I too want to focus on the theme from yesterday’s gracious Speech as being one of security—defence security, energy security and economic security. I will resist the temptation to make a joke about job security, particularly as I believe the Health Secretary...

My Lords, I am delighted to speak in today’s debate on the humble Address. As noble Lords will probably expect, I plan to focus on European issues and, in particular, the sadly misnamed European partnership Bill, which would be better called the European subordination Bill, for in reality that is...

My Lords, I am delighted to speak in today’s debate on the humble Address. As noble Lords will probably expect, I plan to focus on European issues and, in particular, the sadly misnamed European partnership Bill, which would be better called the European subordination Bill, for in reality that is...

My Lords, I shall start on an area that was largely ignored in the King’s Speech. Unfortunately for small businesses across the country, the King’s Speech offered very little.

Business groups had once again urged the Government to use the King’s Speech to address the long-standing iniquity of business rates, a...

My Lords, I shall start on an area that was largely ignored in the King’s Speech. Unfortunately for small businesses across the country, the King’s Speech offered very little.

Business groups had once again urged the Government to use the King’s Speech to address the long-standing iniquity of business rates, a...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a senior counsellor with the Cohen Group. The opening lines of the gracious Speech hit the nail on the head:

“An increasingly dangerous and volatile world threatens the United Kingdom, with the conflict in the Middle East only the most recent example. Every element...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a senior counsellor with the Cohen Group. The opening lines of the gracious Speech hit the nail on the head:

“An increasingly dangerous and volatile world threatens the United Kingdom, with the conflict in the Middle East only the most recent example. Every element...

My Lords, it is a very great pleasure to follow the noble Lord’s extremely powerful and searing critique of the Government. To help the Minister in his summing up, let me suggest some parts that he might like to cut. I know he likes always to refer in his speeches...

My Lords, it is a very great pleasure to follow the noble Lord’s extremely powerful and searing critique of the Government. To help the Minister in his summing up, let me suggest some parts that he might like to cut. I know he likes always to refer in his speeches...

My Lords, I will address the impact of Brexit on one of our largest economic sectors—the creative arts sector—and reflect on what that impact tells us about the direction of our economy and the changing mood of the country. In the years since Brexit, not only has our cultural life...

My Lords, I will address the impact of Brexit on one of our largest economic sectors—the creative arts sector—and reflect on what that impact tells us about the direction of our economy and the changing mood of the country. In the years since Brexit, not only has our cultural life...