When has the UK had conscription and why are some European countries reintroducing some form of mandatory military service?

When has the UK had conscription and why are some European countries reintroducing some form of mandatory military service?

Four amendments to clause 2 negatived on division (4 votes to 12 in each case). Clause 2 agreed to on division (12 votes to 4). Four amendments to clause 3 negatived on division (4 votes to 11, 4 votes to 12 in two cases, and 5 votes to 11). Clause 3 agreed to on division (12 votes to 4). Clause 4 agreed to. Amendment to clause 5 negatived on division (4 votes to 12). Clause 5 agreed to on division (12 votes to 4). Four amendments to clause 6 negatived on division (4 votes to 11 in two cases, and 4 votes to 12 in two cases). Clause 6 agreed to on division (12 votes to 4). Clauses 7 and 8 agreed to. Clause 9 agreed to on division (12 votes to 4). Two amendments to clause 10 negatived on division (5 votes to 11 in each case). Clause 10 agreed to on division (10 votes to 5). Clause 11 agreed to. Amendment to clause 12 negatived on division (5 votes to 10). A government amendment to clause 12 agreed to. An amendment to clause 12, discussed with new clause 12 (Product recall), debated and withdrawn. A further amendment negatived on division (5 votes to 10). Clause 12 agreed to, as amended. Clauses 13 to 15 agreed to, with clause 15 agreed to as amended. Committee adjourned till 15th May. Written evidence reported to the House.

Four amendments to clause 2 negatived on division (4 votes to 12 in each case). Clause 2 agreed to on division (12 votes to 4). Four amendments to clause 3 negatived on division (4 votes to 11, 4 votes to 12 in two cases, and 5 votes to 11). Clause...

Lords motion to take note of His Majesty's Government's legislative proposals to ensure the continued operation of the steel industry in the light of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of His Majesty's Government's legislative proposals to ensure the continued operation of the steel industry in the light of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, the House has reconvened under exceptional circumstances, which merit an exceptional response from the Government. Our request to recall Parliament was not made lightly, and I am grateful to noble Lords on all sides of the House for being here today as the Government seek to pass this...

My Lords, the House has reconvened under exceptional circumstances, which merit an exceptional response from the Government. Our request to recall Parliament was not made lightly, and I am grateful to noble Lords on all sides of the House for being here today as the Government seek to pass this...

My Lords, I begin by echoing the words of the Government Chief Whip: I thank all the staff of Parliament for their tremendous efforts in facilitating this recall today. It is no small task to bring us all together at short notice, and their dedication to the democratic process is...

My Lords, I begin by echoing the words of the Government Chief Whip: I thank all the staff of Parliament for their tremendous efforts in facilitating this recall today. It is no small task to bring us all together at short notice, and their dedication to the democratic process is...

My Lords, from these Benches, I too thank all the staff who have come in. We are very grateful to them, not just for giving their time but for taking care under the special circumstances which have complicated today.

The urgent and serious position that this country now faces means that...

My Lords, from these Benches, I too thank all the staff who have come in. We are very grateful to them, not just for giving their time but for taking care under the special circumstances which have complicated today.

The urgent and serious position that this country now faces means that...

My Lords, I will make five simple points.

First, the Government are absolutely correct to intervene. Like the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, I have personal experience of the devastation that is wrought on communities by the closure of steel industries. Some noble Lords may remember that we once had a steel...

My Lords, I will make five simple points.

First, the Government are absolutely correct to intervene. Like the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, I have personal experience of the devastation that is wrought on communities by the closure of steel industries. Some noble Lords may remember that we once had a steel...

My Lords, it is fair to say that the steel industry has been in special measures for some time. The noble Lord has just referred to the acquisition that was made in 2020. Indeed, the last Government made sure that Scunthorpe did not close, and there was only one private...

My Lords, it is fair to say that the steel industry has been in special measures for some time. The noble Lord has just referred to the acquisition that was made in 2020. Indeed, the last Government made sure that Scunthorpe did not close, and there was only one private...

My Lords, it is difficult—in fact, almost impossible—to appear more gracious than the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Wirral, but for once, I think I can. I thought it was extremely good of the Minister to get us a letter this morning explaining what we are up to here and...

My Lords, it is difficult—in fact, almost impossible—to appear more gracious than the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Wirral, but for once, I think I can. I thought it was extremely good of the Minister to get us a letter this morning explaining what we are up to here and...

My Lords, I rise to totally support the Government and to congratulate them on their draft Bill. I think the actions of the Government

have changed the tone of the debate. The role of government is being redefined. There is an acceptance that government is in the business of involvement...

My Lords, I rise to totally support the Government and to congratulate them on their draft Bill. I think the actions of the Government

have changed the tone of the debate. The role of government is being redefined. There is an acceptance that government is in the business of involvement...

My Lords, it takes only a few minutes to see why British Steel is in dreadful trouble and chaos, and why we are where we are today. First, its costs are very uncompetitive indeed, especially the cost of electric power, as my noble friend Lord Hunt pointed out in his...

My Lords, it takes only a few minutes to see why British Steel is in dreadful trouble and chaos, and why we are where we are today. First, its costs are very uncompetitive indeed, especially the cost of electric power, as my noble friend Lord Hunt pointed out in his...

My Lords, I welcome the attention that the Government are paying to this matter in recognising the gravity of the situation we face. At a time of tariffs, threats to jobs and wider economic uncertainty, it is vital to safeguard the steel industry while transitioning towards a greener future. Production...

My Lords, I welcome the attention that the Government are paying to this matter in recognising the gravity of the situation we face. At a time of tariffs, threats to jobs and wider economic uncertainty, it is vital to safeguard the steel industry while transitioning towards a greener future. Production...

My Lords, the Prime Minister is absolutely right to move quickly and ask Parliament to approve powers to protect and secure the UK steel industry. Urgent action today, which is what is before us, is absolutely in the interests of the nation and those communities where steel is such an...

My Lords, the Prime Minister is absolutely right to move quickly and ask Parliament to approve powers to protect and secure the UK steel industry. Urgent action today, which is what is before us, is absolutely in the interests of the nation and those communities where steel is such an...

My Lords, during the speech of my noble friend Lord Hunt of Wirral, I carefully watched the Labour Benches and, when he made some moderate criticisms of the Government, he faced what might be described as a certain degree of genteel barracking. What I did not see on the faces...

My Lords, during the speech of my noble friend Lord Hunt of Wirral, I carefully watched the Labour Benches and, when he made some moderate criticisms of the Government, he faced what might be described as a certain degree of genteel barracking. What I did not see on the faces...

My Lords, I have here a long list of the numerous occasions on which, over the past 10 years, I raised my concern over the emasculation of our steel industry and the fact that, if we did not do something very urgently, we might well lose the ability to produce,...

My Lords, I have here a long list of the numerous occasions on which, over the past 10 years, I raised my concern over the emasculation of our steel industry and the fact that, if we did not do something very urgently, we might well lose the ability to produce,...

My Lords, the question posed by the noble Lord, Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, and then repeated by my noble friend Lord Moylan hangs in the air of your Lordships’ Chamber, brooding and unanswered: what is the justification for having a permanent, open-ended

commitment to subsidise domestic production? We have heard...

My Lords, the question posed by the noble Lord, Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, and then repeated by my noble friend Lord Moylan hangs in the air of your Lordships’ Chamber, brooding and unanswered: what is the justification for having a permanent, open-ended

commitment to subsidise domestic production? We have heard...

My Lords, like many in your Lordships’ House, I lived through the history of the steel industry. In the 1970s and the 1980s, we had the debate over nationalisation, privatisation, nationalisation, privatisation, and in the past 10 years we have had a series of crises, culminating—until now, I suppose—with Port...

My Lords, like many in your Lordships’ House, I lived through the history of the steel industry. In the 1970s and the 1980s, we had the debate over nationalisation, privatisation, nationalisation, privatisation, and in the past 10 years we have had a series of crises, culminating—until now, I suppose—with Port...

My Lords, the Round Oak Steelworks was a steel production plant in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, close to where I grew up. Many of my classmates’ fathers worked there, meaning that I was often asked as a child, “Can we come round yours to play? My dad’s on nights?”—because my...

My Lords, the Round Oak Steelworks was a steel production plant in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, close to where I grew up. Many of my classmates’ fathers worked there, meaning that I was often asked as a child, “Can we come round yours to play? My dad’s on nights?”—because my...

My Lords, I refer to my interests in the register. Scunthorpe, as we have heard from many speakers today, is a proud steel town that I have known for many years. Its people are fighting with all the strength and resilience that they have to keep those coke ovens burning....

My Lords, I refer to my interests in the register. Scunthorpe, as we have heard from many speakers today, is a proud steel town that I have known for many years. Its people are fighting with all the strength and resilience that they have to keep those coke ovens burning....

My Lords, it is an honour to follow the speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Redfern, which showed real understanding of the position. The facts are clear. Without intervention, Jingye will not commit to buying raw materials immediately. Those raw materials are required immediately to prevent the blast furnaces cooling...

My Lords, it is an honour to follow the speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Redfern, which showed real understanding of the position. The facts are clear. Without intervention, Jingye will not commit to buying raw materials immediately. Those raw materials are required immediately to prevent the blast furnaces cooling...