Debate on Coronavirus and the North of England. Government told: “Our loss of liberty under the cover of Covid-19, and the intolerable threat to use our Armed Forces to enforce decrees and edicts touching every aspect of our lives, is simply not acceptable, and Ministers need to understand that.”… “Constantly changing messaging has been buttressed by muddle and confusion.” “An over-centralised “pushmi-pullyu”, stop-start approach destroys jobs and drives up unemployment.” “Chaos and confusion undermine confidence in government, while an emasculated Parliament gives the illusion of accountability and scrutiny.”

Debate on Coronavirus and the North of England. Government told: “Our loss of liberty under the cover of Covid-19, and the intolerable threat to use our Armed Forces to enforce decrees and edicts touching every aspect of our lives, is simply not acceptable, and Ministers need to understand that.”… “Constantly changing messaging has been buttressed by muddle and confusion.” “An over-centralised “pushmi-pullyu”, stop-start approach destroys jobs and drives up unemployment.” “Chaos and confusion undermine confidence in government, while an emasculated Parliament gives the illusion of accountability and scrutiny.”

Coronavirus Regulations for the North of England – 25.09.2020 Speech in the House of Lords  12.25 pm Lord Alton of Liverpool (CB) [V] My Lords, I declare an interest as I live in the north-west of England, as do members of my family, one of whom is an A&E...

World Hunger and the effects of Covid. Government quizzed about how many people they estimate are beneficiaries of UK contributions to World Food Programme projects; what assessment they have made of the impact of the reduction in global economies on those programmes; and what assessment they have made of the likelihood that current contribution levels will be maintained; and Minister Ahmad gives a welcome promise “of our commitment to preventing famine and eradicating hunger and we will work closely with WFP to ensure that the organisation receives the financial support needed to tackle the current and future challenge.”

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL7843): Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people they estimate are...

Government Minister responds to comments by the UN Human Rights Commissioner about the operation of care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic with their assessment of reports of care home staff (1) abandoning care homes, (2) leaving residents to die alone, (3) failing to make adequate preparations, and (4) failing to provide guidance and personal protection equipment; what assessment they have made, in assessing such reports, of the human rights of patients and staff in care homes; and the assessment they have made of a report by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services – respond positively, in principle, to a call for a UN convention on the rights of the elderly

Government Minister responds to comments by the UN Human Rights Commissioner about the operation of care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic with their assessment of reports of care home staff (1) abandoning care homes, (2) leaving residents to die alone, (3) failing...

Care homes ‘thrown to the wolves’, MPs say. Some of the Questions put to the Government as this tragedy unfolded. And in a further indication of diminished accountability to Parliament, Ministers have produced an unprecedented standard reply to avoid having to give detailed responses to parliamentary questions – including questions which have remained unanswered for weeks on end.

Care homes ‘thrown to the wolves’, MPs say. Some of the Questions put to the Government as this tragedy unfolded. And in a further indication of diminished accountability to Parliament, Ministers have produced an unprecedented standard reply to avoid having to give detailed responses to parliamentary questions – including questions which have remained unanswered for weeks on end.

Care homes ‘thrown to the wolves’, MPs say The Local Government Association LGA) has reported that Ministers have been accused of a “slow, inconsistent, and at times negligent” approach to social care during the coronavirus pandemic, which has exposed years of delayed...

Government replies on the impact of Covid-19 on religious minorities and says that it is “deeply concerned by the secondary effects that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on members of religious and belief communities. This includes incidents of hate speech targeting minority religious and belief groups, as well as the rise in conspiracy theories that certain faiths or beliefs are to blame for coronavirus.”

Government replies on the impact of Covid-19 on religious minorities and says that it is “deeply concerned by the secondary effects that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on members of religious and belief communities. This includes incidents of hate speech targeting minority religious and belief groups, as well as the rise in conspiracy theories that certain faiths or beliefs are to blame for coronavirus.”

Government replies on the impact of Covid-19 on religious minorities and says that it is "deeply concerned by the secondary effects that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on members of religious and belief...

Last year, Councils used court action 2.3 million times and bailiffs 1.4 million times to collect council tax debt. The bailiff fees added £200 million to people’s debts. Over 1.3 million households are estimated to have built up council tax debts because of coronavirus. When the Covid restrictions on debt collection end on 23 August, the day on which bailiffs can arrive—or debt D-day, as the coalition charities have called it— there need to be pre-action protocols in place to prevent people finding themselves on the streets.

Last year, Councils used court action 2.3 million times and bailiffs 1.4 million times to collect council tax debt. The bailiff fees added £200 million to people’s debts. Over 1.3 million households are estimated to have built up council tax debts because of coronavirus. When the Covid restrictions on debt collection end on 23 August, the day on which bailiffs can arrive—or debt D-day, as the coalition charities have called it— there need to be pre-action protocols in place to prevent people finding themselves on the streets.

Last year, Councils used Court action 2.3 million times and bailiffs 1.4 million times to collect council tax debt. The bailiff fees added £200 million to people’s debts. Over 1.3 million households are estimated to have built up council tax debts because of...

Lord David Alton

For 18 years David Alton was a Member of the House of Commons and today he is an Independent Crossbench Life Peer in the UK House of Lords.

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Stop Organ Harvesting In China

Stop Organ Harvesting In China

As the Medicines and Medical Devices Bill Bill comes to be discussed in Parliament, at its Report Stage in the House of Lords these speeches on forced organ harvesting were made by members from all sides of the House. Second Reading: ...

Christmas 2020 – Listen to T.S.Eliot and Hugh Laurie reading “Journey of the Magi”, Read J.R.R.Tolkien’s, Noel, and G.K.Chesterton’s “The House of Christmas” and Liverpool poet, Stewart Henderson’s ,new 2020 Christmas poem, What did you get for Christmas?

Christmas 2020 – Listen to T.S.Eliot and Hugh Laurie reading “Journey of the Magi”, Read J.R.R.Tolkien’s, Noel, and G.K.Chesterton’s “The House of Christmas” and Liverpool poet, Stewart Henderson’s ,new 2020 Christmas poem, What did you get for Christmas?

Christmas 2020 - Listen to T.S.Eliot and Hugh Laurie reading "Journey of the Magi", Read J.R.R.Tolkien's, Noel, and G.K.Chesterton's "The House of Christmas" and Liverpool poet, Stewart Henderson's ,new 2020 Christmas poem, What did you get for Christmas? The...

The Place In Which We Work

The Place In Which We Work

The Houses of Parliament We all see the place where we work very differently. At the end of another very long day, at 8.30 pm tonight, I was alone in the House of Lords cafeteria - where the wonderful (mainly Polish) staff were living out Napoleon‘s maxim that armies...

The World Must Not Forget Andy Li And The Hong Kong 12

The World Must Not Forget Andy Li And The Hong Kong 12

With Andy Li During The Hong Kong Elections In the U.K. Parliament I have again asked the U.K. Government what information they have on the wellbeing of the 12 young prodemocracy activists from Hong Kong, arrested by China. I asked whether the U.K. has asked China to...

The Muslim Council of Britain issues a Parliamentary Briefing in support of the House of Lords Genocide Amendment to the Trade Bill – which will be voted on by the House of Commons on Tuesday next. “We urge you to support this amendment.”

The Muslim Council of Britain issues a Parliamentary Briefing in support of the House of Lords Genocide Amendment to the Trade Bill – which will be voted on by the House of Commons on Tuesday next. “We urge you to support this amendment.”

January 2021 Briefing for Members of the House of Commons "We urge you to support this amendment". Muslim Council of Britain Parliamentary Briefing – Amendment relating to Genocide (Genocide Amendment) to the UK Trade Bill 2019-2021About us: The MCB is the UK’s...

Statement from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the situation of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s Tigray region: ” extremely troubled by the humanitarian situation”…”in spite of repeated requests, UNHCR and partners have not yet had any access to the Shimelba and Hitsats refugee camps”… I am very worried for the safety and well-being of Eritrean refugees in those camps”…”refugees who reached Addis Ababa are being returned to Tigray, some against their will.”

Statement from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the situation of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s Tigray region: ” extremely troubled by the humanitarian situation”…”in spite of repeated requests, UNHCR and partners have not yet had any access to the Shimelba and Hitsats refugee camps”… I am very worried for the safety and well-being of Eritrean refugees in those camps”…”refugees who reached Addis Ababa are being returned to Tigray, some against their will.”

Statement from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the situation of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s Tigray region: " extremely troubled by the humanitarian situation"…"in spite of repeated requests, UNHCR and partners have not yet had any access to...