National Identity Cards

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Richard

Wednesday 16th November 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, the noble Lord brings up a number of areas. He is absolutely right to bring up the subject of civil liberties in terms of identity cards, because that was one of the concerns about them in the first instance. The Prevent strategy aims to protect people against the threat of radicalisation, not to punish them. In my previous role in communities and local government, I was aware of some fantastic community work, much of it led by the Church, which is helping people to come together to discuss those areas that unite communities rather than divide them.

[Lord Richard (Lab)]

My Lords, for the life of me, I do not understand why the Government have set their mind so firmly against the idea of having an identity card or identity document. It is common practice in many parts of the world. If the Government, in their rush to Brexit, wish to control immigration, it seems to me that the most obvious thing they should do is to have some form of common identification to show that people are United Kingdom citizens.

Migrants in France: UK Contribution

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Richard

Wednesday 12th October 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, all the questions that have come to me in this House have been on the protection of children. The top priority, certainly of this Government and I hope of the French Government, should be to protect the vulnerable. We have put £10 million into a child refugee fund solely dedicated to separated and unaccompanied children. I pay tribute to the work of the FTDA in France, to which we have also contributed, in identifying victims of exploitation and trafficking, because that is a particularly vulnerable area at this point in time.

[Lord Richard (Lab)]

My Lords—

Housing Associations: Right to Buy

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Richard

Tuesday 9th June 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, when affordable houses are sold, the discount to date is then refunded back to the housing association by the Government. As for replacing affordable with affordable, that capital receipt allows a new similar home to be built.

[Lord Richard (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister said that the Government are already consulting housing associations on this policy. Has she found any housing association that approves of it?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, I have said that the Minister in the other place, Brandon Lewis, is engaging with the sector. I have not had any personal engagement with the sector, but I am very happy to report back.

Devolution: England

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Richard

Wednesday 25th March 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, as my noble friend Lord Tebbit said, this is about decentralisation rather than devolution to England. I would just reiterate my previous point.

[Lord Richard (Lab)]

My Lords, I thought I detected something in what the Minister said a little earlier. Can she assure the House that she meant it when she said that the Government were working towards the abolition of the Barnett formula and its replacement by one based on need? That is what she said. Did she mean it?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, in terms of devolution in England—decentralisation in England—as local authorities and groups of local authorities take on their share of public funding, Barnett will actually change in terms of its distribution.