"Does the noble Lord accept the argument that the quantum of damages is essentially a political decision that should be taken and justified in Parliament, not taken by judges in courts? How do aggrieved people achieve change there? We know how they achieve change in a political situation: they can …..." Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts - View Speech
"My Lords, like the noble Lord, Lord McNally, perhaps I may begin at the beginning. Notwithstanding some rather disobliging remarks from the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee referred to at some length by the noble Lords, Lord Beecham and Lord Sharkey, which no doubt we shall discuss in Committee, …..." Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts - View Speech
"My Lords, is it intended that the review will cover third-party litigation funding? Third-party litigation funding is a useful access to justice, but too often the division of any awards of damages between those who provide the funding and those in whose name the cases are being brought are obscure. …..." Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts - View Speech
"My Lords, this is the graveyard shift, but graveyard shift or not I shall speak also to Amendment 239. It is my first contribution in Committee on this Bill and when one finds one’s amendment sandwiched between ones being moved by such luminaries as the noble Lord, Lord Lisvane, and …..." Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts - View Speech
"My Lords, I thank my noble friend for her reply. She short-changed herself in only one sense: that was that the noble Lord, Lord Adonis, described her as mellifluous. Never was she more mellifluous than in dealing with the noble Lord, Lord Beith, and my noble friend Lady McIntosh. The …..." Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts - View Speech
"That this House regrets that the Damages (Personal Injury) Order 2017 makes a substantial change to the Ogden rate, the first change since 2001, just before the completion of a further consultation on how to set that rate more effectively in the future (SI 2017/206).
"My Lords, the regret Motion I have tabled may appear dry, complicated and technical. It is technical and complicated but it is not dry. It will have practical, everyday consequences for every taxpayer, for everybody who has an insurance policy, especially if they drive a motor car, and for every …..." Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts - View Speech
"My Lords, the hour is late so I will be brief. I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in support of this regret Motion: the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, for her forthright support; I think I got half or maybe two-thirds of a loaf—I am not quite sure but …..." Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts - View Speech