Lord Newby Portrait

Lord Newby

Liberal Democrat - Life peer

Became Member: 25th September 1997


Lord Newby is not a member of any APPGs
2 Former APPG memberships
Islamic Finance, Transport Across the North
Committee for Privileges and Conduct (Lords)
16th May 2012 - 5th Nov 2019
Liaison Committee (Lords)
12th Oct 2016 - 29th Oct 2019
Finance Committee (Lords)
1st Sep 2016 - 27th Oct 2016
Liberal Democrat Lords Chief Whip
27th May 2015 - 13th Sep 2016
Administration and Works Committee (Lords)
16th May 2012 - 31st Aug 2016
Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
9th May 2012 - 7th May 2015
Lords Spokesperson (HM Treasury) (Whip)
9th May 2012 - 7th May 2015
Ecclesiastical Committee (Joint Committee)
24th Jan 2002 - 30th Mar 2015
Refreshment Committee (Lords)
20th Jun 2012 - 30th Mar 2015
Joint Committee on Security
9th May 2012 - 30th Mar 2015
Insurance Bill [HL] Special Public Bill Committee
19th Nov 2014 - 24th Dec 2014
Draft Financial Services Bill (Joint Committee)
20th Jul 2011 - 13th Dec 2011
Economic Affairs Committee
28th Jun 2001 - 20th Nov 2003
Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England
7th Dec 1998 - 11th May 2001


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Newby has voted in 513 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

22 Feb 2022 - Procedure and Privileges Committee - View Vote Context
Lord Newby voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 13 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 29 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 144 Noes - 133
View All Lord Newby Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour)
Shadow Spokesperson (Northern Ireland)
(46 debate interactions)
Lord True (Conservative)
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
(21 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Leader of the House
(76 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(22 debate contributions)
Home Office
(5 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Lord Newby's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Newby, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


8 Bills introduced by Lord Newby

Introduced: 13th September 2012

To make provision for public service pension schemes; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 25th April 2013 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 3rd March 2015

This Bill received Royal Assent on 26th March 2015 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 17th July 2014

This Bill received Royal Assent on 12th February 2015 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 14th October 2014

A Bill to make provision in connection with the taxation of pensions.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 17th December 2014 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 21st June 2012

Following agreement by both Houses on the text of the Bill it received Royal Assent on 19 December. The Bill is now an Act of Parliament (law).

This Bill received Royal Assent on 19th December 2012 and was enacted into law.


This Bill received Royal Assent on 8th March 2012 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 5th September 2012

This Bill received Royal Assent on 31st October 2012 and was enacted into law.


First reading took place on 8 June. This stage is a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords.Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled.The 2016-2017 session of Parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to make provision for the sale of adjustable focus spectacles.

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading : House Of Lords
Wednesday 8th June 2016

Lord Newby has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 13 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
17th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend their road transport infrastructure policy to require that they take account of (1) the UK's commitments under the Paris Agreement, and (2) the commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The Government is satisfied that plans for road infrastructure are consistent with Net Zero and the UK's commitments under the Paris Agreement, matters which we keep under consideration. The upcoming Transport Decarbonisation Plan will set out a credible and ambitious pathway to deliver transport’s contribution to carbon budgets and meeting net zero by 2050.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
28th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, if Nightingale Hospital beds in (1) Manchester, (2) Sunderland, and (3) Harrogate are used to maximum capacity, how many (a) nurses would be required, (b) at what grade would these nurses have to be qualified, and (c) how many nurses are currently employed by the NHS.

As part of their comprehensive activation plans, each Nightingale team has been developing a clinical model that can be scaled up as and when additional capacity is required in the region. This ensures that the right skill mix of staff will be available from National Health Service trusts in the region and via NHS Professionals and through direct recruitment if required.

There are 295,193 full time equivalent nurses currently employed by the NHS in England.

28th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government if Nightingale Hospital beds in (1) Manchester, (2) Sunderland, and (3) Harrogate are used to maximum capacity, how many (a) doctors would be required, (b) at what grade would these doctors have to be qualified, and (c) how many doctors are currently employed by the NHS.

As part of their comprehensive activation plans, each Nightingale team has been developing a clinical model that can be scaled up as and when additional capacity is required in the region. This ensures that the right skill mix of staff will be available from National Health Service trusts in the region and via NHS Professionals and through direct recruitment if required.

There are 120,607 full time equivalent doctors currently employed by the National Health Service in England.

19th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their planning assumptions for the maximum number of critical care beds that will be required for COVID-19 patients in Nightingale Hospitals in (1) Manchester, (2) Sunderland, and (3) Harrogate.

The maximum number of Nightingale beds in Manchester is 633, in Sunderland it is 460 and in Harrogate it is 495 beds.

These numbers will augment existing critical care beds in each region to provide surge capacity.

All Nightingale hospitals have the ability to care for ventilated patients, however, clinical models can adapt to local need. The local clinical leaders will plan how to use the Nightingale capacity based on local conditions, considering the needs of all patients requiring National Health Service care.

20th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government how asylum seekers will be screened to assess for any vulnerabilities which may make it inappropriate for them to be accommodated in large-scale reception centres.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of those being considered for accommodation at the proposed site in Linton-on-Ouse or other reception centre, an assessment would take place by the Home Office prior to allocation using suitability criteria. The factors that are currently considered when assessing the suitability of individual asylum seekers for particular accommodation is set out in the policy guidance ‘Allocation of Accommodation’. This policy guidance will be reviewed as part of any preparations to open the proposed asylum accommodation site in Linton-on-Ouse.

The welfare of all asylum seekers in our care is of the utmost importance. Were Linton-On-Ouse to be used to accommodate asylum seekers, we would employ a robust screening process which would involve an evidence-based assessment of suitability for entry to Linton-on-Ouse. Individual suitability would continue to be assessed at regular intervals.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
20th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they will use to assess whether an asylum seeker will be appropriate to accommodate in (1) the proposed reception centre at RAF Linton, and (2) any other large-scale reception centre.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of those being considered for accommodation at the proposed site in Linton-on-Ouse or other reception centre, an assessment would take place by the Home Office prior to allocation using suitability criteria. The factors that are currently considered when assessing the suitability of individual asylum seekers for particular accommodation is set out in the policy guidance ‘Allocation of Accommodation’. This policy guidance will be reviewed as part of any preparations to open the proposed asylum accommodation site in Linton-on-Ouse.

The welfare of all asylum seekers in our care is of the utmost importance. Were Linton-On-Ouse to be used to accommodate asylum seekers, we would employ a robust screening process which would involve an evidence-based assessment of suitability for entry to Linton-on-Ouse. Individual suitability would continue to be assessed at regular intervals.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
20th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what provision they will make for asylum seekers at (1) RAF Linton, and (2) other large-scale reception centres, to access legal advice; and what consideration has been given to shortages of legal aid and advice.

Healthcare

We continue to work closely with NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in respect of the provision of health services at Linton-on-Ouse and the definition of health service provision and capacity is being led by the CCG. Experience and lessons learnt from Napier Barracks are being used by the CCG to identify health service provision requirements at the proposed development.

Healthcare at future reception centres will be developed using a similar approach.

Legal Advice

The site at Linton-on-Ouse is being designed to facilitate and support interaction between service users and their chosen legal advisors, whereby asylum seekers accommodated at Linton-on-Ouse will have the ability to access the support of legal representation, either face-to-face or remotely. Those with no legal representation will be sign- posted in seeking appropriate representation. The Home Office continues to liaise with colleagues in the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to finalise the details of this provision at Linton-on-Ouse.

Access to legal advisors at future reception centres will be developed using a similar approach.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
20th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what healthcare facilities will be provided at (1) RAF Linton, and (2) other large-scale reception centres for asylum seekers; and whether the centres will be reliant on local healthcare services.

Healthcare

We continue to work closely with NHS England and the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in respect of the provision of health services at Linton-on-Ouse and the definition of health service provision and capacity is being led by the CCG. Experience and lessons learnt from Napier Barracks are being used by the CCG to identify health service provision requirements at the proposed development.

Healthcare at future reception centres will be developed using a similar approach.

Legal Advice

The site at Linton-on-Ouse is being designed to facilitate and support interaction between service users and their chosen legal advisors, whereby asylum seekers accommodated at Linton-on-Ouse will have the ability to access the support of legal representation, either face-to-face or remotely. Those with no legal representation will be sign- posted in seeking appropriate representation. The Home Office continues to liaise with colleagues in the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to finalise the details of this provision at Linton-on-Ouse.

Access to legal advisors at future reception centres will be developed using a similar approach.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
20th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what forms of contract they propose for the providers of services at (1) the RAF Linton reception centre for asylum seekers, and (2) other large scale reception centres.

The proposed accommodation site in Linton-on-Ouse would be a contract change notice under the pre-established Asylum Accommodation Support Contract (AASC) for the North West region with Serco, to run for a period of two years, after which we intend to run a competitive commercial procurement process for a service supplier on that site.

For further accommodation centres, the Home Office would use a competitive and fair commercial procurement process for the provision of design, build or renovation and operation of national accommodation centres, including the subsequent service provision including management, maintenance and related works and services.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
17th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the proposed Planning Bill contains provisions to require the impact of any new infrastructure proposal to be assessed against the ability to achieve the UK's net-zero carbon emissions target.

National planning policies already recognise the importance of sustainable development, and make clear that reducing carbon emissions should be considered in plan and decision making. The Government is considering how the planning system can further support our commitment to reaching net zero, including through the planning reform programme and the forthcoming Planning Bill. Our response to the Planning for the Future White Paper, setting out next steps on these reforms, will be published in due course.

5th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government how many offices undertaking probate work have closed in each of the past four years.

Despite record level of receipts in 2022 the average length of time taken for a grant of probate following receipt of the documents required has been maintained at between 5 and 8 weeks, which was similar to the average length of time in 2019, which was between 6 and 8 weeks.

HMCTS has increased resources to meet the higher demand following an increased number of estates requiring probate and is further increasing resourcing to further bring down overall timeliness on digital and paper applications.

Average waiting times for probate grants, are routinely published on gov.uk via Family Court Statistics Quarterly and currently cover the period up to December 2022.

The Probate offices closing in the past four years were:

2020: Birmingham District Probate Registry (DPR), Bristol DPR, Ipswich DPR and London DPR

2021: Manchester DPR

All Probate Sub Registries closed between December 2019 and January 2020.

These closures were completed in conjunction with the opening of new Courts and Tribunal Service Centre in Birmingham where the majority of the increased probate workforce is now based. The launch of the online system for probate applications has made the service more accessible for applicants and removed the need to travel to city centre locations to have their oath sworn as part of the process.

Lord Bellamy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
5th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the length of time it takes to process a probate application; and how this figure compares to 2019.

Despite record level of receipts in 2022 the average length of time taken for a grant of probate following receipt of the documents required has been maintained at between 5 and 8 weeks, which was similar to the average length of time in 2019, which was between 6 and 8 weeks.

HMCTS has increased resources to meet the higher demand following an increased number of estates requiring probate and is further increasing resourcing to further bring down overall timeliness on digital and paper applications.

Average waiting times for probate grants, are routinely published on gov.uk via Family Court Statistics Quarterly and currently cover the period up to December 2022.

The Probate offices closing in the past four years were:

2020: Birmingham District Probate Registry (DPR), Bristol DPR, Ipswich DPR and London DPR

2021: Manchester DPR

All Probate Sub Registries closed between December 2019 and January 2020.

These closures were completed in conjunction with the opening of new Courts and Tribunal Service Centre in Birmingham where the majority of the increased probate workforce is now based. The launch of the online system for probate applications has made the service more accessible for applicants and removed the need to travel to city centre locations to have their oath sworn as part of the process.

Lord Bellamy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)