Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 18 Nov 2025
Election Law
"My Lords, a major problem is that people are disillusioned with the political system. Political parties are busy selling themselves to the highest bidder. Nearly half of 18 to 24 year-olds are not registered to vote and turnout at elections is low. Even if people vote, political parties appease their …..."Lord Sikka - View Speech
View all Lord Sikka (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Election Law
Written Question
Tuesday 21st March 2023
Asked by:
Lord Sikka (Labour - Life peer)
Question
to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the cost of commercial rents upon the viability of independent shops in town centres.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook
- Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government is fully committed to supporting the businesses and communities that make our high streets and town centres successful. In March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government introduced legislation to prevent evictions and the seizure of goods for businesses who were unable to pay their rent, alongside publishing a Code of Practice to help landlords and tenants work together to resolve this rent debt. To resolve any remaining rent debt, on 24 March 2022, Government passed (attached) the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Act 2022 and established a new statutory arbitration process.
Government has also provided an unprecedented package of support to businesses over the past few years, including recent fuel duty and VAT cuts, changes to business rates worth £13.6 billion over the next five years in lower bills, government backed loans worth around £400 billion and the £3.6 billion Towns Fund, which includes support for 101 Town Deals and 72 Future High Streets Fund projects.
This is in addition to the Energy Bills Relief Scheme, which discounts businesses' energy bills until 31 March 2023; the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme; the increased Employment Allowance of £5,000, which takes the smallest 40% of businesses out of paying any National Insurance at all; and setting the Annual Investment Allowance at £1 million permanently. This is a comprehensive package of support which will help protect independent retailers.
Written Question
Tuesday 28th June 2022
Asked by:
Lord Sikka (Labour - Life peer)
Question
to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to meet survivors and bereaved relatives of the Grenfell disaster to discuss the Government’s handling of that tragedy.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
Since taking post, the Levelling Up Secretary and Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing have been regularly meeting with bereaved families, survivors and local residents to discuss the issues which matter to the community. This includes four open community meetings as well as individual meetings with community groups.
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 24 Mar 2022
Shared Prosperity Fund
"My Lords, I am glad to see that one of the objectives of the shared prosperity fund is to “boost pay”. The Minister will know that the workers’ share of GDP in the UK, in the form of wages and salaries, just before the pandemic was 48.7%, compared with 65.1% …..."Lord Sikka - View Speech
View all Lord Sikka (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Shared Prosperity Fund
Speech in Grand Committee - Tue 19 Oct 2021
Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill
"My Lords, I am delighted to participate in this debate. I particularly commend the speech by the noble Lord, Lord Holmes of Richmond, and agree with almost everything that he said. I will confine my comments to the second part of the Bill, relating to insolvency. It is unlikely to …..."Lord Sikka - View Speech
View all Lord Sikka (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill
Speech in Grand Committee - Tue 19 Oct 2021
Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill
"To recap, I was talking about the individuals connected to the mafia who had a company in the UK called Magnolia Fundaction UK Ltd. They filed information saying that the director’s name was “The Chicken Thief”, his occupation “fraudster” and the address “Street of the 40 Thieves in the town …..."Lord Sikka - View Speech
View all Lord Sikka (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill
Speech in Grand Committee - Tue 19 Oct 2021
Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill
"Will the Minister be gracious enough to arrange for me and a former police and crime commissioner to see the relevant Minister so that the evidence that has been accumulated, showing corrupt practices by insolvency practitioners together with banks and lawyers, can be shown?..."Lord Sikka - View Speech
View all Lord Sikka (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 23 Feb 2021
North of England: Investment
"My Lords, history shows that major industries, such as gas, water, electricity, engineering, petrochemicals, airlines, biotechnology, telecommunications, computers and medicines, were built or rejuvenated by the state because the private sector showed little appetite for the risks and investment. Does the Minister agree that direct state investment is vital to …..."Lord Sikka - View Speech
View all Lord Sikka (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: North of England: Investment
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 27 Oct 2020
Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2020
"My Lords, it is a great pleasure and privilege to speak in your Lordships’ House for the first time and to follow the very passionate speech by the noble Lord, Lord German. I am immensely grateful for the warm welcome I have received from all sides of this House. The …..."Lord Sikka - View Speech
View all Lord Sikka (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2020