Think Tanks: Funding

Debate between Lord Watts and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Wednesday 4th February 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The noble Lord will be aware that last year, we published our anti-corruption strategy, which outlined the risks posed by corrupt actors who are seeking to influence UK institutions or launder their reputations by engaging in some organisations. As I have said before from this Dispatch Box, we have also recently launched the Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan, which addresses how some state actors use different elements of the state. But the one thing that is incredibly important within the context of all these issues is that fundamentally, our country is run by the Government, and it is Ministers who make final decisions, supported by an impartial Civil Service. Those aspects are key and, while engagement with wider stakeholders is incredibly important and is covered by the Ministerial Code, it is about the integrity of our Ministers and making sure that we have a consistent, impartial Civil Service.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, is not the only way to address this to require all think tanks to publish annual reports on where their sources of funding are coming from? It is clear that many have a political agenda, and it is important for our democracy that they are transparent.

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, if a think tank is a charity, it is subject to regulation by the Charity Commission. If it is engaging in election activity, it is subject to the Electoral Commission for any spend over £10,000 and donations over £700. But the noble Lord raises an important point, which is why we asked Philip Rycroft to undertake his review, and I look forward to reading it at the end of March.

Office for National Statistics

Debate between Lord Watts and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Monday 10th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, I answer for the Cabinet Office. I can inform the noble Lord that it has been shared and highlighted to the relevant government departments. If he has a specific query, I am more than happy for him to write to me, and I will respond to it.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister will know how keen I am to set targets for departments and organisations. Given that we spend more every year on this service, do we not need to have some targets that we can judge its performance by?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The noble Lord raises a very important point, especially given the concern about some of the data. I reassure noble Lords that we have faith in the ONS and that the overwhelming majority of its data is sound. Having said that, we have established, with the ONS, the economic statistics steering group, which includes representatives from the Cabinet Office, the Treasury, the Bank of England and the OBR. It meets quarterly to track its progress on being more effective with its economic data.

Youth Mobility Scheme

Debate between Lord Watts and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Wednesday 29th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

That is a genuinely interesting question, and that is one of the reasons why our rejoining Erasmus could be so beneficial to our country. One of the issues—which is part of our conversations about the youth mobility scheme, as well as rejoining Erasmus—is the economic impact it will have, while ensuring that we have opportunities to share scientific endeavours and discoveries. It will also provide us with opportunities to ensure that our social and creative work is shared with our closest allies.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, is this not yet another example of how badly the previous Government negotiated the Brexit deal, leaving our young people with worse options than they had before?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My noble friend raises a very important point. I campaigned for remain, though I lived in a leave area. I appreciate and fully respect the result of the referendum, and we need to make it work. That is not to say, however, that it came without a cost—paid by individuals, including our young people. The Turing scheme has been great, with 35,000 opportunities afforded by it, but 16 million young people had opportunities via the Erasmus scheme. This is a different scale, which is why we want to participate.

Erasmus+

Debate between Lord Watts and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Tuesday 21st October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The noble Lord will forgive me if I write to him.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, does this not demonstrate yet again how badly Brexit was negotiated by the last Government and how much we have been disadvantaged by the poor negotiations that took place?

Chinese Espionage: Parliament

Debate between Lord Watts and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Monday 13th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

While I have huge respect for the noble Lord, I absolutely will not. This was an independent decision made by the CPS: there was no ministerial or special adviser involvement. The Deputy National Security Adviser, without interference, gave three different witness statements to the CPS for its use. This is not a matter of us not assisting the case: this is an independent matter for the CPS.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that, while all embassies have spies in them, the larger the embassy, the more spies can fit in? Is it appropriate to have an embassy the size of the one that has been proposed for China?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, I never thought I would be discussing real estate and espionage, but we find ourselves in a strange set of circumstances. I thank my noble friend. As he is very well aware, the decision about the future location of the Chinese embassy is a matter for the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and a decision will be brought forward in due course.

Falkland Islands: Fisheries Exports Tariffs

Debate between Lord Watts and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Thursday 10th July 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

I wish the noble Lord had had that conversation with the previous Government, but he is right. I have been to the Falkland Islands—I went in 2018—and it is an incredibly important part of the British family in terms of its sovereignty. As regards what happens next, a key point in our conversations with the American Administration has been on the impact of tariffs, which is why I am so pleased that only today they have paused the tariff that would have had an impact on the Falkland Islands economy. We are working with the Falkland Islands Government at every opportunity, as we are with all of our overseas territories.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, is this not another case of where it has been a disadvantage to Britain to leave Europe? We were promised lots of benefits. When are those benefits going to arrive?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, I live in Stoke-on-Trent, and I campaigned for remain in a 72% leave constituency. There are some elections I was definitely never destined to win. My noble friend will be aware that this Government are committed to making Brexit work. There is no point in looking back at this point; now we have to fix some of the problems that we have inherited.

European Union: Court of Justice

Debate between Lord Watts and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Wednesday 26th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

There are times when I get all the easy questions.

I thank the noble Baroness for her question, but I have to disagree. I would never criticise the independence of any judiciary.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, is the Minister grateful that the Opposition keep raising the problems that have been created since Brexit? Have any of them contacted her to apologise for the mess they left?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for his question. I think we did have an apology from the current leader of the Opposition who, on 16 January, said:

“We announced that we would leave the European Union before we had a plan for growth outside the EU”.


I think that is probably the closest we will get to an apology.

High-speed Rail Services: West Coast Main Line

Debate between Lord Watts and Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent

Wednesday 4th September 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, this side!

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My apologies: I believe that this is a question for the Conservative Benches.