"My Lords, I declare an interest as a trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. This issue is particularly important as last week’s Red Book shows that the DCMS’s budget is going to fall in the latter part of this decade. This means that public institutions will be under greater financial …..." Lord Grayling - View Speech
"My Lords, a few months ago I asked the Minister about the transition payments that were previously paid when a franchise ended and a new operator came in. He was not at that point able to answer the question about SWR, so I ask him again now, as a few …..." Lord Grayling - View Speech
"My Lords, it is a particular pleasure to follow a very well-articulated tribute to the right reverend Prelate, to whom I also offer my congratulations on a very well-made, thoughtful and appropriate maiden speech. He will undoubtedly make a major contribution in this House, and I think all of us …..." Lord Grayling - View Speech
"My Lords, when this Government took office 18 months ago, they did so promising environmental recovery, but I have to say that, instead, we have seen a series of steps which, in my view, simultaneously weakened protections, tightened budgets for nature-friendly farming and put development first.
"My Lords, this has been a very good debate and I say again that I am grateful to noble Lords who have remained here late on a Thursday because we all view this as such an important issue. There are not many issues that can command near-unanimity across a Chamber …..." Lord Grayling - View Speech
"My Lords, the Government are absolutely right to be pressing ahead with the expansion of Heathrow Airport; it is long overdue. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill will, I hope, answer some of the questions about the environmental impacts.
"My Lords, the Minister just said that the ability to grow open access is constrained by the lack of capacity on the network, yet he says that the Government intend to increase rail freight by 75%. How are both of those true?..." Lord Grayling - View Speech