Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 29 Jan 2026 Business Rates
"My Lords, 3.5 million jobs are dependent on a successful hospitality industry in this country—that is obviously the entire supply chain. I spent a lot of my life in the airline industry, which is at one end of that. Notwithstanding that, when we look at tourism, which encompasses hotels, taxis, …..." Baroness Foster of Oxton - View Speech
"My Lords, in 2015, if I recall, we were in coalition with the Liberal Democrats and I think that Nick Clegg clearly agreed with George Osborne’s position on China. But I did agree with the noble Lord, Lord Fox, when he highlighted the numbers of staff who will be allocated …..." Baroness Foster of Oxton - View Speech
"My Lords, there are many charity shops in the high streets across this country. They receive 80% mandatory relief and often up to 100% discretionary. Many of these charities are actually multimillion-pound businesses. Notwithstanding the pressures on the high street and the pressures on small businesses, obviously, with these forthcoming …..." Baroness Foster of Oxton - View Speech
"My Lords, on Iran, refusing to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is the regime’s primary tool of repression and terror, sends a dangerous signal of weakness. At this critical moment, more than 10 days into the uprising, there has been no public statement of support for the people …..." Baroness Foster of Oxton - View Speech
"My Lords, the Maduro regime is responsible for permitting corrupt links with the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was responsible, obviously, for funding proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah and, in turn, for the attacks on Israel on 7 October. Does the Minister agree with me that the actions taken …..." Baroness Foster of Oxton - View Speech
"My Lords, the Justice Secretary repeatedly emphasised the lengthy waiting times in bringing cases to court. I am not a lawyer—I am one of the non-lawyers in the Chamber today—but I was disappointed that the Statement did not acknowledge the difficulties that had been brought about by the Covid lockdowns, …..." Baroness Foster of Oxton - View Speech
"My Lords, following the Chancellor’s climb-down on increasing income tax, £27 billion was wiped off the FTSE 100 on Friday. Does the Minister think that that was helpful?..." Baroness Foster of Oxton - View Speech
"My Lords, while this is clearly a very important element when we look at the oil industry, Petrofac, a major employer in Aberdeen, is going into administration. There are 2,000 employees’ jobs at risk—1,200 offshore and 800 onshore in training and operational roles. The trade unions are seeking clarity from …..." Baroness Foster of Oxton - View Speech
"My Lords, I thank the Minister for his comprehensive comments. I have a special interest, as I worked out of Heathrow for 25 years. So I was at the sharp end of delays, and we definitely needed further runway capacity.
"First, I thank the Minister for the Statement, which was most helpful and comprehensive, and I echo the thanks to the emergency services on that day in Manchester, which was a most appalling event.