Will he also consider a debate on the contribution made across the country by groups such as the Friends of Roker Park? I hope that those responsible in the Scottish Government have heard the hon. Does the Leader of the House agree that delaying the decision until after the Scottish Parliament election looks politically motivated, and that local residents should know what the SNP plans for their fire station before they vote? … There is a severe knock-on effect from this disruptive approach for the prisoners and the community. … Like governors, prisoners are moved from prison to prison. This must be coupled with structured learning so that prisoners can develop their ability to communicate and interact. … Will the Government seriously consider developing a solid career structure allowing progression within the Prison Service and imposing a fixed minimum term for a prison governor to remain in each post? … We must not underestimate the potential role that good prison education can provide to prevent reoffending. The costs are hard to quantify, as the noble Lord, Lord Beamish, has pointed out, but every year it costs the UK economy somewhere between £1 and £4 billion. I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Sheehan, for bringing it, and all noble Lords who have spoken. First, the Government and local authorities should be doing all they can to encourage the use of legal landfill sites but, if anything, the trend is in the other direction. Last month, we published the first road safety strategy in over a decade, setting out our plans to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads by 65% over the next decade. This Government understand the vital importance of our roads to people up and down the country each and every day, and we are backing our groundbreaking ambition with record investment. I am sure that the Minister with responsibility for buses, my hon. This route must be the cornerstone of the fantastic work that our South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard is doing to bring our buses back under public control. Member for Ribble Valley (Maya Ellis) for setting the scene incredibly well and allowing us all to participate in this debate. It is always a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine.I thank the hon. The relationships I really admire are those that endure through hardship by focusing on mutual support, empathy and understanding, but let us, in this place, give them a helping hand.I have spoken about what can be done to help couples to stay together, but ending unhealthy relationships that have broken down is just as important. Locking people up and the deprivation of liberty are the punishment. They would say, “Well, it’s to lock people up”, and so on. I welcome that too.That brings me to the committee’s first recommendation, which flowed from our consideration of the committee’s purpose. His interest and that of his family business in this whole issue is well known. Reference has been made to them and I think it is fair to say there has been general support, as far as I am aware, for all of them. ⏰ Time management for stress reduction Chicago Golf and Social Club is a members-only indoor golf facility offering 24/7 access to top-tier simulators including Foresight GC Quad, TrackMan, and Uneekor QED. The facility is available to rent in half-hour increments, with flexible rates depending on the time of day. The Skokie Sports Park offers “The Bunker,” an indoor Trackman golf simulator perfect for golfers seeking a virtual driving range experience with advanced statistics and gameplay. I can also assure him that in the past I have been as supportive, from the Department for Transport, as Network Rail has been of the open access application from Wrexham, Shropshire and the west midlands, and I will maintain my support for the proposals going forward. Could the Secretary of State reassure all my businesses and constituents in the Wrekin that there is no conflict of interest between Great British Railways and the Office of Rail and Road when deciding these applications? Friend for her question, and her Committee for its work on the important report that it published this week. We have a plan to ensure that drivers and train crew are available. Gem Sims Golf in Elmhurst offers a state-of-the-art indoor golf simulation experience, featuring ultra-realistic virtual courses from around the world. The Links Golf & Sports Bar offers a variety of golf and gaming experiences, including Trackman golf simulators, gaming terminals, and food and drinks. Bridgeport Golf Club in Chicago is a members-only facility, offering year-round access to state-of-the-art practice bays, expert instruction, and a vibrant golfing community. From this financial year, multi-year funding settlements will give frontline services the certainty they need to plan ahead and manage their resources more effectively. However, it will be for local areas to propose a devolution geography that can support strong partnership working across their local economy. We will therefore work with local areas to ensure that geographies for foundation strategic authorities and spatial development strategies are aligned where possible. This includes the strong unitary structures we are creating through local government reorganisation, but we also see foundation strategic authorities as a crucial way to build local capacity and partnerships as a stepping stone towards mayoral devolution in the future. Overall, there was strong support for moving cost recovery away from the standing charge and on to the unit rate on fairness grounds for low-use households.Having considered the evidence, the Government have decided that unit rate recovery will proceed from April 2026. I particularly welcome the support of the noble Earl, Lord Howe, for the principle that I was trying to establish. To reiterate our intention, the Bill sets out the groups of people who are to be prioritised for specialty training from 2027 onwards. I acknowledge the short timeframe—it is not as short as in the other place but, nevertheless, noble Lords have been most co-operative, and I value that.Amendment 23, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed, seeks to require that all regulations made under the Act are subject to the affirmative procedure. My Lords, I am grateful not just for this brief debate but for the efforts of noble Lords to expedite this legislation. At the same time, the Minister for the Cabinet Office is supposed to have released a Written Statement today giving more details. This helps nobody except those people who seek to undermine our core democracy and our British values. All of us share a responsibility in making sure that public confidence is not cut further. We have already heard about flights in and out of Britain; we will no doubt hear more names of people—possibly in British politics, very likely in British financial and company circles—which will continue to come out. Events will continue to move on for some time on the broader Epstein issue. In this first report, we focused on social housing.Over the last 25 years, there has been substantial progress on improving the condition of social homes. We have also been looking at the condition of homes in temporary accommodation and in the private rented sector, and we hope to publish reports on that in due course. This report is the first of a series of outputs from our broader inquiry on the condition of homes. 🔑 Key elements of corporate culture My Lords, I am very grateful for the opportunity to respond to this debate. As the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, highlighted, the flour milling industry has a long history of research and development investment. In fact, a more supportive policy environment would encourage lowering the industry’s carbon intensity. As we know, flour milling is energy intensive and businesses are especially sensitive to higher energy costs. Economics is the study of how individuals, businesses, governments, and nations allocate their limited resources to satisfy their unlimited wants and needs.The community rallied around the company, with local businesses and farms helping to erect temporary buildings and provide interim logistics.As she rightly points out, places of worship provide vital services to our local communities.Prior to 2024, DFT largely left DVSA to try and resolve the issue”.The hon.My Lords, I want to speak briefly to the amendments proposed by the noble Lord, Lord Patel, and the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey.When trans people are attacked, it is not just harmful to trans people; it is about attacking trans people today, potentially with a view to attacking other minorities tomorrow.Even before the horrors of 2023, we saw a worrying rise in extremism across the United Kingdom, Palestine Action and Bash Back being prime examples.The noble Lord, Lord Massey, was entirely correct when he said that Palestine Action attacked a police officer with a sledgehammer, fracturing her spine.X-Golf is a great place to host your corporate event, sales event or private party for up to 100 people.I know that he has raised this matter with the Department for Transport, and I will ensure that he gets a response.At the same time, we see a minority, who claim to represent the views of women, calling for trans people to have their rights eroded.I believe that we can stand side by side. We cannot defend what is not understood.My third point is about much more focused and tailored opportunities for purposeful activity—that is, educational opportunities for prisoners to learn skills which equip them to lead a purposeful life when released. I know that I am running over time, but it is an advisory time limit and I will finish in two minutes. If that is properly understood, it would clarify what qualities, skills and experience are needed for those running prisons, be they prison governors or prison officers. The first priority, therefore, in my view, is to have absolute clarity on and understanding of the purpose of prisons. Some prisons now run community days for the 50% or so of prisoners who do not receive social visits. An extrovert prison purposefully builds relationships with the outside world. Can the Minister advise how prisons are emphasising the need for good relationships? I think there will be very many people in the medical community who will read the Minister’s reply to my amendment with acute disappointment. Under the existing Clause 2(2), for specialty training places starting in 2026, immigration status will be used as a practical proxy for NHS experience to allow prioritisation to begin swiftly. As already stated, the Bill sets out the most suitable criteria for prioritising specialty training places in this year. The prison was reasonably safe for both staff and prisoners”. Given discretion and longevity, governors would be much more effective in running prisons and instilling a strong ethos into the staff, and they would collectively become a strong, self-improving community of capability, expertise and experience available to the Minister. I remember with particular admiration Lord Williams of Mostyn, the noble Lord, Lord Boateng, and Hilary Benn. We were lucky; prisons were reasonably well funded in those days, and we had a fine succession of Labour Prisons Ministers. Prior to the imminent publication of the 10-year bus plan, can the Minister outline what further measures the Government are considering to support the transition of our domestic bus manufacturers? We are taking significant steps to support the UK car manufacturing sector, and we are also supporting consumers to make the transition to EVs, with over 44 models now available for the electric car grant that we announced last year, but we will continue to ensure that all the security issues to which he refers are front and centre of our minds. This foundational step ensures clarity about the role and provides a strategic framework to attract suitable candidates, aligning workforce capabilities with business objectives. For service businesses, employees deliver the service itself, making their skills critical. Since services are often produced and consumed simultaneously, capacity planning is crucial. He was also a beloved friend and family man, and I know that this first anniversary will be a difficult time for many of those close to him, especially his wife Aisling, and their children, Tadhg and Croia, as well as everyone at Beckenham rugby club. Friend’s question, but I can also tell him that the Administration Committee, and indeed the Commission, have asked for information about these matters to ensure that there is, as far as possible, no obstacle to young people visiting this place. I will ensure that the House authorities are aware of my hon. Doctors and medical students plan years in advance—sometimes decades. Delegated powers once granted outlive individual Ministers or Governments.Medical training is an area where stability and predictability are essential. This amendment goes to the heart of parliamentary accountability.The Bill as currently drafted grants Ministers broad regulation-making powers, including the ability to amend key operational aspects of medical training with limited parliamentary oversight. A target market is the specific group of people most likely to buy a company's product or service, identified through segmentation based on demographic, geographic, behavioral, and psychographic characteristics. The term "product" refers to both products and services. Product refers to both physical products and services. Successfully conducting international business requires understanding and adapting to cultural differences in communication, language, time orientation, and social customs that vary significantly across countries and regions. It is crucial that people can access their mobile phone and get a reliable signal when the power is down, whoever they are.One 90-year-old constituent told me that she purchased a phone because she was concerned about the digital switchover and wanted to ensure that she could still make calls in the event of a power cut.We talked already about reform of the waste carriers, brokers and dealers regime, but I will write to the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale.We are supporting farmers’ access to specialist mental health services by funding the farmer welfare grant and, more widely, doing all we can to invest in sustainable farming.It still sources its grain from local farmers, many of them long-standing suppliers, and still prints the farmers’ names and the grain variety on every bag.It is the same stuff, for staff, governors, conditions within prison, pay and pensions.That same principle applies to my noble friend Lord Cryer—I know he has heard this before—in relation to Iran’s revolutionary guards.It is already happening at the Sheffield and Manchester city councils, which are developing local cluster productions and competitive local supply chains. She also asked about a single contact point for reporting waste crime. I should say that prosecutions take time to work through the legal and court system but numbers are in line with other law enforcement agencies when compared to the number of interventions. The noble Baroness, Lady Sheehan, asked why there were so few prosecutions from the JUWC’s work. This capability will improve the agency’s insights and business intelligence, which will inform its overall strategic approach and how it prioritises its resources. Indeed, to answer the question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Jay of Ewelme, drones are used by the agency when investigating and gathering evidence. I will speak to my colleagues and ensure that I write to him, with a copy of that letter being placed in the Library.In closing, I again thank my noble friend Lord Rooker for enabling this debate. However, I assure both the noble Baroness and my noble friend that, if proscription is required against any organisation at any time, we will make that proscription.The noble Baroness, Lady Jenkin, said that many of the people she speaks to feel unsafe, particularly women—I understand that. We support communities targeted by extremists to ensure that there is protective security at places of worship—a point that my noble friend Lord Mendelsohn mentioned.We have also put in place very strong mechanisms through the Prevent programme. My Lords, I am most grateful to all noble Lords for their helpful contributions to this debate. On the face of it, the amendment presents a more complex set of arrangements than those proposed by the noble Lord, Lord Patel, so it would be helpful to hear from the Minister how the Government view my noble friend’s suggestions, including their ready workability. My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Patel, deserves our thanks for opening our Committee debate in a cogent and powerful way. We all have a duty to ensure that schools have funding available to put on programmes and take time to provide a safe space and a listening ear. I know the Minister does not have responsibility for Northern Ireland—it is a devolved matter—but it is worth giving the figures to add to the debate.While reported incidents have overall shown a slight decline recently, certain categories such as sexual offences have seen an increase. They define so many of the debates we have in this place, from academic attainment to mental health and public safety. Girls are measuring themselves against edited, filtered versions of reality that are being presented as the norm on their phone screens.When another school in my constituency strengthened its RSE curriculum, students began to come forward about inappropriate touching that had previously gone unreported. Soroptimist does incredible work in my constituency on supporting healthy relationships, as well as work to support women in prisons, which I have worked with it on, so I completely agree.Schools in Stafford, Eccleshall and the villages are working really hard to get this right. Many colleagues in this place are doing important work on building role models and positive education for boys, and the Government’s own violence against women and girls strategy includes teacher training to spot the early signs of misogyny in boys. Some 66% of people surveyed want care to be more equal, and 74% of men want it to be more equal. Women are 10% more likely to report that they do the majority of childcare. Friend the Member for Nottingham East (Nadia Whittome) for her incredibly powerful opening remarks and for securing this debate. I know our Labour Government are so much better than what we are seeing overseas right now, and I know the British public are so much better than to want what they are seeing overseas right now, but I also know that we can do better. Otherwise, as we watch America tear itself apart, I fear we are just one sneeze away from catching the disease of state-sanctioned hatred that sees leaders openly attack gay people, disabled people and ethnic minority people. Where is it for the people who consistently trade off one person’s rights for another’s, only to serve their own agenda? It used to be one of my favourite parts of the conference season—a place for inclusivity and sensible discussion; I have even chaired some of the debates, which are so memorable in my mind—but if all women cannot go, neither will I. Friend the Member for Ribble Valley mentioned the debate around boys and young men. The school also runs focused workshops on toxic relationships and masculinity for groups of pupils who might be struggling.I am glad that my hon. The school has found that, as a result of the programmes, repeated conflict has reduced over time. It is assessed on a per-person basis to ensure there is no incentive for the lower earner in the household to reduce their income to be eligible.Not every child gets the chance to be born in a safe and stable family.We want everyone to be true to themselves—to love who they love without the state getting in the way—and we made a significant positive impact on the rights and lives of gay men, lesbian women and bisexual people, so that they can make a public commitment in front of their friends and family, showing their love and commitment to each other.Six months after release, 86% of his prisoners are in employment.I have another couple of minutes—this is advisory.The Government have a duty to ensure that public discourse about crime and punishment is based on an understanding of the role of prisons and an appreciation that those in custody will eventually have to be integrated into the community.As the noble Baroness, Lady Gerada, said, the numbers are very small, but their impact on our National Health Service is very great.She will be a valuable addition, not least because she was the chief executive officer of Shelter, a charity of which I am a long-standing supporter.Some 66% of people surveyed want care to be more equal, and 74% of men want it to be more equal.If, with increased resources and staffing, the Probation Service can successfully keep more people out of prison, the Prison Service can then more easily improve purposeful activity for those still sent to prison.But the Sentencing Act measures alone are insufficient.This Government do not shy away from the fact that our prison system is in crisis. We now know that around 300 prison education staff have been made redundant. In fact, some prison leaders had told him that cuts in their prison had reached 60%. It surely cannot be right, for example, that almost all formal assessment of prison officers’ work has been abandoned. Does the Minister think that it is robust, and can he tell us what is being done to ensure that staff are properly vetted, that they are aware of the unique challenges of life on the wings and are ready to work? The amendments of the noble Baroness, Lady Gerada, speak of the two qualifications—in other words that gained in Malta and that gained in London—as being identical in character. The noble Lords, Lord Clement-Jones, Lord Mendelsohn, and Lord Forbes have also spoken very powerfully on the same theme. We are asking for a small number through long-established partnerships that have existed and stood the test of time. Is it the noble Lord’s understanding that there would be the opportunity for creep as is currently set out in the Bill? The noble Baroness talked about potential creep when we discussed this last week in terms of other institutions being able to take advantage and open that back door. Service organizations succeed by providing services that satisfy customers' needs. Service organizations must carefully design services to meet customer needs while ensuring efficiency. A target market is the group of people who are most likely to buy your product or service. ❌ Failure factors for small businesses There is confusion within government and the HMPPS about the purpose of prisons, because policy and practice are fundamentally misaligned. Our report focused on leadership, governance, management and staffing of prisons. Our report focused on practical changes that can be adopted now to make a difference, and highlighted the inadequacy of some of the changes, given the scale of the problem.Regrettably, as we heard from the noble Lord, Lord Foster, the Government’s response to our report does not appear to grasp the essence of our recommendations. Systemic change and culture shifts require time, but urgent and meaningful action should be taken now if we are to avert the crisis facing our prisons. We know that the online world needs to be reined in, with tech companies and influencers alike profiteering by exploiting the insecurities that men and boys often have, through the use of addictive algorithms that often promote radicalising content and monetise misogynistic content.It might have been the hon. Kinship carers step up overnight to look after children, frequently giving up jobs and careers, and incurring costs that they do not necessarily have a statutory right to receive any support for. Member for Hyndburn (Sarah Smith), because at the moment the rates of statutory pay are, frankly, less than the minimum wage and lots of parents just cannot afford to take time off, and feel driven back into the workplace, often before they are ready to return to it. It is far from perfect, but the Government have an opportunity now, with their parental leave and pay review, to consider the situation holistically.As my hon. If our laws on online safety, public order, hate crime, counterterrorism, hostile state activity or proscription are insufficient, let us revisit, amend and supplement them. If our laws on online safety, public order, hate crime, counterterrorism, hostile state activity— Young people, often disturbed by family trauma or personal grievances, seek comfort in the rigid hatreds of their offline or online tribe, often with added misogyny or antisemitism. What level of autonomy should be given to prisons, and what should be the balance of responsibility between the centre and local prisons?Perhaps he could come back and learn a bit more.In every year that I have spoken in this debate, it seems that the LGBTQ+ community has had a tougher year than the one before.Will the Minister set out how we are going to improve local bus services, particularly with franchising, in Loughborough, Shepshed and the villages?Can the Minister reassure the House that this new crime prevention unit will look at the place of prison?The Prison Service does not have an investigative arm with the necessary powers, including overt and covert surveillance mechanisms, within the community outside prisons.I am grateful that noble Lords acknowledge the concern and are considering how to deal with it.People interested in this category are probably interested in making a profit that supports their family and a modest lifestyle.Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan) on securing this really important debate. It is, we believe, a necessary safeguard to ensure that systems planning and operational capacity are in place before the Act is brought into force. The noble Lord, Lord Kamall, spoke about what I am going to call the tension between emergency legislation and the commencement clause. I am grateful for the noble Lord’s advice in his last comment.I thank noble Lords for their contributions. I have kept my diary free for the Monday before Report and I know that the noble Baroness, Lady Gerada, mentioned that earlier. My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 26 and 27 on commencement, proposed by the noble Lord, Lord Kamall. Before the challenge, Stanten says you should track your steps for three normal days with a Fitbit or the pedometer on your phone. This is a good time to start paying attention to your pace and see if you can walk a little faster. You can walk laps around your house, use a treadmill if you have one or even walk in place while watching TV. This adaptability ensures that anyone, regardless of fitness level or lifestyle, can successfully complete the 28-day challenge. Small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy, employing the majority of the workforce and contributing over half of GDP, yet they face high failure rates primarily due to lack of market research and inadequate funding. An entrepreneur is someone who starts, owns, and operates a business. A well-defined business plan helps set realistic goals, understand market needs, and devise a growth strategy. The noble Baroness, Lady Sheehan, has mentioned some of them. However—I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Beamish, on this—the joint unit should surely get more of a grip than we have seen so far.What else can be done? Responsibility also lies with the Government, the police, HMRC and local authorities. I hope that, in summing up the debate, the Minister will address these anomalies. In a Times article yesterday, it was reported that an elderly farmer in his 80s “simply cannot afford” the £40,000 bill to remove 200 tonnes of rubbish fly-tipped on his land, close to a busy main road. Business Eras in North America I welcome the recommendations around sickness levels.We all agree that it would be better for staff to work in less violent, less understaffed and less traumatising environments, so let us get a clear purpose for prisons, increased use of ROTL and greater support for our prison staff, because most people in prison today are going to be released. Most people in prison today are going be released, so let us crack on with that.I have left myself with no time to talk about the importance of staff. Indeed, I first encountered him when I worked for Working Chance, which we have already heard about, supporting women with criminal convictions into work while he was becoming a household name through his pioneering employment schemes in prisons and after. I welcome the report and my noble friend the Minister’s response to it. ♿ Accessibility Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan) on securing this important debate. As Private Eye pointed out, an Ofcom technical report from last year noted that roughly two thirds of the population would be able to make emergency calls in a power outage of under an hour. Although we all pay our bills to an electricity company, it is the distribution network that is responsible for getting our power back on, but Openreach delegates that to the individual service providers. I have said for some time that its role is equivalent to that of electricity distribution network operators. There was then another layer of delay while the providers reported to Openreach, which had no map of the areas that were offline. I ask that my noble friend the Minister consider meeting with me to discuss how we can help staff exposed those traumatic events. We know that work can provide dignity, purpose and a reason to get out of bed in the morning, and it gives you new skills.The use of release on temporary licence, which is often limited to day release—people going into the community to work or volunteer, then returning to the prison at night—can help build confidence and get people ready for release. I know that my noble friend the Minister is as passionate as I am about the role of employment in preventing reoffending. It is an urgent, practical question; it is not an esoteric, academic ponderance, because the answer to that question then dictates a load of answers to what actually happens in our prisons, day in, day out.I raise this particularly because most people in our prisons now will be released back into wider society. They are the future of this House, and the future of this House is clearly effective.I congratulate, too, the committee on this well-researched and hard-hitting report. I have been in many prisons since, but that was a concentrated introduction to the whole dimension of British social life.What can I say, other than that, if that speech of David Ramsbotham had been substituted at the last minute by an act of terrorism for the report that we are looking at, it could have done the trick? My schoolmate was Home Secretary at the time—the noble Lord, Lord Howard. Will the Minister set out how we are going to improve local bus services, particularly with franchising, in Loughborough, Shepshed and the villages? The last Government cut bus services in my community by half, so I am glad that this Government are putting more money into my local community, but we do need more bus services, particularly in rural areas. I know that people want to see contractors getting it right first time, and the Government are determined to work with local authorities to make sure that is the case. Great British Railways will oversee a rail network that delivers better services for passengers, and we know that there is a role for open access in supporting that aim. I am pleased that the expansion of Lumo services from Cumbernauld to London will soon benefit my hon. The school has dedicated spaces, such as the nook and the hive, where emotional support is provided for children and families, and the staff are trained in emotional literacy and wellbeing. Through a structured personal, social, health and economic education curriculum, children learn about friendship, family, communication, conflict resolution and how to recognise healthy and unhealthy behaviours.The lessons are all age appropriate, and they build year on year. Friend the Member for Ribble Valley (Maya Ellis) for securing this excellent debate. We can talk about onshoring, but if there are not enough skilled people to do the work, the opportunity will be taken elsewhere. When a country loses capacity, it also risks losing the training pipeline. The Government’s lack of action on bringing the cost of energy down, the imposition of the jobs tax, higher business rates and the disastrous Employment Rights Act 2025 show that they do not get it.Secondly, there is the issue of skills. UKFT’s “Reshoring for Real” report captures a real appetite among brands to source more domestically, but only if the cost model makes sense and if standards can be trusted. The National Farmers Union’s most recent survey found that only 22% of respondents report reliable mobile signal across their entire farm, and nearly one in 10 have no 4G or 5G access at all. Some 49% said that their mobile connectivity was so bad that they could not work from home or even run their business. I recognise the importance of that investment in the difference that it has made to Staffordshire.My constituency is about 40% rural, with 60% of people living in towns, and there is such a marked difference in the experience of connectivity. My experience of the shared rural network and its extended coverage to around 280,000 homes and businesses after £500 million of investment has been positive. They are terrified that they will now have to disclose their trans identity to their colleagues, infringing their right to privacy and risking their safety and inclusion at work.This is not an abstract discussion; it is about the real lives of real people living in every one of our communities. The lack of clarity also has an impact on organisations across the country and on trans people, who increasingly find themselves excluded from this discussion. This awful act was a hate crime and an attack on our local queer community, and it was not just the LGBT+ community in Forest Gate but everyone—all our neighbours—who were affronted that it had happened. We sadly saw hatred come to our community when our rainbow crossing—our Pride flag—was shamefully defaced multiple times. When they tried to silence and erase an entire community, the campaign group fought back with defiance, holding meetings at Bromley public hall to spread awareness and solidarity. Located on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago, My Golf Chicago is a private training facility that provides a private and comfortable environment for you to play golf year round. Drivetime golf in Antioch offers aG Trainer Pro simulators powered by aboutGolf®, the Official Worldwide Ryder Cup Supplier. The Sim Club also offers RoboGolfPro, which is a revolutionary golf training experience using a robotic swing trainer that helps golfers perfect their swing by feeling the ideal motion. Clubhouse 540 is a modern indoor golf facility in Naperville offering multiple simulator bays, league competition, and coaching-based performance improvement. The studio allows members and local golfers to continue playing virtually in the offseason, with options for league participation and lesson scheduling inside a classic club environment. Had I known in advance that the Minister for Trade, my hon.If we cannot get UK graduates to find jobs in training programmes, that is scandalous.Earlier this week, I spoke to the National Pharmacy Association’s winter reception to pay tribute to its members for their work and to assure them that I have their back, as does the Minister for Care.The hon.There are section 22 permits used for community bus services, and the more common section 19 permits.Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan) for bringing forward this important debate.The committee took the view, as we were urged by a number of former prisoners who gave evidence to us, that that is not the purpose of prison.Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage), has stated that he did not support equal marriage at the time; he declared it a “wrong” thing to have done and to have been brought in. Through this debate, can we encourage the Government to put resources into helping district councils such as West Lindsey? All the red telephone boxes are being closed, and it is a tremendous struggle to persuade BT to keep them open. I have heard from farmers, landscape gardeners, taxi drivers and dog groomers whose businesses all suffer because of signal problems. Keeping children safe could not be more important to this Government and this afternoon, they are launching a public consultation on proposed changes to their “Keeping children safe in education 2026” statutory guidance. Family help will ensure that families receive the right assistance at the moment they need it, not only to improve outcomes, but to prevent problems escalating into crisis. But we can, and must, let her memory sharpen our determination to build a system that is more alert, more joined up, and more capable of acting decisively when a child is at risk.Through the families first partnership programme, we are also transforming how support is offered on the ground. These are positions of power, and we cannot afford for them to be in the wrong hands.I would also like to refer to the plight of women prisoners, many of whom—if any—should probably not be there. There are organised criminal gangs running rife in our prisons, and in part that must be because we do not have the right prison officers. If anyone in this Chamber tried to run a drugs racket, our doorkeepers would be on it in seconds.How is it that such things are allowed to flourish in our prisons? There were 136 drug-related deaths in the two years to December 2024 in our prisons. There is a prevailing culture of acceptance of drugs in our prisons. In view of that, does the Minister think there might be some reason for the Government to consider looking at this situation in, say, five years’ time to see the effect of the Bill on the health service? It could also create an uncertainty in the provision of postgraduate training in Ireland.Amendment 19, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Gerada, seeks to add Malta to the list of prioritised countries set out in Clause 4. I understand the comments that the Minister has made to my noble friend Lord Stevens. Each of these amendments seeks to ensure that graduates of overseas campuses of UK medical schools are prioritised for foundation and specialty training. I look forward to the debate that we are going to have in less than a fortnight’s time. It contributes significant public value through its provision of trusted news and diverse entertainment, and underpins the wider media plurality landscape in the UK. Of course the late payment strategy is so important for small business, as is cash availability for trade abroad by SMEs, which is another vital element of the trade strategy. I thank him for his offer to approach the MOD on military uniforms—hopefully, he will get his officials to do some digging for me on that issue—but there are prison uniforms and other places where it is necessary to wear uniforms. The noble Baroness, Lady Neate, has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of homelessness, and on behalf of domestic abuse survivors and their children. It was heartening to hear references to the late Lord Ramsbotham, who many of us have so many fond memories of.We clearly have a super-talented bunch of new noble Lords. I was thrilled to see that so many new noble Lords chose this occasion to make their maiden speeches. As others have eloquently stated, if we want the public to understand the decisions being made about prisons, they have to understand what prisons are for. I will not repeat all the things we have heard, but I just make your Lordships’ House aware that the current rate of self-harm in our prisons is 859 incidents per 1,000 prisoners.I now turn to the second recommendation in the report, which states that“the Ministry of Justice … should set out a clear and consistent … purpose of prison”. I am delighted that we have already heard a lot about the particular plight of women in prison.I have chosen this debate for my first speech after my maiden speech—the difficult second album genre of speeches—having studied and worked in prisons for many years. They do not need to be sportspeople, and they do not necessarily need to be other prisoners, but they are all-important in building relationships. 📈 Standard of living and quality of life In doing so, it shifts the focus from legal residence status to actual service, contributions and engagement with our health system.The NHS does not run, as we heard earlier, on immigration categories. My amendment would not delay the reforms indefinitely, but simply ensure that reforms are done properly. At a time when staffing pressures are already acute, we should really be wary of reforms that may have unintended consequences and might deter capable candidates. We should be especially mindful of these principles when legislating in areas that directly affect access to professional training and career progression.There is also the practical consideration. They noted that they had complied fully with all the requirements enforced at the time of application, only to find themselves potentially excluded by the change that has now been imposed. Through the farming innovation programme, we are supporting projects in key areas, including pest and disease control and alternative fertiliser use, and are committed to investing at least £200 million by 2030.Defra also supports the crop genetic improvement network, which is a £15 million research platform focused on improving key arable crops. The farmer collaboration fund will provide up to £30 million over the next three years to support farmer groups with expert advice and partnerships that drive growth and deliver environmental outcomes. To that end, Defra is developing a land use framework, which I hope the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, will welcome and which will be published early this year. That investment boosts productivity and supports the wider food and drink manufacturing sector, the UK’s largest manufacturing industry, which generates £129 billion in turnover and over £22 billion in exports, and supports more than 4 million jobs.The Government’s assessment of economic impact also accounts for resilience. Many are located outside major cities, sustaining local economies where alternative employment opportunities can be limited. The canvas supports these purposes by providing a quick overview of the complete plan. The business model canvas is a strategic planning tool that condenses a full business plan into a simplified template showing the key elements that make up a business. "A business accelerator is a program designed to help established startups scale quickly, and often provide funding in exchange for equity in the business." The grateful politicians oblige by organising threatening issues off the political agenda, feather-duster regulatory systems, tax perks to the rich, crony contracts, VIP lanes, honours and even peerages. This statement outlines some of the initial steps we are taking to improve safety, education, time out of room and staffing in the youth estate.This statement lays the foundations for further reforms that will be announced in the spring. Too many children are detained in custody on remand but then receive a community sentence, an experience which can be damaging to the child’s life outcomes and at high financial cost to local authorities. It is also why we are investing up to £700 million more in probation by the end of this spending review period.The committee highlighted the need for more collaboration between public and private prisons.To give just one example, Professor Jan Brosens at Warwick University is undoubtedly one of the key people who have contributed massively to female health, particularly on implantation of the ovum and in his magnificent work on endometriosis.In a sense, the problem that we are dealing with through the Bill—again, as the noble Lord, Lord Kamall, just set out for us—owes its antecedents to the disconnect between the provision of NHS services and the ability to make smart, long-term workforce decisions.We can talk about onshoring, but if there are not enough skilled people to do the work, the opportunity will be taken elsewhere.More than that, it also means a reliable process of reporting and mapping the real-terms coverage and capacity of mobile networks.Fundamentally, improving rural mobile connectivity must start with genuine two-way communication.With that, I hope that noble Lords will feel able not to press their amendments. This change has been made without consultation, without reference to the House and without discussion, so will the Leader of the House ensure that at the very least there is a statement, and better still a debate, on why this change was made under the radar? I know from experience, as I am sure others do, just how important fire services and coverage are for our constituents. Like thousands of local residents, I have signed the petition calling for it to be retained as a 24/7 service, but it has been announced that the decision will be delayed for six months. I hope that the law takes its course and that people are held to account.With regard to the hon. As we have just heard, these amendments grandfather the current, very modest arrangements at QMUL Malta and Newcastle University, which are so numerically small, with a couple of hundred students relative to 12,800 for the other training programmes. My Lords, I speak in support of the thrust of the amendments in this group. My Lords, it was with great pleasure that I added my name to the amendment so nobly introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Forbes of Newcastle. As the noble Baroness, Lady Gerada, said, the numbers are very small, but their impact on our National Health Service is very great. Officials have reassured me that, following discussions with Community Pharmacy England, we have introduced specific provisions in the drug tariff that will allow pharmacy contractors to receive payment for claims that were delayed due to IT issues outside of its control.I can appreciate why the hon. Community pharmacies are already under intense pressure from this Government, with tax rises on employment and business rates and with increases in costs, and now they appear not to be being paid for work already done. Payments are administered by the NHS Business Services Authority. It would be complex to extend Flood Re to businesses, but that does not mean there is not a problem. Flood Re has been very successful regarding residential properties but there has always been an issue around the fact that it does not extend to businesses or to multiple-occupancy dwellings over a certain number. My Lords, Flood Re is a temporary system that will run out in 2039 and is aimed only at domestic dwellings, which is a great disadvantage to owners of microbusinesses and small businesses in affected areas. My Lords, given that we should hold the water companies to account for the problems they cause, is it not time that we froze pay and dividends to water companies until they fix the infrastructure that they created, ending up with the problem that we have now? Together, the Countryside Stewardship higher-tier scheme, the sustainable farming incentive and the ELMS capital grant schemes provide support to help plan, plant and manage agroforestry systems, wood pasture and so on, which also helps to hold water. Last month, the Government announced that they will introduce new training places targeted at trusts with the biggest workforce gaps, prioritising rural and coastal areas, where patients currently struggle the most.We often joke in this place that he is at every debate, speaking on everything; today it is truly an honour to see the emotion and passion with which he spoke about being a grandfather.Lead times can drop at the drop of a hat, halving from 30 days to 14 days, and payment terms are lengthened without warning.They suggested—we all need to know this—baking, reading books, imaginative play and spending less time on our devices.The data illustrate a wider story of a growing number of people feeling confident to live their lives openly as their true selves.The threat continues to change, as does the online approach, and so we as a society in this country need to make sure that we allow our fundamental values to remain operational, so that people do not feel harassment for their religion or beliefs or for things they cannot change.We have already heard that waste crime costs the economy £1 billion per year, but that is an estimate—just an estimate—of the cost of clean-up, enforcement and lost revenue to legitimate businesses and the Exchequer; it does not include the cost to people or to nature.She spoke out at a time when few people were brave enough to make the common-sense case that it was unfair on women to have to compete against transgender women in sport. Let us all take this opportunity to send our deep thanks to Sam and Emily, and to their volunteers and supporters, for their extraordinary work. It is dedicated to supporting farmers struggling with poor mental health. These include decisions by him to ignore both public evidence and private advice, and to appoint to the House of Lords not one but two men with continuing connections to convicted paedophiles. The House will rise for the Christmas recess at the close of business on Thursday 17 December 2026 and return on Monday 4 January 2027. The House will rise for the conference recess at the close of business on Tuesday 15 September 2026 and return on Monday 12 October 2026. On the point the noble Lords, Lord Foster and Lord Hogan-Howe, and the noble Baroness, Lady Hughes, made so powerfully about recruitment, it is absurd that we are recruiting in this way. She is a mother, a grandmother, a committed campaigner for so many charities, a skilled equestrian—I could go on, but all noble Lords need to know is that she is superhuman.However, perhaps most importantly, she is brave and campaigns courageously for women’s rights in sport, at considerable personal cost and risk to herself. She became an even bigger household name when she burst on to our TV screens. It is a huge testament to the support she had from her family, and I heard her tribute to her mother and father. She was a total hero of mine growing up—I am trying not to be too starstruck—and a huge inspiration to me and so many young girls, at a time when mentors in the sporting world were in pretty short supply. I urge the Minister, in matters of spectrum, to be more Blair and less Cameron, and ensure that this Government have a spectrum policy that supports a competitive mobile market that benefits every corner and field of our country.As has been said many times, farmers are willing to do that work, but they need clear incentives and a stable funding framework.I posed this question to myself before I came here, and I have been thinking about it in relation to how we might contribute to the debate.We need to take much firmer action to ensure that no products traded in the supply chain in this country—or, as he says, stocks listed on the stock market—are produced through any kind of forced labour.Located in Ranch Manor Shopping Center in Oak Lawn, Birdies Sports Bar & Grill offers golf simulators, food, drink and a fun atmosphere.Prisons lack in many areas, but what they have in abundance is prisoners—and prisoners can be an asset.This adaptability ensures that anyone, regardless of fitness level or lifestyle, can successfully complete the 28-day challenge.Member agree that, while we are considering healthy relationships—and youth workers are key to modelling this behaviour, because they give a safe space to talk—we must focus on equipping our local authorities, in my case a Reform-led local authority, to prioritise the needs of young people?Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan) for securing this important debate. According to UK Flour Millers’ economic impact report published last January, this is a sector that generates £2.2 billion in annual turnover, contributes some £770 million in total value added to the economy, supports more than 9,000 jobs and pays taxes, directly and indirectly, of roughly £270 million a year—all of that from just 51 mills. The Wessex Mill brand was taken on by Michael and Clare Marriage, and relocated to Hungerford in Berkshire, where it now employs around 130 people drawn from local communities of the North Wessex Downs. The other person with whom I share a birthday is my noble friend Lord Dundee, who I regret cannot be with us today. We did the research, published it in 1991 and the world followed it, but we did not.A report on the flour milling industry by Policy Points in 2024 stated that 9,000 people are directly and indirectly employed in it, the annual turnover is £2 billion and the added value to the economy £700 million. We keep proscription under review because we do not announce what we will do ahead of doing it.We consider whether there is sufficient evidence to proscribe an organisation, such as Palestine Action, which was mentioned by a number of noble Lords in the debate. Friend to discuss her concerns, as I appreciate that this is a sensitive issue for many people. It will ensure that any proposed scheme for expansion at Heathrow will be consistent with air quality obligations and will contribute to economic growth across the entirety of the United Kingdom. If he writes to me with the detail of those proposals, I will ensure that the Rail Minister gives him a fulsome response. While there are currently no specific plans to deliver on those aspirations, we would encourage both him and local stakeholders, including local authorities, Great Western Rail and Network Rail to continue to work together to develop those plans, including sourcing funding opportunities. Network Rail’s Wiltshire strategic study identifies a clear strategic and economic case for upgrading the railway through Melksham, with a new passing loop unlocking capacity for an hourly passenger service, increased freight movements and improved network resilience when other lines are closed. I thank the chair and the witnesses and contributors who helped produce this excellent and detailed report. Probably more importantly, the data produced by the tags is not shared live with the local police, who could do something about the breaches, particularly if a crime has just been committed. The Minister will know that there have been problems in fitting these devices on leaving prison. As I always do, I will seek to engage in sufficient time before Report. Will the timing of that letter be early next week so that there is time to table amendments for Report to meet some of those concerns? I always reflect on what is said, but my initial reflection is that that does not deal with the fact that we already have a number of people. Teams must perform certain tasks, so they need people with the right skills. Businesses operate through participants who conduct the work, stakeholders who are affected by business decisions, and six functional areas that organize specialized tasks to achieve business objectives. Businesses are categorized into three main sectors—public, private, and non-profit—based on who controls them, how profits are managed, and their primary purpose, though some organizations can cross sector boundaries. Museum boards include art patrons and business executives who want sound fiscal decision-making. A not-for-profit organization is an organization that exists to achieve some goal other than the usual business goal of profit at all costs. Accessibility is the practice of making information, activities, and/or environments sensible, meaningful, and usable for as many people as possible. Diversity is the presence, in an organization or a community, of a wide range of people with different backgrounds, abilities, and attributes, including ethnicity, race, colour, religion, age, gender, and sexual orientation. Equity is a process that ensures everyone has access to the same opportunities. Organizations must invest in training and developing employees continuously—from orientation through ongoing skill updates—because employee competence directly determines company survival and competitiveness. This streamlined approach ensures best-fit candidates are hired efficiently while aligning with organizational goals. In rural communities, good public transport options can make the difference to being able to access work, education and opportunities. I am sure that the Minister with responsibility for roads, my hon. That is why we are providing public funding to start that project. Member for North Shropshire (Helen Morgan) for bringing forward this delayed but important debate. Will the Minister now agree to overhaul Ofcom’s coverage maps so that they are tied to real-time data, and to revise the coverage goals of the shared rural network accordingly so that my constituents, and the many others we have heard about, can finally get an assurance that a reliable connection is on its way—and soon? More than that, it also means a reliable process of reporting and mapping the real-terms coverage and capacity of mobile networks.Fundamentally, improving rural mobile connectivity must start with genuine two-way communication. One response to this has been staff better supporting staff. Preventing reoffending requires prison to tackle criminogenic needs—the changeable factors in a prisoner’s life that directly influence their risk of reoffending. He has a lot on his plate, and I hope he gets the full support of other Ministers in the Government so that he can bring about the changes that we all wish to see happen. It is an indictment of the system that about half of prisoners are functionally illiterate. I urge the Government to engage closely with providers to ensure that no community is left without reliable service as networks evolve. In the past, we have had relatively good mobile phone signal, but because network providers have decided to drop the service, we have lost the ability to use our phones. Farmers operating machinery, elderly residents living alone, small businesses processing payments and families keeping in touch all depend on reliable phone networks. He also explained how we have changed the process for relevant direct ministerial appointments, including politically appointed diplomatic roles. Friend confirmed that the Government will bring forward legislation to ensure that peerages can be removed from disgraced peers, and that Peter Mandelson will be removed from the list of Privy Counsellors. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister updated the House on further action that the Government are taking.My right hon. Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic. I understand that the Rail Minister will be meeting the leader of the council of the Isles of Scilly to discuss further some of the issues that the hon. There is, in my view, a shared purpose between the prison and probation services, which is to reduce reoffending and prepare people for life outside the criminal justice system. In my experiences as an executive councillor in my youth, as a Minister, as a participant in Cabinet and shadow Cabinet debates, and as a Back Bench MP who was very attentive to the public services in my area, I saw all too many examples of poor management, mistakes and error. They must not be fuelled and fed by illegitimate businesses within the prison framework.The third thing that we want, which is touched on at rather greater length in the report, is for more people who leave prison to not want to go back there. There are good comments in the report and there were good remarks from the noble Lord who introduced the committee’s findings.We need to get back to the questions of what the Prison Service is for and how Ministers and the executive leaders of that service can do a better job in future. I have spoken to countless elderly people who struggle to access key services. It is crucial that people can access their mobile phone and get a reliable signal when the power is down, whoever they are.One 90-year-old constituent told me that she purchased a phone because she was concerned about the digital switchover and wanted to ensure that she could still make calls in the event of a power cut. It would be wrong to let this moment pass without reflecting on the fact that EE has its network of masts as a result of significant public investment, because it got the contract for the emergency services network. It is a privilege to welcome these noble Lords to your Lordships’ House, along with the expertise that they bring.I thank the noble Lord, Lord Foster of Bath, for his opening remarks and for securing this important debate. We must support prison staff and not see them leave for better-resourced jobs. Here I should mention the observations of my noble friend Lord Lucas. However, the Bus Services Act puts power back with local leaders, and enables franchising and enhanced partnerships of municipal operators to improve services. In my Chester South and Eddisbury constituency, villages like Little Budworth have no bus services at all, and are miles from any public transport. That is why we have introduced the £3 cap, but we are also supporting local transport authorities with bus funding, and enabling them to make decisions about how they want to use the funding, including to provide lower fares for young people. We will continue to assess what more can be done to stop vile acts like these from happening again.A local child safeguarding practice review is currently being conducted and that must take its course.Children's safety is at the very heart of this Government’s plan for change. Today, Vincent Chan is due to appear for sentencing at Wood Green Crown court in relation to 56 offences, to which he has pleaded guilty.His crimes are absolutely sickening, and our thoughts remain with the children and families affected as they continue to receive the support they need. The guidance is clear that supporting social transition should not include allowing children into facilities designated for the opposite sex.The consultation document, containing full details of the proposals and inviting responses will be available via gov.uk. These sections are informed by the public consultation on the draft non-statutory “Gender Questioning Children” guidance for schools and colleges. It is the primary source of guidance and support for schools and colleges.Schools and colleges play a critical role in keeping children safe and KCSIE sets out the legal duties that schools and colleges must comply with, together with good practice guidance on what schools and colleges should do to keep children safe. There, the West Cumbria Rivers Trust and its partners have been involving local farmers to re-naturalise the river, create wetlands, and implement other measures that provide flood protection alongside improving water quality and enhancing the environment. Some of this funding will be used to invest in flood protection and to support farmers in tackling agricultural pollution. This shows that climate-driven sea level rise and extreme rainfall will place a growing number of people at risk of flooding and coastal erosion. Time is extremely short, so while I am always glad to do so, if the noble Lord will allow me to look at that in a practical sense, I will be pleased to. I have already had engagement with a number of noble Lords, including both Front Benches. The reality is that industrial action will put this at risk because it is a diversion of resources, as it always is.The noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, asked about further engagement. We continue to hope that those talks result in an agreement that works for everyone, so that there will be no more strike action by resident doctors in 2026.With regard to the noble Lord’s request for more detail on operational readiness, I know he understands that introducing reforms to such a large-scale recruitment process is a big undertaking. Delaying commencement by even one month would leave insufficient time to implement prioritisation for this year’s application round.