Category Archives: Baroness Deech

Shopping at Christmas

Baroness Deech 18/12/2011 – 4:46 pm

Mary Portas, shopping guru, has delivered to the Prime Minister a review of the state of our high streets and town centres.  I was able to get a copy from the Printed Paper Office of the Lords.  I noticed this weekend that there are considerably fewer people out shopping on my own local high street than there were a year ago, due no doubt to the recession, internet shopping and the discount "vil […]

Written at 4:46 pm on 18/12/2011, by Baroness Deech

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A very great Aussie

Baroness Deech 10/12/2011 – 12:08 am

 The death has just been announced of Sir Zelman Cowen, former Governor General of Australia, former Vice-Chancellor, former Provost of Oriel College Oxford, great constitutional lawyer and historian; widely regarded as a man of the utmost integrity, intellect and kindliness, no one had a bad word to say about him.  I met him when he was a fellow head of an Oxford college and regard my acquainta […]

Written at 12:08 am on 10/12/2011, by Baroness Deech

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It’s a secret

Baroness Deech 09/12/2011 – 1:26 am

On Wednesday 7th there was a brief diversion from the progress of the consideration of amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill.  Baroness Thornton proposed a motion that the House should be able to see the risk register pertaining to the Bill.  The Information Commissioner had ruled that it should be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act, but the Department of Health had appealed […]

Written at 1:26 am on 09/12/2011, by Baroness Deech

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Brainless students

Baroness Deech 30/11/2011 – 10:48 am

Perhaps it was not unexpected that David Willetts, Universities Minister, should have been forced to abandon his speech about the Idea of a University in Cambridge on 22nd, when students took over and prevented him from continuing.  This sort of blocking of free speech goes back a long way in universities, and it was that habit that led to the Education (no2) Act 1986 which requires Universities […]

Written at 10:48 am on 30/11/2011, by Baroness Deech

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Only communicate

Baroness Deech 23/11/2011 – 4:07 pm

A very interesting day on the Lords Select Committee on Communications yesterday.  In the morning we went to visit the nearly completed extension to Broadcasting House in Portland Place.  The inside is magnificent, although by no means all fitted out yet.  There will be a huge news room, and separate activities on the different floors around a dazzling atrium.  There is a spectacular view fro […]

Written at 4:07 pm on 23/11/2011, by Baroness Deech

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