Tag Archives: Lord Mandelson

Questioning Secretaries of State

Lord Norton 16/12/2009 – 8:10 pm

The House yesterday agreed a report from the Procedure Committee recommending that, if there is a Secretary of State in the House, then on one Thursday every month, when the House is sitting, 15 minutes should be set aside for three oral questions to the Secretary of State immediately following the existing 30 minutes for oral questions.  Where there is more than one Secretary of State in the Hou […]

Written at 8:10 pm on 16/12/2009, by Lord Norton


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Debating the Digital Economy Bill

Lord Norton 03/12/2009 – 10:55 am

Yesterday's Second Reading debate on the Digital Economy Bill produced some good speeches: the most telling critiques of the Bill were provided by Lord Lucas on the Conservative benches and Lord Whitty on the Labour benches.  The debate is well worth reading.  The first speaker on the Conservative side was former Cabinet minister, Lord Fowler, and I thought readers may enjoy his opening comments […]

Written at 10:55 am on 03/12/2009, by Lord Norton


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Getting the facts right

Lord Norton 28/08/2009 – 12:48 pm

This morning´s edition of The Daily Telegraph has an article by Daniel Hannan headed "Let´s return to the good old days when MPs didn´t always toe the party line".  The only problem with this is that there were no "good old days".  Far from MPs becoming more prone to toe the party line, the movement has been in the other direction.  The period of greatest party loyalty in the twentieth centu […]

Written at 12:48 pm on 28/08/2009, by Lord Norton


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Reshuffle and the House of Lords

Lord Norton 05/06/2009 – 5:37 pm

Some readers have already begun to comment, in the thread to the preceding post, on the ministerial reshuffle as it affects the House of Lords. There will now be three peers in the Cabinet, two of them departmental ministers.  The most senior is Lord Mandelson, who now heads a Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which brings together the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regul […]

Written at 5:37 pm on 05/06/2009, by Lord Norton


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Ministerial accountability

Lord Norton 19/01/2009 – 2:58 pm

Former Chancellor Kenneth Clarke has been appointed Shadow Business Secretary.  He will be the opposite number to Lord Mandelson.  However, he will not be facing Lord Mandelson as they sit in different chambers.  Lord Mandelson answers directly to peers and can be called to appear by committees in the Commons. Conversely, ministers in the Commons answer directly to MPs and can appear before sel […]

Written at 2:58 pm on 19/01/2009, by Lord Norton


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