Earlier this week I put down a Question asking the government how they assess value for money in public spending. I was prompted to ask the question when I heard the Prime Minister say that there was more to life than money. He said it in the context of the extra value we get from sport,…
Monday 15 March was a particularly busy day for me in the House. The day started with a question from Lord Pearson of Rannoch (the leader of UKIP) on whether the UK could be required to provide financial assistance to an EU Member State “threatened with severe difficulties”. After answering Lord Pearson’s tabled and supplementary question I had to field questions from other peers on the same subject for that part of the allocated 7½ minutes that remained outstanding. In practice I was let off rather lightly as a fair amount of time was taken up as peers endeavoured to establish their right to ask the next question on the subject. Eventually the Leader of the House, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, stepped in to provide much appreciated guidance. The questioning ended with Lord Tebbit asking me to confirm that I would forthright resign if any costs fell on the British taxpayer in respect of any bail-out of Greece. Lord Tebbit and Lord Pearson are both regular bloggers elsewhere.
The appointment of Peter Mandelson has rather overshadowed the appointment of Stephen Carter and Paul Myners, both appointed ministers and elevated to the Lords. The appointment of Paul Myners is noteworthy because of the position to which he has been appointed – Exchequer Secretary in the Treasury. Given the financial privilege of the Commons, and…
