Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP)

I want to complain about this man next to me who is muttering. Who could disagree with heritage railways, even if they do burn copious quantities of coal? They are a treasure. To the comments from the noble Baronesses, Lady Pidgeon and Lady Morgan, about violence against women and girls, I say, “Absolutely. Take any measures that are necessary”. We live in a misogynistic society. Apart from trying to educate men and boys, we have to put in all the other structures that keep women safe. I would like to repeat a short story of my own; some noble Lords may have heard it already. I was travelling home on the railway to Sherborne, and five railway workers got on. I think that they were conductors—they were all wearing a uniform of some sort—and they scattered themselves around me. I was sitting in a corner seat minding my own business, and they completely ignored this little old lady who was sitting on her own. They then began the most misogynistic conversation. I sat there staggered. I should have taped it; I do not know why I did not. After a bit, I stood up and said, “You should be ashamed of yourselves, blah blah blah”. I suggest that staff need to be trained thoroughly. Obviously, I spoke to the CEO of the railway line, but I had not taken their names and, in the end, I did not want to make a complaint. My point about safety versus competition is a crucial one because there is a tension between those two things, as the noble Lord, Lord Berkeley, pointed out; I did not support a word that he said, really, but it was kind of him to say it. I feel that we are sometimes in danger of tipping the balance the wrong way. That is my concern: competition becoming so important that safety has a lower station. When I first read Amendment 289 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, I thought, “Yes, that’s reasonable”. It then talks about implementation where that is “reasonably practicable”, which goes back to my original point about balance. What a lovely way to spend one’s evening this has been; I have really enjoyed myself so far. I am trying to speak until 8.45 pm so that we do not move on to the next group, but I am failing.