Contributions
246 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDForeign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development: MergerMy Lords, will the new FCDO provide funding for projects to combat sexual violence, particularly in Colombia, on a longer-term basis than the one year’s funding generally provided…27 Jul 2020HANSARDImmigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) BillMy Lords, my concern is the negative impact of the end to freedom of movement and the subsequent points-based system on two discrete groups of people: teachers of modern foreign…22 Jul 2020HANSARDEmployment: Young PeopleMy Lords, we know that having foreign language skills makes school leavers more employable. Post Covid and post Brexit, this will be more so, and there is high demand in finance,…20 Jul 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Personal Protective EquipmentMy Lords, when I asked the Minister on 24 June to ensure that interpreters in the NHS would not be forgotten when stockpiling PPE in case of a second wave, he very helpfully told…16 Jul 2020HANSARDTrade AgreementsMy Lords, can the Minister ensure that, once we are no longer part of the EU FTA with Peru, Colombia and Ecuador, our continuity agreement and any subsequent bilateral or regional…14 Jul 2020HANSARDEducation Settings: Autumn OpeningMy Lords, a foreign language has been compulsory for key stage 2 since 2014, and research shows that it is also beneficial for literacy and oracy in English for that age group.…08 Jul 2020HANSARDTelevision LicencesMy Lords, will the Government undertake to discuss with the new director-general the harassment of the BBC’s Persian service? The London-based staff face criminal investigations…06 Jul 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Support and Accommodation for Asylum SeekersMy Lords, many children of asylum seekers have been severely disadvantaged during lockdown because their parents do not have and cannot afford the broadband or wi-fi connection,…30 Jun 2020HANSARDErasmus-plus ProgrammeTo ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in securing funding for the United Kingdom’s continued participation in the Erasmus+ programme, or its successor,…25 Jun 2020HANSARDErasmus-plus ProgrammeCompared to Erasmus, a replacement scheme such as the Swiss model could cost the same or even more to keep the full range of its benefits, from universities to schools, from the…25 Jun 2020HANSARDPersonal Protective EquipmentMy Lords, the Minister will not be surprised that I want to ask once again about interpreters in the NHS. I appreciate that because of Covid-19 many hospitals are using…24 Jun 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Track and Trace SystemMy Lords, the Government have translated Covid-19 advice and information into a number of languages, but can the Minister assure me that proper mechanisms and a budget have also…18 Jun 2020HANSARDUK-EU NegotiationsMy Lords, has there yet been any agreement in the negotiations on the UK’s access to the various multilingual European databases? They are used many millions of times a year by…18 Jun 2020HANSARDPress FreedomMy Lords, is the Minister aware of recent reports from Colombia that the army has been illegally compiling secret files on journalists, containing personal information on their…08 Jun 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Educational GapsMy Lords, I am concerned about the potential for discrimination against pupils who have been studying at a supplementary school for a GCSE in a less-taught heritage or community…04 Jun 2020HANSARDUniversal CreditMy Lords, the five-week wait has significantly increased household debt and anxiety as a result of council tax arrears. Will the Minister please press the Government to issue…02 Jun 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Refugee CampsMy Lords, will the Minister pay tribute to the work of Translators Without Borders, which DfID helps to support? Its work with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, for example, found…20 May 2020HANSARDCovid-19: International ResponseMy Lords, I want to draw attention to the impact of Covid-19 on the British Council and, by extension, on the UK’s international influence and reputation. I declare an interest as…18 May 2020HANSARDBritish Citizens Stranded OverseasMy Lords, does the Minister know how many UK citizens employed by the British Council and based overseas may need to be brought home as a result of the council’s operations…14 May 2020HANSARDCovid-19: SchoolsMy Lords, will the Minister tell the House whether the arrangements for reopening schools will apply equally to supplementary schools, especially those that are registered as…14 May 2020