Contributions
1,619 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDVeterans UpdateMy friend the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, is ahead of me; I am delighted to hear that. We have a variety of extremely effective communications media within the MoD, and I am thrilled…20 Jul 2023HANSARDVeterans UpdateI can confirm to the noble Viscount that the review was published and can be found on GOV.UK, so it is publicly available. The MoD has numerous internal modes of communication,…20 Jul 2023HANSARDIndependent Review: Armed Forces Homosexuality BanI can say to the noble Baroness that already we have taken proactive measures such as implementing various inclusive policies—that was important —including the provision of…19 Jul 2023HANSARDIndependent Review: Armed Forces Homosexuality BanI thank the noble Lord for his kind remarks, and I think there was a lot of sympathy across the Chamber with what he said. I would observe that, as the Secretary of State was…19 Jul 2023HANSARDIndependent Review: Armed Forces Homosexuality BanI associate myself with everything the noble Lord has said. I was struck by part of the narrative. At page 53 of the report, the noble and learned Lord wrote: “In broad terms, the…19 Jul 2023HANSARDIndependent Review: Armed Forces Homosexuality BanI agree with the noble Lord. I think “paradigm” is a very appropriate noun to attribute to the noble and learned Lord’s report. I am disturbed to hear that there are other areas…19 Jul 2023HANSARDIndependent Review: Armed Forces Homosexuality BanThe Government have today published the report of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Etherton, and accepted in principle the vast majority of the recommendations. As the Defence…19 Jul 2023HANSARDIndependent Review: Armed Forces Homosexuality BanI much respect the views being expressed by my noble friend. An eminent theologian once said to me that anyone who believes in coincidences must lead a very boring life and I…19 Jul 2023HANSARDDefence Command Paper RefreshMy Lords, I thank the noble and gallant Lord for his observations and questions. I think they go to the heart of all of this, which is money, which the noble and gallant Lord…19 Jul 2023HANSARDDefence Command Paper RefreshI thank the noble Lord for his kind remarks about my colleague and friend Ben Wallace. I will convey them to him and direct him to Hansard . I know he will be much comforted by…19 Jul 2023HANSARDDefence Command Paper RefreshMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, and the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, for their helpful remarks at the beginning of their questions. I thank them particularly for…19 Jul 2023HANSARDDefence Command Paper RefreshI appreciate the significant experience in these commercial matters that my noble friend brings to these discussions. Interestingly, I had highlighted the passage he read because…19 Jul 2023HANSARDDefence Command Paper RefreshFirst, I thank the noble Lord for his kind comments about the Secretary of State. When we talk about budget, we deal with two things: reality, and what this Government believe is…19 Jul 2023HANSARDVeterans Advisory and Pensions Committees BillMy Lords, it is a privilege to speak to the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees’—VAPCs’—Private Member’s Bill. I thank my noble friend Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton for…14 Jul 2023HANSARDWagner GroupMy Lords, the UK has repeatedly highlighted the Kremlin’s malign and destabilising activities in Africa. These include the Wagner Group’s ongoing military deployments in Mali, the…11 Jul 2023HANSARDWagner GroupI think there will be a lot of sympathy with my noble friend’s point. The UK continues to highlight Wagner’s reprehensible actions. We do that around the world in whatever fora we…11 Jul 2023HANSARDWagner GroupI have always been clear in my remarks from the Dispatch Box how much the Government find Wagner to be a repugnant, discredited organisation, and how much we deplore attempts to…11 Jul 2023HANSARDWagner GroupMy noble friend makes a very important point. He will be aware that through the United Nations and our other relationships and partnerships, whether multilaterally or bilaterally,…11 Jul 2023HANSARDWagner GroupThe noble Lord is correct. We are aware that Wagner mercenaries are in Syria supporting the Assad regime, just as they are in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. What the future is for…11 Jul 2023HANSARDWagner GroupAs the noble Baroness will be aware, it is not government policy to comment on whether a group is under consideration for proscription, and, indeed, it is a Home Office…11 Jul 2023