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1,619 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEstonia: UK Troop LevelsI reassure my noble friend that we work closely with our friends in the Baltics, not least in Norway and Sweden and with our other presence in that area. He will be aware that,…31 Oct 2022HANSARDEstonia: UK Troop LevelsThat is a indeed a very important component of the threat that we face. My noble friend will be aware that assisting countries to deal with cyberattacks is, again, part of our…31 Oct 2022HANSARDEstonia: UK Troop LevelsI thank the noble Lord for his kind comments. I sometimes feel that when he offers polite and complimentary remarks to me I should count my fingers afterwards—but I absolutely…31 Oct 2022HANSARDEstonia: UK Troop LevelsMy noble friend will be aware that in the MoD we constantly assess and respond to threat as the character of that threat emerges. What we did at the inception of the illegal…31 Oct 2022HANSARDEstonia: UK Troop LevelsAs the noble Lord will understand, looking back to the integrated review, what became very clear was that the review identified that it is not just numbers we have to talk about…31 Oct 2022HANSARDEstonia: UK Troop LevelsThe noble Lord will understand that, were we to retain that second battle group in Estonia, it would require significant extra investment and additional temporary winterisation of…31 Oct 2022HANSARDEstonia: UK Troop LevelsThe intention of Sweden and Finland to join NATO is very welcome. Anything that cements the co-ordination and collaboration of countries with like-minded principles and values in…31 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraineMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, and the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, for the tenor of their remarks? It is a great pleasure to stand as a Minister at the…20 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraineMy Lords, I beg leave to repeat a Statement made in the other place earlier today by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence, Mr Ben Wallace, on Ukraine. The…20 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraineI thank the noble Lord for his questions. In relation to what has been supplied and how we pay when we come to replenish it, the MoD has proceeded on the basis that it will be…20 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraineI find it difficult to see in the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, the demeanour of the noble Lord, Lord Campbell of Pittenweem, but as a proxy she is very capable. I know that the…20 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraine: NATOAs the noble Lord will be aware, since the illegal invasion of Ukraine occurred the United Kingdom has been at the forefront of assisting the country in defending itself. We have…18 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraine: NATOI agree with the right reverend Prelate that the consequences of the drone attack on Kyiv have been devastating. I think that everyone has watched with horror as again civilians…18 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraine: NATOThe noble Lord’s point is well made. He will realise, from the evidence available to us, that in the actions of NATO members—not only in their regular engagements but at the…18 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraine: NATOIt has been clear from the outset that our desire—or mission, if you like—was to support Ukraine in its attempts to defend itself against this illegal aggression and invasion of…18 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraine: NATOMy Lords, the United Kingdom continues to engage closely and regularly with our NATO allies as a key part of our response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. The Secretary of…18 Oct 2022HANSARDUkraine: NATOI have no hesitation in agreeing with my noble friend. We have all been appalled by the barbarism of Russia’s attacks in Ukraine, not least in Kyiv. It is quite clear that…18 Oct 2022HANSARDArmed Forces (Service Court Rules) (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2022I thank the noble Lord. We are sometimes guilty of using vocabulary in the environment with which we are all familiar. These are lay members who are not legally qualified; they…18 Oct 2022HANSARDArmed Forces (Covenant) Regulations 2022It may do so, but only tangentially, because the FCDO has a UK government responsibility to UK citizens abroad, which is a standard duty. It is why we have a diplomatic presence,…18 Oct 2022HANSARDArmed Forces (Covenant) Regulations 2022My Lords, I thank noble Lords for what admittedly has been a fairly short debate but not in any way lacking in quality and penetrating questions, which is entirely what I would…18 Oct 2022