Contributions
1,619 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUK-Norway Defence Agreement: Impact in ScotlandMy Lords, the previous Government found, as the current Government are finding, that the successful operation of our defence industry partners in Scotland is in spite of the…05 Nov 2025HANSARDDiego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory BillMy Lords, I will try to get this debate back on track and deal with the issues that I think have been confronting us. The debate was ably introduced by the Minister and it has…04 Nov 2025HANSARDDiego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory BillI hesitate to correct the noble Lord. I think what I said in response to the point raised by the noble Lord, Lord Beamish, was that the sovereign base areas in Cyprus and this…04 Nov 2025HANSARDDiego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory BillThat is an unexpected source of encouragement, for which I thank the noble Lord. Finally, and very importantly, the defence and security implications of this arrangement are…04 Nov 2025HANSARDUkraineMy Lords, I thank the Government for tabling this debate and the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, for his powerful, passionate and clear introduction to it. This debate is timely for…31 Oct 2025HANSARDUndersea Cables: National Security ThreatMy Lords, following the line just observed by the Minister, in recent months the principal threat to United Kingdom infrastructure has been from cyberattacks, notably against…27 Oct 2025HANSARDIsrael: Royal College of Defence StudiesMy Lords, the Royal College of Defence Studies enjoys an enviable global reputation, and the summary ban on attendance at the college by defence personnel of an ally is, as far as…17 Sept 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) BillMy Lords, I oppose assisted dying on principle; I voted against it in the Scottish Parliament and I want to be transparent. But the task before this House today is to scrutinise…12 Sept 2025HANSARDDefence Industrial StrategyMy Lords, I place on record my support for the enormous amount of work that has clearly gone into the production of this industrial strategy. It is very evident that those at the…10 Sept 2025HANSARDUK Defence and Aerospace Facilities: ProtestsMy Lords, the activity to which the noble Lord, Lord Austin, rightly refers is de facto sabotage of our critical defence capability. In Napoleonic times, setting fire to a naval…04 Sept 2025HANSARDRepublic of Ireland: Defence Co-operationMy Lords, to echo the important point made by the noble Baroness, Lady Hoey, it is the case that our defence capability exists primarily for the protection of this country and to…03 Sept 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Commissioner BillMy Lords, it has been a pleasure to participate in our debates on this Bill. I echo and endorse the sentiments articulated by the Minister at the start of his speech. These…23 Jul 2025HANSARDStrategic Defence Review 2025My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the very powerful introduction to this debate from the noble Lord, Lord Robertson. I thank the Government for facilitating this…18 Jul 2025HANSARDAfghanistanMy Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for taking the time to speak with me extensively before the Statement. I thank him and his colleague, the Secretary of State for…16 Jul 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Act 2006 (Continuation) Order 2025My Lords, first, I pay tribute to the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, for her impeccable judgment on timing, which worked very neatly. As she said, it seems that, every year, this…15 Jul 2025HANSARDTourism LevyMy Lords, I understand that Edinburgh has become the first city within the United Kingdom to impose a city-wide visitor levy, which will come into effect next year. But it appears…14 Jul 2025HANSARDArmed Forces: Recruitment and RetentionMy Lords, given the Minister’s response to my noble friend Lady Verma, does he think that creating uncertainty by reopening the possibility of vexatious prosecutions against…07 Jul 2025HANSARDUK–EU Defence and Security Co-operationMy Lords, there continues to uncertainty, and indeed anxiety, about whether UK defence firms will be able to access the EU Security Action for Europe fund. Is the Minister able to…03 Jul 2025HANSARDNHS, Armed Forces and Civil Service Staff: Public MeetingsMy Lords, I was present at the recent conference to which the Minister refers. The Chief of the General Staff did indeed give a welcome and full address and took questions, but…02 Jul 2025HANSARDUK Weapons SystemsGiven the answer that the Minister has just given, can he clarify that, while it may very well be the case that at NATO level the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom would be…01 Jul 2025