Contributions
1,619 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingMy Lords, the fluid and uncertain situation on the ground across Afghanistan means that there is no complete assessment of the matériel and equipment that the UK provided to the…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingI do not have the precise information about the value of kit that over the years was handed to the Afghan national security forces. In so far as a limited amount of government…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingThe noble Lord makes an important point that this is broader than the United Kingdom. As the Chamber will understand, the NATO alliance activity in Afghanistan—obviously by…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingWith all respect to the noble Lord, I do not recognise what he describes. I think we are all united in support, admiration and respect for what our troops did, as the noble Lord,…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingI share my noble friend’s concern about the ideology, as I think everyone else will in this Chamber. Along with our allies and friends, significantly, the United States, we act to…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingObviously, the situation is constantly under review by us and our international partners and friends, not least within the United Nations. But this is a very difficult situation…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAUKUSThe noble Lord poses a pertinent question. I think I addressed his concerns partially in my response to the noble Baronesses, Lady Smith of Basildon and Lady Smith of Newnham. Our…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingI do not share the noble Lord’s analysis, and I do not share his conclusion based on his analysis. As I said earlier, a very small amount of equipment was left behind. Some of…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingI think there is little I can add, in response to the noble Lord, to what I have already said. As the noble Lord, Lord Browne, astutely identified, this is a broader challenge…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAUKUSMy Lords, I thank both noble Baronesses, Lady Smith, for their contributions—it is a pleasure to address both of them. I say to the noble Baroness, Lady Smith of Basildon, that my…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAUKUSMy Lords, I shall now repeat a Statement made in another place: “Mr Speaker, with permission I will make a Statement about our friendship with Australia and the United States and…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingThe noble Baroness raises an important point. As she will be aware, we have made it clear that ARAP extends to all who worked with us. It is a scheme without a time limit, and we…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: British Equipment and TrainingI am sure my noble friend sitting beside me has as acute hearing as I have, has listened carefully to the noble Lord and will find his own way of responding appropriately to the…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAUKUSI say to my noble friend that we see this as a partnership among three important global players. It is a partnership with important and broad security objectives but its immediate…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAUKUSI thank the noble Lord. He used an interesting adjective in relation to this agreement; he described it as “momentous”, which I think is an accurate and apposite assessment. His…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAUKUSComing from Scotland, the noble Lord will empathise with what I have to say. I have a fondness for France. We have la vieille alliance, which was very important in our history…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAUKUSThere is broad understanding that Australia is a responsible state, and that the United States and United Kingdom, in being asked to engage with Australia in producing…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAUKUSI remind the noble Lord that the initium of this was an approach by Australia. Australia identified a need that it wished to address, which was to replace its diesel-electric…16 Sept 2021HANSARDArmed Forces: Gambling DisordersThese are all pertinent questions, and we are looking closely, as I say, at what this University of Swansea study will disclose. There is anecdotal evidence that people who go…13 Sept 2021HANSARDArmed Forces: Gambling DisordersWe in the MoD believe that we are already taking many of the measures that the United States has enacted and deployed. We are doing that in a variety of ways, as I have said. Part…13 Sept 2021