Contributions
1,619 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDArmed Forces BillThat the Bill be now read a second time.07 Sept 2021HANSARDArmed Forces BillMy Lords, I begin by quoting my immediate predecessor, the noble Lord, Lord Tunnicliffe, who said that this has been an excellent debate. He is absolutely correct—we have heard…07 Sept 2021HANSARDArmed Forces BillMy Lords, it is a privilege to be speaking to the Armed Forces Bill this afternoon. Without this Bill, the Armed Forces Act 2006—the legislation that maintains the Armed Forces as…07 Sept 2021HANSARDCadet Forces: FundingMy Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Lingfield for securing this debate and pay tribute to him in his role as chairman of the CVQO—the Cadet Vocational Qualification…22 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtI am somewhat saddened by the noble Lord’s lacklustre attitude, because this is an exciting prospect for British shipbuilding, our skills base in that industry and the supply…13 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtI disagree with that last assessment by the noble Lord. This is entirely complementary to what we currently do with our Diplomatic Service and through our trade ambassadors and…13 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtThere may be much speculation about the name of the ship but it is premature to discuss that just now. It will be announced in due course. The noble Lord makes an important point…13 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtAs I indicated on a previous question, the Defence Secretary is the Government’s shipbuilding tsar and the MoD’s role as the lead department for this project reflects our…13 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtAs I indicated, the MoD is one government department but we operate in conjunction with others. We consider it our duty to support these other government departments in their…13 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtMy Lords—[ Inaudible ]— the estimated bill cost for the new national flagship, it is unhelpful to refer to this as a royal yacht. In concept, purpose and function, the flagship is…13 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtIn common with all government departments, the MoD wishes to play its role in supporting the Government. The noble Baroness will be aware that the carrier strike group is…13 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtThe duty of government is to make decisions and judgments. It is the judgment of this Government that the creation of and investment in the new national flagship is a very…13 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtThe case for the new national flagship is not just well made, it is self-evident. It reflects the determination of this Government to do everything we can to boost investment in…13 Jul 2021HANSARDRoyal YachtMy Lords, the new national flagship will boost British trade and drive investment into our economy. The national flagship will be built in UK shipyards, creating both jobs and…13 Jul 2021HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: UK RelocationWe are very conscious of the security implications, particularly for our personnel within Afghanistan, not least within the embassy, and we constantly review that security…06 Jul 2021HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: UK RelocationMy Lords, the Afghan relocations and assistance policy for locally engaged staff requires applicants to be in Afghanistan, because that is where they are likely to face the…06 Jul 2021HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: UK RelocationWhat we have undertaken to do—I wish to reassure my noble friend about this—is to remain involved in ongoing discussions with the United States and international allies regarding…06 Jul 2021HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: UK RelocationI thank the noble Baroness for her question. I also thank her for her continuing interest in this issue. As she said, a relocation has already taken place. When I use the phrases…06 Jul 2021HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: UK RelocationYes, I can reassure my noble friend. The leasing of MoD houses to local authorities to assist the Afghan families is a short-term expediency until appropriate properties for…06 Jul 2021HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: UK RelocationThe noble and gallant Lord makes an important point about seeking to retain the confidence of locally employed individuals whom we may seek to engage in any future global…06 Jul 2021