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1,619 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: UK RelocationYes, I agree in essence with the sentiment articulated by the noble Lord. We have made clear what this particular scheme is, and the criteria that surround its operation and…06 Jul 2021HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: UK RelocationAs the noble Baroness will be aware, the scheme under discussion will remain in force indefinitely, because we consider it our obligation to identify those who are at threat and…06 Jul 2021HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: UK RelocationI would say to the noble Lord, in alignment with my answer to the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Stirrup, that the UK has very much proceeded on the basis of what it considered its…06 Jul 2021HANSARDMilitary Personnel Overseas: VaccinationsThe noble Viscount is absolutely right; it is not my bag and I do not want to get into hot water with my colleagues in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In fact,…01 Jul 2021HANSARDMilitary Personnel Overseas: VaccinationsTo come to the noble Baroness’s last question first, my understanding is that the Ministry of Defence will ensure that every adult is offered their first dose of a Covid-19…01 Jul 2021HANSARDMilitary Personnel Overseas: VaccinationsI say to the noble Baroness that it was not a mistake. She will understand that judgments have to be made on these issues. She will also be aware that the unfolding of the…01 Jul 2021HANSARDMilitary Personnel Overseas: VaccinationsThe noble Lord is absolutely right that the safety and well-being of our Armed Forces personnel is paramount. Indeed, that was recognised from the start of the pandemic, when the…01 Jul 2021HANSARDMilitary Personnel Overseas: VaccinationsThe noble and gallant Lord raises an important issue. It is complex, but I hope I can provide some further information and perhaps some reassurance. The interchange of vaccination…01 Jul 2021HANSARDUnidentified Flying ObjectsMy Lords, the Ministry of Defence notes the content of the report. The department holds no reports on unidentified aerial phenomena but constantly monitors UK airspace to identify…30 Jun 2021HANSARDUnidentified Flying ObjectsI refer the noble Baroness to my previous answers. The short response is “very seriously”—in relation to addressing threats where those threats are identifiable and can be…30 Jun 2021HANSARDUnidentified Flying ObjectsI simply say to the noble Lord that I seek to reassure him that, as I have indicated, we deal with actual threats substantiated by evidence. He is quite right about the closure of…30 Jun 2021HANSARDUnidentified Flying ObjectsThe MoD deals with actual threats substantiated by evidence. The Government continue to take any potential threat to the UK seriously. The integrated review and the defence…30 Jun 2021HANSARDUnidentified Flying ObjectsThe important point, on which I wish to reassure your Lordships, is that the UK air defence community detects and monitors all flying air systems 24 hours a day to provide an…30 Jun 2021HANSARDUnidentified Flying ObjectsMy noble friend makes an important point with which I entirely agree. That is clearly an area of exciting future development for the UK Government.30 Jun 2021HANSARDUnidentified Flying ObjectsI endeavour to provide veracity to this Chamber on all occasions. Again, the underlying important point is the security of our airspace. I have already indicated how we address…30 Jun 2021HANSARDUnidentified Flying ObjectsI would say to my noble friend that the MoD and particularly our air defence community have the most sophisticated electronic surveillance. I myself witnessed how this operated…30 Jun 2021HANSARDUnidentified Flying ObjectsAs I indicated earlier, we have no opinion on the existence of extraterrestrial life and we no longer investigate reports of sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena. We have no…30 Jun 2021HANSARDSecret DocumentsI thank the noble Lord for his points. Let me make it clear that this was a most regrettable breach of security and is being taken extremely seriously by the department, hence the…30 Jun 2021HANSARDSecret DocumentsIt is within the rules to remove documents from the building in certain limited circumstances, so long as they are recorded and secured in the appropriate fashion. In short, as I…30 Jun 2021HANSARDSecret DocumentsThe loss of MoD documents of this classification is extremely rare and I reassure my noble friend that there has not been such a loss within the last 18 months. Despite that, we…30 Jun 2021