Contributions
824 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Drake, explained her Amendment 27 with great clarity, but I am afraid that I do not agree with her analysis of the problem, nor do I agree with…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillI think we discussed this briefly on the previous day of Committee. The Government highlight the risks associated with dealings in relation to the Occupied Territories but do not…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillI accept that this goes beyond the narrow BDS campaign that has been focused on Israel. Nevertheless, it is a concern for a number of us that the Bill will be effective as regards…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, as a Conservative, I believe absolutely in the right to freedom of speech, but I do not think that the limits on freedom of speech in Clause 4 are as great as some noble…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillI have never been a member of the Constitution Committee—I am certainly not a current member—so I simply cannot answer that question. I do not know why it has reached the…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillYes, I am against statements being made by public authorities. I am trying to make the distinction at the moment between public authorities and the individuals who are involved in…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, when we debated paragraph 6 of the Schedule in an earlier group, I argued that it was inappropriate to include an international law exception in the Bill. Therefore, it…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillWe discussed this very point on our first day in Committee, and I think I have stated the correct position on the interpretation of the Bill.14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillI hear what the noble Lord is saying. Clause 1 affects persons who are decision-makers. Decision-makers are defined in Clause 2, which uses the definition of public authority. As…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillIndeed, but a person who is subject to Clause 1 is a decision-maker. The noble Lord has just referred to the person giving advice or the person seeking to persuade the…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillThe issue of risk is a separate issue, dealt with in the amendment of the noble Baroness, Lady Drake. I was talking about later amendments which seek to apply UN principles to…14 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillI—07 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Collins, helpfully explained in his opening remarks the extent to which he agrees with the aims of the Bill but not the means chosen. However, his…07 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillI will answer the noble Lord’s question: he is not a “decision-maker” for the purpose of this Bill.07 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillI merely said that it was not defined in Amendment 19.07 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, I have Amendment 28 in this group and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, for adding his name. I should first say that I am in complete agreement with the thoughts…07 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, we should get this into perspective. I say to my noble friend Lord Deben and indeed to the noble Lord, Lord Hain, that this Bill is handling one particular aspect:…07 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, I am not going to waste the time of the House getting into these nitpicking debates. The noble Lord is not covered by this Bill.07 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Warner, said that this Bill will increase anti-Semitism. That is one view. I prefer to observe what is actually happening. We only have to look at…07 May 2024HANSARDEconomic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) BillMy Lords, my noble friend Lord Willetts and others have queried whether there is any evidence of a problem. It may be true that there is not much evidence of actual BDS activities…07 May 2024