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3,654 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDVisasI thank the noble Lord for that. I misspoke in my previous answer: I said “15 weeks” when I meant 15 days. The whole point of a visa system is not to deter people or keep them out…21 Oct 2019HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Use of Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986On the final point, the noble Lord will know that it is an operational matter for the police to make that judgment call; that is what they have done. He said, “Extradition…16 Oct 2019HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Use of Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986My Lords, the word “proportionate” is long established in law. The noble Baroness asks whether it is democratic to have a citizen’s voice. Of course it is, but public disorder…16 Oct 2019HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Use of Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986The noble Lord is absolutely right: responses to public order breaches have to be proportionate. He asks what constitutes serious disruption. It might be subjective, but nobody…16 Oct 2019HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Use of Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986My Lords, the right to protest peacefully is a long-standing tradition in this country. However, it does not extend to unlawful behaviour, and the police have powers to deal with…16 Oct 2019HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Use of Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986The noble Lord is absolutely right. It is a judgment call for the Metropolitan Police. As he says, the protests have affected airports and the Tube. As my noble friend Lord McColl…16 Oct 2019HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Use of Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986I agree with my noble friend on all counts. Coming back to his point about hard-working people, I saw the protesters described last week as “Glastonbury meets Waitrose”. Some of…16 Oct 2019HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Use of Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986I repeat that point: it is an operational matter. I join the noble Lord absolutely in praising the Metropolitan Police for how it handled the situation. It was terribly…16 Oct 2019HANSARDMetropolitan Police: Use of Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986I think that we are talking about two entirely different things. Nobody disputes the right to protest. Everyone is well educated on some of the climatic changes that are taking…16 Oct 2019HANSARDSale of KnivesMy Lords, it has been an offence for many years to sell a knife to anyone under 18 in England and Wales, including kitchen knives. The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 will further…08 Oct 2019HANSARDSale of KnivesThis is a subject that the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, and others discussed with me during the passage of the Bill. We decided not to do so—that corrosive products are clearly…08 Oct 2019HANSARDSale of KnivesI thank the right reverend Prelate for that question. On round versus pointed knives, as I said to the noble Baroness, it is not necessarily the point that is lethal, hence…08 Oct 2019HANSARDRoad Closures in Central LondonI do not think that is true. We talked about balance earlier; we are a country that absolutely allows for peaceful protest. We are talking about people not being able to get into…08 Oct 2019HANSARDVisa Applications: Dr Mu-Chun ChiangOn the noble Lord’s last point, about a culture that is far more humane, I would certainly totally subscribe to that, as would the Home Secretary. Regarding the balance between…08 Oct 2019HANSARDVisa Applications: Dr Mu-Chun ChiangMy Lords, we certainly do care. The issue was resolved very quickly, and it is not correct that it only got changed because people intervened. It got changed because new evidence…08 Oct 2019HANSARDVisa Applications: Dr Mu-Chun ChiangI do; I agree. The case was resolved, which is good. As I said to the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, 98% of these types of visas are granted.08 Oct 2019HANSARDRoad Closures in Central LondonMy Lords, the right to protest peacefully is a long-standing tradition in this country. However, this does not extend to unlawful behaviour and the police have powers to deal with…08 Oct 2019HANSARDRoad Closures in Central LondonI empathise with most of what my noble friend has just said. He is absolutely right about pollution: central London is now gridlocked, with nobody able to get in or out. The…08 Oct 2019HANSARDRoad Closures in Central LondonMy Lords, I agree with the noble Baroness about balance, and that is what the Met police are trying to achieve, but I cannot agree with her about the Extinction Rebellion…08 Oct 2019HANSARDRoad Closures in Central LondonOr a carriage. We can be sure that she will get here by a very green method indeed. The noble Baroness might say that it is peaceful; it feels peaceful but with sinister…08 Oct 2019