Contributions
5,553 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Global BritainYes, absolutely. We can be very proud of the scrupulousness with which UK aid is spent, and I am in no doubt that the parliamentary oversight will continue in the current way.16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainThank you. That is the ambassador. That is how it works. It is very important that everybody understands that. I repeat what I said to my friend, the right hon. Member for Ross,…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainOf course, they are completely wrong. This is a massive opportunity for this country to project itself more powerfully abroad. What we want to see, and what I know we are going to…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainYes, I believe that what is proposed by Israel would amount to a breach of international law. We have strongly objected. We believe profoundly in a two-state solution and we will…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainThe hon. Gentleman speaks of the post of Colonial Secretary; I do not know quite what planet he is on. We are going forward with a single new Whitehall Department for…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainParliament will of course have the ability to scrutinise the new Department, and I imagine that Parliament will wish to set up a new Committee to do so. The timing of the change,…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainMr Speaker, before I begin, I am sure the whole House will join me in paying tribute to the memory of Jo Cox, who was cruelly murdered four years ago today. Her sister, Kim…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainWe are not abolishing the role of the International Development team; we are exalting them. We are enhancing them and making them part of one of the senior Departments in this…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainYes, I will, and I think it is only fair that UK exporters and UK companies should get a proper hearing from this Department. I do not know about hon. Members around the House,…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainThe hon. Lady should look at what this country is actually doing to tackle coronavirus around the world, giving more than any other country to the search for a virus. I do not…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainMy hon. Friend is entirely right. The confusion one finds in the capitals of our partners around the world must end. They must understand that the UK Government speak with a…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainYes, indeed. The UK leads the world in tackling corruption and money laundering, and once again that agenda will have far more heft after the integration of the two Departments.16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainI can assure the hon. Lady that there has been massive consultation over a long period. It is my own personal and direct experience that the UK, although it does a fantastic job…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainI was saddened and disappointed to hear the hon. Gentleman’s remarks. We are making an important change to how we work our foreign policy. He should applaud and welcome that, and,…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainIt will of course do both. Let me just explain to the hon. Lady: it is no use a British diplomat one day going in to see the leader of a country and urging him not to cut the head…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainAbsolutely. My right hon. Friend makes a profoundly important point. There is a risk that some countries may seek to return to protectionism—to an autarkic, beggar-my-neighbour…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainI am grateful to my right hon. Friend. He and I have discussed these matters many times and I think he is basically right that we do need to have an integrated strategy; we do…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainAbsolutely not, because now is exactly the moment when we need to intensify and magnify Britain’s voice abroad and to make sure that when we make our points in other countries…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainYes, of course, I can give my right hon. Friend that assurance. Northern Ireland will play a full part not just in these arrangements but, as he fought for, in all the free trade…16 Jun 2020HANSARD Global BritainYes, and at the heart of the mission of the new Department will be 12 years of quality education for every girl in the world, which I think is probably the single best thing you…16 Jun 2020