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1,620 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseI am grateful to my hon. Friend, who asks such a very useful question that parliamentarians should be asking themselves. Yes, I can give him that assurance, and I have made clear…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseOf course, the hon. Lady has a very close personal interest in this case, and it will be well understood by Members across the House why she has expressed concerns today and…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseI am grateful to my hon. Friend, not least for saying that facts matter—they really do. That is why I have come to the House today, to set out facts so that Members can make a…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseAs the House knows well, the right hon. Gentleman is personally invested in this issue. Members will understand the history and the reasons for the concerns he has expressed, and…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseI absolutely agree with my hon. Friend that these matters require a cross-Government approach, and that is precisely the way in which this Government seek to proceed with them. I…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseI always listen to what the right hon. Gentleman has to say, but that does not mean that I always agree with it. I do not agree with it today, and I am not sure it is especially…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseI will keep it basic as well. This Government will do everything that we can to keep the public safe, and the hon. Lady will have heard the response that I gave earlier with…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseMy hon. Friend asks a really important question. In July, the Government published a policy paper outlining their proposals for an elections and democracy Bill, which we will…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseI can give the right hon. Gentleman that assurance.13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseThe proposals contained in the elections Bill will hopefully go a long way towards providing that kind of reassurance, but again, I reference the importance of the work being done…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseThe right hon. Gentleman knows that I always value his sage advice and listen carefully to what he has to say. [ Interruption. ] It is true. He asked about the embassy. So that we…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseThe safety and security of Hongkongers in the UK is of the utmost importance, and any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseOn the hon. Gentleman’s final question, I have taken every opportunity to try to provide the Government’s response. I was not entirely clear about his critique of taking a…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act Case“Extremely disappointed” was the way that I described our reaction, both on 15 September and again today. I gently say to the hon. Member that he should not believe everything…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseNo, I do not agree. There will be those, including in this House, who will seek to simplify the nature of the relationship to a single word. More sensible and fair-minded…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseWith great respect to the hon. and learned Gentleman, that is what I was at great pains to explain in my opening remarks.13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseThe hon. Member talks about my making great play of the need to work cross-party, but that is because I genuinely believe that on important matters of national security, we should…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseThe hon. Member referenced the China audit; I am sure that he will acknowledge that the then Foreign Secretary came to the House to give a statement specifically on the China…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseFundamentally, the decision was one for the DPP and the CPS. I could not have been clearer about the fact that this Government have not sought to interfere with the process.13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseI am grateful to the hon. Member, as always. I think he is referring to activity that took place under the previous Government, but let me agree with his basic point: the public…13 Oct 2025