Contributions
1,991 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEngagementsThe hon. Gentleman is right to refer to the business interruption loans. We made grants of up to £25,000 available for small businesses. I understand the point he makes about the…22 Apr 2020HANSARDEngagementsFirst, the hon. Lady is absolutely right: with an unprecedented crisis, of course we will learn lessons; there is no country in the world addressing this crisis that does not. But…22 Apr 2020HANSARDEngagementsI thank my hon. Friend. Of course, she will know that, as Foreign Secretary, I have been working flat out with the Foreign Office and our international network on that. It is…22 Apr 2020HANSARDEngagementsI thank the right hon. Gentleman and join him in paying tribute to Dr Anton Sebastianpillai. I know at first hand—I have been into Kingston Hospital; my boys were born there and I…22 Apr 2020HANSARDEngagementsI absolutely join my hon. Friend in paying tribute, as I did in answer to a question in relation to Scotland, to the heroic effort that our armed forces are making in all four…22 Apr 2020HANSARDEngagementsMay I first pay tribute to the Administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales? I think it is fair to say that, through the Cobra meetings, we have had excellent…22 Apr 2020HANSARDEngagementsI thank my hon. Friend for his question and absolutely agree with him: we have to look after the zoos and all the incredible animals that they put on display for all of us. I am…22 Apr 2020HANSARDEngagementsFirst, I reassure the hon. Lady that we fully support international efforts. Indeed, we are a leading player—whether on vaccines or on supporting vulnerable countries—in helping…22 Apr 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeI thank my hon. Friend for paying tribute to consular staff and FCO teams, and the work that they are doing, and for the general points that she has made. I can reassure her that…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeWe are regularly talking to European Governments and I am speaking to my opposite numbers in Europe and across the world on a regular basis. I will look into the case of the…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeYes, I certainly will. I understand the difficult situation that my hon. Friend’s constituents find themselves in. India and Pakistan have had logistical challenges that are…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeI thank my hon. Friend and give him this reassurance. There are only three posts that we have drawn down in their entirety: Wuhan and Chongqing in China, which are subsidiary…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeI am very concerned about the situation in Bali. The embassy office in Bali is open and has been reinforced from Jakarta. The consular team is in direct contact with UK nationals…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeWe are providing support right across the board. If there are key workers abroad, that just highlights the imperative of getting people back. I have to say to my hon. Friend that…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeWe do not regularly have a register of UK nationals travelling abroad. I checked in response to his earlier question, and we are obviously engaged with the Ministry of Defence,…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeIn relation to Australia and Peru, there is a possibility of commercial flights, but of course they are limited. The reason that there is a possibility is that we have been…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeIn relation to Spain, where we have probably one of the largest numbers of UK nationals travelling and resident abroad, my hon. Friend will know that all sorts of domestic…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeI will check, but it does not seem to me to be correct that others are pursuing options that we have just sat on our hands and avoided. That is not the approach. I can tell the…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeThe hon. Gentleman is certainly right that the Singaporeans have introduced fresh restrictions. That is why at 8 o’clock this morning I was on the phone to the Singaporean Foreign…24 Mar 2020HANSARD British Citizens Abroad: FCO Help to Return HomeWe are working to get all the Brits in New Zealand back home. I have updated the House in some detail about the measures we are taking. If my hon. Friend has any problem getting…24 Mar 2020