Contributions
1,161 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDAfghan Interpreters: Security ClearanceYes, I agree very firmly. The Government remain grateful to all locally employed staff who played pivotal roles in Afghanistan. Many served bravely alongside our military forces…17 Jun 2019HANSARDDefence: ExpenditureMy Lords, I am in considerable sympathy with my noble friend. We can be proud of what defence has achieved over the last few years, but we must also be vigilant. We must respond…11 Jun 2019HANSARDDefence: ExpenditureI agree, and am grateful to the most reverend Primate for drawing attention to the point he made so clearly and well in the debate we had a few weeks ago on the theme of…11 Jun 2019HANSARDDefence: ExpenditureMy Lords, we recognise that there is an affordability gap in our equipment programme. I have said this before. If we did nothing, the programme would be unaffordable. But we are…11 Jun 2019HANSARDDefence: ExpenditureAs I said earlier, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary was suggesting that it is right for the Government to ask themselves the question of how much they should be…11 Jun 2019HANSARDDefence: ExpenditureThe noble Baroness speaks wise words, as ever.11 Jun 2019HANSARDDefence: ExpenditureMy Lords, the Government have committed to meet our NATO pledge to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence every year of this Parliament. We are one of only a small number of NATO…11 Jun 2019HANSARDDefence: ExpenditureMy Lords, we should not overlook the fact that we have a £39 billion core defence budget. That will rise to almost £40 billion by 2020-21. The Ministry of Defence’s budget will…11 Jun 2019HANSARDD-day: 75th AnniversaryThat this House takes note of the 75th anniversary of D-day.04 Jun 2019HANSARDD-day: 75th AnniversaryMy Lords, it is a feature of your Lordships’ House that a debate of this kind is virtually certain to elicit contributions of the highest calibre from all Benches—not only for the…04 Jun 2019HANSARDD-day: 75th AnniversaryMy Lords, 75 years ago today, military forces in the United Kingdom stood poised to embark on the largest invasion—the greatest combined operation—in the history of warfare. I say…04 Jun 2019HANSARDTorture Overseas: Ministry of Defence PolicyI entirely take the noble Baroness’s point. The consolidated guidance is clear that, where Ministers or officials know or believe that a particular action will lead to torture…20 May 2019HANSARDTorture Overseas: Ministry of Defence PolicyMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness and I align myself completely with the sentiment that she expressed at the beginning of her question. Central government consolidated…20 May 2019HANSARDTorture Overseas: Ministry of Defence PolicyMy Lords, I am not aware that there is solid evidence that this Government, the previous Government or the previous Labour Government engaged in the kinds of activity that the…20 May 2019HANSARDTorture Overseas: Ministry of Defence PolicyThe noble Lord should bear in mind that this has never been a live issue in the Ministry of Defence. The point that he makes is also weakened by the fact that the Investigatory…20 May 2019HANSARDTorture Overseas: Ministry of Defence PolicyMy noble friend is absolutely right: torture is never justified, and the Government will not countenance a situation where they are complicit in it. The internal MoD guidance was…20 May 2019HANSARDTorture Overseas: Ministry of Defence PolicyMy Lords, I shall now repeat in the form of a Statement the Answer given earlier today in another place to an Urgent Question which asked my right honourable friend the Secretary…20 May 2019HANSARDBrexit: Common Security and Defence Policy Missions and Operations (European Union Committee Report)My Lords, let me begin by congratulating the members of the EU External Affairs Sub-Committee on their report, and by thanking my noble friend Lord Horam for his excellent…15 May 2019HANSARDDefence: British SteelMy Lords, at the moment, as my noble friend will know, it is a matter of law that all ships not classified as warships are procured through international competition. After we…30 Apr 2019HANSARDDefence: British SteelMy Lords, the Government are committed to supporting the British steel industry and we have policy guidance in place to address any barriers that prevent UK steel producers…30 Apr 2019