Contributions
579 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Business of the HouseI associate myself with the very justifiable compliments that have been paid to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for your work in this place. Would the Leader of the House be good…23 May 2024HANSARDSpecial Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief BillI beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. It has been a long journey to get this Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief Bill to this point. I am grateful…17 May 2024HANSARDSpecial Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief BillI thank my right hon. Friend for her intervention, and even more so for her work as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Sudan and South Sudan, as well as for her…17 May 2024HANSARDSpecial Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief BillMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. The clue is in the title: the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief. “Belief” indicates that there are some who do…17 May 2024HANSARDSpecial Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief BillI thank my right hon. Friend for highlighting the importance of interfaith dialogue. I must not miss the opportunity to promote one of the projects being undertaken by the…17 May 2024HANSARDSpecial Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief BillMy right hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. May I augment what she has just said about the international alliance? Just this week, three members of its council of experts…17 May 2024HANSARDSpecial Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief BillI hesitate to correct the Minister but, just for the record, an additional prisoner of conscience was released very recently, which is why I referred to four, not three.17 May 2024HANSARDSpecial Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief BillI thank my right hon. Friends the Members for Suffolk Coastal (Dr Coffey) and for Staffordshire Moorlands (Dame Karen Bradley), and my hon. Friend the Member for East Kilbride,…17 May 2024HANSARDSecurity in the Western BalkansAs the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, I had the privilege of visiting Kosovo in February, having been encouraged to do so by the Foreign…02 May 2024HANSARDSecurity in the Western BalkansI thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. On that national day of celebration, I had the experience of listening in the Parliament of Kosovo to reflections by leader after…02 May 2024HANSARDNicaragua: Freedom of Religion or Belief16. What steps he is taking to support freedom of religion or belief in Nicaragua.30 Apr 2024HANSARDNicaragua: Freedom of Religion or BeliefThree all-party parliamentary groups, including that on international freedom of religion or belief, recently produced an inquiry report, “The Silencing of Democracy in…30 Apr 2024HANSARDAssisted DyingIs my right hon. Friend aware that, at the same time that this country’s Parliament voted against legalising assisted suicide, a different decision was made in Canada? In 2016,…29 Apr 2024HANSARDAssisted DyingIt is a pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for East Ham (Sir Stephen Timms). I agree with what he said. Assisted dying is a complex subject, and if we are to make any…29 Apr 2024HANSARDInternational Freedom of Religion or Belief BillIt is a particular pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Graham. Before I start, may I pay tribute to our former colleague, the former hon. Member for Birkenhead, Frank…24 Apr 2024HANSARDInternational Freedom of Religion or Belief BillI thank the hon. Gentleman, who is the chair of the all-party group, for correcting me. There are 174 members. He also gives me an opportunity to thank him for his remarkably…24 Apr 2024HANSARDInternational Freedom of Religion or Belief BillNew clause 1 reflects the continuance of a role that has the title of the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief. That is significant. As I know from my…24 Apr 2024HANSARDInternational Freedom of Religion or Belief BillI thank the Minister for her response to several points and issues. I will also draw out some of the points made by colleagues across the Committee. Let me respond to the hon.…24 Apr 2024HANSARDInternational Freedom of Religion or Belief BillIn closing, I thank in particular my long-serving and, I think, long-suffering, over 14 years, chief of staff, Harriet Crompton, because she successfully pushed the button on her…24 Apr 2024HANSARDInternational Freedom of Religion or Belief BillMay I conclude by thanking all those who have been involved in working on the Bill’s passage to date? I thank in particular my private secretary, Sue Breeze, who is indispensable…24 Apr 2024