Contributions
846 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDIdentity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]I thank my right hon. Friend for that point, which he makes powerfully. When we deal with identity in this framework, we are dealing with equality law, we are dealing with equal…26 Oct 2022HANSARDIdentity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]I thank my right hon. Friend for making that very important point about the powers of the commissioner, which was going to be my next point. Far be it from me to hand out any…26 Oct 2022HANSARDIdentity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]Of course, I give way to another Ulster Scot.26 Oct 2022HANSARDIdentity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]I thank the hon. Member for making that point, because that diversity is there every single day of the week. Ballymena in my constituency is the middle town—the middle place—in…26 Oct 2022HANSARDIdentity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]My right hon. Friend really drives home the point. The problem is that it is not one or two minor encroachments; it is a catalogue and the catalogue is growing. It is not as if it…26 Oct 2022HANSARDIdentity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]Thank you, Dame Eleanor, for calling me in the debate. Its focus has already tended to drift towards the issue of language, but the Bill is about identity and language. I want to…26 Oct 2022HANSARDIdentity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]Laughing and pouring scorn on their identity leaves Unionists— [ Interruption. ] “I’m laughing at you, not what you’re saying”—so you’re laughing at a people and at a community—is…26 Oct 2022HANSARD Energy Prices: Support for BusinessThe Secretary of State has provided the clarity that many companies in Northern Ireland now require, but legislation will now be required to assist businesses. Thousands of…22 Sept 2022HANSARD Business of the HouseThe Leader of the House must be alarmed about what happened in Hong Kong on Monday evening, when a citizen who paid their respects to Her late Majesty the Queen was arrested under…22 Sept 2022HANSARDTributes to Her Late Majesty The Queen“Forgetting the things which are behind us, and reaching for the things that are before us, pressing on to the mark, to the high calling of God through Jesus Christ.” The words of…09 Sept 2022HANSARDBusiness of the HouseI congratulate the new Leader of the House. I am personally very pleased for her and I wish her all the very best in this role. This morning, the Northern Ireland Statistics and…08 Sept 2022HANSARD Financial Services and Markets BillDoes the hon. Member think that that when it comes to those locations, especially the middle east, there may be an opportunity for, let us just say, funds to arrive at those…07 Sept 2022HANSARD Financial Services and Markets BillLet me take the hon. Gentleman back to his earlier point about competitiveness, and the possibility of certain institutions being turned off from investing or establishing…07 Sept 2022HANSARDWomen’s RightsOn the issue of women’s rights, this week Northern Ireland’s golden girl, Lady Mary Peters, celebrated 50 years since achieving her gold medal at the Olympics. She has inspired…07 Sept 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillOn that technical point, as the hon. Member will accept, the protocol is an example of red tape being used to tie up commerce. Given what he has just said, does he accept that a…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillThe point about seed potatoes is particularly interesting, because that represents the entire community in Northern Ireland—companies that employ right across the community and…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillThis issue is very important because, before January 2021, goods travelling from GB to Northern Ireland had to fulfil four criteria to be loaded on to a lorry and transported to…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillI thank the hon. Member for tabling amendments so that the issue can be debated properly and thoroughly, but this is where I start to disagree with him. One of the conditions laid…19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillWill the hon. Gentleman give way?19 Jul 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland Protocol BillThis is just nonsense—this is bureaucracy at its worst.19 Jul 2022