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3,506 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSanctions: Russian IndividualsMy Lords, on the noble Lord’s final point, as he will know, we are working very closely with our key allies, particularly the G7, on ensuring how we can have more effective…25 Apr 2024HANSARDSanctions: Russian IndividualsFirst, I commend my noble friend for summarising exactly the intent of the UK Government and our partners: to go from freeze to seize. All countries in the G7 have been clear on…25 Apr 2024HANSARDSanctions: Russian IndividualsMy Lords, I am not going to go into the process of what may happen next. Our relationships with many countries across the world allow us to have quite direct conversations about…25 Apr 2024HANSARDSanctions: Russian IndividualsMy Lords, the United Kingdom is at the forefront of international sanctions against Russia, and takes a carefully targeted and rigorous approach to weaken Mr Putin’s war machine…25 Apr 2024HANSARDPakistan: UK AidMy Lords, I am extremely grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Alton, for convening this debate and for his kind remarks at the conclusion of his speech. I thank my noble friend as…25 Apr 2024HANSARDBBC World Service: FinancesMy Lords, the noble Lord will know the deep affection I have for him and his views, to which I listen very carefully. He will accept that the DCMS review, as I said earlier, will…24 Apr 2024HANSARDBBC World Service: FinancesMy Lords, in his previous field as a diplomat, the noble Lord obviously had direct experience of the importance and support that the World Service provides. As I have said, these…24 Apr 2024HANSARDBBC World Service: FinancesI am glad my noble friend did not ask me who I prefer watching out of Gary Lineker or Peppa Pig; it depends what mood I am in. On the point he raises, the integrated review in…24 Apr 2024HANSARDBBC World Service: FinancesMy Lords, for all funding, I accept the principle that we need to provide certainty and continuity. As we move towards an election, it is very clear that, irrespective of any…24 Apr 2024HANSARDBBC World Service: FinancesMy Lords, I reiterate that I believe it is a vital service. When we use the term soft power, we are talking about different services that the United Kingdom offers to the world…24 Apr 2024HANSARDBBC World Service: FinancesMy Lords, I hear clearly the proposal from the right reverend Prelate, which has also been suggested by the director-general. I accept the premise of his question; that model…24 Apr 2024HANSARDBBC World Service: FinancesMy Lords, our assessment of and formal agreement with the BBC guarantees the continued provision of all 42 World Service languages. We provide approximately a third of the funding…24 Apr 2024HANSARDBBC World Service: FinancesI agree with the noble Lord on the value not just of the BBC World Service but of the role that the BBC plays, particularly in the current challenging environments on the global…24 Apr 2024HANSARDGaza: Humanitarian SituationMy Lords, on the noble Lord’s last point, I am sure he has followed the Statements both in the other House and, importantly, of my noble friend the Foreign Secretary, who has now…17 Apr 2024HANSARDAfghan RefugeesMy Lords, I assure my noble friend that this is a personal priority. The issue of freedom of religion or belief around the world is something I have been focused on. I was…17 Apr 2024HANSARDGaza: Humanitarian SituationMy Lords, taking each question in turn but starting with the last one, yes, I assure the noble Lord that the issue of Rafah has been raised directly. The noble Lord will have seen…17 Apr 2024HANSARDGaza: Humanitarian SituationI assure my noble friend that, together with my noble friend the Foreign Secretary—whom my noble friend also knows very well—I will leave no stone unturned with vigour, rigour and…17 Apr 2024HANSARDAfghan RefugeesMy Lords, I was there in 2021, working through the night on a lot of the Afghans who arrived here in the initial batch of over 21,000, so I can give my noble friend that…17 Apr 2024HANSARDAfghan RefugeesMy Lords, I am focused on that, and I know that the Ministry of Defence are leading on it. As to these cases, we are not waiting for the end of the review to process those who are…17 Apr 2024HANSARDGaza: Humanitarian SituationI assure the noble Baroness that the WCK aid workers only intensified our concerns and momentum in addressing the humanitarian situation, particularly where aid workers in Gaza…17 Apr 2024