Contributions
329 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDGlobal Refugee ForumMy Lords, the Government were prepared to disclose the figure of 50 refugees received from Ukraine. What is the current figure?07 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraineMy Lords, I join with the noble Lord, Lord King, and the noble Lord, Lord Sedwill, in his admirable maiden speech, in calling for a global response. We are in dark days, the like…25 Feb 2022HANSARDInternational DevelopmentMy Lords, between now and 2050, the population of Africa will double. One billion more people will need to be fed, to be housed and to be employed. What effect will this have on…08 Feb 2022HANSARDAutocrats, Kleptocrats and PopulistsMy Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Browne and begin with a Polish question. What is the difference between an optimist and a pessimist? A pessimist says things cannot…03 Feb 2022HANSARDMinisters: Overseas TravelMy Lords, the reasons the Minister has given in justification—namely, security and the wish of Ministers to work while travelling—are surely applicable to all Ministers. Can we…01 Feb 2022HANSARDMiddle East: Human RightsMy Lords, some of these states, in contrast with the UAE, have a very patchy record on human rights, particularly in respect of freedom of Christians. Does the Minister believe…31 Jan 2022HANSARDCapita: Turing Scheme ContractCapita may have been the lowest cost, but what experience does it have of higher education and international student exchange? How many fewer students do the Government expect to…27 Jan 2022HANSARDHouse of Lords: AppointmentsMy Lords, another startling statistic for the House is that the average age of Labour Peers is now 74 years and three months while that of Conservative Peers is 68 years and six…24 Jan 2022HANSARDAfghanistan (International Relations and Defence Committee Report)My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, who is a highly respected chair of the committee. I was not a member of the committee at the time, but I suspect that if…24 Jan 2022HANSARDWater Companies: PollutionMy Lords, what sanctions are available to counter the massive failures by the water companies in terms both of the illegal spillage of sewage and the failures to invest adequately?19 Jan 2022HANSARDWales: Coal TipsMy Lords, this is a central government responsibility. The Minister is right to point out that it was the horrific tragedy of Aberfan that triggered the re-greening of the…19 Jan 2022HANSARDMoney LaunderingThe Minister has mentioned some fines in respect of a limited number of banks, but much money laundering is in respect of property transactions, particularly in London. Since the…13 Jan 2022HANSARDDowning Street EventMy Lords, the Prime Minister’s staff must now be scurrying around trying to find a plausible exit strategy, beyond just saying “Wait for the investigation.” Surely the real…11 Jan 2022HANSARDRussiaMy Lords, the Minister is absolutely right to draw attention to Russia’s failure to honour its obligations under the Budapest agreement. Does he agree that we would be in a…10 Jan 2022HANSARDPost Office: Horizon CompensationMy Lords, to accelerate things and bring an end to the scandal, would the Government consider a scheme similar to that which applies to personal injury cases, to agree guidelines…10 Jan 2022HANSARDPrime Minister: Meetings with First Ministers of the Devolved GovernmentsMy Lords, co-operation is good, as are accountability and dispute resolution. But devolution began as a process. Do the Government agree with that, and do they have any proposals…10 Jan 2022HANSARDBuilding Regulations: Sanitary ProvisionMy Lords, my noble friend has mentioned cafés and restaurants. Public houses are also a partial solution. Should there not be some more effort to encourage public houses, by…05 Jan 2022HANSARDPhilippines: Typhoon OdetteMy Lords, as a Welsh Protestant I have been deeply impressed during my visits to the Philippines by the role of the Roman Catholic Church, which is deeply embedded in the country,…05 Jan 2022HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]Does the noble Lord agree with Lord Salisbury that that agreement was brought about by undue pressure and substantial threats at the time?03 Dec 2021HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]My Lords, another fundamental principle is that no Government can bind their successor, or a successor after that. As a wag may say, this is déjà vu yet again. Here we are after…03 Dec 2021