Contributions
1,690 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)My hon. Friend makes a good point. There are many such institutions up and down the country. The Minister now has responsibility for the FE sector, which—this always annoys me—is…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)I add my congratulations to the Minister on her promotion, although she tells me she does not receive any more remuneration for her extra work. We should possibly be arguing that…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Seventh sitting)The right hon. Gentleman said that we will not discuss this, but is not one of the main arguments put by people who support the Bill that self-censoring is going on? In a lot of…16 Sept 2021HANSARDAUKUSI warmly welcome this agreement on nuclear technology co-operation with Australia, but what steps are being taken to develop defence partnership and technology agreements with…16 Sept 2021HANSARD Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Joint CommitteeI pay tribute to the members of our armed forces and diplomatic staff who have worked tirelessly over the past months in Afghanistan. The shambles lies with Ministers, as my hon.…15 Sept 2021HANSARD Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Joint CommitteeNo, I do not agree, because the intelligence will be there—the Joint Intelligence Committee report and others—and we will be able to see that. We have not publicly announced that…15 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fifth sitting)Over the past few years it has increasingly been the case that the bite is found in guidance rather than on the face of the Bill. I am trying to understand what the Minister or…15 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fifth sitting)I am concerned that a lot is going to be left to guidance. I want to explore the Minister’s role in ensuring that the commitment that she has given today will actually get into…15 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)As you cannot challenge the director, if you had an authoritarian Government, that could potentially be very difficult. The other point, to Professor Goodwin, is on employment:…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Professor Kaufmann, you used the words “chilling effect” and “tip of the iceberg”. We heard this the other day from other witnesses. Getting your head around the idea of…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q Also McCarthyism, which was the reverse of that. Professor Kaufmann: Sure, McCarthyism. All I am saying is: it is not unusual. If you have a corrupt police department or a…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q On that point, it is quite clear in the legislation who will decide: it will be the director of free speech, whose decisions are not even legally challengeable. To me, that is…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Covid-19 Vaccinations: 12 to 15-year-oldsI welcome the statement from the Minister tonight. I agree with my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester South (Jonathan Ashworth) when he says that clear information will be…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q The problem with the Bill as it is written is that there is no stipulation that, per your very sensible suggestion, people would have to go through the internal complaints…13 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (Third sitting)Q I agree, but the danger in the legislation as it is written is about those individuals. My concern is more that foreign states that want to change the direction that we argued…13 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: FCDO Responses to MembersI join the Minister in thanking members of the armed forces and consular staff, who have worked incredibly hard. This mess is not of their making; it is that of Ministers. He…09 Sept 2021HANSARDAjax Armoured Vehicle ProcurementThe Minister will be aware that I have had a passing interest in this project for a number of years. In June, the MOD gave the impression that everything was on track. As my right…09 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (First sitting)Q Well, your main argument is that their argument is that they are doing this because they are afraid of putting off potential recruits to their universities. The ultimate…07 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (First sitting)Q But your main argument was the fact that somehow this legislation was needed because universities were not going to employ, not wanting to get, people like you, because it was…07 Sept 2021HANSARD Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill (First sitting)Q Is not the logical conclusion to what you are saying, your argument, this? You are saying that institutions are not using the existing law, which is there to protect academic…07 Sept 2021