Contributions
4,729 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDIndia and Pakistan: Peace RepresentationsMy Lords, I join in thanking the noble Lord, Lord Hussain, for securing this important debate. He is rightly concerned about the importance of restoring peace to the region. With…17 Jul 2025HANSARDDiplomatic Missions: Unpaid ChargesMy Lords, I think there is unity across the House on this one. We are all amused by the prospect of some poor parking warden having to put a ticket on President Trump’s limousine…16 Jul 2025HANSARDUnited Kingdom: Soft PowerMy Lords, while soft power is of course a vital instrument for advancing the UK’s values and global influence, there is another side to it. Therefore, I want to ask the Minister…15 Jul 2025HANSARDActions of Iranian Regime: UK ResponseMy Lords, we are in agreement with the Government that Iran must never have a nuclear bomb, so will the Minister finally get off the fence and accept that the US strikes on Iran’s…08 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyMy Lords, watching this UQ in the other place yesterday was a slightly surreal experience. The Lib Dem spokesman said it was a shambolic process—he was obviously correct, although…03 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyThere is no binding ruling.03 Jul 2025HANSARDUK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos ArchipelagoI think the House well understands that we did not get an answer to that question. There are many other points that I could make and many questions that have not been answered. He…30 Jun 2025HANSARDUK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos ArchipelagoThis is a simple question to the noble Lord. I am very well aware of the procedures. Is he saying that the Government will bring forward the legislation before the treaty is…30 Jun 2025HANSARDUK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos ArchipelagoThat legislation would have to be passed by Parliament before ratification.30 Jun 2025HANSARDUK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos ArchipelagoMy Lords, I thank the Minister very much. The House will be pleased to know that I will not try its patience by going through the many points that have been made. There was much…30 Jun 2025HANSARDUK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos ArchipelagoMy Lords, let me start by saying how much I am looking forward to hearing the maiden speech of my noble and learned friend Lady Prentis of Banbury and, more with sadness, the…30 Jun 2025HANSARDUK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos ArchipelagoThat this House resolves, in accordance with section 20 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 and in the light of concerns about the cost of the agreement, the…30 Jun 2025HANSARDMiddle EastMy Lords, events in the Middle East over the past week have brought into sharp focus a truth that we ignore at our peril: that the Islamic Republic of Iran remains one of the most…24 Jun 2025HANSARDOfficial Development Assistance: Vulnerable ChildrenMy Lords, the noble Baroness has my sympathy. She confirmed in her opening Answer that being in government often involves difficult decisions, and that this Government have chosen…23 Jun 2025HANSARDAbducted Ukrainian ChildrenMy Lords, it is great to see virtual unanimity across the House on these issues; I have agreed with every comment made so far. Of all the many outrageous acts committed by Russia…18 Jun 2025HANSARDGibraltarMy Lords, the Rock of Gibraltar has now been British for over 300 years. In 2002, 99% of Gibraltarians rejected the notion of shared sovereignty with Spain and reaffirmed their…17 Jun 2025HANSARDGibraltarMy Lords, as we still have some time, perhaps I could ask for some further clarification from the Minister. First, she said on a couple of occasions that the checks the Spanish…17 Jun 2025HANSARDInternational Vaccine Programmes: FundingMy Lords, I think there is widespread agreement across the House on these programmes. To be fair, as the Minister pointed out in her initial Answer, the previous Government…17 Jun 2025HANSARDConflict in the Middle EastMy Lords, I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement. We have seen Israel and Iran launch fresh attacks against one another yesterday and, sadly, again today, although it is…16 Jun 2025HANSARDIsrael: Arab Israeli and Jewish Israeli CommunitiesMy Lords, it is vital that UK Aid funds genuinely beneficial operations and organisations which seek to alleviate and promote peaceful coexistence in the region. Can the Minister…16 Jun 2025