Contributions
1,831 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNorthern Ireland Troubles Bill: Armed Forces Recruitment and RetentionOf course, the application of human rights legislation is important. The one thing I would say is that the ECHR cannot be applied retrospectively.06 Jan 2026HANSARDNorthern Ireland Troubles Bill: Armed Forces Recruitment and RetentionThe noble Lord makes a reasonable point, but the protections we have in the Bill are an important starting point. Of course, we will talk to the Northern Ireland Veterans…06 Jan 2026HANSARDNorthern Ireland Troubles Bill: Armed Forces Recruitment and RetentionOf course that is a concern, and of course what the veterans commissioner has said is important. We are trying to reassure. We are meeting veterans and various associations. We do…06 Jan 2026HANSARDDefence SpendingThe noble Lord often raises capability and defence investment in our industry. One of the challenges we faced was the fact that our industries have declined. Much of the ability…06 Jan 2026HANSARDDefence SpendingThe noble and gallant Lord will know the Government’s position, as laid out by the noble Lord, Lord Livermore. We have a plan for the achievement of 2.6%; we have the ambition of…06 Jan 2026HANSARDNorthern Ireland Troubles Bill: Armed Forces Recruitment and RetentionI thank the noble Baroness for her questions. I say right from the outset that the Government do not see any moral equivalence between our Armed Forces and terrorists. Let me be…06 Jan 2026HANSARDDefence SpendingI understand the challenge that the noble Lord makes, but I cannot give him a specific time—next week or by the end of the month—by which it will be published. We are determined,…06 Jan 2026HANSARDDiego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory BillMy Lords, it is a pleasure to get up for the first time on Report and address your Lordships on this important group dealing with security matters. I will try to come to some of…05 Jan 2026HANSARDDiego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory BillThe US pays for the operations at the base and has done for many years. I say to the noble Earl that it is a fairly important policy that the Government have secured this to…05 Jan 2026HANSARDLithuania: Balloon IncursionsMy Lords, for the avoidance of doubt, my son-in-law, as a reservist, has served recently in the Balkans and may well do so again in the future. Lithuania has experienced over 600…18 Dec 2025HANSARDLithuania: Balloon IncursionsThe Lithuanian intelligence is that the vast majority of the balloons in the drone incursions to which I have referred are for criminal activity and relate mainly to tobacco and…18 Dec 2025HANSARDLithuania: Balloon IncursionsWe are looking at all the various options to deter such activity, as the noble and gallant Lord will know from his own experience. Through Eastern Sentry we have tasked Royal Air…18 Dec 2025HANSARDLithuania: Balloon IncursionsI join my noble friend in his congratulations and recognition of our serving Armed Forces personnel and their families who stand behind them. It is important to recognise that,…18 Dec 2025HANSARDLithuania: Balloon IncursionsWe are doing all that we can. Lithuania is telling us that it is cigarettes and tobacco smuggling, in the vast majority of cases, with respect to the balloons and the drones. It…18 Dec 2025HANSARDLithuania: Balloon IncursionsIt is an important question, and one that both the previous Government and this Government have sought to deal with. The noble Lord will know that there are 1,000 British troops…18 Dec 2025HANSARDLithuania: Balloon IncursionsThe noble Lord will know the Government’s defence spending policy, and he and others will no doubt continue to make the case they do. As we approach Christmas and beyond, and the…18 Dec 2025HANSARDLithuania: Balloon IncursionsWe are contributing to a whole range of efforts to deter Belarus’s activity, or Belarus acting as a Russian proxy. Lithuania and a number of other states have requested a NATO…18 Dec 2025HANSARDLithuania: Balloon IncursionsI agree with the threat that they represent, and the destabilisation and disruption that they cause. We are doing exactly what Lithuania has asked us to do. It has asked us, with…18 Dec 2025HANSARDNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference 2026The establishment and existence of the NPT, which involves 191 countries, including all the countries—Russia, China and the United States—that the noble Lord has mentioned,…10 Dec 2025HANSARDNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference 2026The noble Lord will be pleased to know that I never repeat myself. On the serious point about the DPRK, we take that challenge seriously. The DPRK announced that it had departed…10 Dec 2025