Contributions
1,571 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDChina: Governor of Xinjiang’s VisitI can certainly assure the noble Baroness that there will be a rapid appraisal of, and I hope also a rapid response to, that assessment. To correct one thing, there is no planned…09 Feb 2023HANSARDHorn of Africa: FamineI thank the noble Viscount for raising that point. I certainly would not want to pretend to be an expert on either country. One of the problems with Somaliland is that technically…07 Feb 2023HANSARDHorn of Africa: FamineMy Lords, I am grateful to the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of St Albans for tabling this hugely important and timely debate. I am also grateful for the insightful…07 Feb 2023HANSARDCommonwealth: ZimbabweMy Lords, I begin by thanking the noble Lord, Lord Oates, for tabling this debate and for his ongoing commitment to promoting human rights, democracy and prosperity in Zimbabwe as…12 Jan 2023HANSARDCommonwealth: ZimbabweI thank my noble friend for his intervention. There is no question in relation to our position on this. Our view, as I have just stated, is that the importance of the general…12 Jan 2023HANSARDUN Biodiversity Conference: COP 15First, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Randall, for tabling this debate and for his continuous championing of the environmental issue ever since I have known him. I also thank other…12 Jan 2023HANSARDUK Aid to AfghanistanMy Lords, I believe that so far 6,300 eligible people have been resettled through the first phase of the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme, and that was targeted specifically at…11 Jan 2023HANSARDUK Aid to AfghanistanMy Lords, it is very difficult. The decision by the Taliban—which, by the way, has no basis in morality or religion—is a clear breach of international humanitarian principles as…11 Jan 2023HANSARDUK Aid to AfghanistanMy Lords, I am not close enough to the process to give the noble Baroness chapter and verse but, as I said, our expectation is that when that first phase is completed, 20,000…11 Jan 2023HANSARDUK Aid to AfghanistanMy Lords, the department is and has been looking at other mechanisms, including blockchain, for delivering aid more effectively and minimising the risk of corruption, which is…11 Jan 2023HANSARDUK Aid to AfghanistanMy Lords, the second recommendation of the ICAI report relates to the point the noble Lord made. It was that UK aid should not be used to fund police or other security agencies to…11 Jan 2023HANSARDUK Aid to AfghanistanMy Lords, as I said in response to another question, we are routinely engaging with partners around the world to try to inhibit the worst excesses of the Taliban. We engage…11 Jan 2023HANSARDState Immunity Act 1978 (Remedial) Order 2022That the draft Order laid before the House on 7 September 2022 be approved. Relevant document: 7th Report from the Joint Committee on Human Rights. Considered in Grand Committee…11 Jan 2023HANSARDUK Aid to AfghanistanMy Lords, the UK Government welcome the commission’s report and provided our formal response on 10 January. In Afghanistan, we are no longer providing support through the state.…11 Jan 2023HANSARDUK Aid to AfghanistanMy Lords, we regularly press the Taliban on a wide range of human rights issues, including the rights of women and girls. Our view is that educated, empowered women are critical…11 Jan 2023HANSARDUK Aid to AfghanistanMy Lords, I do not have details of upcoming conferences, but I will certainly put that question to my colleague, my noble friend Lord Ahmad, in whose portfolio that sits. It is of…11 Jan 2023HANSARDState Immunity Act 1978 (Remedial) Order 2022That the Grand Committee do consider the State Immunity Act 1978 (Remedial) Order 2022. Relevant document: 7th Report from the Joint Committee on Human Rights09 Jan 2023HANSARDState Immunity Act 1978 (Remedial) Order 2022My Lords, I beg to move that the Committee has considered the State Immunity Act 1978 (Remedial) Order 2022. This instrument, which is subject to the procedure set out in Schedule…09 Jan 2023HANSARDState Immunity Act 1978 (Remedial) Order 2022I thank noble Lords for their contributions and very much welcome their support for the remedial order. I shall address the questions raised by the noble Lord, Lord Collins, and…09 Jan 2023HANSARDState Immunity Act 1978 (Remedial) Order 2022I note the noble Lord’s point. The Government’s view is that it is not necessary for the Government to produce that guidance. Therefore, I do not believe—I will need to check this…09 Jan 2023