Contributions
1,571 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEthiopia: Tigray RegionMy Lords, the conflict has the capacity to spill even further out of control and expand beyond the northern region. We have struggled to deploy UK aid for the reasons I described…22 Nov 2021HANSARDClimate Change: COP 26My Lords, I thank all noble Lords for contributing to this debate on the outcome of COP 26, particularly the noble Baroness, Lady Young, who gave an excellent opening speech…18 Nov 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy Lords, at the risk of being repetitive, it would be a grave error for this Government to behave as though that historic debt is in any way connected to the incarceration of…15 Nov 2021HANSARDNagorno-KarabakhMy Lords, the Minister for Europe and Americas has repeatedly highlighted the need for both countries to avoid provocative actions. She has also raised the long-standing issues of…15 Nov 2021HANSARDNagorno-KarabakhMy Lords, the UK has engaged very actively both during and after the conflict. The Minister for Europe and Americas, Wendy Morton, speaks regularly with her counterparts in both…15 Nov 2021HANSARDNagorno-KarabakhMy Lords, I will not repeat the last answer, relating to recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, but in relation to the ongoing conflict, the UK Government continue to raise…15 Nov 2021HANSARDNagorno-KarabakhMy Lords, the UK Government are of course aware of allegations that war crimes were committed by both sides during last year’s conflict. There is credible evidence for that. My…15 Nov 2021HANSARDNagorno-KarabakhThe noble Lord makes an important point. Of course, we continuously urge both the Armenian Government and the Azerbaijani Government to honour in full the agreement reached last…15 Nov 2021HANSARDCharities: LandminesI thank the noble Lord for his question. I shall have to write to him with an answer on the current assessment.15 Nov 2021HANSARDCharities: LandminesThe noble Lord is right that the funding has currently been reduced in relation to demining. The Global Mine Action Programme, which I mentioned earlier, will begin next year. We…15 Nov 2021HANSARDCharities: LandminesI thank the noble Lord for his question and for his work in this area. All FCDO contracts and NGOs are held to the highest standards. GMAP 2 partner organisations have robust…15 Nov 2021HANSARDCharities: LandminesMy Lords, the UK remains a leading donor in this sector, notwithstanding the recent cuts, and our demining work will continue to save lives. We are committed to all of our…15 Nov 2021HANSARDCharities: LandminesThe noble Lord is right. There will never be enough public money to resolve the various issues we are committed to help resolve around the world—this being an important one, but…15 Nov 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy Lords, from my vantage point, if I may couch it that way, I am absolutely certain that the premise of the noble Lord’s question and the assumption within it is not correct.15 Nov 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeYes, of course, it is in everyone’s interest that Iran as a country adheres to the rule of law, just as the UK does on a routine and permanent basis.15 Nov 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeAs we have said—I know my colleague has said this many times from this Dispatch Box—we are actively exploring the options to resolve this case, but it is not helpful in any way to…15 Nov 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy Lords, no one disputes that Iran’s treatment of Nazanin and others in similar circumstances is inhumane and cruel, exceeds any normal boundaries of behaviour by a state and is…15 Nov 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy Lords, the IMS payment is a long-standing case relating to a historic debt owed to pre-revolution Iran. We continue to explore options, as I said before, to resolve this case.15 Nov 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeMy Lords, I do not accept, and the Government cannot accept, that we have a responsibility for the incarceration and appalling treatment of Nazanin. This is a decision made by the…15 Nov 2021HANSARDNazanin Zaghari-RatcliffeThe Prime Minister continues to engage on this issue with his counterpart, as does the entire FCDO. The Government continue to prioritise this case, as I have relayed to the…15 Nov 2021