Contributions
280 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUkrainian Nationals: Visitor VisasI can confirm to my noble friend that we are looking into this at the moment, and it would seem sensible to extend the scheme to 36 months and allow those people the same benefits…22 Mar 2022HANSARDUkrainian Nationals: Visitor VisasI can confirm that checks are being carried out as we speak on sponsors before refugees arrive in their homes, and that local authorities will be carrying out further checks in…22 Mar 2022HANSARDUkrainian Nationals: Visitor VisasI can assure the noble Lord absolutely that that is the case.22 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeThe noble Lord, Lord Alton of Liverpool, characteristically makes very good comments on this issue. On his point about sponsorship overseas, I must confess that I had not thought…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeThe noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, is very experienced in this field and has asked some very detailed questions. I cannot answer in detail the question about the transferability of…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeOne of the other things I have to adjust to in this House is that I cannot call him Paul anymore and I have to refer to him as the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Durham. I…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeI thank the noble Viscount, Lord Stansgate, for his comments. For the Syrian programme we did a one or two-day induction programme before people got on aircraft to come here. We…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeI thank the noble Baroness and the noble Lord for their comments. I should point out that this is technically not my maiden speech; I am told that it is my first speech but not my…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeI thank the noble Baroness for her comments on people’s names. Indeed, some days I cannot remember my own name but I seem to be good at remembering the names of people in this…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeI thank the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Sentamu, for his comments. I know that he spends his life dealing with precisely this kind of thing. On the semantics of the word…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeNo one would disagree with the points the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett, makes. However, this is a new community sponsorship scheme for us. We have our work cut out with Ukrainians…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeI thank my noble friend Lady Wyld—my noble friend both personally and professionally—for her comments. On the authorities that are being involved in this, as I have explained…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeI thank the noble Lord for his comments; I would be delighted to meet with him and them. I should say that we have been in touch with the various university organisations and I am…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeI cannot comment on the second point that the noble Baroness made because I do not know the answer. However, I will give it some thought and drop her a line, or perhaps meet with…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeThe noble Lord, Lord Wigley, has referred again to my non-maiden maiden speech. I just say to him to wait for the maiden speech and think what he wants. The forms are in English…16 Mar 2022HANSARDUkraine Sponsorship SchemeMy noble friend has not changed since the first time I was in the Commons, as he always makes a good point in such a kind way. The primary care thing is very important. As I…16 Mar 2022HANSARDTributes to the SpeakerYou have been given careers advice today, Mr Speaker, by people rather more experienced than I am, particularly the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman), but I have been…31 Oct 2019HANSARDEngagementsThank you, Mr Speaker; it gives me great pleasure to be called. As you have pointed out, this may unfortunately be my penultimate Prime Minister’s questions and will unfortunately…23 Oct 2019HANSARDEngagementsI am sure that you, Mr Speaker, will know that tomorrow is the ninth annual Watford jobs fair. I am taking particular interest in the 1,000 or so vacancies this year, and I feel…04 Sept 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: Business of the HouseI will be very brief, Mr Speaker, because, as you know, I am a simple sort of chap—I do not preoccupy myself with parliamentary procedure and I do not claim to be an expert on it.…12 Jun 2019