Contributions
270 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNHS, Armed Forces and Civil Service Staff: Public MeetingsDoes the Minister agree that, while senior military officers, for example, are Crown servants, and it is not appropriate for them to dissent from or challenge government policy in…02 Jul 2025HANSARDUK Weapons SystemsMy Lords, does the Minister agree that the security of this country against major threats in high-intensity warfare is based on our membership of NATO, and that within NATO we…01 Jul 2025HANSARDIsrael and IranMy Lords, one of the many difficulties associated with this situation is the confusion that seems to have arisen over strategic objectives. Israel has stated that it does not want…19 Jun 2025HANSARDUkraine: UK Security GuaranteeMy Lords, has the Minister noticed any reticence or reluctance on the part of President Putin to killing Ukrainian civilians while so-called peace talks continue? Has she…05 Jun 2025HANSARDDenial of Banking Services: UK Defence SectorMy Lords, the Minister has said that it is not for the Government to tell banks to whom they should lend and in what they should invest, but it seems to me that the banks,…04 Jun 2025HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentMy Lords, 2027 is a long way off. The problem is urgent now. I understand that, between now and the full implementation of the contract with Serco, there will be a period that has…21 May 2025HANSARDSudan: Ceasefire TalksMy Lords, at yesterday’s summit the UK and the EU undertook to engage and co-operate further on priority regions such as the Horn of Africa. Can the Minister confirm that this…20 May 2025HANSARD80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe and Victory over JapanMy Lords, the commemoration of VE Day this week was a particularly poignant one, since it was probably the last major landmark at which we will see significant numbers of…09 May 2025HANSARDLandmines and Cluster MunitionsMy Lords, in the brief time allotted, I want to make simply one point and pose two questions. My point is that the law of armed conflict does not prohibit the killing of…03 Apr 2025HANSARDChagos IslandsMy Lords, if we are to spend such large sums of money on the lease of an overseas military base, it is important that that base remains viable. What measures are being put in…02 Apr 2025HANSARDFuture Defence CapabilityMy Lords, the Minister said the ministry will put “NATO first”. NATO, through SACEUR, has defined the force structure it believes necessary if the alliance is to deter Russian…26 Mar 2025HANSARDStrategic Priorities Statement: DefenceMy Lords, has the Minister seen the recent piece in the Financial Times setting out the challenges posed to defence companies by the high level of friction within Europe-wide…25 Mar 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Commissioner BillMy Lords, I share the concern, expressed by the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, that lies behind the amendments, although these particular ones do not in fact capture, in my view,…24 Mar 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Commissioner BillThe Minister said that, ordinarily, the commissioner will give notice to the Secretary of State. But equally—this comes back to the point made by the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett…24 Mar 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Commissioner BillMy Lords, I will be very brief. I will reiterate to the Minister concerns I raised about an earlier amendment on recruits and their training. It is absolutely the case that in a…24 Mar 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Commissioner BillMy Lords, I agree with much of what the noble Earl said, but this seems a rather strange amendment. In my view, it is axiomatic that the work of the Armed Forces commissioner, and…24 Mar 2025HANSARDVictory in Europe and Japan: 80th AnniversariesMy Lords, I welcome the Statement, but one of my regrets about the commemoration of the centenary of the First World War was the lack of focus on the immediate post-war period and…20 Mar 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Commissioner BillMy Lords, I too am persuaded that Amendment 2 is not necessary, but, with an eye to what one might consider bringing forward on Report, could I take the opportunity to ask the…19 Mar 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Commissioner BillIn my time, I have seen some mind-bogglingly complex family arrangements, some of which would not be comprehended by these regulations. I say to the noble Lord that I do not…19 Mar 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Commissioner BillOne of the issues that we discussed at Second Reading was the challenge of people actually accessing the commissioner. This seems to be a particular concern for those in recruit…19 Mar 2025