Contributions
2,386 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDProtocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Border ControlsI strongly agree with the noble Baroness’s remarks about violence. The safety of staff at our ports is our top priority and we are engaging actively with the PSNI to understand…04 Feb 2021HANSARDProtocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Border ControlsMy Lords, I agree that we need practical and urgent action. I certainly do not engage in any blame game; I simply draw attention to the fact that it was the EU that invoked…04 Feb 2021HANSARDProtocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Border ControlsMy Lords, I know that the whole House will join me in strongly condemning all threats and intimidation. These will never guide the actions of Her Majesty’s Government. But there…04 Feb 2021HANSARDProtocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Border ControlsMy Lords, I underline what I said in my first Answer. It is clearly hugely disappointing and surprising to many that the EU proposed to take such a significant step without any…04 Feb 2021HANSARDProtocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Border ControlsMy Lords, I will not anticipate from this Dispatch Box what might be the progress of negotiations. I take note of the point made by my noble friend, given his great experience. In…04 Feb 2021HANSARDProtocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Border ControlsMy Lords, my noble friend has made an important point and he is quite right about the involvement of the parties. One of the sad aspects of this has been the bypassing of the…04 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterMy noble friend raises an important point. Again, I am not going to write an industrial strategy from this Dispatch Box any more than I am a diplomatic policy. We have seen the…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterMy Lords, as I said before, in my judgment—and in that of the Government—it is too early to draw all the lessons from the Covid emergency. Some tend to underestimate its novelty…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterMy Lords, the noble Lord makes a strong point with which I agree, having chaired one of your Lordships’ Select Committees that looked into longer-term planning. His point is…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterMy noble friend touches on a very important point. In all candour, I think that one is never satisfied with anything; one always wishes to learn from what happens to do things…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterMy Lords, the lead government department concerned with flooding is the major one that should respond on that. Any debate on flood risk in your Lordships’ House would benefit not…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterThe noble Lord may understand that Covid was a novel virus that emerged. He under- estimates the importance of the pandemic planning work. The NSRA was a vital starting point for…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterWith his normal ingenuity, my noble friend encourages me to make about five diplomatic gaffes in five seconds. I am certainly not going to fall into that trap. Those who advise…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterMy Lords, a range of documents has been published that provide an overview of preparedness for major risks, including the national risk register, which provides information on…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterMy Lords, I have said repeatedly at this Dispatch Box that lessons from Covid planning, and other planning, will be learned and are being learned, and will be communicated. I pay…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterMy Lords, as I say, the Government are in contact with a range of people. We have just discussed the issues of flooding and vulnerable groups, and, as I said in answer to the…03 Feb 2021HANSARDNational Risk RegisterMy Lords, I do not have a detailed response to the O’Neill report, but I can make sure that the noble Baroness gets one. However, I assure her and the House that my right…03 Feb 2021HANSARDDunlop ReviewMy Lords, in answer to my noble and learned friend’s opening remark about a republic, I cannot conceive that anyone would wish to remove Her Majesty the Queen as our Head of…01 Feb 2021HANSARDDunlop ReviewMy Lords, there is no question of fear—although I always rise to answer the noble Lord with some trepidation. I give the House the best advice I can at the time, and the hope then…01 Feb 2021HANSARDDunlop ReviewIf it were characterised in that way, I do not think it would help. There is certainly no intention to suppress the report; it will be published, as I have told the House. The…01 Feb 2021