Contributions
1,496 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)I have a brief inquiry, following the Minister’s recent letter to me on a previous point raised in Committee, for which I thank him for his prompt attention. If a hostile company…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)This is more of a slightly extended intervention than a speech. The Minister has set out very clearly what the clause means and how it is to be operated, but I am not sure that he…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)I just wanted to explain the musical chairs that have gone on this afternoon, Mr Twigg.03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)I hope that the hon. Gentleman will bear with me a few moments longer. Having unpacked “proportionality” in legal rather than colloquial terms, I want to put it back into the…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)Yes, it is. Only one Member has left the room, so we are still in good order.03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. I will come to the word “proportionate” in a moment, because that is an important part of this clause. I hope I can satisfy him about…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)The amendments relate to clauses 19 and 20. Amendment 20 might be regarded as slightly unusual, as it seeks to remove a number of sentences in the Bill: to be precise, lines 24 to…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)I ought to explain to the Committee that the Opposition are under some multi-tasking pressures this afternoon, Mr Twigg. I should have been in the previous debate in the main…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to move amendment 20, in clause 19, page 12, leave out lines 24 to 27. This amendment seeks to broaden the Secretary of State’s powers to require information.03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)I appreciate what the Minister has had to say. He is clearly confident that the fine print of this clause is not going to be a problem. I slightly beg to differ: I think it may…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)The Minister has given a good exposition of what the clause is about: the attendance of witnesses. I note that, as he said, the witnesses are required to give evidence on the…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)I wonder if the Minister might intervene briefly, just to put my mind at rest.03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)I thank the Minister for confirming what I thought, which is that this can be challenged post hoc but not at the point of giving evidence. That is what I understand the Minister…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Eighth sitting)Briefly, we fully understand the purpose of the clause. It is obviously necessary to ensure that witnesses, wherever they are, if they have a relevant interest in these matters,…03 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Fifth sitting)I beg to move amendment 10, in clause 2, page 2, line 12, leave out subsection (1) and insert— “(1) No more than one call-in notice may be given in relation to each trigger event,…01 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Sixth sitting)Does my hon. Friend consider that had these provisions, as amended, been in place in, say, 2015, the Government would not have signed the Secretary of State’s investment agreement…01 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Sixth sitting)I did not mention what a pleasure it is to serve under your chairmanship this afternoon, Sir Graham.01 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Sixth sitting)It is unfortunately force of habit, and it is a habit that I am loth to break. Amendments 1, 2 and 9 are closely related. Clause 3 is about the Secretary of State putting forward…01 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Sixth sitting)I quite like it.01 Dec 2020HANSARDNational Security and Investment Bill (Fifth sitting)Rather late in the day, I will say what a pleasure it is to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Twigg. I am sure you are aware that we share an anniversary: we are among the few…01 Dec 2020