Contributions
464 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEngagementsOne does get a bit sick of these scare stories after a while. The hon. Lady might like to pretend otherwise, but the majority of contracting out to the private sector in the NHS…05 Jun 2019HANSARDEuropean Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and Common FrameworksI have today laid before Parliament a report, “The European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks - 26 December 2018 to 25 March 2019” as required by paragraph 4 of…16 May 2019HANSARDCommon Travel AreaRecognising the deep and enduring relationship between our two countries, the UK Government and the Government of Ireland yesterday entered into a memorandum of understanding…09 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakBecause the National Security Council is constitutionally a Committee of the Cabinet, it is automatically covered by the provisions of the code that apply to the Cabinet and all…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakI think our security partners can have confidence that the Prime Minister has acted swiftly and resolutely to uphold the essential integrity and security of National Security…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakYes, I agree wholeheartedly with my hon. Friend.02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakClearly, if there had been evidence to convince the Cabinet Secretary that a crime had been committed, or that prima facie a crime might have been committed, he would have…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakThere was a thorough investigation. Every ministerial member of the National Security Council, and those officials and special advisers who might have had access to the material…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakAs I said in response to an earlier question, the role of the Attorney General under the Official Secrets Act is not to authorise or initiate investigations, but to give or…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakIt is obviously for the police to decide whether they believe that the case merits their investigation, but it is not their job to conduct leak inquiries regarding material…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakClearly, the Cabinet Secretary made a careful assessment of those matters in coming to his judgment, but that judgment is that this is not something that the Government should…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakWhether my right hon. Friend the Member for South Staffordshire wants to apply to you, Mr Speaker, to make a personal statement is a matter for him, but there has been a public…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakDear, dear. It takes a bit of brass neck for an SNP Member to talk about fights between party leaders. The truth is that the Prime Minister has taken very firm and swift action in…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakFirst, yes, I am very confident that we have an impartial and professional senior civil service that is always ready to serve the elected Government to the best of its ability,…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakThe question of the classification of documents is kept under review the whole time. In my recent experience, some Cabinet papers have been classified at secret level and others…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakMy hon. Friend invites me to engage in a bit of hypothetical speculation. If there were to be any such clear evidence, I think the Prime Minister would want it reported to her…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakHuawei is officially owned by its employees and is a private Chinese company. It is true, as I believe I said at the Dispatch Box and I have certainly said on previous occasions,…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakI am grateful to my hon. Friend for those comments, and he is right. In carrying out that work, it is vital that we have a forum in the National Security Council where the…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakFor the reasons that I have given in response to a number of earlier questions. The key issue here is less the substance of what was disclosed and more the fact that the…02 May 2019HANSARD National Security Council LeakThe various tests for a criminal offence are set out in detail in the Official Secrets Act. Whether or not that threshold has been breached depends on harm tests, and those harm…02 May 2019