Contributions
1,082 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDArmed Forces Commissioner BillI rise to address the Lords amendments, following yet another Government defeat in the other place. As I said last month when we last debated this important Bill, His Majesty’s…02 Jul 2025HANSARD DefenceI think the RAF Regiment has had other things on its mind lately. I congratulate the hon. Member for South Antrim (Robin Swann) on raising the important issue of Northern Ireland.…02 Jul 2025HANSARD DefenceWe have had a good debate—lively at times—about an important subject. Again, for the avoidance of doubt, we will loyally support the order, which I am sure the House will pass…02 Jul 2025HANSARD DefenceHe is nodding—I know that he served with great distinction in Afghanistan, so he too will understand this. We on these Benches have to believe that in the privacy of discussions…02 Jul 2025HANSARDParental Leave ReviewMy constituent Christina Harris sadly lost her job when she had to take time off to care for her seriously ill daughter Skye, who I am pleased to report is now in remission.…01 Jul 2025HANSARDOperation Banner: Legal Protection for VeteransAccording to the 2021 census, there are more than 2 million veterans living in Great Britain. Clearly, some of them have been busy lately: their parliamentary petition entitled…30 Jun 2025HANSARDOperation Banner: Legal Protection for VeteransThe Government could have appealed to the Supreme Court on this but deliberately did not. I do not doubt the Secretary of State’s personal sincerity. However, at Prime Minister’s…30 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces DayGiven the topic, I am genuinely honoured to open this debate on behalf of His Majesty’s loyal Opposition on the subject of Armed Forces Day. I had the honour to be present in New…26 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces DayFor the record, the shadow Defence Secretary is not here because he has a very important personal family commitment today. I am honoured to stand in for him. Has the Minister seen…26 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces DayIn the hope that other Government Departments are listening, the Minister might recall that I said in my remarks that at noon today the Northern Ireland veterans petition had just…26 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces DayIn a bipartisan spirit, perhaps the Minister will allow me to relay a brief apology. I promised the Chair of the Defence Committee that I would explain why he and some of the…26 Jun 2025HANSARD Floating Solar PanelsAs the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) is not here, unusually, perhaps I can fill in for him. We have already heard from one of my Essex colleagues, my hon. Friend the…26 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces DayThank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. We need to bear employability very much in mind, as without skilled regular personnel to maintain and operate even the most expensive and…26 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces DayI agree. We should do everything we can to help all veterans, whatever their gender, to find good employment after their service, and that certainly includes female veterans.…26 Jun 2025HANSARD Floating Solar PanelsMy hon. Friend makes a strong point about being able to use floating solar to obviate the need for development on green-belt land in other parts of the country. Is he aware that a…26 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Recruitment: North-east EnglandAs the hon. Member is well aware, many of those who served on Operation Banner were recruited from what we would now call red wall constituencies, many of them in the north-east…25 Jun 2025HANSARDNational Armaments Directorindicated dissent .25 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Recruitment: North-east EnglandI am ever so sorry to interrupt the hon. Gentleman, but technically it is still a Bill. We are debating it in the main Chamber next Wednesday.25 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Recruitment: North-east EnglandI thank the hon. Member for his kind personal remarks. He is absolutely right, and I will be saying more about this point in my speech, but would he acknowledge that whatever…25 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Recruitment: North-east EnglandIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship this afternoon, Dr Allin-Khan, and to sum up for His Majesty’s Opposition on the important subject of armed forces recruitment…25 Jun 2025