Contributions
1,597 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Business of the HouseI have been impressed by the courtesy and assiduousness with which the Leader of the House sends those of us who ask a business question in which we request a statement or debate…21 Nov 2024HANSARDPolice ReformHaving worked with the right hon. Lady on Committees over a number of years, I am delighted to congratulate her on her appointment. In that spirit, I will make what I think is a…20 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence Programmes DevelopmentsThis is a black day for the Royal Marines. I advise the Defence Secretary that he would do well to have a look at the report, “Sunset for the Royal Marines?”, which was published…20 Nov 2024HANSARD Asylum Seekers: Hotel AccommodationI do not envy the hon. Lady in her job. Does she agree that no amount of hotel accommodation will ever suffice as long as there is no effective way of preventing large numbers of…20 Nov 2024HANSARD Infected Blood InquiryI am sorry not to have been here for the opening speeches. Does the Minister recognise the fundamental similarity between the way in which the victims of this scandal and those of…19 Nov 2024HANSARDUkraineDoes the Secretary of State share my concern at the recent media interview given by a leading candidate to be Labour’s next ambassador to Washington DC? This supposedly clever…18 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThe elements that make up the House of Lords consist of different groups of people: some have got there by accident of birth and are now going to leave; some have got there as the…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI am not aware that anything I have said this afternoon has been in favour of retaining the hereditaries. It has not. If the hon. Gentleman had listened to my earlier…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillIt was not my original intention to speak but, given the nature of the debate, and in view of the signal I have received that I might be given a little latitude to go slightly…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThe Government would find considerable sympathy for their position if they were to make provision for those hereditary peers currently in the House of Lords who have done good…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI hate to strike a discordant note with my right hon. Friend as he and I have fought shoulder to shoulder in many battles, but is it not an illustration of the Pandora’s box one…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThe hon. Gentleman is making a very reasonable speech. Would it be fair to say that he means this is almost a case of going for the low-hanging fruit on which everybody has a…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillMy hon. Friend made a passing reference to a fear that what is going here is a form of gerrymandering. Does he agree that if generous provision were to be made for really active…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillDoes the Father of the House agree that inevitably, given the nature of the Bill, we have been talking more about the process by which people become Members of the House of Lords…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillI welcome the hon. Lady’s point about strengthening the House of Lords Appointments Commission, but at the risk of broadening the debate a little too far, can she explain why it…12 Nov 2024HANSARDHouse of Lords (Hereditary Peers) BillThat sounds reasonable, except for the fact that, unless there were a phasing of the process, it would not be possible within the numbers available to the Leader of the Opposition…12 Nov 2024HANSARDRural AffairsMy right hon. Friend is very kind, and she is making a masterly exposition of how to deconstruct this case. Did she notice, exactly a week ago, when we had an urgent question on…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentThe Secretary of State is right that we used to spend a lot more than 2%: in the 1980s we spent between 4.5% and 5.1% of GDP on defence. Does he share my concern at what I heard…11 Nov 2024HANSARDSmall Boat CrossingsThe Government have a mandate for trying out their approach, and I wish them well. I have always felt that unless the boats are intercepted and turned back near the start of their…06 Nov 2024HANSARD Higher Education ReformThe Secretary of State mentioned having paused the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. Does she accept that, given that the Act got Royal Assent in May 2023, it remains…04 Nov 2024