Contributions
1,614 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyMy hon. Friend asks an important question. Since the treaty was laid, I have had 50 written questions from the right hon. Lady. In comparison, I have had four on Gibraltar, two on…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyIn the interests of time, I refer the right hon. Member to the detailed evidence that I gave in the House of Lords on this matter the other day, including on the legal…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI repeatedly hear a strong vote of confidence in our investment in national security and defence, whether it is from our European partners or from the United States. One just has…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. National security is the top priority of this Government, and working with our crucial allies, including the United States, is key to that. He…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyFurther to that point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Perhaps it was because of the noise and the shouting, but I was clear. The United States contributes to the operations on Diego…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI will not comment on ongoing judicial matters, but as I have set out a number of times the negotiations were necessarily between the UK and Mauritius. However, we recognise the…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyThe primary purpose of the deal was of course to secure the base on Diego Garcia and the national security of the UK and our allies, but the right hon. Member is right to point…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI thank the right hon. Lady for her question. On 22 May, the Diego Garcia treaty was signed and laid before the House. As the Defence Secretary told the House on the day of the…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI genuinely thank the hon. Gentleman for the generally constructive way in which he and his colleagues have approached the process. He is absolutely right to speak about the…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI am confused—I have mentioned ITLOS on a number of occasions, including just a moment ago. The long-standing view of the United Kingdom is that the UK would not have a realistic…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI am genuinely surprised by the comments of the right hon. Gentleman. As a former Defence Minister and someone who has served, he will know the importance of this base and the…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI have to correct the hon. Member as we have had days in court on this issue. That is one of the reasons— [ Interruption. ] There was the non-binding judgment in the International…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI will not take any lessons from a party that fawns over Vladimir Putin.02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI genuinely have to say, as somebody who has respect for and likes the right hon. Lady, that I am disappointed by the tone of those remarks. I do not know who writes this stuff; I…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. This Government took early action—even before the conclusion of the deal—to ensure that that route was closed down by the memorandum of…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyI have been very clear on this: the United States, our Five Eyes partners and India support this deal. Mauritius was one of the few countries not to join the belt and road…02 Jul 2025HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyMy hon. Friend is right. Whether it is in the ambitious agenda for national security and defence set out in the strategic defence review, in the unity and leadership we showed at…02 Jul 2025HANSARDArmenia and Azerbaijan: Arms EmbargoThis statement supersedes the written ministerial statement of 2 July 2014 on the “Arms Embargo (Azerbaijan and Armenia)” —[ Official Report , 2 July 2014; Vol. 583, c. 60WS.] The…01 Jul 2025HANSARDGavi: UK Support 2026 to 2030My noble Friend the Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean (the right hon. Baroness Chapman of Darlington) has today made the following…26 Jun 2025HANSARDSecurity Action for Europe InitiativeThis Government are strengthening ties with our European allies to deliver mutual benefits for our prosperity and security. As the strategic defence review laid out, we need a…24 Jun 2025