Contributions
1,614 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUkraineI agree with my hon. Friend: Putin’s shocking and barbarous attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure have increased the vulnerability of millions of Ukrainians before this…22 Oct 2024HANSARDUkraineMy hon. Friend will know that the NATO Secretary-General was in London recently alongside President Zelensky, where the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary welcomed them. Our…22 Oct 2024HANSARDUkraineI thank the shadow Minister for her points. We absolutely condemn what North Korea is reported to have been doing. She will have seen in our response to the Iranian transfer of…22 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyThe Government inherited a situation where the long-term secure operation of the Diego Garcia military base was under threat. The agreement that we have reached secures the future…22 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: SovereigntyWe note the reports with significant concern, but the hon. Gentleman will understand that I am not going to comment on an ongoing police investigation. As I pointed out yesterday,…22 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationLike most people, I do not have a crystal ball. Our expectation, based on the evidence, is that hopefully nobody will make that journey because it is dangerous and BIOT is not a…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationI am sorry that the hon. Gentleman has taken that tone. I set out very clearly in my statement the answer to a number of points that he raised. Matters have also been set out very…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationI thank my hon. Friend for her interest in St Helena, which has been long-standing. I understand that she visited the island recently, and I welcome her ongoing engagement with…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationI thank my hon. Friend for his question. Fundamentally, as a result of this agreement, St Helena has agreed to take responsibility for any theoretical migrants who arrive, but I…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationI thank the hon. Gentleman for his question; I know he takes a very keen interest in this matter. We have discussed the overseas territories on many occasions, and he knows how…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationMy hon. Friend is right: BIOT is not a suitable place for migrants to be present. There is no permanent population and there are not the necessary education and health facilities.…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. As I have set out, we inherited a mess, quite frankly, on some of these issues and we are taking the pragmatic, practical steps to ensure that…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationThat is exactly why we have concluded these agreements with Mauritius and St Helena. BIOT is not a suitable place for migrants to be present; there is no permanent population and…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationI do not agree with the right hon. Gentleman’s characterisation of St Helena. It is a wonderful place with wonderful people, and its Government have voluntarily entered this…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationAs my hon. Friend says, why didn’t they go there? I mean, four people for £700 million is an absurd comparison. We are taking pragmatic steps to address the situation we inherited…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationNo, absolutely not. There is no automatic right for them to travel from St Helena to the UK. St Helena will undertake the processing of any cases in a proper way. Of course,…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationThe facts relating to the agreement with Mauritius will be set out in due course, following proper parliamentary scrutiny. This is very specifically about the agreement with St…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationMy hon. Friend makes an important point. I have repeatedly made it clear, not least in the Falklands and Gibraltar, that we stand by their sovereignty and self-determination and…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationI think the hon. Gentleman may be referring to Diego Garcia, which is obviously not a suitable place for migrants, for the reasons he sets out. We have ensured that we put the…21 Oct 2024HANSARDSt Helena: UK ImmigrationMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. There is no comparison with the £700 million of taxpayers’ money that was spent on four volunteers, as the Home Secretary just set out. This is…21 Oct 2024