Contributions
1,361 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD NATO Accession: Sweden and FinlandI remind the House that the UK has played an absolutely central role in providing military assistance to Ukraine. Indeed, only last week the Prime Minister announced a further £1…06 Jul 2022HANSARD NATO Accession: Sweden and FinlandAs I said in my opening remarks, Finland and Sweden have been working very closely with NATO for a considerable period. On other partners, every country has its own path towards…06 Jul 2022HANSARD NATO Accession: Sweden and FinlandThe hon. Member is absolutely right that, after many decades of Finland and Sweden standing as neutral countries, this is an extraordinary moment. They have joined NATO because it…06 Jul 2022HANSARD NATO Accession: Sweden and FinlandI know the hon. Gentleman’s constituency well. I have had the opportunity of standing in some of the beautiful parts of it and seeing overhead some of the actions of our own…06 Jul 2022HANSARDIran’s Nuclear ProgrammeI am extremely grateful to my right hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Robert Jenrick) and the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Steve McCabe) for securing this important…30 Jun 2022HANSARDFreedom of Religion or Belief: International ConferenceI have to be really careful not to make comments that could put an individual or her family’s life at risk. I am afraid that that is all I can say on the matter right now. I will…28 Jun 2022HANSARDFreedom of Religion or Belief: International ConferenceI cannot commit to that here.28 Jun 2022HANSARDFreedom of Religion or Belief: International ConferenceIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr McCabe. I start, as others have, by saying how grateful we are to our hon. Friend—we are collectively calling her our hon.…28 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanThe hon. Gentleman will probably understand that I should not comment on that at this stage, particularly for those who are at risk. We have said that we will expedite matters,…23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanI will need to get back to the hon. Lady with the details.23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanAs I think I have said a number of times, we have brought in some of the most vulnerable people during this period, from various different groups. We have also been leading some…23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanThe organisation whose approach to Afghanistan leaves much to be desired is the Taliban.23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanLast August, when the situation in Afghanistan was deteriorating so rapidly, the UK Government worked at great speed to evacuate more than 15,000 people from the country within a…23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanMy hon. Friend has played an important role in championing the British Council, which does amazing work across the world—I have seen a lot of that work at first hand. It is…23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanI also send my thoughts to those affected by the terrible earthquake two days ago. The UK is one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, and we are already…23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanLet me be very clear: it was the Taliban who chose what to do in Afghanistan, rather than the UK. Our British forces did amazing work in that two-week window to bring British…23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanFar from doing nothing over the past few months since Operation Pitting finished, the UK has been one of the leaders in the world in a) getting the exemption from the sanctions…23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanI will certainly take up the point that my hon. Friend raises, but that is precisely why there needs to be a window of time for people to register their interest. I also point out…23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanI remind the hon. Gentleman that 4,600 people have already come to the UK since Operation Pitting. We are working to get some of the most vulnerable people out. This is an…23 Jun 2022HANSARD British Council Contractors: AfghanistanThe 4,600 people who have been supported to leave Afghanistan and are either coming to the UK or, sometimes, moving to third countries—sorry, Mr Speaker; I should have been…23 Jun 2022