Lords
Proceedings
15 July 2026
Sudan: Operational Restrictions on Humanitarian Actors
My Lords, I declare an interest as an adviser to DAI. I welcome what the Minister has said about UK government action, but, as she will know, at an event I hosted recently in this House, we heard how local actors were delivering humanitarian aid on the ground where international agencies could not g…
Lords
Proceedings
15 July 2026
National Shipbuilding Strategy
My Lords, we have more ships tied up than at sea. That was witnessed by the lack of a ship in the Med at the start of this recent conflict and the delay in mobilising HMS “Dragon”. Where is the urgency in covering that gap? Also, with no replacement for our destroyers, how are we going to protect ou…
Lords
Proceedings
9 July 2026
Venezuela Earthquakes
My Lords, we welcome the Government’s response to this truly devastating earthquake. As co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Aid Match, I thank the Government for the £2 million they have offered, but, as the vice-chair of the DEC says, the public have raised £12 million. Will the Gover…
Lords
Proceedings
9 July 2026
Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
My Lords, will the UK Government liaise with France, which is taking over the chairmanship, to ensure that what has been agreed is maintained and that the technical expertise is also maintained? Can the Minister comment on the committee that the Government are setting up in the House of Commons, sad…
Lords
Proceedings
30 June 2026
Women’s Representation in Peace Processes
My Lords, I welcome the Government’s and the Minister’s commitment to trying to ensure that women are involved. I am sure that she will agree that in recent years we have seen conflicts mostly promoted by misogynist men who have no interest in the rights of women. Will the Government call on the US,…
Lords
Committee Stage
30 June 2026
2 contributions
Ukraine: International Claims Commission Convention
My Lords, I thank the International Agreements Committee for its work and its chair for his introduction; I also thank the members of the committee who have contributed. Following on from the noble Lord, Lord Boateng, looking at the wider international issues that flow out of this is something we sh…
That is my understanding—that it is a mandatory requirement. We will hear from the noble Lord, Lord Callanan, regarding the Conservative position. We have also heard from Conservative Members who are supportive. I get that: I am quite certain that the noble and learned Lord, Lord Keen, is supportive…
Lords
Proceedings
16 June 2026
Official Development Assistance: Bilateral Allocations
My Lords, I declare an interest as an adviser to the aid and development contractor DAI. I am hosting an event in Parliament this evening looking at new and innovative ways to support humanitarian action as traditional funding streams shrink. I am delighted that the Minister has agreed to attend. In…
Lords
Proceedings
16 June 2026
Russian Shadow Fleet
My Lords, the boarding of the “Smyrtos” was conducted speedily, efficiently and without any casualties. It is a real credit to our Armed Forces. We all agree that it was a very impressive effort, and we should be grateful to them, but it is the first that has happened, as the noble Baroness has poin…
Lords
Proceedings
16 June 2026
Defence Investment Plan
My Lords, the Government have committed to increase defence spending to 3% by 2030 and to 3.5% by 2035. But what is required, and is chaotically missing, is a clear timeline that would enable the MoD and the defence industry to budget, plan and procure. Even if the DIP is published, as promised, bef…
Lords
Proceedings
15 June 2026
Defence Investment Plan
My Lords, the PM has promised that the DIP will be delivered before the July NATO summit—it is already a year late. All we get are promises and rhetoric, and also the threat of further cuts to the already hollowed-out aid programme. Do the Government no longer believe that aid contributes to our nat…
Lords
Proceedings
10 June 2026
Mindanao Earthquake
My Lords, I was also involved in a small way in the Bangsamoro project; I have not visited the region, but I have engaged with parliamentarians. This earthquake is a major setback for the region on its recovery. Why is it that in the past, before our aid cuts, when there was a major earthquake or a …
Lords
Proceedings
9 June 2026
Cuba: Humanitarian Situation
My Lords, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has said about the blockade:
“Such severe sanctions packages that target entire sectors of an economy and produce broad, indiscriminate, and harsh effects on populations are incompatible with basic principles of international human r…
Lords
Oral Questions
20 April 2026
Civil Preparedness for War
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Harris of Richmond. This is a timely debate. Sadly, the impossibly short speaking time precludes a normal wind-up, so I hope that noble Lords will indulge me.
I want to talk about money, consequences and national conversation. You cannot sensibly discuss c…
Lords
Proceedings
16 April 2026
Strategic Defence Review: Funding
My Lords, first, is the delay in the defence investment plan partly due to the Government having to make cuts to existing programmes to provide for programmes that meet new and increasing challenges? How does that sit with the claim to be funding increased defence spending? Secondly, given that the …
Lords
Oral Questions
15 April 2026
Zimbabwe: Constitution
There is an active civil society in Zimbabwe. My noble friend Lord Collins visited last year, and we will continue to work with stakeholders, including the Zimbabwean Government. We welcome the president’s re-engagement efforts, and the progress on economic reform, but we understand the concerns abo…
Lords
Oral Questions
26 March 2026
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan
My Lords, I believe that we are about to start voting soon, but I will make a start. I, too, want to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Alexander of Cleveden, for securing this important debate on a vital matter. I think the whole Committee is clear—and we certainly agree—that Pakistan must uphold its c…
Lords
Oral Questions
25 March 2026
Media Freedom Coalition
Obviously, what the United States Government choose to do is a matter for the United States Government. On the World Service, I am very pleased that last Thursday we were able to announce an uplift in our grant funding to the World Service of an additional 12%, even in the straitened fiscal circumst…
Lords
Oral Questions
18 March 2026
Strait of Hormuz
We need to resolve this with great care, co-ordination and collaboration with our allies and partners. It is complicated. As the noble Lord said, it is directly related to the conflict in Iran. We are where we are and we will do everything that we can, alongside others, to ensure that ships can trav…
Lords
Oral Questions
4 March 2026
Taiwan
As I said, we do not support anyone taking unilateral action in Taiwan. As the noble Lord knows, we work closely with our partners and allies on this. We are aware of Taiwan’s strategic importance to global trade in maritime movement of goods and semiconductors, and therefore not only in relation to…
Lords
Oral Questions
3 March 2026
2 contributions
Defence Industrial Strategy 2025: Economic Growth and Job Creation
My Lords—
On the last point, of course munitions are important, as we see particularly at the moment. That is why the Government are investing £1.5 billion in six new munitions sites. Thirteen sites have been identified, they are being reviewed, and we will come forward with those munitions sites so that we h…
Lords
Committee Stage
28 January 2026
2 contributions
Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Carer’s Assistance) (Consequential Modifications) Order 2026
My Lords, as the Minister has set out, this statutory instrument is technical in nature and its purpose is clear. It makes the necessary consequential amendments to ensure that the Scottish Government’s changes to carer support interact properly with a reserved benefit system. For that reason, we on…
That is a very interesting point. I will write to the noble Lord so that he has answer in writing; that will come soon.
In closing, this instrument demonstrates the continued commitment of the UK Government to work with the Scottish Government to deliver for Scotland.
Lords
Oral Questions
15 January 2026
Ministry of Defence: Budget Shortfall
I agree with the last point about making sure that the public have greater awareness of the threats faced, and the national conversation. The noble Lord has asked me about that before, and we are seeking to do something about it.
Within the current budgets, we have signed more than 1,000 defence co…
Lords
Oral Questions
15 January 2026
Royal Navy: Nuclear Submarines
I am confident about that. I will not go into the number of submarines that are operational for obvious reasons, but the noble Lord will have heard the First Sea Lord outlining the submarine recovery plan a couple of months ago, which was about doing more to ensure that our docking and maintenance f…
Lords
Oral Questions
13 January 2026
Official Development Assistance
My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Bates on securing this important debate. He has once again made a powerful and deeply personal case for the positive impact of UK overseas development assistance, and for the leadership role that this country can and should play internationally. His acco…