Live Debate: Lords Chamber

Lords Chamber

Wednesday 10th June 2026

(began 1 hour, 11 minutes ago)

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15:14

Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour)

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this scheme is to speed up the asylum process, to get people's decisions made quickly so that individuals can know whether they have a long term future in the United Kingdom, or they don't. And the right to work, in my view, is one that should be at the end of that process, not during it. We

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need to complete the process as quickly and speedily as possible. Lord, I cautiously welcome the

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Lord, I cautiously welcome the increase to 42 days. Though those on the ground do warn that the 56 on the ground do warn that the 56 days which are piloted are needed to ensure refugees can move on from Home Office support successfully. And if the 42 days is to work in order to avoid the confusion order to avoid the confusion reported in the evaluation is essential that new refugees receive all the necessary documentation to access accommodation, etc. before the clock starts ticking on the move on period.

Can my noble friend commit to making sure that this happens? Please?

15:15

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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Well, that that is the intention. And again, what we what we're trying to do throughout all of this trying to do throughout all of this process is to ensure that asylum claims are speedily dealt with as quickly as possible, and that the quickly as possible, and that the points that my noble friend has mentioned are relevant. And that, again, goes back to the point I mentioned to the noble Lord earlier that we have put in place asylum. Move on. Liaison officers in 59 local authorities across the United Kingdom who are working alongside migrant help to support individuals who will be leaving asylum accommodation and ensure a successful transition.

It's in the interests of all parties to ensure that people transit, move out of the transition through the housing procedure as soon as possible and as efficiently as possible.

15:15

Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative)

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The government, of course, talks >> The government, of course, talks up the number of illegal migrants and failed asylum seekers. They have returned, but the Minister have returned, but the Minister knows that the number of enforced returns, those people that the Home Office forcibly deport was only 9700 and a small number in the grand scheme of the scale of the problem. So given the significant number of people who are living in Britain illegally, what action is the government taking this year to ramp up deportation of those who have no right to be here?

15:16

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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Well, let me just say, the noble Lord and his government had jurisdiction over these matters for jurisdiction over these matters for 14 years. The issue rose. The number of asylum seekers rose, the processing fell, the number of hotels increased, the number of deportations fell, and the number of criminal justice activities increased. So I say to the noble Lord quite clearly, I'll say to the noble Lord, now the position now is better than it was when he left office. There are further deportations, more deportations than before.

There are more hotel closures. There are fewer asylum applications. They're being dealt with more speedily. And I will defend that record in front of this house and in front of him on every day of the week.

15:17

Lord Kerr of Kinlochard (Crossbench)

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The crossbench. >> The crossbench. >> Reverting to reverting to Lady Lister's question if the person Lister's question if the person granted asylum has only 42 days to navigate the housing, the navigate the housing, the employment, the markets, to get himself a bank account to get registered for Universal Credit, we need to help him by giving him all the documentation he'll need for that from the start. 18 months ago, the noble Lord, the Minister told us on on Lady Lister's bill debate told us that digital status existed from the moment that asylum was granted.

Couldn't it be communicated at that moment with all the other necessary documentation, including the National Insurance number straight away, day zero?

15:17

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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Well, I'll certainly look into >> Well, I'll certainly look into the points that the noble Lord has mentioned. I can say to him now that most e-visas are accessible within minutes of a grant. In a within minutes of a grant. In a small number of cases, some will take up to three days as set out on take up to three days as set out on government.uk. But we hope again to try to ensure that we speed up this issue. We get the proper documentation, we allow people to have that transitional period when the asylum position is determined, and we also need to ensure that the the 42 days, as has been said, generally provides for a smooth transition to whatever happens next to the individual.

But I'll

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certainly look into the point. The noble Lord has mentioned. Second Oral Question Lord Farmer.

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Second Oral Question Lord Farmer. My Lords, I beg leave to ask the question standing in my name on the Order Paper, and in the meantime Order Paper, and in the meantime also declare my interests as co-founder of the family not for

15:18

Oral questions: Best Start Family Hubs: support for families with children and young adults requiring special educational needs and disabilities

profit Family Hubs Network Limited. Yes. >> My Lords, we are investing over

15:18

Lord Farmer (Conservative)

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>> My Lords, we are investing over £900 million in the Best Start Family Hubs and healthy babies programmes with an ambition for a

15:18

Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)

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thousand hubs by 2028. New guidance published on 30th March outlines published on 30th March outlines delivery expectations. Whilst there will be a focus on pregnancy and the early years, hubs will also welcome all families with older children up to the age of 19 or 25. children up to the age of 19 or 25. For those with special educational needs and disabilities, providing a

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universal offer for all. I thank the Minister for that reply. Family hubs are not sure start rebranded. They are also a

15:19

Lord Farmer (Conservative)

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multitude of problems affecting families with older children. Yet all that's ever talked about, in my all that's ever talked about, in my opinion, is the early years. Hubs need to support parents of need to support parents of teenagers to prevent them becoming and staying Neet. Alan Milburn report repeatedly in various paragraphs, highlights why families are not a peripheral influence, but are not a peripheral influence, but central. Also, Josh McAllister's review found teenagers are the last largest growing cohort in child protection and care.

What evidence can the Minister provide of family hubs outcomes in supporting parents with teenagers, and which local authorities are doing particularly well?

15:20

Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)

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I do recognise the noble Lords real commitment in this area and his work over the years. I just want to stress there are good examples of hubs providing support for families with teenagers such as in Coventry, for example, who brought together over 400 young people and 65 partner organisations to facilitate access to services. We are talking about transformation here. We're not talking about the old, the older models. We're moving forward and I agree with the noble Lord that evidence of outcomes is important, though that does take time to come through.

As the recent report has shown, we are committed to evaluating the programme fully and we are programme procuring for that now.

15:21

Lord Mohammed of Tinsley (Liberal Democrat)

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My Lord. >> The family hubs, particularly the support for young people 5 to 19 or up to 25 with special 19 or up to 25 with special educational needs. One of the issues we always have around these initiatives, my Lords, is the consistency of delivery and what is often referred to as postcode lottery. So how could the Minister assure us how we're going to get consistency of delivery? So every young person, no matter where they live in the country, gets the support they need? Yeah, yeah.

15:21

Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)

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Of course, the noble Lord raises >> Of course, the noble Lord raises a very important point. And that's why the programme is committed to why the programme is committed to initially providing a hub within every local authority, expanding over the next two years to a over the next two years to a thousand hubs opening, recognising that the diversity of need and recognising that local areas will want to move the program forward. But there is very clear guidance and there is a very clear expectation that every area will report in around the outcomes that they achieve, making sure that we drive forward that real desire for consistency that he outlines.

15:22

Baroness Bousted (Labour)

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Over my Lord Eatwell in office, the party opposite oversaw an the party opposite oversaw an exponential rise in child poverty. It abolished Surestart, the most successful programme which improved successful programme which improved children's physical and mental health, boosted their educational attainment and reduced serious youth crime. It also imposed a child benefit limit which condemned children to poverty. This

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government has abolished the two child limit and introduced best legacy. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

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Yeah, yeah, yeah. Would the Minister agree that this is the right way to reduce child poverty rather than to ignore

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Yeah. I'm tempted to just simple

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I'm tempted to just simple straight. Yes. My noble friend speaks absolute sense on this

15:22

Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)

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speaks absolute sense on this agenda. And I just want to highlight the devastation to provision that she outlines. Between 2010 and 2022, 1300 Surestart centres closed by 2024, 1 in 3 low income families had no access to children's centres at all. And as she says, poverty soared and school readiness flatlined. I am delighted that this government is making this one of its top priorities and I look forward to the outcomes, the benefits to families very soon.

15:23

Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Conservative)

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Lord, Lord Lords, this side, my Lords. Very well. It's a word of power in Leeds under the guidance of the wonderful Secretary, Ann Hart, for many, many years, bringing together able bodied people with those with disabilities and disadvantages which she support me in. In both congratulating Ann and that organisation, which I know she supports as well, but also the whole question of bringing people together who are are in good health, but those who have disabilities and making them work together for the benefit of both.

15:24

Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)

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I'm delighted to hear the the >> I'm delighted to hear the the noble Lord reference and and the brilliant work that has been done for many, many years. I think the for many, many years. I think the whole principle of surestart was the whole of the universal approach, bringing all sorts of people together and not just focusing on one sector, everyone at different stages in their lives need support and everyone has something to offer. And I think it's that interchange and support that you get through this type of provision that makes a huge difference to people's lives.

15:24

Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party)

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My Lords, my Lords, the best, the Best Start Family Hubs, I think, the Best Start Family Hubs, I think, offer an opportunity for very positive progress. But if we were to provide the most assistance to families, particularly those with Sen children, it requires an integrated and holistic approach from government. So could the Minister outline how the family hubs will integrate with the government's proposed reforms to send, and also its response to the Milburn report, so that we have an integrated, joined up approach in terms of our support for families.

15:25

Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)

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I probably don't have enough time, in my short answer to to go time, in my short answer to to go into all of the initiatives, but just to reassure noble Lords that every Best Start Family Hub will every Best Start Family Hub will have a Best Start inclusion practitioner, there's an enormous amount of resource going in to make sure that the training is there, that the links can be made. But I think the fundamental point that the noble Lord makes, which we absolutely endorse, is that there needs to be very strong local linkages, bringing together all of the different services who work with young people and their families to make sure that we get the very best provision at the earliest possible opportunity to improve their outcomes.

15:26

Baroness Stedman-Scott (Conservative)

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The test of. >> A family hub is not how many open, but whether children are connected to the right opportunities. The Department for Education's own guidance includes a minimum expectation that families whose young people who are not in education, employment or training be connected to targeted support to ensure parents are part of the solution. To what extent is this happening and will the government improve reporting to increase accountability? Yeah.

15:26

Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)

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I think improved reporting is is a is is a mission for all of us. a is is a mission for all of us. But most of all, it's so important to collect the data and as she suggests and make sure that we use suggests and make sure that we use it. Running alongside the family Hub model is the Youth Matters programme. But I think the most important thing around this agenda is to make sure that young people have a say and a voice.

They design the services in their local areas that are fit for purpose. And of course, families, the wider families have a real role in this. We are facing a million young people who are in need, and I know the noble Lady recognises that the policy over the last years of the last government contributed to that. We are determined to work with those young people to make sure they can take advantage of all the opportunities we're creating.

15:27

Baroness Deech (Crossbench)

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Noble Lady. The Minister wants to lift children out of poverty. Why then, has she not Why then, has she not enthusiastically accepted the recommendations of the Public Services Committee about reforming the Child Maintenance Service, which currently is letting hundreds of thousands of fathers get away with paying nothing, hiding their assets, not having their obligations enforced when they have a legal and moral responsibility to support their children. And this has gone on for years. She has the power to move this forward.

15:28

Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)

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Yes I can. I congratulate the noble Lady in taking the opportunity to bring one of her opportunity to bring one of her real passions into this broader debate. I, of course, we understand debate. I, of course, we understand the problems, but I have to say this is for other departments are picking this up and are taking it forward, and I wouldn't like to comment further at this stage either.

15:28

Baroness Hyde of Bemerton (Labour)

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My Lords. >> Friend the Minister, please. >> Explain how the government will ensure that these brilliant hubs reach and build trust with all women. I'm thinking, for example, of women who are the victims of domestic abuse, women with poor mental health, and women who have encountered the criminal justice encountered the criminal justice system. And will the Minister look at how women's centres might close this gap?

15:28

Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)

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Well, I'm very happy to have a discussion with the noble Lady, but discussion with the noble Lady, but I would just caution that, of course, family hubs will be working with all those with care for with all those with care for children and young people, including fathers, when we have to make sure that the environment in those hubs is supportive and picking up on all of the issues that she has raised. From my own experience of working with Surestart, one of the most powerful things that we saw was women disclosing for the first time that they were being subjected to domestic violence, to other women within their peer group, not having to go to through any agency or any professional, but getting that support and then being signposted to the support that they need.

15:29

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative)

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Third Oral Question Baroness >> Third Oral Question Baroness McIntosh of Pickering. >> To ask the question, standing in

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my name on the Order Paper. My Lords supporting British farmers and boosting the nation's farmers and boosting the nation's food security are key priorities. Our reformed SFI offer will open

15:29

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Labour)

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later this month, and our Elm Capital Grants offer opens next month. We will continue to work with stakeholders through the new Farming and Food Partnership Board, Farming and Food Partnership Board, and we will publish our response to the Farming Profitability Review and our 25 year farming roadmap and our 25 year farming roadmap later this year, and that will set out the government's long term vision for farming.

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vision for farming. I'm grateful to the noble Lady for for that reply. But of course, environmental schemes do not put

15:30

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative)

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food on the table. Will she take this opportunity to set out how the government intends to put the focus government intends to put the focus back onto food production and farming, in particular, to boost farming, in particular, to boost the productivity of farms in the uplands and tenanted farms? And uplands and tenanted farms? And what specific measures are she intending to take to boost the food security and self-sufficiency so security and self-sufficiency so desperately needed at home, and the ability of our farmers to compete internationally away from home?

15:30

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Labour)

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Well, clearly profitability is >> Well, clearly profitability is really important, which is why the the batters review was was so important. As part of increasing profitability, we are already implementing some of the recommendations from that review. As I say, our full response will be arriving later this year, and we will look at what else we can do. It's really important that we we work closely with with farmers, but also processors, other producers, horticultural sector. There are a number of areas where it's really important.

We look at what we can do to increase profitability, and also on trade and ability of our farmers to export, because obviously that makes a big difference. And clearly, the SPS agreement that we are looking at negotiating at the moment will also support that.

15:31

Baroness Grender (Liberal Democrat)

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Lib Dem. >> Lib Dem. >> Agree that. True food security cannot exist without climate cannot exist without climate resilience, considering the recent severe weather disruptions to UK crop yields, will the government's crop yields, will the government's priorities priorities in this parliamentary session include a legally binding Good Food Bill to formalise national self-sufficiency targets, alongside nature restoration metrics? And if not, why not?

15:32

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Labour)

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Yeah. bill announced in the King's Speech this time, and I can't presume to, to, to to guess what's going to be in the next King's speech, but clearly, resilience to climate change is absolutely critical. And from from different perspectives, we know that farmers struggle when we have severe flooding. We know that drought and wildfire risk is also a real problem. And so improving resilience for farming to both very dry and very wet weather are absolute priorities for for the government.

So we have invested a record £2.65 billion in flood defences, for example, and that will include supporting farmers as well, and the environmental land management schemes also will allow for grants to look at some of the impacts of climate change.

15:33

Baroness Boycott (Crossbench)

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Across the crossbench. >> Would the would the. >> Government consider extending the SFI payments to cover farmers growing leguminous crops? In other words, beans, a. This fixes nitrogen in the soil makes more healthy. They can't get fertilisers at the moment because of the Straits of Hormuz blockage and also. This is the way we want our diets to go. And at the moment there's not much money in it for farmers to plant these kind of crops. And this would be a massive step towards both combating climate change, etcetera, etcetera, and improving health.

15:33

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Labour)

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I mean, the noble Lady makes a very good point, and I think anything that can help us to make anything that can help us to make our farming sector more secure, particularly when we've seen the impacts of the war in the Middle impacts of the war in the Middle East on fertiliser, for example, I know that the farming Minister, Angela Eagle, is looking at ways to continue to improve the SFI offer, and I will take the noble Lady

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suggestions back to her. My Lords.

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My Lords. It pays to persevere. Does my noble friend the Minister, acknowledge the very real contribution in the farming industry of the upland farmers, not least, for example, Kevin Glad. In the lovely land of Wales, the Pennine farmers, the many uplands

15:34

in Scotland, and the Cheviots, for example. And this community secures example. And this community secures in many ways the environment of much of Britain, and they face many much of Britain, and they face many challenges now, not least climate change. And I know that my noble friend the Minister, does she acknowledge how important she sees acknowledge how important she sees the environment and this community across Britain does a great deal to help and should be acknowledged and rewarded.

15:35

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Labour)

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Well, I can absolutely reassure >> Well, I can absolutely reassure my noble friend that the uplands are a very close to my heart. My mother's family were upland farmers in Wales, in fact, and I currently live in in Cumbria. So the issues around upland farming is something that I know very, very well. The SFI offer that's coming forward is going to include seven moorland actions. I know not all uplands are moorlands, but it will help and payment rates will be increased.

15:35

Lord Jones (Labour)

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We're also working very closely. I've had a very constructive meetings with Doctor Hilary Cottam, meetings with Doctor Hilary Cottam, who's looking at a new approach and actually working very much on from the ground up in upland communities, the ground up in upland communities, working with communities, bringing them together. We are looking at pilots first in Dartmoor and then pilots first in Dartmoor and then in Cumbria because we we know that it is a challenging landscape to farm in, and we want to support the

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farm in, and we want to support the best we can. The government. Announced this 25 year roadmap for farming plan in November 24th. That's 18 months ago now, the noble Baroness Cass said. It's going to happen this year. So when exactly might we see it in 2026? And will Defra now stand up for British agriculture against Treasury and government? Attacks for farm closures are at a record new record level, and 51% of our farmers are simply thinking of giving up and leaving.

When will the government realise that supporting farming, realise that supporting farming, our farmers and food is good for Britain? That should be the principal aim of any 25 year farming plan.

15:36

Lord Blencathra (Conservative)

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Well, part of the reason we decided to do a 25 year farming plan is to work with farmers and rural communities to ensure that

15:36

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Labour)

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they have some kind of certainty. They have some sort of security for the future, because they just simply hasn't been enough of that in recent years. So we really feel that having that long term approach that having that long term approach that is worked up with farmers, the people who are on the ground, who understand the ways that that long understand the ways that that long term thinking, that long term security can really help to support them as businesses, but also our

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food security for the future. Yeah. There's a noble Lady, except that the backbone, the backbone of food production in rural Wales and in many other areas are the small

15:37

Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru)

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family farms. But that one of the banes of their lives are the red banes of their lives are the red tape levels with which they have to face in undertaking their work. Will the government please review Will the government please review the red tape pressure that is on such farms, both in taxation such farms, both in taxation matters and other matters, so as to lessen this burden and let them get on with what they're best at

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producing food. Well, as I mentioned earlier, my my mother's family had a small family farm in Wales, so I, my, my uncle actually had to do another job because they couldn't make

15:38

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Labour)

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sufficient money just from the farm. So I know the tough challenges that that hill farms in Wales face. And obviously it's a devolved matter. I can reassure him that I support can reassure him that I support regularly in the past. To my my colleague, I'm looking very much forward to meeting the new Plaid forward to meeting the new Plaid Cymru Minister and absolutely will continue to work to reduce what red

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continue to work to reduce what red tape in whatever way we can for farmers. Across. My Lords, my Lords.

15:38

Lord Trees (Crossbench)

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Crossbench, it's. >> Thank you very much, my Lords. Bovine TB is one of the most serious challenges facing our cattle farmers in England, so I very much welcome the control strategy announced this morning by the government, which makes a positive step change approach to that control. I haven't seen the details yet, but could I ask the noble Baroness, the Minister, will she confirm that it will enable, first of all, farmers and vets to use new antibody based sensitive tests to indicate which of their animals is infected, no matter what the official TB status is, will they be able to have more easy access to data from Defra and.

And will they have freedom to manage out the infection in their herds? If these changes and others that are mentioned are followed, they should help improve animal health and welfare. They should reduce the stress on farmers from having to cull their cattle at regular intervals, and they should provide the farmers with some welcome light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

15:40

Baroness Hayman of Ullock, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Labour)

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Yeah, the the noble Lord is is >> Yeah, the the noble Lord is is asked some very pertinent questions. Actually, I'm really pleased that earlier today, the code assigned earlier today, the code assigned bovine TB control strategy for England was published. This has been developed and published through the the TB hub website, which, if noble Lords interested. I would urge them to to have a look at. There's been a steering group of the bovine TB partnerships that's been working on this for some time in order to make sure that we.

We get the next stage of our strategy on tackling bovine TB. Absolutely right. We're now going to be looking at the detail of the steering group's proposals carefully to see where we go next. The noble Lord asks a number of very specific questions. My understanding is, is that we are looking at new tests and implementation and working with vets, but as he has quite detailed questions about a strategy that's only just been published and I haven't seen the detail of as yet, I would write to him with that particular information.

15:41

Oral questions: Support to those affected by the earthquake in Mindanao in the Philippines

Fourth Oral Question. >> My Lords, my work in the Philippines is recorded in the in the Lords Register. Can I beg leave the Lords Register. Can I beg leave to ask the question? Standing in my name in the Order Paper.

15:41

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Labour)

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My Lords, I was deeply saddened to hear about the earthquake in the Philippines on the 8th of June, and I offer my condolences to everyone impacted. Our thoughts and prayers

15:41

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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are with them. I would like to praise the strong and rapid response of the government of the response of the government of the Philippines at a challenging time, and of course, the UK stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance to provide humanitarian assistance if requested by the Philippines government. We have a range of mechanisms and capabilities in mechanisms and capabilities in place to provide that support if called upon.

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called upon. I thank my hon. Friend on behalf of the government for his answer. The good people of of General Santos in South Cotabato, in the Bangsamoro region of the Philippines, have spent the last 12

15:42

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Labour)

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years rebuilding their economy and their communities after 50 years of their communities after 50 years of civil war. And they face these climate shock events on a regular climate shock events on a regular basis. 32,000 people have been displaced, 37 at least have died. displaced, 37 at least have died. And I hope that the government will not only be able to provide humanitarian support for a key humanitarian support for a key partner country in our geopolitical relationships, but also continue to provide support in the Philippines for action against climate change and in support of the peace building efforts following the conflict and the civil war that affected that region, in particular for so long.

15:42

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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Well, can I pay tribute to my >> Well, can I pay tribute to my noble friend for the work that he's done in the Philippines over many years, and particularly in the years, and particularly in the Bangsamoro region? And he I think he's been involved for more than a decade, and it has been a remarkable commitment where he's achieved and contributed to real change. The UK has provided humanitarian assistance in recent years to support the Philippine government's response to the major natural disasters that have impacted the country.

My noble friend is right to say that these are often climate related. The Philippines is one of the countries that is most vulnerable to climate related disasters, and we have been strong supporters of them. We also have a modern development partnership with the Philippines.

15:43

Baroness Sugg (Conservative)

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Can I also acknowledge. >> Had any discussions. >> About deploying emergency response teams to assist. >> On the ground, such as the excellent Hazardous Area Response excellent Hazardous Area Response Team or the UK med, who have been trained in providing life saving assistance in these cases.

15:43

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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We haven't. As I say, we haven't been asked as yet to provide been asked as yet to provide support and we are a strong supporters of the of the response that's been made from the Philippines government. But I do want to make it clear we're close partners of the government of the Philippines, and we would mobilise the resources that the noble Lady mentions if they were felt to be necessary. There's there's no resistance at all. At our end.

15:44

Lord Bruce of Bennachie (Liberal Democrat)

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A small way also involved. though I haven't visited the region but did engage with parliamentarians. This earthquake is a major setback for the region on its recovery, but can I ask the the Minister why it is that in the past, before our aid cuts, when there was a major earthquake or a major disaster, we had an immediate response from an operation in Victoria Street to send out within hours a response to, rather than wait for the call from the government, has that capacity been abolished and do we have to wait? And at the moment, with all our engagement in in the area, don't we need to offer a little bit more than the ambassador's sympathy? Yeah.

15:45

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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With respect, I don't think we are just offering the ambassador are just offering the ambassador sympathy. We we do stand ready to help. And we have ensured that our commitments to humanitarian assistance have been protected. So I'm afraid I don't quite accept the characterisation that the noble Lord puts puts forward on the banks moro peace process. Why? It is an important commitment that we have been heavily involved with in the UK, supported by my noble friend Lord McConnell, and we will continue to be actively engaged in that.

15:45

Lord Swire (Conservative)

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The British people can be proud of the part that we have played over the years in bringing peace, relatively peace to that part of the world. Can the Minister reassure us that we will do everything we can to preserve the peace in that area? In case it is not a bit. By the recent humanitarian problems we have seen resulting from this earthquake?

15:46

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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Well, can I reassure the noble Lord that we are not receiving any Lord that we are not receiving any reports? I checked this specifically of any problems with aid reaching the affected communities in the Bangsamoro area. The Philippines government aid, but, but we are committed to supporting the peace process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and we will continue to do that even once this disaster is behind us.

15:46

Lord West of Spithead (Labour)

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My Lord, did I ask my noble >> My Lord, did I ask my noble friend the Minister, what was the closest Royal naval ship to the closest Royal naval ship to the Philippines when this when this accident happened? Because historically, the Navy has been very involved in these things and was its tasking changed at all as a result of this?

15:46

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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Well, I suppose I should have been prepared for that question. And he will also be prepared for me to say, I don't know the answer, but but I. But I will check, but I, I've said if the if the government of the Philippines asked for our help, we would provide it. But but there's no suggestion that they've asked for help from the Royal Navy at the moment.

15:47

The Earl of Effingham (Conservative)

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My Lords, the safety. is the only thing that matters right now. But following on from the noble Baroness, Lady Saag, on a practical level, we have some brilliant UK based firms with international operations who specialise in structural integrity assessment and crisis communications. Apparently the wounded are being treated in tents because they are afraid of the hospitals collapsing. So will the FCDO engage with both our experts and the Philippines authorities so we can try to make a real difference? Surely we do not need to be asked.

We should be on the front foot.

15:47

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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Hey. >> Hey. >> Of course we will and we won't just wait to be asked. We we, the Philippines government, as I've said, has a strong response and we will respond to request for help. But of course we prepare. Of course we plan, of course we monitor the situation. The noble Lord knows that.

15:48

Lord Vaizey of Didcot (Conservative)

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The UK, Asean Business Council and the noble Lord. The Minister and the noble Lord. The Minister will be aware that the Philippines is currently the president of Asean and indeed the whole region works very closely with the UK on climate change and green technologies. I wonder whether the Minister could update the House on the engagement the UK is currently undertaking with the Philippines during its presidency of Asean.

15:48

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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Yes, I'm I'm I'm happy to to to do that. And I'm happy to talk and I'm happy to write with more detail, if that would be helpful. But but on the specific question that the noble Lord answered, asked about climate resilience and agriculture, and so solar energy, particularly in the blue economy, we have a very active programme and we have committed up to £20 million to various kinds of technical assistance. And my brief is in the FCDO told me that even if they don't ask for a letter, I should offer to send one, because we've got a lot of good things to say, so I will.

15:49

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour)

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Recollection that we used to. >> Speedier in. >> Response when we had a separate Department for International Development, which was Development, which was unfortunately abolished by the government of the party opposite. Would the Minister, however, tentatively give some indication that when circumstances permit, we will consider reinstating a separate Department for International Development?

15:49

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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Yeah. quite empowered to tentatively, tentatively or otherwise propose machinery of changes in government machinery of government changes. But I would say to my noble friend, it is important to us that our international development effort particularly and and, and the whole House knows this in toughened fiscal circumstances, comes together with our diplomatic effort and our defence effort in a coordinated way. And, of course, the government will consider the right machinery of government to achieve that.

15:50

Baroness Goldie (Conservative)

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May I try and come to the aid of >> May I try and come to the aid of the Minister? When I was a defence Minister and visited the Philippines and I was the first defence Minister to go there for 40 defence Minister to go there for 40 years, it was my pleasure to board HMS Tamar, now Tamar and HMS Speyer, two OFT offshore protection vessels retained out in that region to provide humanitarian and general help if required. Is the noble Lord the Minister aware, or will he consult with the Mod as to whether these two ships are in a position to offer any form of support? Yes.

15:50

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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I'll be happy to to do that. The noble Lady may have been the First Minister to visit the Defence Minister of the Philippines, but she wasn't the last. My noble friend Lord Coaker was there very recently talking to the to the Philippines government about increased defence cooperation, and I'll be very happy to come back to the noble Lady on the specific questions about about about the ships, but it is the strengthening relationship. But I won't spoil Lord Coaker thunder.

15:51

Lord Bellingham (Conservative)

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Just further to the question >> Just further to the question asked by the noble Lord Effingham, it's not just a question of residents not wanting to go to hospitals because of fear of them collapsing. Many hospitals have actually been very badly damaged and so people are being treated, as the noble Lord said, in makeshift facilities. So can I just push the Minister a bit further? What specific? We have a lot of expertise in this area. So what specific aid, medical aid is HMG looking at and thinking of?

15:51

Lord Lemos (Labour)

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I'm very happy to to because it follows up on the on the question from the Earl of Effingham. I'm very happy to look specifically at what what is being prepared. But I would reiterate, and I do want to emphasise this, there is no resistance on the part of His Majesty's Government to supporting the Philippines government in disaster relief on this disaster, and no doubt ones in the future. I really do want to stress that.

15:52

Private Notice Question: Government offices and vehicles: concealed surveillance equipment

Private notice question government officers and vehicles, government officers and vehicles, concealed surveillance equipment. Lord Alton of Liverpool. Of which I have given private notice. The

15:52

Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench)

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question is as follows. To ask His Majesty's Government further to the reported discoveries of concealed surveillance equipment in government offices and vehicles, government offices and vehicles, what assessment? They have made the implications of this for one,

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policy. In line with the practice of successive administrations, this government does not comment on the detail of internal security matters,

15:53

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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but I can confirm that an electronic device was found in a communal area of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government during a routine security check. The device was not security check. The device was not in or near ministerial offices, and it is currently being investigated by the appropriate agencies. The by the appropriate agencies. The government have also looked into the Daily Mail report and previous coverage, and have not discovered any evidence of a tracking device being placed in Prime Minister's cars.

This is based on inquiries made at the time and more recently.

15:53

Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench)

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My Lords, it's. >> So sorry. >> I'm grateful to my friend. I'm grateful also to the noble Lord, the Minister, for that reply. But the Minister, for that reply. But in fact, that disclosure was made yesterday to a select committee in another place that a Chinese cellular module was discovered in the then Prime Minister's car, and the previous day there was a report of secret cameras being discovered in government offices. And surely, my Lords, that raises serious questions about the security of

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government departments and the systematic Use of. Both surveillance.

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And indeed, transnational repression by hostile states, including those states described by the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, as being part of a deadly quartette of our country's enemies. My Lords, is our country's enemies. My Lords, is it true that the location of the cameras was where consideration of the proposed People's Republic of the proposed People's Republic of China Embassy was taking place? If you'll make an assessment of whether there has been undue influence as a result, and when will the government give effect to the unanimous call of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, which I have the honour to chair that the People's Republic of China should be listed with Russia and Iran in the upper tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

15:55

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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Well, on the latter point, the government keeps all matters such as the registration under the first game under review at all times, and it's not appropriate again to comment upon any consideration of that at this time. I also would just say to the noble Lord that it's not appropriate for me to comment on what is a live investigation into the circumstances that I've already admitted have happened in the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and Communities, and I would strongly caution against any speculation at this time, because the government will need to investigate that matter in due course.

On the question of the Chinese embassy decision, I'll just say to the noble Lord that intelligence agencies were involved throughout the process, and an extensive range of measures were developed to manage any risks. The planning decision was taken independently by the Secretary of State for housing, and its conclusion is a result of a process that began in 2018, and I would, if I may return to my initial comments, that the government cannot comment on the detail of internal security matters, but we are investigating those by the appropriate agencies, and I think it's best at the moment if we leave it at that.

15:56

Baroness Chakrabarti (Labour)

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Lord Wood apologies. government could comment on this. It's bad enough, though perhaps all too predictable, that there are. There's illicit surveillance, by way, for example, of hidden cameras. But what about when public money is actively used to procure cameras that originate, for example, in the People's Republic of China? Now, I know the last government banned the new the new installation of Hikvision cameras in sensitive government buildings. Have they all been dismantled? And what about banning them from from from the public estate more generally? Good question.

15:56

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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Well, I again, I know my noble friend is pressing me to comment on these matters. I say to the House, I cannot comment on security issues and nor would the House, I suspect, wish me to comment on security issues, except to say that the government will ensure that all matters in government activity are secure and that the government takes every step it possibly can to make sure that the type of incidents that the noble Lady is referring to do not happen and are prevented.

15:57

Lord Davies of Gower (Conservative)

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Sir, I'm. will agree that this is a highly disturbing and troubling discovery that demonstrates the severity of that demonstrates the severity of the espionage threat that we face today. And picking up on the point that the noble Lord Lord Alton made. that the noble Lord Lord Alton made. Given that the camera was found in the offices where Ministers approved the application for the new Chinese Mega Embassy, it seems highly likely that China or a person linked to China is behind this.

Surely this has to serve as a wake up call for government. So I ask the noble Lord, the Minister, how can they still go ahead with allowing China to build a massive spy hub in the middle of London after this?

15:58

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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Well said. Well. >> Again, I would caution the noble Lord about jumping to conclusions as to who, what, where or when was behind the device that was found. I behind the device that was found. I would genuinely caution him on that. But I can say, with regard to the Chinese Embassy that the planning decision was taken independently. The intelligence services have been involved throughout, there have been extensive negotiations, and the Chinese government themselves have agreed to consolidate its seven current sites in London into one site, which brings clear security advantages for the United Kingdom.

So if the noble Lord will allow me. Those are interesting points that he's made. We will examine the facts and determine the facts in due course.

15:58

Lord Pack (Liberal Democrat)

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My Lords. Minister and the government have understandably emphasised that the camera was not in a location used by Ministers. However, with due respect to Ministers, civil servants can be pretty important as well. So is the noble Lord the Minister able to give us any information about exactly where the camera was located and who uses that area, and could the noble Lord, the Minister, reassure us that just because the camera was not in a place that Ministers use, that is no reason to downplay the importance of this issue or the importance of an appropriate response by the government in due course.

15:59

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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Yeah. does take this matter extremely seriously. It has and will investigate what's happened. Again, I'd just say that which I hope he can understand. I don't want to comment on where and how the information came to light, but I have confirmed to the noble Lord Alton of Liverpool that the facts of the case, as reported, are correct, and I think it's best that we investigate this through the appropriate agencies and in due course, come to conclusions in government and understand what and how has happened in due course.

16:00

Lord Young of Acton (Conservative)

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Declare an interest as the director of the Free Speech Union, I wondered if the noble Lord, the I wondered if the noble Lord, the Minister, could give us some indication of when section nine of the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act is likely to be commenced. I know the government is keeping it under review. This is the clause which requires English universities to include the funding they're receiving from foreign states in their annual reports to the office for students, so the office can monitor if those foreign states are trying to interfere in freedom of speech or academic freedom on on those university campuses.

16:00

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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I'm grateful to the noble Lord. If he will allow me, I will write If he will allow me, I will write to him on that point for the simple reason that the universities aspect of that is a different department than the one I have responsibility than the one I have responsibility for, but I will examine that and report back to him as soon as possible.

16:01

Lord Harris of Haringey (Labour)

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My Lords, my Lords, I fear that the. My noble friend, the Minister will probably give an answer. He's will probably give an answer. He's already given about five times already, in particular to the noble Lord Lord Pack. But I do think it makes a world of difference as to where. Within the Department this camera was found. If, for example, and he used a very careful form of words, he talked about the common areas, and he talked about an area which was not close to Ministers office by common areas.

Did he, for example, mean those areas to which the public or visitors quite frequently were present, or did he? Common areas mean, for example, that it was concealed within a toilet area? Now, if it was a toilet area, I suspect we would be having a very different conversation in terms of this series of exchanges, because that would imply perhaps it's an internal matter with an internal member of staff rather than anything else. So is my noble friend without prejudicing any of the other things he's said, able to give us any enlightenment?

16:02

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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In short, no. And that again. But by my very nature, I am trying to be helpful on a on a regular basis. But there are certain things I can't be helpful with, and one of them is to prejudice or give further information about an important matter of location of the. Any device that was found, as I've said to the House, it was not in or near a ministerial office, but we are investigating. There will be some examination of what's happened, and I wouldn't I would just hesitate against any speculation as to who, what, where, why or when until such time as that investigation has occurred.

16:03

Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench)

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Locomotive always helped with >> Locomotive always helped with the replies which he gives to the house. But could I press him further on the second limb of the further on the second limb of the question I put to him about the discovery of cellular modules in a former Prime Minister's car? This was not something just reported, as he said to the House in a newspaper. This was said to the Business Select Committee in another place yesterday by Mr. Charles Parton, who served as one of our senior diplomats and is one of the leading experts in this country on China and also on cellular modules.

It was also said again, My Lords, at a meeting in your Lordships House at a meeting I chaired only last night by the same Mr. Charles Parton, will he at least look at the record of the Select Committee and perhaps undertake to have a conversation with Mr. Parton?

16:03

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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As I said, and I. I will repeat the answer because I need to do so the answer because I need to do so for clarity, for the noble Lord. We have looked into the reports and previous coverage and have not discovered any evidence of a tracking device being placed in Prime Minister's cars, and that's based on inquiries made at the time. And again more recently. And I think that I can't be clearer than that an investigation is taking place. No evidence has been provided.

The individual I saw on television last night make those allegations. I can only repeat what my understanding is of the security services follow up on those matters following the allegations. And indeed, what I've said to the House today is my current understanding of the position.

16:04

Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative)

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The Minister has said that the >> The Minister has said that the this was found in a routine inspection. I just wondered whether the government has instigated more the government has instigated more frequent inspections as a result of this discovery.

16:05

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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Again, this this with due respect to this chamber, I don't think the chamber is the place for think the chamber is the place for me to outline how often, when, where and how the government undertakes security checks on buildings or on vehicles. But I hope the noble Lord, who I know takes an interest in these matters, will understand that it is the first priority of the government to keep our workings internally secure, and it's important that we do that, and I can assure him that that's what the government is doing.

16:05

Lord Purvis of Tweed (Liberal Democrat)

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An element of the original question from the noble Lord Lord question from the noble Lord Lord Alton. Does the Minister agree with the director general of MI5 that China is seeking to influence our political system?

16:05

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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Well, China does influence our political system in many ways, and the government won't tolerate foreign interference from any state actor targeting the UK. We've been consistent and unambiguous in our assessment that China presents a series of threats to the UK. We have to do business with China still, we have to recognise China. We have to work with China on a number of areas of common interest. But self-evidently, there are a number of significant threats that China poses, and we keep those under review.

And in all our dealings with the nation of China, we bear those aspects of work in mind.

16:06

Lord Farmer (Conservative)

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Can I just ask, Minister, whether parliamentary members offices have been checked for any offices have been checked for any of these devices in the other place and in this place? I mean, I would have imagined that foreign powers could be quite interested in certain members of Parliament's offices. The conversations that are going on there. I'm just asking, is there a usual check of our offices?

16:06

Lord Hanson of Flint, The Minister of State, Home Department (Labour)

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It's an interesting and potentially helpful question. I do not have jurisdiction over this building in either the House of Lords or the House of Commons. That is a matter for the speaker and the Lord speaker and the chief officers of both houses. I think they will have heard that response, and it may be possible for me to facilitate a reply to the noble Lord on that via those offices. But

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it's not a matter for me. My Lords, may.

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My Lords, may. I will give the members a minute

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The The first.

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The first. Reading of a private member's Bill Lord Oates. My Lords. I.

16:08

Business of the House

16:10

Urgent Question Repeat: Reports of a serious violent attack in north Belfast involving a foreign national

North Belfast.

16:10

Lord Caine (Conservative)

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My Lords, the barbaric attack in >> My Lords, the barbaric attack in north Belfast on Monday evening was truly sickening and our thoughts are with the victim. Will the noble are with the victim. Will the noble Baroness, the Minister, join me in commending the bravery of the public who intervened and the swift response of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Does she also agree that nothing justifies the violence we saw overnight? We are all angry. The right response, however, is not uncontrolled rage, but to allow the law to take its proper course.

In early 2024, the Irish government were quick to raise concerns over migrants entering their jurisdiction through Northern Ireland. So can the Minister tell us what conversations are taking place to prevent migrants coming into Ireland from other safe EU countries that are in the Schengen area, and then exploiting the Common Travel Area to claim asylum here in the United Kingdom.

16:11

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour)

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I thank the Lord for his comments with regard to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. I think anyone that's watched the news in the last 36 hours can only be in awe and very grateful to. To the Chief Constable Jon Boutcher and the. The brave men and women that are serving in our all of our emergency services, but especially the PSNI. I also want to put on record. I think the thanks of the whole House to those extraordinarily brave bystanders who chose not to look the other way, but intervened very bravely to save a member of their community.

With regards to the specific question that he raises in terms of the common travel area, the noble Lord will be as aware as I am that the common travel area has been in operation for a century and has always had an issue, and has is something that is of regular conversation with both the British and Irish governments, and that continues to be so, and has been so this week. I think it's helpful for members of your Lordships' House to know that in the last 12 months, there were 1500 enforcement operations which took place in terms of illegal immigration in Northern Ireland, with more than 1200 arrests.

It is something this government takes very, very seriously.

16:12

Baroness Suttie (Liberal Democrat)

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I too deeply deplore yesterday's violent attack and condemn in the violent attack and condemn in the strongest possible terms those who seek to weaponise pain and suffering. In particular, I condemn those inciting violence from abroad, including Tommy Robinson from Moscow yesterday evening. Our thoughts are with the victim and his family, and we all owe a debt of gratitude to the bystanders and the emergency services whose bravery was truly outstanding. Does the Minister agree that the priority must be to help the community recover from this appalling violence? And will she say what the government is doing to support the people of Belfast and bring communities back together through the difficult weeks ahead? Yeah.

16:13

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour)

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Noble Lady, for the tone in >> Noble Lady, for the tone in which she's taken. I agree with every word that she says, not least about the appalling comments of Stephen Yaxley-lennon, someone who I, in a previous incarnation, campaigned against for decades. I think for all of us, Steven Ogilvy should be in our prayers and we hope and wish for him to have a speedy as a recovery as possible in terms of working with the community after the riots, after the disorder in Ballymena last year, I went and met with the community leaders, the extraordinary women who stood in between those violent perpetrators and the community and I am very grateful for them.

This will take months and months for the community to heal from what is happening. I want to reiterate what the leader of the DUP has said in recent hours. Protests and politics are not protests and politics are British values. That is the way we engage. Violence is not.

16:14

Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party)

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Scenes of appalling violence that we've seen in Belfast and in North Belfast, which is. I used to have the honour to represent. In the other place, I've been rightly condemned by everybody. Such violence serves absolutely no purpose except to hurt communities and innocent people and should not be happening. Can the Minister, in relation to the horrific event on on on Monday night which sparked all of this, can't you give an assurance that will be speedy justice for that victim, as we've seen in other cases, and there'll be no undue delay? And in terms of protecting and defending the people of Northern Ireland and the open border has been mentioned, will she urgently review the operation of the Common Travel Agency, talk to the Irish authorities about what they're doing? Will she look at the draw factors which enable people to go through two or 3 or 4 safe countries before they claim asylum in the UK? Would you also look at the particular problem we have in Northern Ireland, and which has been subject to proposed legislation so far, unsuccessfully, to outlaw the glorification of violence? This is happening at the very top of the Northern Ireland government by the First Minister, and it's encouraging young people to say, well, if it was OK for them, it's OK for us.

This culture of resorting to violence on the streets must end. Yeah.

16:15

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour)

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I'm going to thank the Lord for >> I'm going to thank the Lord for his service, both in this House but also his decades of service in Northern Ireland. I think the scenes that we have seen remind all of us of quite how challenging it has always been to be a representative in Northern Ireland, and we're so grateful for the work that he has done. I think it is fair to say an important to say that we have to call for calm in Northern Ireland and across the country in the coming hours and days in terms of the other.

And that has been the case, and I am pleased to see from across the political spectrum that they have done so. In terms of the glorification of terrorism, there is no excuse for glorifying proscribed organisation. In fact, it's illegal and it should be.

16:16

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour)

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My Lords, I totally condemn the >> My Lords, I totally condemn the brutal and barbaric attack on Steven Ogilvy and I wish him a full Steven Ogilvy and I wish him a full and speedy recovery. I commend the first responders, the PSNI and those members of the community who apprehended the assailant and in so doing, we then witnessed in the aftermath the uncontrollable violence that spilled onto the streets of Belfast. Would my noble friend agree with me that such violence seemed to concentrate on a pogrom of people of colour, and in so doing, it is important to adhere to the principle of diversity, the principle of diversity is the very essence of humanity.

Yes.

16:17

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour)

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What we've seen overnight is violence and disorder of some of violence and disorder of some of the most shocking kind base, using what was, I think, one of the most horrendous murder attempted murders that we have unfortunately seen because of its spread across social media. I think we need to remember what has actually happened and contextualise what's happened in the last 24 hours and what it's actually led to. 27 people were made homeless last night because people went door to door to try and target foreign nationals, to burn them out of their homes.

I can only imagine the terror to a two month old is the youngest victim, who had to be moved from her home, and I don't think any of us will ever be able to forget the image of a nine year old child and their family being put in the back of a Land Rover to be rescued from violent, racist thugs who were seeking to undermine them and to undermine their very sense of belonging, a country that many had lived in for decades.

This is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated. And these people will face, as I should have said to noble Lord Lord Dobbs, they will face the full strength of the law, both the original perpetrator, but also the people who have acted with such dishonour over the last 24 hours.

16:18

Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party)

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My Lord. >> My Lords, I, like everyone else here, offer my sincere sympathy to Mr. Ogilvy, and also to welcome the the the support for. For those who came to his aid as well as the local people. But the security services, police and ambulance service. I, like everyone else, totally condemned that violence, condemn the violence of last night and those people who are living properly in the United Kingdom, in that part of the United Kingdom. They have a right to live there.

But will the Minister give us some idea as to how she and her government are going to, or how the Minister and the government are going to stop those illegal immigrants coming in, their boatloads and their numbers in great volume into the United Kingdom.

16:19

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour)

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The noble Lord raises a very, >> The noble Lord raises a very, very important point. Nearly 7000 people have been deported since the general election to March 2026. general election to March 2026. It's a 40% 41% increase on the 21 months before that. That is an important thing for us to remember. We are a welcoming opening country. I am only here because of previous immigration policies that allowed my family to come. But this is about making sure that when, if you're lucky enough to live in the UK, that you abide by British values, and if you don't, you will leave.

16:19

Lord Mohammed of Tinsley (Liberal Democrat)

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My Lords. Raise this issue with the Minister that people are conflating those who come here illegally to those who are here legally. One of the people that were fire bombed out of their homes last night were an African family that had been here 20 years. We also see pictures of a business potentially started by an Indian family that have been firebombed. There is no excuse for those people to inciting hatred and race. And just as South Yorkshire Police took action when the Holiday Inn in Rotherham was attacked, I really hope that the Northern Ireland Police Service have the same figure to take action against those that put life at danger for the last couple of days.

16:20

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour)

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Lord raises an incredibly important point. We've seen people important point. We've seen people who have been too scared to go to work in the last 24 hours, people who serve in our NHS, people that serve in lots of different public services, as well as those that have built lives here. And and we are grateful to do so. I'd like to finish my contributions today with not my words, but the words of the Ogilvy family, because I think that they reflect when most of us would want to be.

We want to make it absolutely clear that overnight unrest is not welcome and peaceful protest is the only way forward. We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including in our healthcare system, hospitality sector, and we depend on them to make our country work. We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.

16:21

Lord Callanan (Conservative)

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Questions on a statement made in >> Questions on a statement made in the House of Commons yesterday on the Middle East. >> My Lords.

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My Lords. Let me firstly thank the Minister for the opportunity to ask questions on this important statement. The situation in the Middle East continues to cause global instability, and families here in the UK are feeling the impact at the petrol pump and in the shops. We all have an interest in securing stability in the region, and we should all hope that ceasefires eventually lead to lasting peace. In recent days, we have seen a significant increase in tensions following the Iranian regime's use of ballistic missiles in an attack on Israel.

I was grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman of Darlington, for her confirmation that Israel does have the right to defend itself when Israel faces terrorist attacks from Hamas and Hezbollah, when the Iranian regime fires ballistic missiles at Israel, we must all, in my view, be united on Israel's right to self-defence. We must all recognise that Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, both internationally and. Sadly, here in the UK. This House voted three times in the last session to prescribe the IRGC as a terrorist organisation.

The Ministers now tell us that this is something that the government is committed to, and that it will happen as soon as Ministers can. So would the noble Lord. The Minister update the House on the government's planned timescale for prescription. Iran also continues to obstruct shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The regime has murdered its own citizens in droves and refuses to end its nuclear weapons program. So could the noble Lord please take this opportunity to reassure the House that urgent work is ongoing with our US and EU partners to secure the safe passage of shipping through the Strait? And can he say what work is being done to ensure that Iran does, in fact, eventually end its nuclear programme? I think noble Lords across the House, including on the government benches, will agree with me when we say that Iran was never have a nuclear weapon.

Turning to Gaza and the West Bank, my right hon. Friend Dame Priti Patel was right when she said in the other place that we all want to see an end to violence and conflict in the West Bank and in Gaza, and there remain concerns about the delivery of aid which urgently need to be resolved. And we support all efforts to secure peace. But in that context, we know that Hamas must be disarmed and it must have no role in the future government of Gaza or in the West Bank.

However, Hamas is still a threat and it is still powerful in Gaza, so would be grateful if the noble Lord would give the House a sense of the government's reaction to the news yesterday that the United States Agency for International Development has referred 101 current or former UNRWA staff members to the US State Department over their affiliation with Hamas and in some cases, their involvement in the October 7th attacks themselves. We believe that. Of course, it would be preferable for the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah.

So when my right hon. Friend the shadow Foreign Secretary asked questions in the other place about the support that the government is giving to Lebanon on this point, they went unanswered. So I wonder, can the Minister please say whether the government have plans to go beyond the current support that we are already giving to the Lebanese armed forces and help them to contribute to the disarmament and disbandment of Hezbollah?

16:25

Lord Purvis of Tweed (Liberal Democrat)

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Lordships we. >> Had an. >> Opportunity of raising Lebanon yesterday. I will focus today on Iran, on Palestine and on Sudan. I agree with the noble Lord that we are feeling the impact of the US Israeli Iranian war here in the UK. 102 days ago, we were called on by the conservative opposition to be all in with the Trump

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