House of Lords Appointments Commission
Debate between Earl of Courtown and Lord Cormack(11 months, 1 week ago)
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The Earl of Courtown (Con)
My Lords, can we hear from the noble Lord, Lord Wallace of Saltaire? There is plenty of time for my noble friend.
Departure of the Previous Home Secretary
Debate between Earl of Courtown and Lord Cormack
The Earl of Courtown (Con)
My Lords, as I understand the situation, my right honourable friend the former Home Secretary shared a document with somebody outside government and realised her error. I also understand that another individual was copied in on her email and brought it to the attention of the powers that be.
Lord Cormack (Con)
My Lords, can my noble friend assure me that there will be a full Statement in your Lordships’ House on Monday? I feel very sorry for him. He is not in a position to give details and always behaves with impeccable courtesy to the House. But we need a full a Statement on Monday, coupled with an assurance that the choice of the leader of the Conservative Party in another place will be taken by the Members of the other place and nobody else. The absurd election procedure we went through recently did infinite damage to the country and to the reputation of democracy in general. It is important that this is resolved; it is then of course up to the new Prime Minister to take into account the points made from the Opposition Benches this afternoon.
The Earl of Courtown (Con)
My Lords, my noble friend Lord Cormack asks whether a Statement could be made on Monday. Of course, I cannot promise that. I am sure that if there is anything that the House is required to be aware of at some stage, it will be informed of such. I will pass on those comments to my noble friend the Chief Whip. My noble friend also talked about the election of a new leader of the Conservative Party; that is, of course, up to others and is more of an internal matter.
Saudi Arabia: Mass Execution
Debate between Earl of Courtown and Lord Cormack
The Earl of Courtown (Con)
My Lords, it is important to have trade deals throughout the international community. At the moment, with the issues relating to insecure energy supplies, it is particularly important that we keep talking to our close allies across the world.
Lord Cormack (Con)
My Lords, I accept what my noble friend just said. He told us that the ambassador in Riyadh had seen Saudi Ministers, but has the Saudi ambassador in London been summoned to the Foreign Office?
The Earl of Courtown (Con)
My Lords, I am unsure about the answer to that question; I will get further information to my noble friend. The engagement that we continue to have with the Saudi Government is extensive. Over the last six months, my noble friend Lord Ahmad has visited Saudi and has also had a meeting with Saudi Ministers here in London. Those continual engagements enable us to have these serious conversations.
Hong Kong: Political Prisoners
Debate between Earl of Courtown and Lord Cormack
Lord Cormack (Con)
My Lords, is it not time for us to reconsider British judges giving a veneer of respectability to an appallingly repressive regime?
The Earl of Courtown (Con)
The national security law poses real questions for the rule of law in Hong Kong and the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms promised by China in the joint declaration. Our assessment of Hong Kong’s judicial independence is increasingly finely balanced. It is, therefore, right that it is kept under review.