Russia: Human Rights

Debate between Lord Laming and Baroness Warsi

Monday 21st October 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Warsi]

First, I assure my noble friend that we take these matters incredibly seriously. The subject was raised by the Prime Minister at the highest level at the G20 in St Petersburg, and it was also raised at the margins. It was raised a few weeks later by my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary with Foreign Minister Lavrov at the UN General Assembly in New York. We also have an annual human rights dialogue; in fact, we are one of the few countries, if not the only country in the European Union, to have that particular dialogue with Russia. We had our latest dialogue in May of this year and, in that, we raised the issue of LGBT issues. So it is a matter that we continue to press on, and one that we have raised at both a political and an official level.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, will the noble Baroness remind the House that the Russian Parliament recently passed legislation that is punitive towards gay people and that there can be no question of gay people being accorded equality in that country while this legislation remains on the statute book?

[Baroness Warsi]

It may be inappropriate for me to comment on a particular piece of legislation in a particular country but it seems fairly obvious from an initial reading of how this law has been drafted that it is in stark conflict with what the Russians say is part of their constitution.

Small Businesses

Debate between Lord Laming and Baroness Warsi

Wednesday 9th February 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Laming]

My Lords, does the Minister accept that, if the big society means nothing more than what many of us have been doing for most of our lives, that would be a disappointment? I say this on a purely non-political basis. We now have an opportunity to regenerate local communities and to help them to become much more involved in their own quality of life. However, we can do that only if we get out into local communities and stimulate people to become involved.

[Baroness Warsi]

I agree with the noble Lord’s comments. Indeed, the big society goes beyond what noble Lords have been doing because, as I said, there will be devolution of power and an opening up of public services to local control. However, I am sure that noble Lords around the Chamber will agree that we can always do more.