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Lord Stirrup Excerpts
Thursday 10th October 2024

(6 days, 15 hours ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington Portrait Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
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My noble friend makes an important point. He is a far more experienced parliamentarian than me, and I am sure that he is able to navigate the powers that be to enable such an opportunity, which I would very much welcome.

Lord Stirrup Portrait Lord Stirrup (CB)
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Is the Minister satisfied that the UK is marshalling its soft power in a sufficiently coherent way to promote stability and combat malign influences throughout the Horn of Africa?

Baroness Chapman of Darlington Portrait Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
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That is an important question, and I will consider it further. I think we sometimes underestimate the impact soft power can have. We are well placed to act in that way, given our historical links and the community in the UK. If the noble and gallant Lord does not mind, I will take that away and give it further consideration.