UK/US Free Trade Agreement
Lord West of Spithead Excerpts(3 days, 19 hours ago)
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Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
My Lords, I spent 60 years closely involved with defence and intelligence with the United States. Does my noble friend the Minister agree that the strength of the relationship is so immense that we should never forget that, even when it comes to these other issues?
Lord Leong (Lab)
I thank my noble friend for that point—it is absolutely true. As I said, our relationship with the US has to be strong. We have so many partnership agreements, whether it is on defence, trade co-operation and so on, so we have to work with the incoming Administration, come what may.
Defending Democracy Taskforce
Lord West of Spithead Excerpts(2 weeks, 3 days ago)
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Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)
If the noble Lord will allow me, I cannot confess at this Dispatch Box to be an expert on current defamation laws, but I understand, potentially, where he is coming from on this issue. Let me just say that everybody is entitled to freedom of speech and to their view, but when lies and mistruths are portrayed by individuals, it is right and proper that individuals respond in a robust and effective fashion. That is what this Government intend to do in relation to any lies portrayed against individuals or members of the United Kingdom as a whole.
Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
My Lords, we expended a considerable amount of effort on reducing the caliphate and destroying Daesh or—as it prefers to be called—ISIL, but because of events in Syria we have to reassess where we stand. Have we done a reassessment of how we see ISIL? Do we think it will reform? What work is being done in that area?
Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)
I pay tribute to my noble friend’s experience in this area when he held the post in the previous Government. We will keep under examination the impact of the changes in Syria. We are doing that as a whole in terms of geopolitical responses and also in terms of individuals who are leaving Syria or staying in Syria. We need to make an assessment of that. It is very early days. We will continue to monitor that, and I will take on board the points that my noble friend mentioned.
Guns Manufactured by 3D Printers
Lord West of Spithead Excerpts(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)
In proposed legislation in the King’s Speech, the Government are looking at how we can tackle the whole issue of knife crime. Again, there is a range of options for potential action by government there, which will be outlined by the Government in the coming months. I will take what the noble Lord has said as another representation on that, but I hope the House will understand that knife crime is central to the Government’s plans for the reduction of crime and of young, innocent deaths.
It is also important that we reflect on matters that have been raised about the potential manifestation of different types of firearm. I have said that it is illegal currently, that we will reflect on legislation in the House of Commons and that there will be opportunities in legislation later this year, in this Session, to examine those matters accordingly. I hope that noble Lords can hear what I have said.
Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
My Lords, my noble friend the Minister will remember that, when we were in the Home Office, I put huge pressure on identifying and stopping the production of bullets, and bullets became the real focus—because without the bullets, of course, the guns are pretty useless. Could I add my concern that, if they start printing bullets, it will become rather different and we will need to look at this in a very different way, because that would be extremely serious?
Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)
How could I forget my years in the Home Office with my noble friend? We spent 2009-10 in the Home Office sharing opposite offices; it was a fascinating and enjoyable experience. My noble friend makes some very valid points. Again, I am in danger of repeating myself. The issues that the House is bringing to my attention about the potential manufacture of bullets, guns and hybrid guns are currently, potentially, covered by existing legislation. If they are not, we will review that in the light of Private Members’ Bills, discussions and representations. There are opportunities to continue that discussion further.