Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues

Debate between Baroness Winterton of Doncaster and Lord Callanan

Tuesday 20th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for her question and her long-standing campaigning on this issue. I know how deeply she feels about it. The special envoy has already been looking at some of the issues she has raised, but I will have further discussions with him about her point on the Council of Europe. Obviously, there are parliamentary delegations to that, so she may wish to raise it with representatives from this House who are on the Council of Europe too.

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

My Lords, building on the point made by the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, and my noble friend Lord Pickles, many Jewish families have not been reunited with their property looted by the Nazis and the special envoy, as has been said, has a responsibility to support restitution. Could the Minister say what estimate the Government have made of the number of British families who have not been reunited with property stolen by the Nazis and when the special envoy last met the independent Spoliation Advisory Panel?

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I do not have the figure on the number of British families to hand, but I will certainly see what I can find out and write to the noble Lord. I did not quite hear the body that he named, but I will ensure that the special envoy is aware of the point he has raised and, if it would be helpful, arrange a briefing for him with regard to that international body.

Falkland Islands

Debate between Baroness Winterton of Doncaster and Lord Callanan

Monday 7th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

To ask His Majesty’s Government, what recent discussions they have had, if any, with (1) the Government of Argentina and (2) the Government of the United States pertaining to the future of the Falkland Islands; and what steps they are taking to ensure the security of those islands.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Winterton of Doncaster) (Lab)]

My Lords, the UK remains steadfast in its support for the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination. This is not the first time Argentina has made economic threats against the Falklands. These threats have not prevented the community’s remarkable economic development, and we have made clear to Argentina that the measures announced by President Milei will not change the UK’s unwavering commitment to the islands. The US is our closest ally. It can have no doubt about our unwavering support for the islanders.

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I thank the noble Baroness for her reply and, indeed, welcome her to the Dispatch Box and her new job. I look forward to many happy exchanges with her in the future.

The Falkland Islands are British. We fought to defend them in 1982 and there should be no doubt of our national resolve. Argentina’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric in respect of the Falkland Islands has no doubt been emboldened by news that the United States is reviewing its position on British sovereignty and, of course, by this Government’s restated policy of handing over another UK overseas territory, the Chagos Islands, to Mauritius. They have been emboldened by our weakness.

Can the Minister reassure us that the Government are preparing for all eventualities, including military scenarios, and can she confirm that they could provide a real deterrent to Argentina by ditching their failed policy of handing over the Chagos Islands?

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his kind welcome, and I remember our CPA trip to Singapore and Malaysia.