Written Question
Wednesday 23rd July 2025
Asked by:
Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question
to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) the proposed requirement that trans people be excluded from (i) services and (ii) facilities that are designated single sex and (b) other proposals in the recent EHRC Draft Code of Practice to the Equality Act on the (A) financial and (B) operational readiness impacts of (1) his Department and (2) the armed forces.
Answered by Al Carns
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 July 2025 to Question 65333 to the hon. Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Dr Caroline Johnson).
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 22 Jul 2025
Music Streaming: Label-led Principles
"As co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on music, I commend the Minister on doing an excellent job of bringing record labels into these new provisions. The history of the music industry is sadly full of tales of exploitation, and the industry has proved notable for its intransigence. Protecting the …..."Alex Sobel - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 22 Jul 2025
Humanitarian Situation in Sudan
"As my hon. Friend knows, the issue of malnutrition for the Sudanese is not contained to Sudan. Many millions of displaced people are in neighbouring countries, and those countries are unfortunately also suffering from conflict, whether that is Uganda, South Sudan, Eritrea or Rwandan militias in the DRC. Do we …..."Alex Sobel - View Speech
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Written Question
Tuesday 22nd July 2025
Asked by:
Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question
to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025, whether her Department has undertaken an (a) equality and (b) impact assessment on the potential impact of its proposed changes to the qualifying period for settlement on (i) British Nationals (Overseas) visa holders and (ii) their family members.
Answered by Seema Malhotra
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.
We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details of the proposed scheme will be provided at that time. An assessment of equality and other impacts will be developed alongside any finalised policy.
We regularly engage with representatives of the Hong Kong diaspora in the UK on issues related to the BN(O) visa and will continue to do so.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 17 Jul 2025
Global Plastics Treaty
"I am delighted to see that my hon. Friend the Minister, with whom I served in the shadow Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs team for three years, will respond to the debate; I look forward to that.
With less than one month to go until the next round …..."Alex Sobel - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 17 Jul 2025
Ukraine
"I thank the Defence Secretary for his comprehensive statement. As a trade envoy, I was with the UK Government’s mission to last week’s Ukraine recovery conference in Rome, where two of the top asks for civilian recovery were improved air defence and de-mining, so I was very pleased to hear …..."Alex Sobel - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 17 Jul 2025
Strategy for Elections
"As the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for fair elections, I warmly welcome this policy paper. I think my hon. Friend the Minister and I were much more poorly equipped to vote when we were 18 than today’s 16-year-olds, so I warmly welcome that measure. I also welcome the …..."Alex Sobel - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 17 Jul 2025
Global Plastics Treaty
"Arrr!..."Alex Sobel - View Speech
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Written Question
Thursday 17th July 2025
Asked by:
Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question
to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help support migrants into work.
Answered by Seema Malhotra
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration and asylum system under regular review, and recently published a White Paper setting out the Government’s plans for reform in a wide range of areas, including employment opportunities for refugees, illegal working by asylum seekers, and exploitation and abuse of migrant workers.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 16 Jul 2025
Sudan
"What is happening in Sudan—in Darfur, in particular—is one of the world’s deepest and longest-running humanitarian crises. Unfortunately, we are seeing rising tensions and military action in neighbouring South Sudan, particularly in the Upper Nile region. The Ugandan army has recently entered South Sudan, and there is a real risk …..."Alex Sobel - View Speech
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