Iran: Protests
Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Lord Hamilton of Epsom
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
That must be an incredibly difficult situation to be in. Communications are limited at best or non-existent, and the support that our team in Tehran is able to provide is incredibly limited. I can only imagine the concern, worry and heartache currently being felt by those with people who they love and care for in Iran.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy, has stated that the Iranians do not want outside interference to achieve regime change, but, without outside interference, how will the regime be changed?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
We are mindful of how we express our views, because of the reasons that I think are implied by the noble Lord’s question: the regime in Iran attempts to suggest that those who, of their own free will, take to the streets to protest are somehow foreign interference or meddling by external powers. They are clearly not. These are people who feel so strongly and who, at great risk and sometimes at the cost of their lives, are taking to the streets to call for the freedom that we so wish they could enjoy.
Greenland
Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Lord Hamilton of Epsom
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I have explained to the noble Lord the issue of the right to self-determination countless times, and I refer the noble Lord to my previous seven or eight answers.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, is it not time that the Royal Marines and other European allies moved their Arctic training from Norway to Greenland?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
Having visited the training facilities in Norway, I think that they are first class. Operational decisions, such as the one that the noble Lord has put to me, are not things that I will be commenting on or giving opinions on today.
Venezuela
Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Lord Hamilton of Epsom
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I am not able to comment on the capital of Greenland, but I can confirm that our relationships with relevant parties in Venezuela have been led most impressively by our small team in Caracas. It is the only team of any Five Eyes country that has maintained its presence there in recent years. I think that was the right decision and that those relationships will prove beneficial, as the very difficult and precarious nature of the transition now to a legitimate Government in Venezuela takes place.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)
Can the Minister confirm that the British Government did not recognise the presidency of Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela and that, if it were not for the American action, he would still be there, brutalising his people and debauching the economy of a potentially very rich country?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I think that, from a factual perspective, that is indeed correct.
COP 29: United Kingdom Delegation
Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Lord Hamilton of Epsom(1 year, 1 month ago)
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I agree with my noble friend. We need to be serious about this, because the threat of climate change is real and it is driving a loss of resource and of water, it is driving competition for land, it is causing the displacement of people and it is incredibly expensive to deal with. There is a massive opportunity for growth based on climate investment for the UK, which is an opportunity that, as my noble friend said, I am proud is being led by the Prime Minister. I reflect today, on the day that we have learned of the sad death of our friend Lord Prescott, on the work that he did, before many people caught up with him, to lead on this issue. I am proud of what he did, and I am glad that we are able to follow and honour his legacy.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, if the Minister cannot estimate the cost of the trip to Baku, can she perhaps give us an estimate of the CO2 emissions that emerged from all the aircraft flights to Baku and back again?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
My Lords, these matters are hugely significant for the future of the world. Yes, it would be wonderful if we could reach agreement on really difficult issues—where the UK, I am proud to say, plays a leading role—by circulating an email or on WhatsApp. Sadly, we cannot do that; we need to meet face to face and we need to hammer these things out. The cost of this and the CO2 that may be included in gathering together to make these decisions and to provide that leadership pales into insignificance compared with the benefits to the climate of being able to reach agreements together. I just encourage noble Lords to perhaps raise their sights ever so slightly to look to the longer term.
Ukraine: North Korean Troops
Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Lord Hamilton of Epsom(1 year, 2 months ago)
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
The noble Lord is right: this is an important contribution that we make and will continue to make. It sits alongside measures announced yesterday—the £2.6 billion additional funding for Ukraine, to be supported by interest on seized Russian assets, alongside the £3 billion per year that the UK has committed to for as long as Ukraine needs it.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, the Minister said in her initial Answer that she thought that the deployment of North Korean troops would prolong the war. When does she think this war is going to end, with or without the North Koreans?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
My Lords, I only wish I had the answer to that. All I can say is that the way this war ends and the circumstances in which it concludes must be and can only be the decision of the people of Ukraine.
Ukraine: Military Support
Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Lord Hamilton of Epsom(1 year, 4 months ago)
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
My Lords, our troops will receive all the training they need. We are generally very satisfied with the NAO report—it is very good and worth reading in full, as I know the noble Lord will. I assure him that our troops will get everything they need to ensure that they are trained for whatever they may need to do.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, the right reverend Prelate referred to the delivery of long-range weapons from Iran. Surely, this is the moment to remove the restrictions on the Storm Shadow missile and allow the Ukrainians to use it on Russian soil. It was rumoured in the papers yesterday that this has been agreed. Can the Minister confirm that we will go ahead and allow the Ukrainians to do that?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
As I said last week, the situation has not changed. The noble Lord will understand that we are having close conversations with the Ukrainians about their needs and objectives and how we might support them in achieving those. He will also note that Prime Minister Starmer is meeting President Biden on Friday, and I am sure the issues around Ukraine will be raised at that meeting.
Ukraine
Debate between Baroness Chapman of Darlington and Lord Hamilton of Epsom(1 year, 4 months ago)
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
The noble Lord is correct to raise the issue of the shadow fleet. The UK has so far sanctioned 15 ships of the Russian shadow fleet, which is enabling Russia to evade international sanctions, as the noble Lord knows. In the margins of the European Political Community summit, 44 countries and the EU signed our call to action to tackle this specific issue.
Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, following the question of my noble friend Lord Forsyth, the Government have risked the wrath of the United States by restricting sales of arms to Israel; why do they not risk the wrath of the United States by allowing Storm Shadow to be used on Russian soil in the conflict with Russia?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I am afraid the noble Lord is wrong about the wrath of the United States and the characterisation he has just relayed. In fairness, some of what I have seen reported in some elements of the media is not correct and that is not the nature of the discussions that the UK has had with the United States on this issue or the other issue he raised.