All 1 Debates between Ben Bradshaw and Christopher Pincher

Intelligence and Security Committee Report on Russia

Debate between Ben Bradshaw and Christopher Pincher
Tuesday 5th November 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Christopher Pincher Portrait Christopher Pincher
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I am always interested to hear the ideas and read the reports of my hon. Friend. I would certainly be interested to see the work that parliamentary draftsmen may have to undertake in defining a foreign agent. Foreign agents tend to keep themselves rather quiet, it seems to me, so identifying them may be a challenge; but I am always interested to see what my hon. Friend has to offer. If we are both re-elected—and I wish him well in that enterprise—then of course, on the other side, we will talk.

Ben Bradshaw Portrait Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)
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Welcome, Mr Speaker.

Given the gaps and inaccuracies in his account of the three years that he spent in Russia, why was Dominic Cummings inexplicably granted the highest developed vetting status, yet is routinely denied access to secret intelligence? What damage is this unprecedented arrangement doing to our vital security arrangements with our Five Eyes partners?

Christopher Pincher Portrait Christopher Pincher
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I am not going to comment on individual public servants. All I would say is that in asking the question that he asks, the right hon. Gentleman appears to be less a Member of Parliament than a walk-on member of a show like “24”.