Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 19 Mar 2026 Middle East
"My Lords, I thank the Minister for giving the House the opportunity to ask questions on this Statement. Before I say anything else, I thank the men and women of our Armed Forces who are serving in the region and who stand ready to support operations there, as well as …..." Earl of Courtown - View Speech
"My Lords, this Statement was delivered just one week ago and has already run into some serious difficulty. Reports in the press suggest that both the Health Secretary and the Education Secretary have made it clear that their departments will not provide some of the data required for the scheme. …..." Earl of Courtown - View Speech
"My Lords, we welcome the progress made by the Government on the recommendations of the Independent Water Commission. In particular, we welcome the proposed integrated regulator to replace Ofwat and combine functions of the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
"My Lords, I join other noble Lords in congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Alton of Liverpool, on securing this timely debate. In our increasingly unstable world, the incidence of atrocities has grown in recent years, as mentioned by all noble Lords. The noble Lord has long been an effective champion …..." Earl of Courtown - View Speech
"My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Bates on securing this important debate. He has once again made a powerful and deeply personal case for the positive impact of UK overseas development assistance, and for the leadership role that this country can and should play internationally. His account of …..." Earl of Courtown - View Speech
"My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Austin, for introducing this really interesting debate. He ranged into a whole lot of different areas and pinpointed some of the great pieces of trade between our two countries.
"My Lords, I thank the Minister for giving us the opportunity to ask questions on this Statement, which covered events in Iran, Gaza, Syria and Yemen, and the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah. That alone demonstrates the increasing instability we are facing globally. The Official Opposition are clear that the …..." Earl of Courtown - View Speech
"My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for saying that the position of the Muslim Brotherhood is under review by His Majesty’s Government. There is legitimate concern that this has led to networks and ideologies spreading to European countries, including our own. Are the Government confident they have a …..." Earl of Courtown - View Speech
"My Lords, there is little doubt across the House that the opportunity to live, study and work abroad can bring real benefits for young people. It enables them to experience different cultures, encounter new ways of thinking, build confidence and form relationships and friendships that can last a lifetime. Those …..." Earl of Courtown - View Speech
"My Lords, His Majesty’s Opposition echo calls for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai. Persecuted under the national security law, which is a breach of the 1984 Sino-British joint declaration, Lai’s verdict was made by politically appointed judges, and the trial was conducted without a jury.