Covid-19 Update Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Lord Roberts of Llandudno
Main Page: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Roberts of Llandudno's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(3 years, 5 months ago)
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Lord Bethell (Con)
My Lords, the Secretary of State was there. I thought he presented the steps regulations extremely clearly and did a great job.
Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD) [V]
Can I ask the Minister what we have learned from the treating of this pandemic to help us face the future? We have learned very clearly how much countries depend upon one another. Our first vaccines came from Belgium. Can we make sure we do not build walls, but build bridges, as we look forward to the future?
Lord Bethell (Con)
My Lords, I am extremely touched by the noble Lord’s words, and I completely endorse his meaning. It was awful last year when we saw multilateralism and global co-operation fracture and decay. We had to look to our friends and resources within our own borders to answer the pandemic. That did not work and will not work. The noble Lord is absolutely right. From a pragmatic point of view, we depend upon global supply chains for the benefit of global science. From a personal and human point of view, we depend upon the solidarity of humankind to get us through these awful moments. I completely endorse the noble Lord’s point.