Russia

Debate between Lord Sharpe of Epsom and Lord Austin of Dudley

Tuesday 14th May 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-Afl)]

Could the Minister update us on what the Government are doing to secure the release of Vladimir Kara-Murza, a British citizen incarcerated by Putin on trumped-up charges?

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

I am afraid that I do not have information on that. I shall write to the noble Lord.

Policing of Marches and Demonstrations

Debate between Lord Sharpe of Epsom and Lord Austin of Dudley

Monday 13th November 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

I agree with the noble Lord. It is, as he knows, governed by a pretty rigorous protocol. I went into the details of that protocol last week, and I can do it again if anybody wants to hear it—I suspect they do not.

The previous Home Secretary is no longer in post, so debating what she did or did not say seems moot. As regards the new Home Secretary, I have not spoken to him and I do not know what he is thinking.

[Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, it is no surprise that we are seeing Nazi-level propaganda and incitement of terrorism on the streets of London when some of the organisations behind these marches have had connections with a Hamas leader who lives in the UK. What is being done to investigate the links between those organisations and proscribed terrorist groups?

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

I cannot answer that question, but I certainly hope the police are investigating.

Ukraine

Debate between Lord Sharpe of Epsom and Lord Austin of Dudley

Wednesday 2nd March 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

I thank the noble Viscount for his question. I hope he would agree that the Government have been very generous. The full communications will be available on the GOV.UK website. As we are not expecting people who are potentially living in difficult situations to be able to look this up on the internet, communications will be handed out at the visa application centres. Access to all this information will also be available via the helpline which I have already tried to describe.

I turn now to what will happen once the policy details are all in place. The visa application centres are currently processing under capacity, but capacity is being ramped up. Therefore, I am not in a position to say how many people might be processed in due course, because I suspect that the number will keep rising depending on circumstances.

[Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, I welcome the tougher stance which the Government are taking on sanctions since last week. However, would it not make things swifter and more straightforward to make it a legal requirement for law firms, accountants, financial services firms, businesses and others to provide information they have on the finances, assets and business activities of people or companies which are sanctioned?

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

I thank the noble Lord for his question. As I am sure all noble Lords have seen, a letter was received yesterday from the Home Office and from the Business Secretary talking about the forthcoming Bill which will go through the House of Commons next week and will be in your Lordships’ House in a couple of weeks. The noble Lord makes some very sensible suggestions. I do not know what the legal niceties would be, but I will certainly take those suggestions back.

Ukraine: Visa Restrictions for Refugees

Debate between Lord Sharpe of Epsom and Lord Austin of Dudley

Monday 28th February 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

It is not a simple yes or no question, as the noble Lord knows. There are safe and legal routes, as I have tried to explain, via the visa application centres and via the family reunion rules that have been announced.

[Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, I have listened carefully to the Minister’s answers, but last night the Prime Minister joined a mass at a Ukrainian church in London and said that thousands of refugees would benefit from the suspension of normal visa rules in the light of the humanitarian crisis developing in Ukraine. How does that square with the answers the Minister has given this afternoon?

[Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)]

I answered partially that question earlier, when I talked about the announcements that my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has made. I will not run through those again, but I think it does square with them. I appreciate the points the noble Lord was making.