Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Oliver Heald and Desmond Swayne

Tuesday 25th April 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir Oliver Heald]

As the hon. Lady will know, I cannot make any announcements today because of purdah, but what I can say is that, as I explained in giving evidence to two Select Committees, it is not our intention to have any gaps in our human rights protections.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Why is it reasonable to expect our justices to be any less creative than European ones?

[Sir Oliver Heald]

We do want a British jurisprudence, and that is what we will have following Brexit. Human rights were not invented with the Human Rights Act; this country has been a leading pioneer in human rights since its first gasps of breath as a nation, so there is no reason for us to think that we will not continue to express our values.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Oliver Heald and Desmond Swayne

Tuesday 7th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Indeed, Mr Speaker. The successful proportion would not matter nearly so much if the Minister could arrange for those appeals to happen a hell of a lot quicker, and if he can fix it in Inverclyde—well, I need not spell it out, Mr Speaker.

[Sir Oliver Heald]

My right hon. Friend makes the important point that justice delayed is justice denied, and it is important that cases are brought on quickly. We monitor them very carefully and provide extra days to tribunals as required, so he can be assured that we are not complacent about this.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Oliver Heald and Desmond Swayne

Wednesday 3rd February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Swayne]

As I said to my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Mrs Grant), the undermining of our ability to deliver aid is a consequence of warfare. That warfare arises because of the violent removal of the lawful Government of Yemen, not because we have sold arms to the Saudis.

[Sir Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire) (Con)]

5. What steps she is taking to promote female economic empowerment in the poorest countries.

International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill

Debate between Oliver Heald and Desmond Swayne

Friday 12th September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Swayne]

I agree with my right hon. Friend.

Let me turn now to the question of how much we should spend. Should it be 0.7%? Should it be less, or more?

[Sir Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire) (Con)]

Does the Minister agree that saving a child’s life by vaccinating that child is not really about welfare dependency but about saving a life? I personally would not want this country to do any less than it is doing. I think that we are vaccinating a child every two seconds at the moment.

[Mr Swayne]

I agree with my hon. and learned Friend. I do not believe that any of our expenditure in that line creates dependency; it is designed to reduce dependency.

There are all sorts of arguments to be had about whether the figure should be 0.7%, and a long debate might be had on that basis. Indeed, we might be having one today. All I can say is that, as an elected politician, I feel that I am bound by the commitments I have made. I made a commitment to 0.7% at the last general election, and I intend to stick with it. That is the Government’s policy.