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Tag: 2021

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2021 Comments on the Hope Valley Line

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2021 Comments on the Hope Valley Line

    The comments made by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Rail Minister, on 11 March 2021.

    I am delighted to confirm £137 million for this scheme to remove bottlenecks on the Hope Valley line, transforming journeys between Sheffield and Manchester – 2 dynamic Northern Powerhouse cities.

    We are committed to levelling up infrastructure across the North, and these important upgrades will make a huge difference to passengers, providing the punctual, reliable services they deserve, as we build back better from COVID-19.

  • Matt Warman – 2021 Comments on the Shared Rural Network

    Matt Warman – 2021 Comments on the Shared Rural Network

    The comments made by Matt Warman, the Minister for Digital Infrastructure, on 11 March 2021.

    The Shared Rural Network is a key part of the government’s infrastructure revolution to level up and unlock new economic opportunities in every corner of the UK.

    Mobile firms are making great progress boosting 4G services in countryside communities as part of their side of this landmark agreement.

    With the publication of this notice, we shall now push on with making patchy or poor coverage a thing of the past as we build back better from the pandemic.

  • Dominic Raab – 2021 Statement in Norway

    Dominic Raab – 2021 Statement in Norway

    The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 11 March 2021.

    Ine thank you so much, it’s cold and snowy outside, certainly even for us Brits, but a very warm welcome. Thank you so much for your hospitality and I think above all for Norway’s friendship. We really value it and I believe we can do even more in the months and years ahead.

    As Ine said, I had a meeting with Minister Ulstein, we’re looking forward to the roundtable with Nordic Foreign Ministers later on this afternoon. Again, the different areas of collaboration I think are really exciting for us. We’ve obviously got a long-standing partnership across many areas, from the ‘force for good’ work we do within aid and development through to security collaboration.

    We are fellow NATO members. UK armed forces have trained in Norway with your brilliant troops for over 50 years. I think one of the most professional partnerships we have – certainly very prized on our side.

    We stand shoulder to shoulder with you in defending the North Atlantic and countering threats in the region. And now I think it’s fantastic having you on the security council – so many areas of common interest – but more importantly common values.

    Norway, the incredible contribution you are already making, whether it’s on climate change or the recent initiative we worked together on to allow COVID-19 vaccinations to take place in conflict zones, so having a ceasefire moment in conflict zones for that vaccination.

    Your lead on humanitarian issues in Syria is also I think laudable and something that we respect to learn from and also want to support. We are also building a new economic partnership. I think the negotiations on the new Free Trade Agreement with EEA EFTA members are going well.

    Of course, there are always issues we will haggle on but for us the political imperative of a win-win deal is extremely important. And of course it builds on the agreement we signed last year to make sure we’ve got full rights for UK citizens living in Norway, and also Norwegians living in the UK. Just to say that we think the contributions Norwegians make in the UK is brilliant, they are always welcome and always valued.

    So, as I said, our partnership is one of shared values, as champions of democracy, human rights and the international rule of law. We want to get the vaccine delivered obviously at home but also to the poorest and most vulnerable countries around the world.

    We are pursuing sustainable development, we want to bounce back economically from this terrible pandemic in a more sustainable and greener way. All areas where we’re working together and, of course, with the UK hosting the COP26, in wanting to switch the dial on climate change, we couldn’t have a better partner than our Norwegian friends in making sure that we are ambitious, that we are getting other countries locked into a deal which can really serve as a step forward.

    We are delighted to sign the memorandum of understanding on increased cooperation in the Polar Regions. Because after all we’re not just North Sea neighbours, we are also neighbours in the Antarctic. And, of course, the Polar Regions are the fastest warming places on the planet and that has implications for all of us because of the impact on sea levels.

    So I’m delighted today that we’ve committed to work on scientific research and also for advocating increased protections for the Arctic and the Southern Oceans which again Norway leads on and I know that your Prime Minister is really committed to as well.

    Above all, there’s a huge amount of interest for our citizens in all this collaboration, whether it’s on trade or security cooperation and I think the scope for Norway and the UK being an even stronger force for good in the world in the weeks, months and years ahead is enormous and I’m very optimistic that that relationship will go from strength to strength.

  • Dominic Raab – 2021 Statement on Libya’s Government of National Unity

    Dominic Raab – 2021 Statement on Libya’s Government of National Unity

    The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, in conjunction with the Governments of France, Germany, Italy and the United States, on 11 March 2021.

    France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America welcome the vote of confidence by the overwhelming majority of the members of the House of Representatives meeting in Sirte 8-10 March to endorse the cabinet chosen by Prime Minister-designate Abdulhamid Dabaiba for an interim Government of National Unity.

    We applaud the Libyan people for their determination to restore unity to their country. We commend all Libyan actors for constructively participating in and facilitating this vote by a body representing the voices of the Libyan people.

    This outcome is a fundamental step on the path towards the unification of Libyan institutions and a comprehensive political solution to a crisis that has tested Libya and its people. Through the Berlin Process, we will continue to support the Libyan people and the UN efforts jointly with our partners.

    We appreciate the statement issued by Prime Minister Sarraj welcoming the vote of the House of Representatives and expressing readiness to hand over power, and now call upon all current Libyan authorities and actors to show the same responsibility and ensure a smooth and constructive handover of all competences and duties to the interim Government of National Unity. The new interim executive authority will have the primary tasks of organizing free and fair Presidential and Parliamentary elections on 24 December 2021, followed by a transfer of authority to Libya’s democratically chosen leaders; fully implementing the 23 October 2020 ceasefire agreement; commencing a process of national reconciliation; and addressing the basic needs of the Libyan population.

    France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America welcome the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries from the area around Ghardabya airport, in order to allow members of the House of Representatives to safely participate in the parliamentary session in Sirte, and praise the work of the Joint Military Commission 5+5 to make this possible. It is important that such a development represent an irreversible step towards the full implementation of the 23 October 2020 ceasefire agreement, including the withdrawal of all foreign fighters and mercenaries from all of Libya.

    We express gratitude to the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Libya, Jan Kubiš, for their tireless efforts to stabilize Libya and ensure stability and prosperity to its people.

  • Dominic Raab – 2021 Statement on Houthi Attacks

    Dominic Raab – 2021 Statement on Houthi Attacks

    The joint statement issued by numerous Governments, including the United Kingdom, on 11 March 2021.

    We, the governments of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, condemn the sustained Houthi offensive on the Yemeni city of Ma’rib and the major escalation of attacks the Houthis have conducted and claimed against Saudi Arabia. Their determined attack on Ma’rib is worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis.

    Our renewed diplomatic efforts to end the Yemen conflict, in support of the UN Special Envoy, with the support of Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the international community, offer the best hope for ending this war. We urge the Houthis to seize this opportunity for peace and end the ongoing escalation.

    We reiterate our firm commitment to the security and integrity of Saudi territory, and to restoring stability and calm along the Saudi/Yemeni border. We reaffirm our strong support for a swift resolution of the Yemeni conflict, which will bring much-needed stability to the region and immediate benefit to the people of Yemen.

  • Ellen Murray – 2021 Resignation from LGBT Advisory Panel

    Ellen Murray – 2021 Resignation from LGBT Advisory Panel

    The letter of resignation written by Ellen Murray, a member of the Government’s LGBT Advisory Panel, on 11 March 2021.

    Dear Secretary of State,

    I write to you today to tender my resignation from the UK Government’s LGBT Advisory Panel with immediate effect. I do this with some sadness, but more with frustration at the government’s responses to calls to prohibit conversion therapy, its ongoing treatment of LGBT refugees and its participation in the worsening culture war on trans rights issues in the national press.

    Repeating the concerns of my colleagues who have also resigned, the government’s appallingly poor response to conversion therapy, the abandonment of trans people’s rights to healthcare and recognition before the law, and the continued persecution of refugees fall well below what LGBT people should expect from those claiming to represent us in public office.

    It has become a great surprise to me personally that I can now recognise the Northern Ireland government as more willing to meaningfully progress LGBT people’s rights than the UK Government, a change I did not see coming so soon.

    I fully support my colleagues Jayne Ozanne and James Morton and wish the remaining members of the Panel the best of luck. I urge you and your ministerial colleagues to take them seriously and to recognise their expertise.

    Yours sincerely,

    Ellen Murray

    CC Kemi Badenoch MP, Minister for Equalities

  • Andy McDonald – 2021 Comments on Employment Tribunals

    Andy McDonald – 2021 Comments on Employment Tribunals

    The comments made by Andy McDonald, the Shadow Employment Rights and Protections Secretary, on 11 March 2021.

    The Government’s failure to tackle the Employment Tribunal backlog has meant working people are waiting years for justice, leaving them unprotected at a time when they most need protections.

    With almost half a million outstanding claims, many workers could be deterred from making claims and will end up being denied the pay, annual leave and other rights they are entitled to.

    The Government must put forward a real plan to relieve this backlog without watering down rights in order to ensure that workers are not at the mercy of bad employers. Without rapid action, rights in the workplace will not be worth the paper they’re written on.

  • Jack Dromey – 2021 Comments on EU Import Checks Being Delayed

    Jack Dromey – 2021 Comments on EU Import Checks Being Delayed

    The comments made by Jack Dromey, the Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, on 11 March 2021.

    This chopping and changing of rules by the Government smacks of ill-preparedness and incompetence.

    They have had years to prepare for this but can’t stop missing their own deadlines. It is no wonder that the Trade Secretary herself has warned of chaos.

    The Government need to pull their sleeves up, listen to businesses who have been desperately coming forward with practical solutions, and get this sorted.

  • Ed Miliband – 2021 Comments on Cumbrian Coal Mine Plan

    Ed Miliband – 2021 Comments on Cumbrian Coal Mine Plan

    The comments made by Ed Miliband, the Shadow Business Secretary, on 11 March 2021.

    After months of pressure, Ministers have finally been forced to act.

    The truth is that this mine is terrible for our fight against climate change, won’t help our steel industry and won’t create secure jobs.

    The saga of this mine is a symptom of a government that isn’t serious about its climate ambitions and refuses to invest at scale in a green future to provide the jobs that workers have a right to expect.

    The Government must now block the mine and focus instead on real solutions to secure the long-term future of UK steel – and create low-carbon jobs in Cumbria and across the country with a proper green stimulus.

  • Caroline Nokes – 2021 Speech on International Women’s Day

    Caroline Nokes – 2021 Speech on International Women’s Day

    The speech made by Caroline Nokes, the Conservative MP for Romsey and Southampton North, in the House of Commons on 11 March 2021.

    It is a pleasure to follow the right hon. and learned Member for Camberwell and Peckham (Ms Harman), who does so much in this place to champion women.

    Last year in this debate, we were not learning how to run a Parliament remotely, and none of us had ever considered being able to contribute to a debate while admiring the cobwebs on our own light fittings. In the spirit of celebration, I am going to think of uplifting things to start with, such as the sheer fact that this centuries-old institution has learned to flex and change—to adapt to Zoom and remote voting.

    I thank the Chair of the Procedure Committee, my right hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire Moorlands (Karen Bradley), for having driven that agenda forward. We have seen more women contributing more often in Commons debates—more female voices in our Chamber, whether physically present or not—and that I celebrate. We have seen stunning contributions and campaigns from women right across the House and across Parliament, making desperately needed amendments and improvements to the Domestic Abuse Bill. We have seen women outside Parliament, such as Kate Bingham, who ran the vaccine taskforce determinedly, making sure that we got that roll-out.

    We have heard from the Secretary of State for International Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Norfolk (Elizabeth Truss), about her support for the normalisation of flexible working. That could mean so much to women, and I look forward to an employment Bill coming forward that champions that.

    But it is impossible for me to turn my contribution today into an unabashed celebration. It is not going brilliantly for all women—not here, not anywhere. The hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Jess Phillips) will speak later, and I know that she will have had to update that hideous, depressing list she is going to read out to add the name of Sarah Everard, so tragically killed while just walking home. Overnight, we saw an outpouring of stories from women about keys, headphones, clothes and sticking to lit streets. We all know the reality is you will probably not be attacked by a stranger, but the fear is there and the fear is real.

    On this International Women’s Day, let us champion all women—gay women, who do not need conversion therapy; trans women, who want to be treated with respect and fairness. Remember, they are the ones most likely to suffer domestic abuse.

    I wish to reference the work of the Women and Equalities Committee and its report on the gendered economic impact of covid. That was reinforced yesterday by the publication from the Office for National Statistics confirming that women have indeed suffered a greater economic impact from the pandemic—more likely to be furloughed than their male colleagues; more likely to be employed on a part-time contract and not entitled to statutory sick pay; less confident that they will not be made redundant.

    We no longer have to look at health policy in the round because of the announcement this week of the women’s health strategy and the call for evidence, but apparently we still have to look at economic policy in the round and cannot accept data from the ONS that women have been harder hit economically. We will not get a female employment strategy, and I do not celebrate that.