Lords debate on motion to call attention to the case for Britain to have a properly resourced and active diplomacy. Motion withdrawn.

Lords debate on motion to call attention to the case for Britain to have a properly resourced and active diplomacy. Motion withdrawn.

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to this excellent debate. I have served long enough in your Lordships' House to know that it is not my place at this moment to mention everyone who spoke. If I did, I would be way outside the limits. I...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to this excellent debate. I have served long enough in your Lordships' House to know that it is not my place at this moment to mention everyone who spoke. If I did, I would be way outside the limits. I...

Moved By To call attention to the case for Britain to have a properly resourced and active diplomacy; and to move for papers.

Moved By To call attention to the case for Britain to have a properly resourced and active diplomacy; and to move for papers.

My Lords, the timing of this debate on the case for Britain to have an active and well resourced diplomacy is fortunate, not just fortuitous. If we had been holding this debate in advance of the comprehensive spending review, it could easily have been dismissed as a piece of special...

My Lords, the timing of this debate on the case for Britain to have an active and well resourced diplomacy is fortunate, not just fortuitous. If we had been holding this debate in advance of the comprehensive spending review, it could easily have been dismissed as a piece of special...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for the Statement and for the regularity of Statements to come. Does he agree that the Statement said not one word about the regional dimension of the Afghan problem and that that dimension—the attitude of the neighbours of Afghanistan—will become increasingly important as we...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for the Statement and for the regularity of Statements to come. Does he agree that the Statement said not one word about the regional dimension of the Afghan problem and that that dimension—the attitude of the neighbours of Afghanistan—will become increasingly important as we...

My Lords, from time to time it is necessary to stand back from the rush of international developments, get away from a purely reactive response to events that are often outside our control, and try to take an overall look at this country’s foreign policy objectives and at the methods...

My Lords, from time to time it is necessary to stand back from the rush of international developments, get away from a purely reactive response to events that are often outside our control, and try to take an overall look at this country’s foreign policy objectives and at the methods...

My Lords, for many decades now, Britain has not been giving the priority that it should have done to its relations with the countries of Latin America. Diplomatic posts have been closed and thinned out, ministerial visits have been few and far between and at a junior level, and our...

My Lords, for many decades now, Britain has not been giving the priority that it should have done to its relations with the countries of Latin America. Diplomatic posts have been closed and thinned out, ministerial visits have been few and far between and at a junior level, and our...

My Lords, the former Prime Minister of China, Zhou Enlai, is recorded as having replied to a question about the consequences of the French revolution with the lapidary statement, ““Too soon to say””. One could well say the same of the direction and destination of the relationship between the EU...

My Lords, the former Prime Minister of China, Zhou Enlai, is recorded as having replied to a question about the consequences of the French revolution with the lapidary statement, ““Too soon to say””. One could well say the same of the direction and destination of the relationship between the EU...

My Lords, I begin by welcoming the new Government, and particularly the element of continuity represented by the presence of the noble Lord, Lord Howell of Guildford, as its principal spokesman in this House for international relations. He may have crossed the Floor literally if not in party political terms,...

My Lords, I begin by welcoming the new Government, and particularly the element of continuity represented by the presence of the noble Lord, Lord Howell of Guildford, as its principal spokesman in this House for international relations. He may have crossed the Floor literally if not in party political terms,...

My Lords, it is high time that this House had the opportunity to debate the state of the Middle East peace process—not, alas, because the situation is developing so fast, but because it is not moving ahead at all and simply goes round in circles. That form of stasis has...

My Lords, it is high time that this House had the opportunity to debate the state of the Middle East peace process—not, alas, because the situation is developing so fast, but because it is not moving ahead at all and simply goes round in circles. That form of stasis has...

I did not raise boycotts or sanctions. I said that we should take political and diplomatic action. I think the noble Baroness is coming on to that point. I want to be clear that I do not believe in threatening sanctions that we will not apply. We have to bring...

I did not raise boycotts or sanctions. I said that we should take political and diplomatic action. I think the noble Baroness is coming on to that point. I want to be clear that I do not believe in threatening sanctions that we will not apply. We have to bring...

I am delighted that the noble Lord says that they are like others; the noble Lord who leads his party has often suggested that drawing a pension from the European Union makes you different from others. I will treasure that remark. I hope that they will have a successful influence...

I am delighted that the noble Lord says that they are like others; the noble Lord who leads his party has often suggested that drawing a pension from the European Union makes you different from others. I will treasure that remark. I hope that they will have a successful influence...

My Lords, I shall intervene briefly in this debate on what might at first seem a rather dry and process-driven report, because it covers matters of considerable underlying importance for this House’s scrutiny of draft EU legislation. The entry into force at the beginning of last month of the Lisbon...

My Lords, I shall intervene briefly in this debate on what might at first seem a rather dry and process-driven report, because it covers matters of considerable underlying importance for this House’s scrutiny of draft EU legislation. The entry into force at the beginning of last month of the Lisbon...

I suggest that this is fairly simple, and that the Minister might, with the Minister for Europe, come to the simple conclusion that if the overriding rule is that the EU Select Committee and its sub-committees are informed of any document or any development that has policy implications, presumably that...

I suggest that this is fairly simple, and that the Minister might, with the Minister for Europe, come to the simple conclusion that if the overriding rule is that the EU Select Committee and its sub-committees are informed of any document or any development that has policy implications, presumably that...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to this valuable and timely debate. I can assure the noble Lord, Lord Patten, that as an almost-lifetime non-smoker I do not intend to start inhaling. This debate, in which two former Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to this valuable and timely debate. I can assure the noble Lord, Lord Patten, that as an almost-lifetime non-smoker I do not intend to start inhaling. This debate, in which two former Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,...

My Lords, of all the threats and challenges that face the international community at the beginning of the 21st century, none exceeds in risk and urgency the interlinked threats from nuclear weapons and from the fraying of the regime that prevents their further spread beyond the current eight or perhaps...

My Lords, of all the threats and challenges that face the international community at the beginning of the 21st century, none exceeds in risk and urgency the interlinked threats from nuclear weapons and from the fraying of the regime that prevents their further spread beyond the current eight or perhaps...

Moved By To call attention to the prospects for multilateral nuclear disarmament and for strengthening nuclear non-proliferation; and to move for papers.

Moved By To call attention to the prospects for multilateral nuclear disarmament and for strengthening nuclear non-proliferation; and to move for papers.

Lords debate on motion to call attention to the prospects for multilateral nuclear disarmament and for strengthening nuclear non-proliferation. Motion withdrawn.

Lords debate on motion to call attention to the prospects for multilateral nuclear disarmament and for strengthening nuclear non-proliferation. Motion withdrawn.

My Lords, I share the views expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Howell, on interoperability and I go along with everything he said. It seems clear to all of us who followed the convention process that if we had stuck in the UN route which required unanimity, we would not...

My Lords, I share the views expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Howell, on interoperability and I go along with everything he said. It seems clear to all of us who followed the convention process that if we had stuck in the UN route which required unanimity, we would not...

My Lords, very briefly, I am most grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Howell, for having raised a point which I introduced at Second Reading. I thought that the Minister’s response at Second Reading was helpful but what I am really seeking is a statement—as on the record as possible,...

My Lords, very briefly, I am most grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Howell, for having raised a point which I introduced at Second Reading. I thought that the Minister’s response at Second Reading was helpful but what I am really seeking is a statement—as on the record as possible,...