Motion to take note of European Union Document No. 7268/13 and Addendum, a Commission Communication: Smart Regulation-Responding to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. Agreed to on question.

Motion to take note of European Union Document No. 7268/13 and Addendum, a Commission Communication: Smart Regulation-Responding to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. Agreed to on question.

(2) what assessment has been made of any hazardous substance contamination of land in Germany by UK forces; and what estimate his Department has made of the cost of remedying any such contaminations;

[148112]

Mr Kevan Jones:

(2) what assessment has been made of any hazardous substance contamination of land in Germany by UK forces; and what estimate his Department has made of the cost of remedying any such contaminations;

[148112]

Mr Kevan Jones:

(3) what restorative or balancing measures his Department has undertaken to avoid any environmental burden arising from the presence by UK military bases in Germany.

[148113]

Mr Kevan Jones:

(3) what restorative or balancing measures his Department has undertaken to avoid any environmental burden arising from the presence by UK military bases in Germany.

[148113]

Mr Kevan Jones:

Lords debate on motion to take note of the report of the European Union Committee on Turning the Tide on Piracy, Building Somalia's future: Follow-up report on the EU's Operation Atalanta and beyond. (HL 43 2012-13). Agreed to on question.

Lords debate on motion to take note of the report of the European Union Committee on Turning the Tide on Piracy, Building Somalia's future: Follow-up report on the EU's Operation Atalanta and beyond. (HL 43 2012-13). Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I begin by acknowledging the quality of the contributions to this debate. Noble Lords have demonstrated a keen and impressive grasp of this very complicated issue. I praise in particular the excellent work of my noble friend Lord Teverson and the other committee members in compiling the report...

My Lords, I begin by acknowledging the quality of the contributions to this debate. Noble Lords have demonstrated a keen and impressive grasp of this very complicated issue. I praise in particular the excellent work of my noble friend Lord Teverson and the other committee members in compiling the report...

My Lords, I joined Sub-Committee C, on external affairs, just in time to see the Turning the Tide report through to its conclusion, although I missed direct involvement in the original inquiry that preceded it. This was my first inquiry with Sub-Committee C and, along with other noble Lords, I...

My Lords, I joined Sub-Committee C, on external affairs, just in time to see the Turning the Tide report through to its conclusion, although I missed direct involvement in the original inquiry that preceded it. This was my first inquiry with Sub-Committee C and, along with other noble Lords, I...

On that point, do the Government believe that it is a satisfactory situation that these payments are not illegal?

On that point, do the Government believe that it is a satisfactory situation that these payments are not illegal?

My Lords, we have a bucket filling up with water and this debate is all about turning the tide. I do not know whether it will also solve the leak problems here in Grand Committee.

It is not often that a committee looks at a subject comprehensively, as we did in...

My Lords, we have a bucket filling up with water and this debate is all about turning the tide. I do not know whether it will also solve the leak problems here in Grand Committee.

It is not often that a committee looks at a subject comprehensively, as we did in...

My Lords, I want to begin with a complaint. I find it absolutely intolerable that a committee such as ours sits for a number of weeks or months, takes evidence and brings a lot of people kindly to give evidence before us; we produce a report in August; the Government...

My Lords, I want to begin with a complaint. I find it absolutely intolerable that a committee such as ours sits for a number of weeks or months, takes evidence and brings a lot of people kindly to give evidence before us; we produce a report in August; the Government...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Jopling, and I think I agree with everything that he said on this subject. I learnt from him—no doubt there is something wrong with the way that I get information on these kind of incidents but I had...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Jopling, and I think I agree with everything that he said on this subject. I learnt from him—no doubt there is something wrong with the way that I get information on these kind of incidents but I had...

My Lords, I, too, greatly welcome the opportunity to discuss this report by Sub-Committee C. As I am about to be rotated—perhaps in this context I should say helicoptered—off the committee, perhaps I may also pay tribute to the stewardship of the committee by the noble Lord, Lord Teverson. I...

My Lords, I, too, greatly welcome the opportunity to discuss this report by Sub-Committee C. As I am about to be rotated—perhaps in this context I should say helicoptered—off the committee, perhaps I may also pay tribute to the stewardship of the committee by the noble Lord, Lord Teverson. I...

I agree very much with what the noble Lord, Lord Jay, has just said. I would like to congratulate the chairman, my colleagues and the staff on what is an excellent report. It is a tribute to the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and I would like to...

I agree very much with what the noble Lord, Lord Jay, has just said. I would like to congratulate the chairman, my colleagues and the staff on what is an excellent report. It is a tribute to the chairmanship of the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and I would like to...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and the sub-committee on the report. I missed the debate of the noble Lord, Lord Luce, last year, so this is a valuable opportunity for me not just to speak today but to inform myself on an important area of foreign...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and the sub-committee on the report. I missed the debate of the noble Lord, Lord Luce, last year, so this is a valuable opportunity for me not just to speak today but to inform myself on an important area of foreign...

My Lords, I add my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and the European Union Committee for the report that we are considering today, which is a follow-up to the 2010 report on the European Union’s naval operation Atalanta. The noble Lord, Lord Teverson, gave us a comprehensive introduction...

My Lords, I add my thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, and the European Union Committee for the report that we are considering today, which is a follow-up to the 2010 report on the European Union’s naval operation Atalanta. The noble Lord, Lord Teverson, gave us a comprehensive introduction...

We agree with the noble Lord that it is not a satisfactory situation.

The noble Lord, Lord Jay, asked whether the United Kingdom continued to strengthen the African Union in Somalia. Support through the EU training mission will continue. The UK continues to support AMISOM in Mogadishu, which is the military...

We agree with the noble Lord that it is not a satisfactory situation.

The noble Lord, Lord Jay, asked whether the United Kingdom continued to strengthen the African Union in Somalia. Support through the EU training mission will continue. The UK continues to support AMISOM in Mogadishu, which is the military...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for his response and particularly for the good news—I am delighted to be corrected—that we are down to two vessels and 60 hostages. That has to be very good news for the families and the people who are involved. I hope...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for his response and particularly for the good news—I am delighted to be corrected—that we are down to two vessels and 60 hostages. That has to be very good news for the families and the people who are involved. I hope...

My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have taken an interest in this debate and I want to express my thanks to Julian

Elderfield, a master’s student at the London School of Economics last year, who has prepared for me some very interesting notes on this topic....

My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have taken an interest in this debate and I want to express my thanks to Julian

Elderfield, a master’s student at the London School of Economics last year, who has prepared for me some very interesting notes on this topic....

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Harris of Haringey, for initiating this extremely important debate and being kind enough to let me have sight of that excellent research paper from Mr Julian Elderfield. Without that, I would not have been able to speak in this debate such is...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Harris of Haringey, for initiating this extremely important debate and being kind enough to let me have sight of that excellent research paper from Mr Julian Elderfield. Without that, I would not have been able to speak in this debate such is...