My Lords, is the Minister aware that only 17% of the 4.4 million self-employed people in this country are actively saving? Is this of grave concern to her? What are the Government going to do about it?

My Lords, is the Minister aware that only 17% of the 4.4 million self-employed people in this country are actively saving? Is this of grave concern to her? What are the Government going to do about it?

My Lords, following on from the question from my noble friend Lord Markham, will the new EU CADA rules block out UK-based infrastructure and cloud service providers?

My Lords, following on from the question from my noble friend Lord Markham, will the new EU CADA rules block out UK-based infrastructure and cloud service providers?

My Lords, further to the question from the noble Baroness, Lady Pitkeathley, about charities, I declare an interest because I am involved with a number of autistic charities in my old constituency in King’s Lynn and across Norfolk. Is the Minister aware that one of the biggest challenges is when these children who are on the autistic spectrum come out of college and try to find their way into further training or jobs? Can she comment specifically on what the Government are doing to help that transition?

My Lords, further to the question from the noble Baroness, Lady Pitkeathley, about charities, I declare an interest because I am involved with a number of autistic charities in my old constituency in King’s Lynn and across Norfolk. Is the Minister aware that one of the biggest challenges is when these children who are on the autistic spectrum come out of college and try to find their way into further training or jobs? Can she comment specifically on what the Government are doing to help that transition?

My Lords, can the Minister say something about New START, the treaty which was the last remaining bilateral arms control agreement between the US and Russia, which has expired? What is the future of that treaty? I know that is a slightly separate issue, but it is related.

My Lords, can the Minister say something about New START, the treaty which was the last remaining bilateral arms control agreement between the US and Russia, which has expired? What is the future of that treaty? I know that is a slightly separate issue, but it is related.

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that 14 major hospitals have either been destroyed or very seriously damaged, and it will take a long time for them to be repaired. In the meantime, there is obviously a crucial need for tented hospitals. In this respect, it is obviously good news that the UK Emergency Medical Team, UK EMT, has deployed a team to set up one such hospital, but there is a need for much more to be done. Furthermore, is the Minister aware that Venezuela already suffered from a chronic shortage of qualified anaesthetists and orthopaedic surgeons? Are these two areas where the UK could provide more focus?

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that 14 major hospitals have either been destroyed or very seriously damaged, and it will take a long time for them to be repaired. In the meantime, there is obviously a crucial need for tented hospitals. In this respect, it is obviously good news that the UK Emergency Medical Team, UK EMT, has deployed a team to set up one such hospital, but there is a need for much more to be done. Furthermore, is the Minister aware that Venezuela already suffered from a chronic shortage of qualified anaesthetists and orthopaedic surgeons? Are these two areas where the UK could provide more focus?

I strongly support what the Government are trying to do here. The Minister will be aware of my long-standing interest in Sudan, and I agree with what he said. There are many Sudanese students who have contributed a great deal to our society and, every time I go to Sudan, I meet many people who have been to our universities and are now in positions of considerable authority in Sudan. If students come here on the safe refugee route, the key point is that they should be returned to their home country if that country then enters a period of stability at the end of their course.

I strongly support what the Government are trying to do here. The Minister will be aware of my long-standing interest in Sudan, and I agree with what he said. There are many Sudanese students who have contributed a great deal to our society and, every time I go to Sudan, I meet many people who have been to our universities and are now in positions of considerable authority in Sudan. If students come here on the safe refugee route, the key point is that they should be returned to their home country if that country then enters a period of stability at the end of their course.

To ask His Majesty’s Government when the Attorney General is next expected to meet his NATO counterparts to discuss the application of international law to current military conflicts; and whether the House will be informed of the outcome of those discussions.

To ask His Majesty’s Government when the Attorney General is next expected to meet his NATO counterparts to discuss the application of international law to current military conflicts; and whether the House will be informed of the outcome of those discussions.

I am grateful to the Attorney-General for that reply. I have the greatest respect for his legal prowess. He has reached the pinnacle of his profession, and I admire him enormously. Incidentally, I do not have a problem with his past involvement in cases against the Government and veterans, because barristers have to adhere to the cab-rank rule. He did exactly that, and I respect him for it. However—this is relevant to my substantive question—I do have a

problem with some emails he sent to instructing solicitors, including one in which he said that human rights lawyers deserve more respect in society than serving soldiers. Does he understand why our veterans, who deserve our support and gratitude, were so insulted? I hope he keeps his job in government. If he does, will he make every effort to support our veterans, whether they be from Iraq, Afghanistan or Northern Ireland? What will he be doing to support them?

I am grateful to the Attorney-General for that reply. I have the greatest respect for his legal prowess. He has reached the pinnacle of his profession, and I admire him enormously. Incidentally, I do not have a problem with his past involvement in cases against the Government and veterans, because barristers have to adhere to the cab-rank rule. He did exactly that, and I respect him for it. However—this is relevant to my substantive question—I do have a

problem with some emails he sent to instructing solicitors, including one in which he said that human rights lawyers deserve more respect in society than serving soldiers. Does he understand why our veterans, who deserve our support and gratitude, were so insulted? I hope he keeps his job in government. If he does, will he make every effort to support our veterans, whether they be from Iraq, Afghanistan or Northern Ireland? What will he be doing to support them?

Further to that question, surely the fact that 12 negotiating sessions went on shows that the last Government did not reach a deal because they could not. The Chagos Archipelago contains not one of the world’s most vital reef wildernesses but the world’s most vital reef wilderness. The question is: who is best placed to manage it? Ten prominent marine biologists have said that they do not trust that incredible wilderness in the hands of Mauritius, so surely the time has now come for the Government to abandon this discredited treaty.

Further to that question, surely the fact that 12 negotiating sessions went on shows that the last Government did not reach a deal because they could not. The Chagos Archipelago contains not one of the world’s most vital reef wildernesses but the world’s most vital reef wilderness. The question is: who is best placed to manage it? Ten prominent marine biologists have said that they do not trust that incredible wilderness in the hands of Mauritius, so surely the time has now come for the Government to abandon this discredited treaty.

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Barber, mentioned the Employment Rights Act. The Minister will be aware that every single employer organisation, from the CBI through to the Federation of Small Businesses, has predicted that not only will it destroy growth and damage jobs but lead to a very large spike in tribunal cases. Can the Minister tell the House specifically about her department’s impact assessment for the Act and what it says about the increase in tribunal cases?

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Barber, mentioned the Employment Rights Act. The Minister will be aware that every single employer organisation, from the CBI through to the Federation of Small Businesses, has predicted that not only will it destroy growth and damage jobs but lead to a very large spike in tribunal cases. Can the Minister tell the House specifically about her department’s impact assessment for the Act and what it says about the increase in tribunal cases?

My Lords, the Minister in her substantive reply mentioned Sudan. She will be aware that, during this appalling conflict, rape is being used habitually as a weapon of war, and quite atrociously also against minors. This constitutes among the most significant crimes against humanity: war crimes. Can she assure the House that everything possible is being done to identify those culprits, so that when peace eventually comes to that troubled nation, those people will face justice?

My Lords, the Minister in her substantive reply mentioned Sudan. She will be aware that, during this appalling conflict, rape is being used habitually as a weapon of war, and quite atrociously also against minors. This constitutes among the most significant crimes against humanity: war crimes. Can she assure the House that everything possible is being done to identify those culprits, so that when peace eventually comes to that troubled nation, those people will face justice?

My Lords, I strongly support what the noble Lord, Lord Cromwell, said earlier, and I declare my interests in the register. Is the Minister aware of the Hares Preservation Act 1892, which specifically forbids the sale of hares during the notional hare breeding season, 1 March to the end of July? Is that Act working and is it being enforced?

My Lords, I strongly support what the noble Lord, Lord Cromwell, said earlier, and I declare my interests in the register. Is the Minister aware of the Hares Preservation Act 1892, which specifically forbids the sale of hares during the notional hare breeding season, 1 March to the end of July? Is that Act working and is it being enforced?

My Lords, I declare an interest as someone who has had two bad experiences with banks recently. The first was in a personal capacity when ringing the Barclays call centre. No one would give their name or number, and so they lost the business: it was frustrating. The other experience was as chairman of an SME, which was going through its KYC for the directors. We had to go through Revolut’s automated bots and software, and it cost the company a vast amount of money. No real person would talk to us; five or six emails were never replied to. That too was a bad experience. What more can the Minister do to persuade these banks to take small businesses more seriously?

My Lords, I declare an interest as someone who has had two bad experiences with banks recently. The first was in a personal capacity when ringing the Barclays call centre. No one would give their name or number, and so they lost the business: it was frustrating. The other experience was as chairman of an SME, which was going through its KYC for the directors. We had to go through Revolut’s automated bots and software, and it cost the company a vast amount of money. No real person would talk to us; five or six emails were never replied to. That too was a bad experience. What more can the Minister do to persuade these banks to take small businesses more seriously?

My Lords, the new Norfolk and Suffolk ICB was officially launched on 1 April this year, formed by merging the Norfolk and Waveney ICB with Suffolk. The Minister stated at the time that the streamlining process would reduce running costs by 50%. Can she give a timeline for these savings? Will those figures will be impacted by the inevitable cost of the restructuring?

My Lords, the new Norfolk and Suffolk ICB was officially launched on 1 April this year, formed by merging the Norfolk and Waveney ICB with Suffolk. The Minister stated at the time that the streamlining process would reduce running costs by 50%. Can she give a timeline for these savings? Will those figures will be impacted by the inevitable cost of the restructuring?

My Lords, I certainly welcome the legislation that is proposed, plus the Minister’s own personal commitment to this, because the use of

these proxies, behind which countries such as Iran are obviously hiding, is doing untold harm. It is not just the IRGC but the Iranian-linked Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which claims credit and responsibility for some of the recent antisemitic attacks. Will it also be included in the legislation?

My Lords, I certainly welcome the legislation that is proposed, plus the Minister’s own personal commitment to this, because the use of

these proxies, behind which countries such as Iran are obviously hiding, is doing untold harm. It is not just the IRGC but the Iranian-linked Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which claims credit and responsibility for some of the recent antisemitic attacks. Will it also be included in the legislation?

My Lords, further to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Effingham, it is not just a question of residents not wanting to go to hospitals because of fear of them collapsing. Many hospitals have been badly damaged, so people are being treated, as my noble friend said, in makeshift facilities. Can I push the Minister a bit further? We have a lot of expertise in this area, so what specific medical aid are HMG looking at and thinking of?

My Lords, further to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Effingham, it is not just a question of residents not wanting to go to hospitals because of fear of them collapsing. Many hospitals have been badly damaged, so people are being treated, as my noble friend said, in makeshift facilities. Can I push the Minister a bit further? We have a lot of expertise in this area, so what specific medical aid are HMG looking at and thinking of?

My Lords, almost exactly one year ago, Russia designated the British Council an “undesirable organisation”, and the British Council was then forced to suspend all its remaining activities in Russia. Can the Minister tell us what the current situation is? Has any of its work there been reactivated? For example, are Russian students now able to access the IELTS, the global English standardised test?

My Lords, almost exactly one year ago, Russia designated the British Council an “undesirable organisation”, and the British Council was then forced to suspend all its remaining activities in Russia. Can the Minister tell us what the current situation is? Has any of its work there been reactivated? For example, are Russian students now able to access the IELTS, the global English standardised test?

My Lords, when Morgan McSweeney appeared before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, he said, “All of my messages concerning the Mandelson appointment will be published in the first round of publications”. Have they been?

My Lords, when Morgan McSweeney appeared before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, he said, “All of my messages concerning the Mandelson appointment will be published in the first round of publications”. Have they been?

As the Minister is aware, one of the major roadblocks to harmony between the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska and the Bosnia-Croat federation is the lack of a unified police force. Will the UK draw on its huge experience of capacity building and expertise in this area to make this a key part of our bilateral relations, as well as trade?

As the Minister is aware, one of the major roadblocks to harmony between the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska and the Bosnia-Croat federation is the lack of a unified police force. Will the UK draw on its huge experience of capacity building and expertise in this area to make this a key part of our bilateral relations, as well as trade?

My Lords, will the Minister tell the House exactly which part of the Employment Rights Act will create jobs and encourage employment?

My Lords, will the Minister tell the House exactly which part of the Employment Rights Act will create jobs and encourage employment?