Speeches by Harding.

“One of the things we as a Committee are very interested in is the public perception of aid. While it seems that the popularity of aid has remained consistent over decades, sometimes the effectiveness is questioned. How does ICAI play into that debate? Did you have any media interest in some of your reports or reviews? …”

“Welcome. Could you start by telling us what the ICAI’s highlights have been since the beginning of this commission in July 2024?”

“My hon. Friend raises an important point in his powerful speech, and I would like to take it further. Even if British-made weaponry is not being diverted and ending up on the battlefield in Sudan, the UK is still breaching sections 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 of its own arms export licensing criteria. Those rules not only prohibi…”

“I would like to raise the plight of hairdressers. Angels in Thames Ditton in my constituency told me that this Government are hitting small businesses with higher employer costs, rising business rates and wage hikes that are already squeezing very thin margins. They are facing not just one increase, but a combination o…”

“I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this vital debate and powerfully laying out the success of the Global Fund. Stepping back now and cutting our contribution to the fund, just as the United States is abandoning vaccination programmes altogether, would be devastating for some of the world’s most vulnerable people…”

“It is indeed a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Edward Morello) for securing this debate on a critical issue. It is critical because we are at a cliff edge. This year, with 120 armed conflicts, more than at any moment since the second world war; thi…”

“I speak today to new clause 42, which is in my name. It would require the Secretary of State to undertake an assessment of the potential merits of removing the cap on sitting days in the Crown court and to lay a report before Parliament. I am pleased to bring this issue before the House. Our criminal courts are cripple…”

“Renewed violence in Gaza continues against a backdrop of unimaginable human suffering. Millions remain in desperate need of food, water and medical supplies, yet aid convoys continue to face unacceptable obstacles. The UN reported yesterday that many of the 177 aid trucks that entered Kerem Shalom were limited by conge…”

“The total ODA budget, not just for Sudan.”

“In terms of the protection of budgets, it is your indication that we need to go further into crisis, because the humanitarian situation is getting far worse, so can you commit that the ODA budget will not be further cut from where it is at the moment?”

“Thank you for joining us, Minister. Last time we saw you, you confirmed that funding for Sudan would not be cut, yet in the annual report and accounts we see an 18% reduction for Sudan and a 23% reduction for South Sudan. Can you explain those cuts in light of your previous comments?”

“I have a final question. You talked about a lack of political leadership. Why do you think there is a lack of political leadership on this?”

“I want to drill down on the accountability, if I may, and what practical steps we can take, but first I want to return to what you were saying about the blackout and why there is no public consciousness of this. We are receiving information about human rights atrocities; the American Administration under Biden called i…”

“I did not really understand the point about political feasibility. What does that mean?”

“Can you talk to us about the failure of the international and domestic accountability mechanisms to prevent atrocities in Sudan? How are the current efforts to protect civilians and pursue justice evolving on the ground?”

“Very quickly, the British Council tells us, in its second round of restructuring, that its offices will go down to 65, and that is even without it paying off the loan. They will go further down after that. Part of the problem is that it is not winning any development work, because there is no ODA budget for it to win a…”

“Can the Foreign Office and the Government do anything to prepare the public? In that situation, things will go wrong. There needs to be a high risk appetite for projects that are going awry, simply because the checks and balances that go through a multilateral organisation might not be there in a smaller NGO that is wo…”

“I just want to pick up on your comment on migration. My understanding is that the largest number of unaccompanied minors who came to the UK on small boats were from Sudan. These are basically boys under 18 years old. However, and I think this is right, the Integrated Security Fund was not funding Sudan because it was n…”

“The article goes on to say that the UN—”

“That is according to documents seen by the UN Security Council, according to The Guardian.”