David Mundell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman is not taking that intervention, so let us continue.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  I already know that is not a point of order in relation to the content of the hon. Gentleman’s speech.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  Sincere apologies to everyone I was not able to call. We now come to the Lib Dem spokesman, who has five minutes.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  Can the hon. and learned Gentleman conclude in 30 seconds, because there is no additional time for interventions?

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  Minister, the proceedings are due to conclude at 6.30 pm. You may wish to give Ms Eccles a few moments to wind up the debate.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  You did not take any interventions.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  Order. Thank you, Mr Wishart.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  Well done for sticking to time.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  The debate may continue until 6.30 pm.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  Order. You have had your three minutes.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  Before we start proceedings, I want to say two things. First, this debate is oversubscribed, so not everyone will get to speak. I hope to call 10 Back- Bench Members to contribute for three minutes each. If Members take interventions, they will not get extra time because this is an hour-long debate. Secondly, we expect Divisions in the House shortly. The procedure will be to suspend the debate for 15 minutes for the first Division and approximately 10 minutes for each subsequent Division.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman is not giving way. Members may disagree with what he is saying, but we will conduct this debate in an orderly way.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  Order. Thank you, Mr Moon.

• 5 Nov 2025 · Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights · Hansard source

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  I call Paul Kohler. You have three minutes.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Official Development Assistance Reductions · Hansard source

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  That is partly right, because negative stories have prevailed and we have not had people on the other side rebutting them, as we have not had advocates on the ground. I feel that many non-governmental organisations became far too corporate in their approach: they did not have the local people who were able and willing to collect money or to stand up and make the case in their community environments. The International Development Committee has visited the US, to try to find out what is happening there. One of the great ironies is that—subject to the budget currently being frozen—it looks as though the US cuts will be less than the cuts in the UK, because various interests in the US have pushed back on them. There is no doubt that what is happening in the US will significantly affect the global development structures, and we must react to that. We cannot simply say, “We want to go back to 0.7%, and it will all be all right.” That is not the world we are in. We will have to demonstrate specific things that the UK can contribute in a leadership capacity. For example, we have heard that the US will not be funding any family-planning activity or LGBT activity, so others will have to step up in a strategic and co-ordinated way. Whether it is our Government, other Governments or philanthropists, we must find a co-ordinated way of doing this. We must also look at how we can deliver most effectively with the reduced funding that we have. As the hon. Member for Rotherham knows, I have been a strong advocate for nutrition. One of the biggest disappointments to me of late has been that, after the International Development Committee conducted an inquiry into sustainable development goal 2, we received a very, very poor response from the Government. I accept that it took place during a period of change, but there was nothing concrete in the response. In fact, there was less in it than what was said a few months ago at the nutrition for growth summit in Paris. It seems to me that the Government embarked on these cuts without a strategy. We might disagree with the strategy in the US, but at least there was one: there was a clear objective, and it took certain actions to pursue it. I am not aware of any clear strategy being pursued in the UK. Finally, as co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on HIV/AIDS, I want to make a pitch for the Global Fund. The Global Fund has been a huge success in combating HIV and AIDS, and I hope that the Government can proceed with a replenishment of £1 billion. I campaigned against my own Government to get £1 billion last time, and it would be very disappointing to find an incoming Labour Government cutting that.

• 4 Nov 2025 · Official Development Assistance Reductions · Hansard source

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  It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Rotherham (Sarah Champion), the Chair of the International Development Committee, because I want to refer to one or two things that the Committee has been doing. I thank the hon. Member for West Dorset (Edward Morello) for securing the debate. Given that this is a major change in Government policy, there has been very little debate in Parliament about it. I fear, though, that we will not be able to secure an increase in spending unless we can increase public support for development. Those of us who have been committed to development have to concede that we have been complacent in thinking that that support would automatically be there, and that people would see good for what it is. That is not the case. As I think most Members would recognise from their mailbags, when this change was made there was very little public reaction.

• 3 Nov 2025 · Video Games: Consumer Law · Hansard source

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  Order. I am sure the hon. Gentleman knows he cannot intervene, having not been here at the start of Mr Goldsborough’s contribution. That is a House rule.

• 3 Nov 2025 · Video Games: Consumer Law · Hansard source

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  I hope that a game out there has the hon. Member for Strangford as a character. Question put and agreed to . Resolved , That this House has considered e-petition 702074 relating to consumer law and videogames.

• 3 Nov 2025 · Video Games: Consumer Law · Hansard source

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  Order. I am sure that if Members make specific references to games and their various levels, they will share that information directly with Hansard.

• 30 Oct 2025 · Sudan: Protection of Civilians · Hansard source

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  I thank you for granting this urgent question, Mr Speaker, as you have done with a number of others, but this important issue should not have to come to the Floor of the House by way of an urgent question. The Government must be more proactive. The Minister for Africa gave a commitment to the International Development Committee that they would be more proactive during this Parliament, and I hope that that commitment will be honoured. Will the Minister set out more fully what discussions there have been with the UAE? Not only are there concerns about the use of weapons, but it is clear that the UAE has significant influence over the RSF and is a key player. It is stated by the Government that we have influence with the UAE, so are we using that influence to ensure that it uses its influence with the RSF?

• 30 Oct 2025 · Investment in Businesses · Hansard source

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  A major lodge development at Irvine House near Canonbie, and the potential for a Center Parcs in the borders, show that there is still great potential for jobs in the tourism industry my constituency. Will the Secretary of State encourage the Chancellor to follow the advice of the Scottish Hospitality Group and give hospitality a fair deal in the Budget, rather than clobbering it as she did last time?

• 30 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Kelloholm is a former mining community in my constituency. Like the rest of Upper Nithsdale, it has few amenities, so it came as a complete shock to local people when, out of the blue, SNP-led Dumfries and Galloway council suggested closing the Hillview leisure centre as a possible budget-saving measure, despite the centre’s pivotal role in the community for youth work, employment support programmes, children’s parties and other social events, as well as gym, sport and recreation uses. Will the Leader of the House join me in calling on the council to abandon this knee-jerk and ill-considered proposal, which would do real damage in and around Kelloholm, and will he spend more time calling out the Scottish Government’s deliberate policy of starving local authorities of the resources they need?

• 16 Oct 2025 · Small Churches in Rural Constituencies · Hansard source

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  Can I ask the hon. Lady to encourage the Church Commissioners to share best practice and their experience of sustaining small churches in rural communities with the Church of Scotland? Sadly, in my constituency we have seen almost the wholesale closure of every small church in a rural area.

• 16 Oct 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I welcome the right hon. Gentleman to his post, and my athletic constituency neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont), to his. Today at 2 pm there will be a protest in Moffat by campaigners who are making a last-ditch attempt to save the local Bank of Scotland branch, and I commend them for their efforts. It is one of five branches to be closed in my constituency this year. Does the Leader of the House agree with me that, if banks cannot be persuaded not to abandon the high street, they should at the very least ensure that their premises are provided for community use? Therefore, in the case of the Peebles branch, does he also agree that the bank should look favourably on the offer from the Peebles Community Trust for that branch?

• 16 Oct 2025 · Tourism: Major Energy Infrastructure Projects · Hansard source

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  My constituency has the largest number of wind turbines, either constructed or consented to. Does the Minister share my concern that the Scottish Government continue to override the views of local councils and local communities in consenting to further projects that are to the detriment of the landscape and therefore the local tourist industry?