Speeches by Ballinger.

“Yes, thank you, Chair. I should declare that, with Lord McConnell, I am co-chair of the APPG on conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Today is the launch of the “Global Peace Index”—the annual publication that talks about the number of conflicts happening around the world. I looked at it this morn…”

“In a world where we are going up to 3.5% of GDP, we could be spending half a quarter of 1% on this.”

“Last word for you, Jack.”

“It is actually a very simple question: funding. All the damaging decisions that we have talked about have been driven by a lack of funding in the ODA budget and reductions by successive Governments. Thinking about the closeness of this programming to security—NATO is investing in it, and a lot of the work directly cont…”

“I suppose that several of you have had criticisms of how the ISF is set up, but in a context where we have less money than we used to and other international players are playing a big role—maybe you could answer this, Olivia, because you seem to be all over it—how should we set up the ISF now so that it is most effecti…”

“One of the key issues in my constituency is street racing. All over the Black Country we have young men driving in gangs, causing a menace and many accidents, so I was pleased that the combined authority had set up a High Court injunction to allow the police extra powers to tackle street racing, which caused a reductio…”

“Interestingly, there is also a Coker facility in my constituency, and I have had several other businesses write to me on this subject. Only last week I visited the London Screw Company in Halesowen, which is really concerned that the 50% tariffs will increase the price of its products and make it uncompetitive. Althoug…”

“Does it change your view on the appropriateness of political appointments to ambassadorial positions at all?”

“Did the intelligence agencies ever share any concerns with you about Mandelson’s appointment or his access to information?”

“Thank you. Knowing what you know now about Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein and everything else, do you think that the UKSV made the correct decision, and that the FCDO made the correct decision?”

“Finally, do you think the Prime Minister’s statement that “full due process was followed” is a fair description of what happened in Mandelson’s case?”

“Do you think the argument that Lord Mandelson would not need DV clearance because he was a Privy Counsellor was credible?”

“But in your tenure.”

“You said there were higher classifications of material that he would not have had access to. Before he received his DV, what level of classification was Mandelson able to access?”

“So there were no briefings he was given above that level of classification before he received vetting?”

“As a permanent secretary, would you have said in another case—”

“Sir Philip, you have talked about the short timescale causing problems. Do you think there was a reasonable diplomatic reason why No. 10 wanted the appointment done by Trump’s inauguration?”

“Did you say that to No. 10?”

“With any other external appointments, including political appointments, are there examples where somebody has started in post before they have received their DV and have had access to those materials?”

“Thank you.”