Speeches by Harding.

“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…”

“It struck me, when you were talking about you as experts, how the role of ICAI has changed after the merger. Is there more of a role for ICAI now that perhaps some expertise has been lost from the FCDO, as was stated after the merger? How did your role change in that environment?”

“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 think you have answered it all; thank you.”

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

“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…”

“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…”

“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…”

“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 one on the back of Dan’s question. Following on from what you said, Scott, has there been a loss of influence or reputation for the UK as a result of British Council closures so far, or would there be were there more?”

“To return to the Soft Power Council question, this has been set up at a time when the British Council is losing funding. That seems contradictory to me. What is your take on that?”

“So presumably, looking for the next opportunity for British soft power, for example, is on hold.”

“So instead of expansion, you are looking at keeping the offices you have. Is there no room for expansion under current budgets?”

“You said that a funding uplift would allow you to reverse closures in Europe and the USA, and expand into Francophone and Lusophone Africa. Why those places specifically?”

“On the back of that, I was taken by what you said about the work that you did with the integrated security fund, which has been cut and therefore you are not able to do your work. You talked about the structural problems of your financing. Is it the case that the British Council has almost been a victim of its own succ…”

“In your conversations with the FCDO, you obviously have the mitigation of the loan and what to do with the loan. Why is there an obstacle to sorting that out? What is it that the Foreign Office is not getting about the work of the British Council?”

“So it would almost halve your presence overseas.”

“How many countries were you open in before covid?”