Speeches by Harding.

“The Liberal Democrats support the immunities and privileges given to the ICRC under the Bill, which support its unique mandate of neutrality. Its work is needed more than ever on the frontline of conflict—there are more than 120 ongoing armed conflicts in the world—not least in its understanding and witness to the exer…”

“You also talked about ambulances being targeted. Did you feel safe?”

“Yes, local colleagues.”

“You talked about colleagues who had been detained and killed. Can you give us an idea of how many colleagues you were working with in the hospital?”

“You said that the bulk of your bill was for staffing. Were those staff laid off? What happened to them in that time?”

“Thank you for coming in today. This is one for you, Sam. Can we go back to January 2024 and the effects of major countries’ withdrawal of funding following the allegations of staff conspiring with Hamas? What will be the long-term effects of that?”

“You have talked about the day-to-day reality, and children being targeted, and healthcare workers being killed, and about a sense of resignation that civilians think they will die. Can you give a sense of what they think about the international community—do they think at all about what we can do?”

“Yes, local colleagues.”

“You talked about colleagues who had been detained and killed. Can you give us an idea of how many colleagues you were working with in the hospital?”

“You said that the bulk of your bill was for staffing. Were those staff laid off? What happened to them in that time?”

“Thank you for coming in today. This is one for you, Sam. Can we go back to January 2024 and the effects of major countries’ withdrawal of funding following the allegations of staff conspiring with Hamas? What will be the long-term effects of that?”

“You have talked about the day-to-day reality, and children being targeted, and healthcare workers being killed, and about a sense of resignation that civilians think they will die. Can you give a sense of what they think about the international community—do they think at all about what we can do?”

“You also talked about ambulances being targeted. Did you feel safe?”

“Two managing partners from GP practices in my constituency have written to me about the significant impact of the increase in employer NI contributions, which they say will directly undermine access and patient care. They will also have a huge impact on the brilliant work of Princess Alice hospice in my constituency, w…”

“There are 120 conflicts globally, which, along with other factors such as poverty, food insecurity and the effects of climate change, cause populations to move. Does the Minister agree that, as my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Lisa Smart) pointed out, it is essential that we look at the root causes of immigra…”

“Some 25 million people urgently need assistance in Sudan and more than 10 million have been displaced from their homes. Will the Minister affirm that attaining a ceasefire in Sudan is a diplomatic priority for the UK? The UK is the penholder on Sudan at the UN Security Council and assumes the presidency of the council …”

“I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement. As I set out during the Second Reading of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill last week, the Commonwealth is a vitally important multilateral organisation and we support work to strengthen it. The …”

“Q6. Charlie from my constituency is an eight-year-old boy with an autism diagnosis who has been out of school for almost a year. He is one of 1,800 children in Surrey missing school because of a lack of appropriate special educational needs provision. Will the Government commit to ending this scandal by properly fundin…”

“Esher and Walton is a river community. The Thames borders our constituency, and the River Mole, which is a chalk stream, runs through it. The River Mole is one of the most polluted rivers in the country, and a quarter of the sewage poured into is from my constituency. This amounts to a failure that impacts on our healt…”

“I am pleased to welcome the Bill and support the recognition of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the International Committee of the Red Cross as international organisations. As liberals we are internationalists, and the Bill fits with Liberal Democrat policies of international co-operation and the upholdi…”