Results 1-20 of 848 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Joan Ryan

Welfare Reform Bill (Programme) (No. 2): Clause 1 — Social security (10 Nov 2009)

Joan Ryan: I want to speak about Lords amendments 29 and 51. I join my right hon. Friend the Minister in paying tribute to the Royal British Legion and its work on changing the name of council tax benefit to council tax rebate. I, too, praise the work of Baroness Turner in the other place. I welcome the Government's clear commitment today to rename council tax benefit council tax rebate. I heard what...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: Just over a year ago, hon. Members on both sides of the House, many of whom are here again this afternoon, spoke in a debate in this Chamber on the grave humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka. At that time, the Government of Sri Lanka were pursuing a brutal military campaign, in which thousands of innocent civilians lost their lives, tens of thousands were injured and hundreds of thousands were...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: The hon. Lady makes a valid point, and I will say a few words about the issue of mines. The numbers in the camps swelled as the conflict intensified this year and more and more civilians were forced to flee their homes. By the time that formal hostilities drew to a close in April, some 300,000 civilians, including 50,000 children, were being held in 41 camps across four districts, but the end...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: I absolutely agree. In fact, not to publish the names of exactly who is in the camps is against all the human rights legislation and international commitments that Sri Lanka has. For hundreds of thousands of Tamil civilians, six months on from the end of the conflict, life in the camps is worse than ever. Quite how bad life is in the camps is difficult to establish. We know that it is bad. We...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: We all agree with that point, and throughout the duration of the conflict we made the same point. At no time over recent years have the international media been able to gain access to the areas where Tamil people predominantly lived or to what was happening in the conflict, and now the same is true of the camps. There is not enough food. We know that not just from the haunting images of...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. We need to stress time and again that it is about human rights. When the human rights of one are threatened, the human rights of all are threatened. It is right that we should raise our voices on behalf of those whose human rights are being ridden over roughshod. That is so whether they are Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim or whatever. The point is well...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: I agree. I was about to make that point. Indeed, this month the Minister for Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services cut the estimate in half, saying that the Government plan to release only 100,000 by Christmas. The Government of Sri Lanka say that they are doing their best, but their best is not nearly good enough. I say that enough is enough—enough of the Sri Lankan Government's...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: I am sure that the Minister heard what the hon. Gentleman said, but I agree that it is completely incompatible to hold a Commonwealth conference in Sri Lanka given all that has been said, and the situation that exists. We need to send a clear message to the Government of Sri Lanka that the continued detention of Tamil civilians will have serious consequences for Sri Lanka's relationship with...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: I will, but just let me finish my point. On that precise point, I hope that we can be clear. The EU extends preferential access to its markets to developing countries under a number of very clear conditions. Beneficiary countries must comply with 27 international agreements on human rights issues. Sri Lanka does not meet those conditions and is, therefore, not eligible for GSP plus. I...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: I regret the fact that the hon. Gentleman did not take the opportunity to state his party's support for ending GSP plus status to Sri Lanka and to condemn its human rights record. I can explain why I call for the preferential status to end. There is a line to be drawn, and that line stands when human rights are being trashed and people are losing their lives. People are subject to abductions,...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: rose—

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: I will.

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: I absolutely agree with the comments of my hon. Friends the Members for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) and for Mitcham and Morden (Siobhain McDonagh). I should like to pay tribute to both of them for their commitment on this issue over a long period of time. I am sure that the Minister and everyone else have heard what they have had to say.

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: I will always give way on such issues, but the hon. Gentleman has not added anything to what he first said, and that speaks volumes about his position. Others in his party do not take his position, but he speaks from the Front Bench, and it is most regrettable that he is not able to join all of us, across the parties, in saying, "GSP plus should be withdrawn because of the human rights...

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: I think that we all—or most of us—take my hon. Friend's point.

Sri Lanka (IDP Camps) — [Dr. William McCrea in the Chair] (28 Oct 2009)

Joan Ryan: That is absolutely right. As the Conservative Front-Bench position is something that many of us would find very difficult to support, perhaps we should all—and I hope all—disassociate ourselves from those such as Lord Naseby in the other place and Geoffrey Van Orden in the European Parliament who have, over a number of years, sought to defend the indefensible and given succour to...

Opposition Day — [16th Allotted Day]: US-UK Extradition Treaty (15 Jul 2009)

Joan Ryan: We rehearsed these debates endlessly at the time of the NatWest three extradition and it is right that the outcome of that case is on the record. What seemed to be missed time and again in those debates is the fact that this extradition treaty is about speedy justice and bringing people to justice. Ordinary lay people, to whom reference has been made, understand that that is the imperative.

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (3 Jun 2009) has video

Joan Ryan: My right hon. Friend will be aware of the valiant campaign led by the Royal British Legion to have council tax benefit rebranded as a rebate, which would increase take-up and lift thousands of pensioners out of poverty, including up to 20,000 veterans. This Saturday marks the 65th anniversary of D-day. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this would be an appropriate time to announce such a...

Visteon Factory (Basildon) (30 Apr 2009) has video

Joan Ryan: I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. Does she agree with me and others that Visteon is, in fact, an internal accounting mechanism that has been allowed to go bust? Although we know that people will lose their jobs in a recession, the way in which they lose them is important. Those loyal workers have been treated very badly indeed. I hope to be able to support any...

Business of the House: Sri Lanka (30 Apr 2009) has video

Joan Ryan: I thank my right hon. Friend for making the trip that he has just made and for acting to protect innocent civilians in Sri Lanka. I hope that other leading politicians and statespeople around the world will see that as an example that it is important to stand up and be counted, and we are grateful that he has done that on behalf of the whole House. My right hon. Friend referred to the...