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Written Question
British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly
Thursday 23rd October 2025

Asked by: Lord Dubs (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government why a minister did not attend the plenary meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly held on 12–14 October.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

UK Government Ministers remain strongly committed to supporting the work of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and were keen to attend the Plenary session in Weybridge. Unfortunately, on this occasion urgent parliamentary business meant that a Minister was unable to attend. We look forward to future Plenaries and will aim to ensure that there is Ministerial representation from His Majesty’s Government.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 16 May 2022
Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland

"My Lords, our friends in Europe—if we have any left—are puzzled as to why an agreement that the Prime Minister lauded to the heavens is now not acceptable. Surely we cannot proceed by threats; we have to proceed by talking, talking and talking to make some modifications, if necessary...."
Lord Dubs - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 16 Jan 2020
Northern Ireland Executive Formation

"My Lords, I congratulate the Government on achieving this agreement. It represents a good news day. Some of us have not had a good news day for many years, so it is a nice thing. I want to raise an issue that I have raised with the Minister before, but …..."
Lord Dubs - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 31 Oct 2019
Extinction Rebellion

"To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the demands of Extinction Rebellion...."
Lord Dubs - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 31 Oct 2019
Extinction Rebellion

"My Lords, is the Minister aware that many organisations are saying that a target date of 2050 is far too far away, that we should be treating this as a major emergency and, at most, 2030 should be the target date? There is going to be a catastrophe. We cannot …..."
Lord Dubs - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 09 Sep 2019
Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) (No. 2) Regulations 2019

"I would like to say a little bit about this debate. First, I very much agree with what my noble friend Lord Hain said. I do not need to repeat it.

I have enormous sympathy with the campaigning for the health service of the noble Lord, Lord Empey. It is …..."
Lord Dubs - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 09 Sep 2019
Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) (No. 2) Regulations 2019

"I am not sure how many red lines there were. Sinn Féin must be asked somewhere else to speak for itself, I suppose. It is not for me to try to quote what I thought was wrong with its policy. All I am saying is that my sincere understanding was …..."
Lord Dubs - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 09 Sep 2019
Report Pursuant to Sections 3(1), 3(6), 3(7), 3(8), 3(9) and 3(10) the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019

"I have noticed over the years that a debate about any topic in Northern Ireland becomes a debate about everything in Northern Ireland. That is just how things are. I very much welcome the maiden speech by the noble Lord, Lord Caine. I realise that he had been muted politically …..."
Lord Dubs - View Speech

View all Lord Dubs (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Report Pursuant to Sections 3(1), 3(6), 3(7), 3(8), 3(9) and 3(10) the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 09 Sep 2019
Report Pursuant to Sections 3(1), 3(6), 3(7), 3(8), 3(9) and 3(10) the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019

"That goes with the job description.

With the lack of an Executive, we are in a dangerous situation. There is a vacuum, and vacuums get filled in an unfortunate manner. I can only add my plea that we have to make progress. I repeat the plea for an independent facilitator …..."
Lord Dubs - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 05 Sep 2017
Brexit: UK-Irish Relations

"My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Jay, for starting off the debate and the Select Committee for a very helpful and useful report. I join in wishing the noble Lord, Lord Boswell, a speedy recovery.

During the referendum campaign I felt that if there was one single reason …..."
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View all Lord Dubs (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Brexit: UK-Irish Relations