Speaker of the House of Commons: A look back at the past week

Last Tuesday, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle welcomed the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UK, His Excellency Karel van Oosterom, for an introductory meeting. Sir Lindsay Hoyle thanked the Dutch for sharing best practice on Covid between chief scientists in both countries, and expressed his empathy and sympathy that the Kingdom of the Netherlands had been hit hard by the latest wave of Covid-19.

On Wednesday, Mr Speaker welcomed to Parliament the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the UK, His Excellency Mr Gunn Kim. The meeting provided a good opportunity to discuss the relationship between the two nations.

Wednesday afternoon, Mr Speaker chaired Prime Minister's Questions. During the week, the following business also took place in the Chamber:

• Urgent question: Tonga: Volcano Eruption and Tsunami
• Urgent question: Covid-19: International Travel
• Urgent question: Downing Street Parties: Police Investigation
• Statement: Ukraine
• Urgent question: Economic Crime: Planned Government Bill
  
  The Speaker also presided over further business in the Chamber. Find out more about Chamber business which took place during the week.

On Thursday, Mr Speaker held an annual ceremony in Parliament marking Holocaust Memorial Day. The ceremony was attended by faith leaders, MPs and the parliamentary community to light candles and read personal accounts from victims of past atrocities. It was an opportunity to remember the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust, and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.