Results 1-20 of 4,290 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

Business, Innovation and Skills: Topical Questions (12 Nov 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: May I raise with the Minister the subject of further education and the National Star college? The college provides some of the finest residential training anywhere in the world, and it has worked extremely hard to raise £2 million of its own money, which will be in jeopardy if it cannot access funding from the Government. It has also worked very hard at the Minister's behest to take 15...

[Mr.Greg Pope in the Chair] — Arms Export Controls (5 Nov 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: Clearer.

[Mr.Greg Pope in the Chair] — Arms Export Controls (5 Nov 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: The Chairman, the hon. Member for Kingswood, made a very interesting point at the beginning of the debate about arms being re-exported to countries that are under an arms embargo—it could be an EU, UN or area arms embargo. In considering the re-export issue, would it not be possible to insert in every single licence contract a provision that every possible effort should be made to...

[Mr.Greg Pope in the Chair] — Arms Export Controls (5 Nov 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr. Pope, and I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I pay particular tribute to the hon. Member for Kingswood (Roger Berry), as other Members have done. It is a difficult job to chair a Committee that crosses four departmental Select Committees and to produce a unanimous report that goes into such constructive depth, so I pay him a sincere...

[Mr.Greg Pope in the Chair] — Arms Export Controls (5 Nov 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: I want to draw a link between two parts of the hon. Gentleman's speech that he has not linked. Is he aware of a report in The Guardian, the substance of which is that arms were exported from Ukraine to Guinea, which has an international embargo on it? I am not in any way suggesting that UK arms exporters were involved in that, but the importance of what the hon. Gentleman is saying about...

Oral Answers to Questions — Northern Ireland: Loyalist Decommissioning (4 Nov 2009) has video

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: What recent progress has been made on loyalist decommissioning; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions — Northern Ireland: Loyalist Decommissioning (4 Nov 2009) has video

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: The Secretary of State has made clear that the amnesty will end in February. That being so, what more can he do to encourage loyalist paramilitaries to participate in the decommissioning process so that it can be completed once and for all? Will he also make clear that those who break the law can expect the full rigour of the law to come down upon them, and that they will face due process?

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

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: I welcome you to the Chair, Dr. McCrea, and I welcome the Minister to our debate. I pay tribute to the right hon. Member for Enfield, North (Joan Ryan) for securing this important and timely debate. The events in Sri Lanka since its Government launched the final stages of their major assault have been truly appalling, as all who witnessed them would testify. It is a war marked by the...

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

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: No, I have given way enough on this issue. What assessment has the Minister made of the capacity of the Sri Lankan Government to afford the necessary rebuilding? If there is a shortfall, will he explain how the British Government will assist in overcoming the funding gap? Furthermore, what assessment has he made of the potential need for his Department to intervene to provide assistance when...

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

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: We have said a great deal about that already. The issue is clear. It is up to the hon. Gentleman's Government to explain in negotiations with the European Union what leverage they are going to adopt if they support the measures. It is up to the Government to do that; we, the Opposition, are merely asking questions. The ending of hostilities has created the opportunity to improve the lives of...

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

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

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

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: Will the hon. Lady give way?

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

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: I congratulate the right hon. Lady on securing this debate. She and her colleagues must be very careful about calling for the Sri Lankan Government to be punished by the ending of trade preferences with Europe, because she will have to explain how the Sri Lankan Government will be able to afford to rebuild the infrastructure to enable the Tamils to return. If they cannot afford it because...

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

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: I am sorry that the right hon. Lady is trying to play politics in the way that she is. All parties condemn all the human rights abuses; it is a question of how we achieve our ends. I say to her again that if the Sri Lankan Government's economy is completely bankrupt, how will the country be able to afford to rebuild the infrastructure? She must explain that if she is going to accuse us of...

Swindon to Kemble Railway (27 Oct 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: If I understand what the Minister has said today correctly, the region has already committed £20 million and has, at least, a further £20 million to commit if the scheme is given priority because the Westbury bypass can no longer be funded. Would it not be churlish of the region not to make the submission by 16 November because, if it does not do so, it is likely that it will lose...

Swindon to Kemble Railway (27 Oct 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: I am grateful to my neighbour for allowing me to intervene, and I congratulate him on securing the debate. When we went to see the noble Lord Adonis, who was then a Minister, he gave us a strong steer that he wanted the scheme to happen. Since becoming Secretary of State for Transport, he has given the regional development agency an even stronger steer that if it makes the scheme a priority...

Swindon to Kemble Railway (27 Oct 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: I was not going to intervene, but one important point should not be lost in this debate. I understand that when the south Wales line is electrified, the Severn tunnel will have to be closed for a considerable time. The Kemble to Swindon line will be an important diversionary route when that happens, which makes the redoubling even more important.

Oral Answers to Questions — International Development: Sri Lanka (21 Oct 2009) has video

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: The Minister has confirmed this morning that a package of rehabilitation measures is being put in place by the Department. That is welcome, but he has also confirmed that emergency aid will be redirected away from the camps. The Government also voted against the $2.5 billion International Monetary Fund package in July and are now considering ending the EU's special trade privileges that the...

Political Parties and Elections Bill (Extension of Carry-over): Clause 8 — Declaration as to source of donation (13 Jul 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: The hon. Gentleman has acknowledged that he supports the system of overseas voters. Why, therefore, does he discriminate against those voters in the amount that they can give to political parties?

Political Parties and Elections Bill (Extension of Carry-over): Clause 8 — Declaration as to source of donation (13 Jul 2009)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: As always, my right hon. Friend makes a cogent and logical case. Does he not agree that the logic of his case extends to those people, whom all political parties have recognised, who live abroad and have resided in this country within the past 10 years—the period has been varied, but it is currently 10 years—and who are entitled to vote? They ought also to be entitled to give a...