Results 1-20 of 3,582 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Edward Garnier

Oral Answers to Questions — Solicitor-General: Serious Fraud Office (15 Oct 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: Does the Solicitor-General agree that there seems to be a huge range of Government agencies and prosecuting authorities that deal with the wider subject of economic crime? Is she satisfied that that is an efficient and effective way of dealing with the matter? If she is, will she tell me why?

Oral Answers to Questions — Solicitor-General: Pro Bono Work (15 Oct 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: Scot-free.

Oral Answers to Questions — Justice: Probation Service (21 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: Why does the Secretary of State look surprised that he engenders so little confidence among the public and probation staff when he cannot run his budget? The director of probation has said that he wants the maximum level of underspending. Hundreds of expensively trained probation trainees are going straight on to the scrap heap. Hundreds more staff on full pay are in the so-called surplus...

Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government: Pennbury Eco-town (7 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: And the Minister will hear it again when, I hope, he permits me, the hon. Member for Leicester, South (Sir Peter Soulsby), my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Alan Duncan) and the right hon. Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) to see him with an all-party delegation, as we have requested, to provide him with some of the facts of life about the popularity and utility of the...

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: Clause 14 — Short title and commencement (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: If the Act is good, we will re-pass it. If it is not, we will not.

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: New Clause 1 — Data controller (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: It is a matter of regrettable record that in the past 18 months or so, this House in its various guises has been in dispute with the Information Commissioner about applications in relation to the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the keeping of our expenses records and so forth. That has led to matters being taken to the High Court on two occasions, at considerable public expense. None of...

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: Clause 9 — Offences (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: I wish to clarify a point that I made in an intervention on my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Grieve). I said that he had reached a false conclusion; perhaps I ought to have said that he had reached an illogical conclusion. The logic of his argument—it is an argument with which I agree—is that if we disapprove of clause 9, we should say so and understand...

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: Clause 9 — Offences (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: I hesitate to disagree with my hon. and learned Friend, but clause 9 is appalling and unnecessary. Just as there is no such thing as a half-pregnant person, so clause 9 is a bad piece of drafting and it is unnecessary. We should have the courage to say so and make clear our views. I trust that the reasonable approach that my hon. and learned Friend has taken would not allow him to reach a...

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: Clause 8 — Enforcement (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: The right hon. Gentleman should listen to him more often.

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: Clause 8 — Enforcement (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: On a point of order, Sir Alan. I wonder whether you would advise me. We are very short of time but we are now having a second Government winding-up speech on the debate. I fully appreciate the fact that the Secretary of State is loyally defending the junior Minister, but he is eating into our time. If we do not debate the Bill properly, we will be roundly accused of not doing our duty.

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: Clause 9 — Offences (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: Does my hon. and learned Friend share my surprise at the intervention by the Secretary of State on Second Reading, when he chided me for misconstruing clause 9, which I said, on any view, imputes a test of dishonesty? He said it did not and that was one of the distinctions between it and the Fraud Act 2006. I do not think that he had in mind section 17 of the Theft Act 1968, albeit I am sure...

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: Clause 8 — Enforcement (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: I hope that the hon. Lady is not going to allow herself to be misled by the ancient word "privilege", which is a confusing one. I appreciate that those who do not think about it might find it difficult to understand its meaning. Perhaps we should use terms such as "trusteeship" or "duty"—words that are more widely understood. However, for shorthand purposes—thanks to the...

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: Clause 8 — Enforcement (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: Is not the short point that the only thing that stands between the people and arbitrary government is this Chamber? If we undermine the position of this House in that relationship, we open up the possibility of dictatorship, arbitrary government and misconduct in government. If we lose sight of that, we might as well give up.

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: Clause 8 — Enforcement (1 Jul 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: I thought we were on clause 8.

Hydrofluorocarbons Limitation: Schedule 2 — Commissioner for parliamentary investigations (30 Jun 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: I agree. It has long been my view that while we have an Executive who sit in Parliament, they should not sit on Parliament. We have become too supine as Members of Parliament. I hope that, in recognising the public anger about expenses and so forth, we will none the less remember that we were elected to represent our constituents in a self-confident and independent way, and not to be bullied...

Hydrofluorocarbons Limitation: Schedule 2 — Commissioner for parliamentary investigations (30 Jun 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: Well, I am delighted to hear that, because— [ Interruption. ] I am so grateful for the attendance of that person over there, whoever he is. None the less, my point in relation to those other aspects of schedule 2 remains. I apologise if I misunderstood the nature of the amendments of my right hon. Friend the Member for North-West Hampshire (Sir George Young) in relation to the motion...

Hydrofluorocarbons Limitation: Schedule 2 — Commissioner for parliamentary investigations (30 Jun 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: Well, there we are—it appears that none of us has an idea, but perhaps we ought to. I return to what the right hon. Member for Rotherham said at the beginning of his remarks. If we rush the Bill through without having thought about it thoroughly, we will end up disappointing not only ourselves, but those outside.

Hydrofluorocarbons Limitation: Schedule 2 — Commissioner for parliamentary investigations (30 Jun 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: I largely agree with what the right hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) has just said, particularly his early remarks about the haste with which the Bill has been cobbled together. As I said a moment ago, it is a bodge. Bodged Bills tend to lead to bad law and tears before bedtime. I assure you, Sir Alan, that there will be tears before bedtime if the measure gets on to the statute book...

Hydrofluorocarbons Limitation: Schedule 2 — Commissioner for parliamentary investigations (30 Jun 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: A few moments ago the Secretary of State made a perfectly fair point about the need for complaints about the independent fees office, as my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough (Mr. Leigh) described it, to be dealt with by someone independent. However, according to schedule 2 the Commissioner for Parliamentary Investigations will essentially be chosen by, or with the agreement of, the...

Hydrofluorocarbons Limitation: Schedule 1 — Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (30 Jun 2009) has video

Edward Garnier: Could the Government think a little more carefully about another problem? They are in danger of leading themselves into yet further difficulties. The Secretary of State has now accepted that it would be unwise for a serving member of the judiciary to fulfil the function, but the Government's policy seems to be continually to reduce the retiring age of judges, presumably on the basis that...