Results 1-20 of 3,613 for speaker:Jim Murphy

Written Ministerial Statements — Scotland: Legislative Programme (Scotland) (19 Nov 2009)

Jim Murphy: The legislative programme for the fifth Session was outlined on the 18 November. Eight of the 10 new Bills outlined in the Queen's Speech in this final Session of the current Parliament contain provisions that apply to Scotland; once again this is a programme that will significantly benefit people living in Scotland. In this Session the Government will focus on supporting the economy as we...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Torpedo Testing (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: There are eight test and evaluation ranges in Scotland. Last month, I visited the firing range in the Uists. I have no current plans to visit the maritime range in the inner sound of Raasay.

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Torpedo Testing (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I know that the right hon. Gentleman is assiduous in raising this issue in the House and elsewhere, and I am certain that he will continue to do so. He is right to say that a consultation process in the Western Isles led to a rejection of the initial proposals. I can reassure him that our proposals for the Kyle of Lochalsh are at a very early stage. If any changes in the configuration at Kyle...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Torpedo Testing (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: In the world we live in, it is a fact that we need these weapons and that they have to be tested safely. It is in the nature of the modern world that, sadly, we need these sorts of ranges. The fact is that the only real threat to defence jobs in Scotland would be Scotland breaking away from the rest of Britain. [Interruption.] If Scotland left Britain, thousands of British jobs would leave...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Torpedo Testing (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: Thank you for that intervention, Mr. Speaker. The leader of the SNP in the UK Parliament must be the only MP in it who is campaigning for fewer jobs in his constituency. His unilateralist position would lead to the loss of hundreds of RAF jobs in his very own constituency.

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Torpedo Testing (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I am delighted to hear the hon. Gentleman's belated interest in this issue. Of course, the initial plans have now been abandoned. There is no plan B whatsoever. Concern has been expressed by some workers, which is why I am delighted that the management and the unions are meeting a little later this week. We are very clear that the initial proposals were abandoned, that there is no plan B and...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Torpedo Testing (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I thank my right hon. Friend for her comments. It is important to put on record the excellent work of council leader Angus Campbell and others such as Donald John Macsween who did such a remarkable job in the Western Isles. The fact is that it was a community effort and a persuasive case was made. Ultimately, the Ministry of Defence would have made savings, but the costs to the fragile...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Torpedo Testing (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: On that basis, Mr. Speaker, I shall try to give one answer. The hon. Gentleman has made the fair point that now that the ranges have been established and secured, they must diversify. It is important that they try to attract additional business, particularly from our NATO allies. But the economy of the Western Isles, especially on the Uists, cannot rely solely on MOD ranges in the long term;...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Oil and Gas Fields (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change about the North sea oil and gas industry.

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Oil and Gas Fields (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. The new field allowance announced in the Budget was welcomed by the chief executive of Oil and Gas UK. Those Budget measures will help to unlock about 2 billion barrels of oil in the North sea. There are, of course, additional opportunities, particularly in and around the area west of Shetland, which constitutes a remarkable untapped resource in...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Oil and Gas Fields (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: My hon. Friend raises the importance of the North sea oil and gas industry with me probably every week. About 20 billion barrel-of-oil equivalents are still untapped in the North sea, and we will do what we can to help the industry to exploit that resource. The fact is, however, that while oil and gas will be with us for the foreseeable future, we will have to make the transition to renewable...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Oil and Gas Fields (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I had the privilege of being in the hon. Gentleman's constituency during the summer recess, and he made those very points then. On the same day I visited an offshore wind turbine in the Beatrice field in the North sea, which represents a remarkable feat of modern manufacturing and ingenuity. It may be helpful if I confirm to the hon. Gentleman again that I am happy to facilitate meetings with...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Oil and Gas Fields (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I am not able to update my hon. Friend today on the number of licences, although the Department of Energy and Climate Change has engaged in a rigorous process in that regard. However, my hon. Friend is absolutely right: this is a jobs boon not just for the North sea, Aberdeen and surrounding areas, but for the whole of Scotland. Almost 200,000 jobs in Scotland rely on related industries in...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Devolution Settlement (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I met the First Minister most recently on 16 September.

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Devolution Settlement (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: During the year that I have been Secretary of State I have tried to strike a different tone in Scottish politics. The public expect politicians to agree where possible; I have tried to uphold that and I will continue to do so despite invitations to the contrary. Of course the Lockerbie and al-Megrahi issue was badly handled. The decision to visit al-Megrahi in prison was a mistake, but...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Devolution Settlement (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I have asked the First Minister to have a public debate with me. The First Minister is, of course, not everyone's idea of an athlete, but he has certainly tried to run away from these debates in Scotland in recent weeks. I do not know if he can run, but I do know that he cannot hide and that this debate will have to take place at some point over the next few weeks.

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Devolution Settlement (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: It is of course important that we change the system of expenses in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister has been very clear about that, and he is now in the process of doing it. As the Prime Minister has also made clear, there is a process that we are now going through. If Legg has requested that repayments be made, whether to comply is up to individual Members, but that is certainly the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Devolution Settlement (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I am stumped for an answer. Because of the many solutions for dealing with the remarkable economic crisis that Scotland and the United Kingdom faces, I am not yet convinced that a meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee is the silver bullet. My hon. Friend the Member for Lanark and Hamilton, East (Mr. Hood) will continue to make the case, however, and if that meeting does take place, I can...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Devolution Settlement (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: I am delighted that the hon. Gentleman and myself, as well as others, had the opportunity to meet over the summer recess to discuss the important proposals in respect of Calman. We simply believe that Scotland is bigger and stronger because it is part of the United Kingdom, but the devolution settlement does have to be modernised. The Calman commission proposals are substantial. I want to...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Devolution Settlement (14 Oct 2009) has video

Jim Murphy: It is clear that that is a real blow to the city of Glasgow, but that city has never given up on itself and, regardless of the Scottish Government's decision, it will not do so now. I will be meeting the leader of Glasgow city council later this afternoon, when I will go with him to the Olympic site. I will have the opportunity to discuss these very issues with him then.