Results 1-20 of 1,700 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:David Ruffley

Coroners and Justice Bill: Authorisations of covert human intelligence sources: conditions (12 Nov 2009)

David Ruffley: Clauses 6, 7 and 9 make certain procedural amendments to the Police Act 1997 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in order to streamline the authorisation process for matters such as surveillance and, in particular, covert human intelligence sources or CHISs. Where collaboration is necessary, amendments to the RIPA authorisation are required. The Government anticipate greater...

Coroners and Justice Bill: Clause 13 — Paying for sexual services of a prostitute subjected to force etc: England and Wales (12 Nov 2009)

David Ruffley: Amendments 6 to 15 are important, and we had a fruitful debate on that subject in Committee. They seek to achieve a better definition of coercion. It will be an offence if an individual engages in exploitative conduct, the definition of which is if someone uses "force, threats (whether or not relating to violence) or any other form of coercion, or...practises any form of deception". That is...

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: Policing (26 Oct 2009) has video

David Ruffley: The public rightly want to see more visible policing. Four years ago, the Home Office told us that police officers spent only 19 per cent. of their time on the beat. Will the Minister tell us what the latest figure is?

Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (9 Jul 2009) has video

David Ruffley: Can the hon. Gentleman give us the number of cases lying behind those percentages? Percentages can often deceive.

Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (9 Jul 2009) has video

David Ruffley: When we debated the last such order, the Government were in the midst of attempting to increase the pre-charge detention limit to 42 days. Having failed to convince the House of the case for 90 days, they then failed to convince Members of another place of the case for 42 days. The fact that we are here again debating an extension of the application of the 28-day limit reflects the fact that...

Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (9 Jul 2009) has video

David Ruffley: The right hon. Gentleman anticipates my next point. I was about to say that the Government, in publishing their Contest 2 counter-terrorism strategy, have attempted to explain the nature of the terror threat and the need for robust policies to face it, but the fullest explanations are required. It is therefore pertinent to consider the concerns about Operation Pathway and the arrest of 12...

Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (9 Jul 2009) has video

David Ruffley: I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman's comments. Our position is that we will, on balance, give the Government the benefit of the doubt on the basic condition that the order will be kept under review. I shall make some further remarks at the end of my speech that will answer the hon. Gentleman's point.

Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (9 Jul 2009) has video

David Ruffley: The hon. Lady makes a fair point. Colleagues have already said that draconian measures, which are not fully explained or transparent and do not carry public support, can in some circumstances become a recruiting sergeant for those who wish to commit terrorist atrocities against this country.

Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (9 Jul 2009) has video

David Ruffley: I am most grateful to my hon. Friend. I hope that that goes some way towards answering the question about the representations that we have received. I suspect that Labour Members have also received such representations—the Chairman of the Home Affairs Committee is nodding. If he catches your eye, Mr. Deputy Speaker, he may wish to answer the question asked by the hon. Member for...

Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (9 Jul 2009) has video

David Ruffley: I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman's comments. The order must be kept under review. If the evidence suggests that the period can be reduced from 28 days in future, we will support that. However, we must examine the evidence. From today, our support for the extension of pre-charge detention in the order will depend on what any Government are able and willing to do about two things. First,...

[Mr. Hywel Williams in the Chair] — Policing in the 21st Century (11 Jun 2009)

David Ruffley: Her Majesty's Opposition and I welcome this debate on the Home Affairs Committee's report "Policing in the 21st Century". The police in this country do a truly magnificent job, often in difficult and dangerous circumstances. That is brought home to those of us who work with the police service, and it was doubly brought home to me when I recently spent most of the week at the Police Federation...

[Mr. Hywel Williams in the Chair] — Policing in the 21st Century (11 Jun 2009)

David Ruffley: The hon. Gentleman is giving a very considered précis of Liberal Democrat policy, but just so that I can be clear about this point, would the election to the boards that he describes be by proportional representation? If so, what lessons does he draw from the election of the British National party to various county council seats in the past few days?

[Mr. Hywel Williams in the Chair] — Policing in the 21st Century (11 Jun 2009)

David Ruffley: On the right hon. Gentleman's point about the Staffordshire experience and the three other forces that piloted more officer discretion and shorter, sharper crime recording practices, was that work utilised in other forces?

Commission for the Compact: Policing and Crime Bill (19 May 2009) has video

David Ruffley: It is important to put on record on behalf of Her Majesty's Opposition that the trafficking and exploitation of women and children is a vile and disgusting trade, and we can all agree that the Bill tries to tackle it more effectively. The question is the means that we should use. I am aware that many hon. Members wish to speak—in retrospect, I think it might have been a good idea to...

Commission for the Compact: Policing and Crime Bill (19 May 2009) has video

David Ruffley: My hon. Friend anticipates me, and his points are well made. That is why we see merit in the proposal in new clause 25 for a "know or ought to know" test instead of a strict liability test, which would mean that it would be an offence only if the accused knew or was reckless as to whether the prostitute was controlled for gain. That will ensure that strict liability does not apply and it also...

Commission for the Compact: Policing and Crime Bill (19 May 2009) has video

David Ruffley: The right hon. Gentleman makes a point that is traditionally put across in such discussions and we have heard it debated many times. The point here, however, is that moving away from strict liability is not being soft on the offence nor indicative of failing to want a deterrent. I shall rapidly cite the reasons for that claim, before allowing other Members, many of whom have a great deal of...

Commission for the Compact: Policing and Crime Bill (Programme) (No. 2) (19 May 2009) has video

David Ruffley: This is an important Bill, and it is worth putting on the record the fact that in Committee my hon. Friends and I had a fruitful set of debates with Ministers. There was important agreement on the means of increasing and improving police efficiency through, among other things, collaboration, and important agreement on significant reforms to the law relating to sexual offences, alcohol abuse,...

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: Crime (Public Transport) (18 May 2009) has video

David Ruffley: We all know that if police officers spend more time on the beat, crime will be cut. Four years ago, the Home Office told us that police officers spent only 19 per cent. of their time on the beat. Can the Minister tell us today what the latest figure is?

Bill Presented: Police Grant Report (4 Feb 2009) has video

David Ruffley: I thank the Minister for his comprehensive speech. I want to begin my remarks on behalf of Her Majesty's Opposition by expressing the sentiment that the police in this country do a very difficult and often very dangerous job on our behalf, and I pay tribute to their service. The police need resources from the Government, and indeed the taxpayer, to discharge their duties in upholding law and...

Bill Presented: Police Grant Report (4 Feb 2009) has video

David Ruffley: I am grateful to the hon. Lady. I have heard her talk in many forums, not least fairly recently on Radio 4, about her constituency and the problems that she outlines. She is a doughty and persistent debater on that point, drawing to the attention of Ministers what needs to be done for her constituency—and there are others in the same position. The second point that the hon. Lady raises...