Results 1-20 of 978 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Robert Smith

Business of the House (19 Nov 2009)

Robert Smith: The Leader of the House says that she will keep the case for a debate on Afghanistan under review, but what criteria will she use to make her final decision that there should be a debate, given that there are so many developments in that country? Will she assure the House that in her review she will make sure that the House has the time for a focused debate on Afghanistan before we rise for...

Business of the House (5 Nov 2009) has video

Robert Smith: May I welcome the fact that the Leader of the House has said that she will find time for a debate on Afghanistan, and reinforce its importance? She should ensure that it is a full day's debate in the middle of the week so that we secure maximum participation by Members who want to raise constituents' questions. In that debate, will she ensure that Ministers understand and are reminded of why...

Energy and Climate Change: Topical Questions (5 Nov 2009) has video

Robert Smith: The Secretary of State earlier highlighted the importance of new investment to secure our electricity supplies. Will he ensure that people are not driven into fuel poverty just paying to keep the lights on?

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Topical Questions (3 Nov 2009) has video

Robert Smith: As the Chancellor says, it is vital to support our economy at this time. He will know just how difficult an environment it is west of Shetland when it comes to encouraging investment in oil and gas. At this crucial time for our national energy resources, will he look further at extending the field allowance to try to encourage the investment decisions that, crucially, need to be made soon...

[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair] — Oil and Gas (29 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: On our indigenous gas supply, it is important for the Minister to recognise that, as the North sea changes, a lot of the gas that we get now comes not from pure gas fields but from gas associated with oil. We no longer have the ability simply to turn the tap off and on, even from much of our own supply, because it comes at the speed at which oil production will allow it to come.

[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair] — Oil and Gas (29 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: What is causing consternation is that people are still being quoted the same price even in the downturn. It may be that the rig market needs looking at to see how it operates and whether it feeds through the benefits of the downturn, by which I mean the cost structure.

[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair] — Oil and Gas (29 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: Perhaps as a member of the Procedure Committee, I should write to myself to see how today's procedure has unfolded, and whether any lessons can be learned for future Westminster Hall debates. I welcome the fact that the report has come before the House today. The hon. Member for Sherwood (Paddy Tipping), in introducing the report and the Committee's findings, put the case that the Committee...

[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair] — Oil and Gas (29 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: That is a valuable point. The pace of progress that we are making towards carbon capture and storage means that it is important to keep that infrastructure there for some time—there have been several postponements on the route to CCS. The Treasury must recognise that it has a very targeted regime—it is high-temperature and high-pressure. All the experts say that it is going to...

[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair] — Oil and Gas (29 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: How many of those wells were exploration wells?

[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair] — Oil and Gas (29 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: Although the long-stop exists for companies to challenge something through that formal process, that has never actually happened. An optimist might say that that is because everything is going so swimmingly that it is not necessary, but the feedback from those trying to get access is that people are reticent to go to a formal process. In January 2009, the Minister wrote to companies to engage...

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Future of the Territorial Army (28 Oct 2009) has video

Robert Smith: It is important, in the follow-through, that the Treasury really delivers this as extra money for the defence budget this year and does not find a way of taking it back from that budget by the back door.

Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day]: Future of the Territorial Army (28 Oct 2009) has video

Robert Smith: Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the case he is making on the Government's proposed cut to the TA budget highlights the following point? The Government's claim that they were not overstretching the Ministry of Defence with the demands that they placed on it in recent years and under-resourcing is completely contradicted by the fact that they felt that such a cut to the budget had to be...

Territorial Army (26 Oct 2009) has video

Robert Smith: Will the Minister give way?

Territorial Army (26 Oct 2009) has video

Robert Smith: I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on focusing the House on this important issue today. I want to reinforce the case that he is making to the Minister for just how important the TA is. I also want to reinforce the case for the vital role that the TA plays not only in the front line, but in linking the military to the civilian community in many parts of the country where there is no other...

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

Robert Smith: What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the effects of investment in offshore oil and gas fields on levels of employment in Scotland.

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

Robert Smith: I hope that, during those discussions, the Secretary of State will begin to realise how important it is for the Government to get their strategy right now, given the thousands of jobs that depend on the North sea oil and gas industry. The pipelines and platforms are ageing. If they do not benefit from new investment soon they will be decommissioned, and we will miss out on the thousands of...

[David Taylor in the Chair] — North Sea Oil and Gas Industry (13 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: I congratulate the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Doran) on bringing this issue before the House today. As he said, it is important for us to keep learning lessons and keep the focus on safety. Incidents happen and lessons are learned, and then there is a period of calm, when perhaps people's minds are taken off the ball. A debate such as this is a chance to focus again and remind...

[David Taylor in the Chair] — North Sea Oil and Gas Industry (13 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: The hon. Gentleman makes a very important point about the other future for the North sea and the important role that carbon capture will play in tackling our immediate problems of climate change. Again, that will require safety assessments and an effective safety regime. The crucial message is that we as a country have benefited enormously from what has happened in the North sea. The work has...

[David Taylor in the Chair] — North Sea Oil and Gas Industry (13 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: Following on from that point, the other very useful thing about KP3 was that it brought minds back to asset integrity, because much of the safety effort had perhaps been diverted into the slightly easier area of improving the statistics on injuries and individual human safety methods. All of those are very important, but perhaps people's attention had come off the target of asset integrity...

[David Taylor in the Chair] — North Sea Oil and Gas Industry (13 Oct 2009)

Robert Smith: The hon. Gentleman raises an important point when he says that we should have common practices throughout the North sea, but he probably meant the UK sector of the North sea. Life for those working in the North sea would be greatly improved if more could be done to drive through a treaty with Norway to ensure that standards operate across boundaries. When equipment moves from one side of the...