Results 1-20 of 3,133 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Gavin Strang

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: UK Low Carbon Transition Plan (15 Jul 2009)

Gavin Strang: May I particularly congratulate my right hon. Friend on his announcement that the Government, not the regulator, will set the grid access regime? Does he agree that our centralised transmission system means that on microgeneration we are years behind countries such as Germany and Denmark? On the feed-in tariff, which he understands is absolutely vital, will he do all that he can to move...

Nuclear Weapons Proliferation (9 Jul 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: I am very pleased to have the opportunity to bring the important and urgent matter of nuclear weapons proliferation before the House. The nuclear non-proliferation treaty, or NPT, is the cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime. The treaty came into force in 1970 and is recognised as having been a real success. It was negotiated at a time when there was a very real danger...

Nuclear Weapons Proliferation (9 Jul 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that intervention. I agree. There is real concern—certainly among Labour Members—about the September decision. I do not quite see why it has to be made in September and I would like to think that there could be some movement on this point. We know that the Trident replacement bid is a big issue that will not go away—far from it, as it...

Bill Presented — Sustainable Energy (Local Plans) Bill: National Express East Coast Franchise (1 Jul 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: As an Edinburgh-based regular user of the east coast main line, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he agrees that it is a great asset, which is why National Express signed up to put in £1.4 billion to operate it for 10 years? We should welcome the Government's intervention, but may I put it to him that the key thing is to sustain this service? Will he do all he can to maintain it and...

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary rightly referred to the fatalities of the war, including the hundreds and thousands of Iraqis who have died. We are now debating the British intervention in the war. I shall not rehearse the figures on British deaths, but we need to take into account all the American deaths, too—3,455 of the American armed forces. That figure rises to 4,318 if...

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: We also have to remember that it is not just a matter of the deaths, as so many people have been injured and maimed as well.

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: Yes, I think that there is a consensus there. The Government amendment makes explicit reference to the families, where it says "recognises the importance of allowing the families of those who gave their lives in Iraq to express their views about the nature and procedures of the inquiry". That is fine. Families, and the organisations that represent them, are hugely important. Let us not have...

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: I asked the question in the context not just of our being Members of the House of Commons but of our role when people go before the inquiry. There have been quite a few losses in Scotland—in Edinburgh and elsewhere—and as the Government rightly acknowledge, families will go to the inquiry. Can they take their Member of Parliament with them? Those are important issues. The question...

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: rose—

Oral Answers to Questions — Health: European Council (23 Jun 2009)

Gavin Strang: On jobs and the leadership that the Prime Minister has provided, not least at the G20 summit, to help us get through this international recession, are there now grounds for cautious optimism that the Government's measures have in fact saved the British banking system? Is it not worth noting in passing that as far as lending for investment is concerned, a number of British companies are having...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Tribute to Mr. Speaker (17 Jun 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: Thank you for this opportunity to pay tribute to you as Speaker of the House of Commons, and thank you for the courtesy that you have shown me in the Chamber. Much reference has rightly been made to the hospitality and kindness that you have shown to people in Speaker's House, and I can bear witness to that. One of my fondest memories will always be of the opportunity that you gave me to...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Public Expenditure (17 Jun 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: Is it not clear that public investment is vital to the Scottish economy, especially at a time of recession? Is not one of the strengths of the Calman commission report the fact that its recommendations will give the Scottish Government of the day greater scope and flexibility over public spending?

Oral Answers to Questions — Justice: Digital Britain (16 Jun 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: Does my right hon. Friend agree that the BBC is a truly great British institution and achievement, funded by the licence fee? There is bound to be real apprehension, therefore, at putting in place an arrangement post-2013 whereby an element of the licence fee—albeit small, as he said—goes to other organisations. It could be an arrangement that ultimately weakens the BBC itself.

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Economic Downturn (6 May 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: My right hon. Friend has always recognised the importance of Ministry of Defence expenditure to the economy in Scotland, and he is well aware of the centre of engineering excellence at SELEX in Edinburgh, which leads on the radar contract for the Typhoon. Given that it has now been reported in the industry that we have negotiated a good new deal on tranche 3, split into two and with the Saudi...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation — Amendment of the law (22 Apr 2009)

Gavin Strang: Economic predictions are notoriously unreliable, but few of us at the time of last year's Budget would have imagined that we would be where we are now, with a major share of our banking industry in public ownership and the world in the throes of recession. The economic crisis began in the financial sector, and I would imagine that most people would agree that we would be suffering a far worse...

Defence Procurement (20 Apr 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: Of all the decisions that Governments take, surely none is more important than that to send our forces overseas into combat. When that is done, I am sure the whole House agrees that it is imperative that everything is done to enable our forces to have the maximum opportunity to avoid loss of life and casualties when they are involved in such action. It is therefore understandable that in...

Royal Assent: G20 Summit (2 Apr 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: My right hon. Friend is right to be cautious, but surely it is already clear that the London G20 summit has been a success. Although it is true that there are still toxic assets in the banking system, which is a problem, and that unemployment will continue to rise for a good many months yet—and not just here, but elsewhere—are we not beginning to see grounds for some optimism? He...

Oral Answers to Questions — Health: International Terrorism (24 Mar 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: Many of us remember the Omagh bombing and some of us in this place remember Airey Neave. Surely the whole House must agree with my right hon. Friend that there are major differences between the past challenge of the Provisional IRA and the situation we face now. Not only is it international—that makes a crucial difference—but we know the scale of the threat following the attacks...

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: Spring European Council (23 Mar 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: Is it not time that the whole House, including the Opposition parties, recognised that the Government have been absolutely right to attach the highest priority to stabilising the banking system? Is it not the case that the more we learn about the Royal Bank of Scotland, the more we realise that its shareholders and customers are entitled to become angrier and angrier? In view of the reports...

Oral Answers to Questions — Scotland: Credit (18 Mar 2009) has video

Gavin Strang: Does my right hon. Friend agree that banks are the main source of credit to business? That is why he is right to remind hon. Members of the important intervention that the Government made to stabilise the banking system. Does he agree that all the banks, not least RBS and Lloyds-HBOS, now have an obligation to do all they can to support Scottish business and business generally throughout the UK?