Results 1-20 of 1,627 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 Cairns

Oral Answers to Questions — Culture, Media and Sport: Product Placement (9 Nov 2009) has video

David Cairns: With your permission, Mr. Speaker, may I congratulate my right hon. Friend on winning—this is long overdue—the Stonewall politician of the year award? Knowing this question was coming up, over the weekend I started counting how often products were placed on the television programmes I was watching, which were mainly imported from the United States, and I gave up after counting...

Oral Answers to Questions — Culture, Media and Sport: Topical Questions (9 Nov 2009) has video

David Cairns: On his visit to Glasgow, the Secretary of State heard the good news from BBC Scotland about the increase in programmes made in Scotland that are shown throughout the network. Does he agree that the timetable for meeting its target by 2016 is a bit generous, and that it could do it more quickly?

Nato: Marine Accident Investigation Branch (Reports) (20 Oct 2009)

David Cairns: I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision to oblige shipping companies, port operators and other bodies to comply with recommendations made in reports of the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents and of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch; and for connected purposes. On 19 December 2007, the Greenock-based tug, the Flying Phantom, sank in thick fog in the...

Nato: Topical Questions (20 Oct 2009)

David Cairns: One small cause for optimism in the middle east is the security improvements on the west bank, which have been brought about by the Palestinian Authority finally getting a grip on security there and the Israelis responding by opening road blocks. Will the Foreign Secretary continue to provide full support and backing to General Dayton and his largely British team, who have done so much to...

Oral Answers to Questions — Work and Pensions: Employment (Benefit Claimants) (29 Jun 2009) has video

David Cairns: I was told by a very experienced individual who had been a job centre manager during the 1990s about the really tough targets for moving people from employment benefits to incapacity benefits at that time. We also discussed the fate of the cohort who have failed their employment support allowance medical and who have not so far turned up again on the jobseeker's allowance rolls, although they...

Appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Electronic Communications (20 May 2009)

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend is a great champion of broadcasting in the nations and regions. He has already mentioned the £182 million studio at Pacific Quay in Glasgow, the finest studio of its type in Europe. Is he aware that the BBC is responsible for 85 per cent. of all TV production across the whole of Scotland, and that original production from Scotland for the networks is increasing after...

Appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Electronic Communications (20 May 2009)

David Cairns: What country does he think Salford is in?

Appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Electronic Communications (20 May 2009)

David Cairns: Before the previous intervention, the hon. Gentleman made the entirely accurate point that the advertising slump has seen a huge chunk of money taken out of ITV's revenue and therefore out of commercial production. However, there seems to be an odd logic in saying that ITV's losing £500 million is a pretext to take tens of millions of pounds out of the BBC's budget. If we are losing...

Appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General: Electronic Communications (20 May 2009)

David Cairns: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, who has been generous in giving way. I would understand the logic of his position if he wanted to take money from the BBC licence fee and give it to ITV; his argument would then make perfect sense. But he does not propose to do that. He is remarking that hundreds of millions of pounds have been taken out of broadcasting because of the advertising slump and...

Opposition Day — [10th Allotted Day]: Gurkha Settlement Rights (29 Apr 2009) has video

David Cairns: We all honour the past service of the Gurkhas, and I have a great deal of sympathy with the cause that has been put forward—with one important caveat about which I hope the hon. Gentleman can lay my fears to rest: the implications for future recruitment from Nepal. He will know that the current Maoist Government of Nepal were elected on a manifesto commitment to stop Gurkha recruitment...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Clause 1 — Northern Ireland department with policing and justice functions (4 Mar 2009) has video

David Cairns: May I encourage my right hon. Friend to continue along the path and treat what the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) has said with just a pinch of salt? We regularly get lectures from his party about issues that have a majority in the Scottish Parliament; that should dictate what is happening here, whether we are talking about opposition to identity cards or any other...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Northern Ireland Bill (4 Mar 2009)

David Cairns: I rise to support the Bill. This is my first speech from the Back Benches in nearly four years, and I am very pleased that we are talking about a Bill that moves forward a process that is very close to my heart and to the hearts of all hon. Members in the House. I am very conscious that the First Minister has not yet had the opportunity to address the House, so I shall drastically curtail my...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Northern Ireland Bill (4 Mar 2009)

David Cairns: My hon. Friend says that he has used it only once, but today he referred to Hugh Hefner. When I heard it on another occasion, he mentioned Peter Stringfellow, which only goes to show that he has used the line more than once. However, it is a good line and merits retelling. On a serious point, I am aware that this Bill, like many other measures introduced over the past few years, has generated...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Northern Ireland Bill (4 Mar 2009) has video

David Cairns: —and I hope that we do not hear a repetition of the phrase that it will not happen within our political lifetime, because that would leave an important, fairly disastrous hole in the middle of the devolutionary principle. I do not regard my political lifetime as over, contrary to any obituaries that have been written. It is important that we do not regard the current situation as in any...

Nepal (3 Mar 2009)

David Cairns: I am grateful to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir John Stanley) for securing the debate and for inviting me to make a very brief contribution. It was an honour to visit Nepal in his company a couple of weeks ago, and I am grateful to the Inter-Parliamentary Union for facilitating and organising the trip. In the long history of Nepal, it is no exaggeration to say that the...