Results 1-20 of 819 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Richard Younger-Ross

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Nimrod Review (28 Oct 2009) has video

Richard Younger-Ross: I thank the Secretary of State for the content and tone of his statement. He says that lessons have been learned and that there is still more to be done. As part of that process, will he look at the procurement programmes that he has already announced, such as the Puma extended life programme? That programme was much criticised by the Defence Committee, and there are modern alternatives that...

Military Vehicles and Aircraft (27 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: I entirely agree with the point that the hon. Gentleman has just made. On flying hot and high, it is surely understandable that we had problems when we were first in Afghanistan in 2001-02, because we may not have expected the conflict. Given that we have now been there for a long time and that we knew that this would always be a long-haul campaign, does the hon. Gentleman agree that the...

Military Vehicles and Aircraft (27 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: I congratulate the hon. Member for Congleton (Ann Winterton) on securing this debate. She raises some important issues. I agree with her general principle that we need a strategic defence review, that we must decide our objectives, and that we must put an end to the ad hoc arrangements. I am reminded of a Christmas cracker that I opened many years ago. As with all crackers, it had a motto in...

Military Vehicles and Aircraft (27 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: The principle is exactly the same. Those are two ways of saying the same thing. We must examine our defence needs, and try to find the equipment that fits them. That is why we need the strategic defence review. As politicians, we must be truthful about the cost, but we have not been. We have always said that we must work within the defence budget, but then expected people to pull the...

Military Vehicles and Aircraft (27 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: That point is right. We had no other replacement, but this is about the pre-planning; we were not prepared. We knew we were going in, but we did not work out in advance what we required to build the peace. This is where hindsight is a wonderful thing. We did not see the insurgency that was to follow. In not securing the peace and security afterwards, we allowed the insurgency to grow. We left...

Military Vehicles and Aircraft (27 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: Unquestionably we cannot afford the full suite; that is the purpose of a defence review. That is perhaps why we need to consider working more with our European allies and colleagues in the European Union and others so that we can examine where we can make savings in costs and bring together resources to ensure that we are more effective.

Military Vehicles and Aircraft (27 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: The hon. Gentleman makes a valid point. Certainly in the past what he describes has been the case, but that does not mean to say that it has to be that way in the future. We just have to have smarter procurement, which I will come to. The term that applies is pork barrel politics, because I think that there has been a lot of that in the European programmes that we have had in the past and in...

Military Vehicles and Aircraft (27 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: I will come on to that, because the Gray report, which has just been published, covers the procurement process. It is a very important point. The main thrust of what I am saying is that we must be able to adapt rapidly to changing circumstances. There is no point in just blaming generals for not having the right equipment at the right time, because we do not always have the structures in...

Military Vehicles and Aircraft (27 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: My apologies, Mr. Taylor. The hon. Member for East Londonderry (Mr. Campbell) made his point, but in Northern Ireland the circumstance was slightly different; it is smaller. Dealing with a country of the size and complexity of Afghanistan is much more complex, and the adaptability for different circumstances is changing. We were dealing with lower-altitude fighting in Iraq. The average...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: It has been a good debate. The Select Committee's report is excellent, and the presentation given by the hon. Member for Maldon and East Chelmsford (Mr. Whittingdale) was well thought out. I hope that the Minister will answer the points raised today both in his summation and later, once the debate is over. I should point out to the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies)—he apologised...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: The Minister nods, so it cannot have been his double. We were in the Members' Dining Room to listen to Ralph McTell. He played three songs, including the wonderful "Streets of London". That was the latest event, but the previous event that I attended, involving Muse, was slightly bigger. Although some Members may not have heard of Muse, they are rated the most popular and best live band in...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: We have listened to our council colleagues very carefully and we have discussed this issue. My hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) and I fully endorse the proposal, which is supported by the Liberal Democrat party. Perhaps the easiest route for the Government would be to look at the Bill that is already in preparation, give it their support and bring it through. That might be a...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: I thank the Minister for that positive response; we will have to wait and see what the consultation shows. I am sure that some of the people listening to the debate will want to ensure that their view that 200 would be the better figure is clearly put to the Minister. I have one more point on licensing before I move on. Difficulties with the 14-day rule have been mentioned. Other...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: Following the hon. Gentleman's logic, is he saying that it is not the responsibility of drug dealers that people take drugs?

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: The hon. Gentleman mentioned problems in inner-city areas. The problem of shifting the trouble zone applies equally to rural areas and small seaside resorts such as Teignmouth and Dawlish, so it is not just an inner-city problem. The difficulty is that residents are now being disturbed at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, rather than earlier at 1 o'clock.

Business of the House (22 Oct 2009) has video

Richard Younger-Ross: May we have a debate on the treatment for wet macular degeneration? I particularly want the Secretary of State for Health to explain why my constituent Mrs. Wilson, who has lost almost all sight in one eye, is unable to get treatment for her other eye until its sight has degenerated to 6/12. When that happens, she will lose her independence and her ability to drive.

Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Tibet (20 Oct 2009)

Richard Younger-Ross: In 1904, Colonel Younghusband took British troops into Tibet. In 1947, those troops left and we recognised the Tibetan people's right to self-determination. Why do this Government not allow them that self-determination? Why are we not putting more pressure on the Chinese Government to recognise that right? At present, we are exerting less pressure in that regard than we did in 1947.

Water Charges (12 Oct 2009) has video

Richard Younger-Ross: Is that not exactly what Ofwat has been doing in its determination? It has said to the water companies, "You can't spend as much as you want, you've got to spend less." That is why it has made such limited cuts. Of course, it has not addressed the inequalities.

Water Charges (12 Oct 2009) has video

Richard Younger-Ross: I am grateful for the opportunity to bring again to the Floor of the House an issue that has been of concern to residents of the south-west for a long time—indeed, since 1989, when the then Conservative Government privatised the water companies and, in the view of myself, my parliamentary colleagues and most residents of the south-west, created a grave injustice, which has to this day...

Water Charges (12 Oct 2009) has video

Richard Younger-Ross: I do not need to comment further, as my hon. Friend has put his point firmly on the record. Why does the south-west have such particular problems? The region has 3,429 square kilometres of environmentally sensitive countryside. Some 40 per cent. of its land receives special protection for its outstanding quality, compared with a figure of 23 per cent. for England overall. The region has 2,100...