Results 1-20 of 1,308 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Tobias Ellwood

Defence Policy (15 Oct 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: It is a pleasure to be the final Back Bencher to contribute to what has been an excellent debate that has primarily focused on Afghanistan. I have begun every speech in a defence debate by saying what a shame it is that we have to use these debates, which arise once in a blue moon, to discuss the fact that we are war. We should have regular updates on the situation. Our armed forces are...

Defence Policy (15 Oct 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: Will my hon. Friend give way?

Defence Policy (15 Oct 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: My hon. Friend is advancing a powerful argument in explaining why the military need to move forward and understand the threats of the day. I am pleased that the procurement Minister—the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, the hon. Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies)—has returned to the Chamber. Does my hon. Friend agree that the invention used by the Germans and the...

Defence Policy (15 Oct 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: The Secretary of State said that he has the support of the Conservatives, but I think that that extends only to the support given to the armed forces. Time and again, we have suggested that the Government are adopting the wrong strategy in Afghanistan. That has now been proved by Admiral Mullen saying that we need to change—General McChrystal said the same in his report. What does the...

Defence Policy (15 Oct 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: The strategy that has been conducted up to now has been simplified as "clear, hold and build". The clearing and the holding took place in the Babaji area under Operation Panther's Claw. In our last debate, I asked the Secretary of State what will now happen to that area as regards reconstruction and stabilisation. He told me that they would go ahead but gave no details. In answer to a...

Defence Policy (15 Oct 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: I am grateful to the Secretary of State. I think that there are more things on which we agree than disagree and fully support the funding for our armed forces. We disagree about the role of the Department for International Development behind the armed forces, and that is the issue that frustrates people on the ground. I am informed of what goes on there: the company in which I served, 2nd...

Olympics: Swine Flu Update (20 Jul 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: There has been a lot of talk about the FCO website and tourism abroad, but I am interested in what is happening to tourism in Britain. We are very much open for business, yet we see headlines such as today's "Holidaymakers face travel ban as swine flu sweeps country". What conversations has the Secretary of State had with the tourism Minister to ensure that such headlines are placed in...

Oral Answers to Questions — Culture, Media and Sport: Tourism Industry (20 Jul 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: One issue affecting the whole country, including the south-west, is the growth of the swine flu pandemic. Hon. Members might recall that, at the time of the foot and mouth outbreak and after the 9/11 attacks, the Treasury granted an additional £20 million, which was match-funded by the industry, to assist UK tourism through those difficult times. I notice that there is nothing on the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Culture, Media and Sport: Tourism Industry (20 Jul 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: That is exactly the point that I was making.

Bills Presented: Afghanistan and Pakistan (16 Jul 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: It is a pleasure to help to conclude this debate. However, I am sad that it has taken the number of deaths that it has for the Government to recognise the importance of having these debates. We are at war, and we should have these debates on a quarterly basis, rather than being forced to have them in this manner. If any Member wants to get an idea of how committed our troops are, they should...

Bills Presented: Afghanistan and Pakistan (16 Jul 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: If the Secretary of State has an idea of what is going on, he should inform his troops, because they do not know. That is what they told us—that is exactly what happened. Let us look at the figures. Our MOD budget for Afghanistan is £2.7 billion, while the DFID budget is £207 million—these are 2008 figures. The difference is almost tenfold. There is no way that we can go...

Oral Answers to Questions — Defence: Equipment Renewal (13 Jul 2009) has video

Tobias Ellwood: I have just returned from a visit to Afghanistan and I have nothing but praise for our forces working in Helmand province. I have to say, however, that I think this Government should hang their heads in shame for sending our troops out to a war without enough manpower or heavy-lift helicopters. Let me ask the Secretary of State what will happen when the fighting stops and Babaji is declared...

[Mr. Eric Illsley in the Chair] — European Commission Annual Policy Strategy (2 Jul 2009)

Tobias Ellwood: That was not my interpretation of my hon. Friend's comments. The reason why there is such an interest in what goes on in other countries is that it relates to the mechanics of what we are voting for. We do not have the system if one country votes against it, so, of course, we look over our shoulders to see what is happening in other countries. We want to be aware of what is happening. That is...

[Mr. Eric Illsley in the Chair] — European Commission Annual Policy Strategy (2 Jul 2009)

Tobias Ellwood: rose—

[Mr. Eric Illsley in the Chair] — European Commission Annual Policy Strategy (2 Jul 2009)

Tobias Ellwood: We are talking about astonishing sums of money—€3.4 billion—so it is worth just a couple more seconds of the Minister's and the Chamber's time. We should have updates and more detail on exactly how the money is being spent. The matter was being debated when I first became an MP, and as the Minister said, I have spoken about it before, but there is still only one satellite up...

[Mr. Eric Illsley in the Chair] — European Commission Annual Policy Strategy (2 Jul 2009)

Tobias Ellwood: Honest views?

[Mr. Eric Illsley in the Chair] — European Commission Annual Policy Strategy (2 Jul 2009)

Tobias Ellwood: More information on Galileo by letter would be much appreciated. I appreciate that I am testing the Minister's generosity and I am grateful that he has given way once again. I am happy to be proved wrong, but we have yet to see any form of CCS actually work. I am very much in favour of other forms of green energy. The one thing that could be successful, but which we are always told is 20...

[Mr. Eric Illsley in the Chair] — European Commission Annual Policy Strategy (2 Jul 2009)

Tobias Ellwood: It is a pleasure to work under your tutelage, Mr. Illsley—I think it is the first time that I have had that honour—and it is a delight to participate in this important debate. However, I am sad to observe that so few hon. Members have made it into the Chamber. In fact, there is such a small number of hon. Members here that, if we had wanted to save the taxpayer some money, we...

[Mr. Eric Illsley in the Chair] — European Commission Annual Policy Strategy (2 Jul 2009)

Tobias Ellwood: I think that I am right in saying that Germany is another country whose people have been denied the opportunity to vote on the treaty directly.

[Mr. Eric Illsley in the Chair] — European Commission Annual Policy Strategy (2 Jul 2009)

Tobias Ellwood: I am glad that the Minister has corrected me, but he will also be aware that it was written into the Japanese and German constitutions that those countries could not send armed forces abroad. Those aspects of their constitutions have now been changed because they are out of date. Is it not now wrong that the Germans do not have an opportunity to vote on something so important? Surely, we as...