Results 1-20 of 381 for in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates' speaker:Lord Craig of Radley

Queen’s Speech — Debate (5th Day) (15 May 2013)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, the gracious Speech barely touches on defence. Only “strengthening the Reserve Forces” and improving, “the way this country procures defence equipment”, get a mention. There is little else. Why indeed, is “this country” rather than “my Government” or even “my Ministers” given the task of improving procurement? It is...

Armed Forces: Pay — Question (20 March 2013)

Lord Craig of Radley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they did not approve the 0.5 per cent increase in the X-factor supplement recommended by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body in its 2013 report (Cm 8571).

Armed Forces: Pay — Question (20 March 2013)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, that is of course very welcome news, although I think it would be a shade fanciful to think that a topical Question could so rapidly change the Government's mind. Nevertheless, because there has been a delay, can the Minister assure the House that the pay uplift will be made available on time in April, or will it be delayed and have to be backdated? I hope that the Government will...

Mali — Statement (29 January 2013)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, can the Minister confirm whether the cost of this additional involvement in Mali is to be met from the contingency fund and whether the Treasury has set any upper limit on the amount of money that may be devoted to these operations?

Nuclear Disarmament — Motion to Take Note (24 January 2013)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, as your Lordships will recognise, this topic has its periods of interests and enthusiasm, but there is an inevitable disconnect- perhaps not unintended-between being an advocate for multilateral disarmament while actively planning to remain in the nuclear club. I have never doubted that the interests of this country are best served by remaining a member of that nuclear club and...

Armed Forces — Motion to Take Note (5 November 2012)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Astor of Hever, for arranging this debate. He has been most assiduous in keeping your Lordships' House aware of defence issues and this is yet another example of that. I also welcome the noble Baroness, Lady Garden of Frognal, to her new responsibilities. She has proved to be an excellent Front-Bench spokesman on other subjects and I am sure that that...

Armed Forces: Reserve Forces — Question (1 November 2012)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, it is my great privilege and pleasure to congratulate the noble and learned Lord, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, on his maiden speech. He has entertained us well and, I think, rather modestly left out some other judicial appointments in his magnificent career. He was of course Master of the Rolls and Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales in between the times he served here,...

Railways: Franchises — Private Notice Question (10 October 2012)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, will the Minister confirm that the Treasury was involved in considering and approving the figures worked out by the Department for Transport that proved to be at fault? If so, will the review take account of the contribution that the Treasury has made to this fiasco?

BAE Systems and EADS — Question (10 October 2012)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, is this outcome entirely satisfactory from the Government's point of view?

Defence Equipment and Support — Statement (17 July 2012)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, one of the criteria that Mr Bernard Gray identified in his major study of DE and S was that a budget provision for a 10-year period should be made for the equipment programme. Many instances of overloading the programme in the past have probably been attributable to changes in the budget provision, which the Ministry of Defence had expected. Has an agreement been reached on the...

G8 and NATO Summits — Statement (23 May 2012)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, before he was elected, the President of France talked about withdrawing French troops from Afghanistan earlier than previously intended. Following the NATO meeting, are the Government satisfied that this earlier rush for the door -if I may call it that-that was being threatened by France and other countries will not now take place?

Queen's Speech — Debate (6th Day) (17 May 2012)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, it is now just over 18 months since the Government announced the outcome of their strategic defence review. Much criticism was and still is heaped upon it suggesting that the outcome was driven by the financial difficulties that the country was facing and was less than a fair appraisal of the Government's strategic perceptions. The vision-no more than that-of a new defence...

Aerospace Industry — Question (5 December 2011)

Lord Craig of Radley: Can the Minister confirm that the purchase of the F35 Joint Strike Fighter for the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force is essential for the future viability of British and other aerospace systems, essential to the security of the skilled workforce and essential to the Treasury for the tax take that will come from worldwide sale of this aircraft?

Public Bodies Bill [HL]: Consideration of Commons Amendments (23 November 2011)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, I, too, put on record my appreciation for the Government's decision, having been involved at various times in this subject. As I recall, a chief coroner has been identified, but I cannot remember whether he has actually been appointed; he may or may not still be around. It would be extremely helpful if the Minister made very clear, having decided to go ahead with the chief coroner,...

Armed Forces Bill: Commons Reason and Amendment in Lieu (26 October 2011)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, I thank all those who have spoken, and I thank particularly the Minister for the help that he has given. The hour is too late to go any further than that, other than to express my appreciation, and I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Motion withdrawn. Motion A agreed to.

Armed Forces Bill: Commons Reason and Amendment in Lieu (26 October 2011)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, I beg to move Motion A1 and thus speak to my Amendment 6B, which I proposed as an amendment in lieu. In the latter part of his remarks, the Minister reminded the House of the Government's thinking on the issues that have been central to our debates on the medal amendments that the noble Lords, Lord Ramsbotham and Lord Touhig, and I tabled at the earlier stages of the Bill. Our...

Armed Forces Bill: Third Reading (10 October 2011)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, I raised this particular question in my earlier comments. The Minister has said: "I propose to write to ministerial colleagues in the FCO emphasising the strength of feeling that continues to exist, both in this House and elsewhere, specifically about the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal ... I will propose that they look again at whether they can advise the HD committee to recommend to...

Armed Forces Bill: Third Reading (10 October 2011)

Lord Craig of Radley: I thank the noble Lord for that assurance. There is a fundamental disconnect, I feel, between the approach that I and my colleagues are taking and the one that the Minister has taken. It is all to do, fundamentally, with whether the HD committee rules to which we keep referring are still fit for purpose. My contention is that they not fit for purpose. On that basis, I propose to ask for the...

Armed Forces Bill: Third Reading (10 October 2011)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, I beg to move Amendment 8 in my name and that of the noble Lords, Lord Ramsbotham and Lord Touhig. I am grateful for their support. As I made clear in my remarks at Report and Committee stages, the current arrangements are not satisfactory. This is not so much a criticism of individuals but of a process that is no longer-to use that popular phrase-fit for purpose. I propose to...

Armed Forces Bill: Third Reading (10 October 2011)

Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, the amendment is in the names also of the noble Lords, Lord Astor of Hever, Lord Wallace of Saltaire and Lord Ramsbotham. I am much obliged to the noble Lord, Lord Astor of Hever, for inviting me to lead on this amendment. The issue is one that I first raised at Second Reading last July. I felt strongly that Clause 2, dealing with the military covenant, was not getting the...