Results 1-20 of 134 for iraq speaker:Nicholas Soames

Defence Procurement (20 Apr 2009) has video

Nicholas Soames: ...I should like an assurance to that end. This is a debate about defence procurement, but defence procurement in the context of the soldiers, sailors and airmen who have to use the equipment. As the Iraq operations come to an end, too soon in my view, we can say here without any shadow of a doubt, as we always do, that British troops have performed with the greatest courage, skill and...

Defence Procurement (20 Apr 2009) has video

Nicholas Soames: ...in Whitehall. Nothing is too much trouble for it, but the fact was that we were not equipped and we did not, in my view, have the correct military doctrine for what was going to follow on in Iraq. As I said, I hope that those lessons have now been learned and that we will not suffer such problems in Afghanistan. I would like the Minister to find out—I do not expect him to...

Defence Procurement (20 Apr 2009) has video

Nicholas Soames: ...—have to be right. We do not have the money to have anything going spare. We are not like the Americans, who are refashioning their whole doctrine on the basis of lessons that they learned in Iraq in a way that one would not believe possible. I do not know whether the Minister has been invited to Fort Leavenworth to see it, but the way in which they retrain is absolutely astonishing....

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Iraq (18 Dec 2008) has video

Nicholas Soames: I join hon. Members on both sides of the House in praising the exceptional success of British troops in Iraq. At this time of year, we should also remember their families, who have been so steadfast for so long. Will the Prime Minister reflect on the fact that British troops have through the war-fighting phase and into the peacekeeping phase exhibited a range of skills almost unmatched by any...

Business of the House (6 Nov 2008) has video

Nicholas Soames: ...of the House a couple of weeks ago? Will she make the strongest representations to the Prime Minister that he should come to this House himself to make a statement on the progress of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Is she aware that he has not made a statement to this House on the Afghan war since 12 December 2007? Is she further aware that during the second world war the Prime Minister...

Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government: Iraq (1 Apr 2008) has video

Nicholas Soames: May I remind the right hon. Gentleman that the statement about the possible withdrawal of numbers of troops from Iraq was made, extremely unwisely and rashly, by the Prime Minister when he was in Iraq? Some of us believe that to have been a cynical pre-election stunt. Will the Secretary of State define for the House the overwatch obligations and commitments to which he refers but which he...

Written Answers — International Development: Afghanistan (6 Feb 2008)

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's performance against objectives in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq has been in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Written Answers — International Development: Afghanistan (4 Feb 2008)

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has taken to promote the safety of his Department's employees operating in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Orders of the Day: Foreign Affairs and Defence (12 Nov 2007) has video

Nicholas Soames: ...recovery and a return to health. In this debate on the Queen's Speech, it is appropriate that we think especially of British servicemen and women of all three services currently on operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, and mention the civilian staffs across the defence establishment, who do so much to keep operations going. We have a great deal to be grateful for, yet the...

Orders of the Day: Foreign Affairs and Defence (12 Nov 2007)

Nicholas Soames: ...of dismal performances that make up much of the MOD is the Government's seeming inability, which I cannot understand, to tell the true story about the remarkable achievements of our troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan. There are wonderful stories of matchless gallantry, heroism and triumph to tell, but where are they reported? Of course, military reporting in the British press is...

Orders of the Day: Foreign Affairs and Defence (12 Nov 2007)

Nicholas Soames: ..., and it is my strong belief that the Secretary of State for Defence was himself not fully consulted. As you know, Madam Deputy Speaker, that was also the case when the Prime Minister announced in Iraq the return from there to this country of 1,000 men, most of whom were already back here. I would like the Secretary of State to answer some questions. Was he told and consulted in full about...

[Sir Nicholas Winterton in the Chair] — Defence Exports (17 Oct 2007)

Nicholas Soames: ...my strong belief that the Secretary of State for Defence was not told. As you may know, Sir Nicholas, the Secretary of State was not even told that the Prime Minister was to make an announcement in Iraq about the return of 1,000 men, most of whom were already here. As I said, the change was dressed up as an improvement to the machinery of government. If one can believe it, that change...

Oral Answers to Questions — Leader of the House: Iraq (8 Oct 2007)

Nicholas Soames: I agree with the Prime Minister that valuable work remains to be done for British troops in Iraq, but will he clarify his answer to my right hon. Friend the Leader the Opposition about what reserves will be available to the commander of overwatch troops in the later phases of this operation? Secondly, will he compare and contrast his own slippery manoeuvrings of the last weekend with the...

Written Answers — Defence: Iraq: Peace Keeping Operations (9 May 2007)

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are in place for the medical welfare of reserve forces who have served in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan on their return; and in what ways such arrangements differ to those in place for regular servicemen and women.

Point of Order: Defence in the UK (26 Apr 2007)

Nicholas Soames: ...the British services in the past 25 years was almost completely unforeseen. I include the Falklands campaign in 1982, the Gulf in 1991, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, East Timor, Macedonia, Iraq and now Afghanistan, to say nothing of the emergencies at home, including the fuel crisis, the foot and mouth emergency, firefighting and the terrorist attacks of July 2005. The ill intention...

Oral Answers to Questions — Defence: Bullying (Armed Forces) (26 Mar 2007)

Nicholas Soames: ...is no place for bullying and discrimination, it is nevertheless a fact that those young men and women, who are covering themselves in immense distinction under circumstances of great difficulty in Iraq and Afghanistan, can do so because they go through a very tough and robust training programme, which is designed to prepare them for what they are likely to meet if they have to go on active...

Cultural Diplomacy (13 Mar 2007)

Nicholas Soames: .... All my political life since I read his book about soft power and listened to him talking about it, I have been deeply influenced by what he said about the use of soft power. What has happened in Iraq and military adventurism generally means that the rise and use of soft power will be even more important than it ever was. Of course it has to be backed by the ability to deliver a good...

Oral Answers to Questions — Defence: Afghanistan (11 Dec 2006)

Nicholas Soames: ...should know that these processes can be hurried up—they should be hurried up—and that there is a serious shortage of helicopter load and personnel carrying capacity in Afghanistan and Iraq. Will he take steps immediately to find out what helicopters could be leased at short notice from the Americans, who have plenty of them and would be glad to let us have them?

Bill Presented: Armed Forces Personnel (6 Jul 2006)

Nicholas Soames: ...for Glasgow, North-West (John Robertson), with whom I entirely agree? I am conscious that the subject of our debate is personnel, but I should like to say something later about Afghanistan and Iraq. However, in the spirit of our debate, I endorse the points made by my hon. Friend the Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox), who spoke with great conviction and clarity, both today and after...

Bill Presented: Armed Forces Personnel (6 Jul 2006)

Nicholas Soames: ...How can one ship sensibly manage to patrol the Caribbean, the west coast of Africa and the south Atlantic? The commitment of our joint helicopter operation is stretched almost to breaking point in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am afraid that it all comes down to a shortage of money and not enough kit. That is bad for the fighting effectiveness of the forces, bad for morale, and bad for training....