Former Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North
Does my right hon. Friend agree that any reasonable person-and any reasonable political party that is interested in more than just appeasing its anti-European factions-would recognise that a serious response to the recession requires common effective action at European level? Will he tell me whether the continuing problem of the higher unemployment among young people than among the population...
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
The hon. Gentleman and I have talked about these issues outside the House for many years, and we did so a few weeks ago. As he knows, the audience, comprising industrialists in the defence industry from Britain and Europe, made it clear that they did not believe that the Conservatives would increase defence expenditure. The audience asked the very question that has been asked in the House...
May I start by paying tribute to the great sacrifice that has been made by our troops when they have been deployed in recent years-in fact, in the 23 years that I have been in Parliament? I saw the courage, motivation, commitment and professionalism of those troops during my period as a Defence Minister, and I have continued to see those qualities displayed as the current chairman of the...
If that is an absolute guarantee, I am pleased that the hon. Gentleman was able to give it, and I hope that it will be given prominence in Conservative thinking on defence policy. I did not expect the Conservative party to come up with an all-embracing outline of what an SDR should eventually produce today, but I did expect some thrust about where it saw the threat coming from in the future....
Yes, we are second. We therefore spend a significant amount already, but is public opinion going to wear a greater amount of our gross domestic product being spent on defence? Those on my Front Bench raised that issue with those on the Conservative Front Bench in earlier exchanges, but I am not yet clear whether the Conservative party will guarantee the existing percentage of the nation's...
I understand that Opposition parties have to try to point out shortcomings, but does the hon. Gentleman accept that defence, like other public expenditure, is a matter of choice, that as the world changes the choices have to change, and that if we want to spend more on things such as unmanned aerial vehicles and intelligence, we have to think about what we are going to spend less on?
I refer hon. Members to my entry in the Register of Members' Financial Interests. About three hours ago, I listened to the opening speeches from those on both Front Benches. At that time, I intended to say something, if I caught your eye, Madam Deputy Speaker, about a constituency issue that relates to flooding and the resources required for that. I still hope to talk about that and some...
To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps she has taken to hold discussions with local authorities on how their areas can benefit from the London 2012 Olympics.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding the Government have released to local authorities within the Tyne and Wear area for the maintenance of existing children's play areas and the establishment of new ones in the last 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what records he holds of the number of Newcastle-based further education students who are at university in the city.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to investigate and help prevent instances of localised flooding, with particular reference to Newcastle upon Tyne.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to extend membership of NHS foundation hospital trusts' boards to members of the public; and whether a timescale has been produced for this policy.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding was provided to Newcastle City Council for the maintenance and establishment of children's play areas in the latest period for which figure are available; and what monitoring his Department undertakes to ensure this funding is being used appropriately by local authorities.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if her Department will encourage Newcastle city council to bring forward development briefs for retail developments in Newcastle upon Tyne as a way of stimulating local economic activity within sustainable communities in the city.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work his Department is undertaking to enable NHS trusts to develop premises and sites which facilitate the provision of modern and accessible healthcare.
