Former Labour MP for Dunfermline and West Fife
Can my right hon. Friend say whether there will still be an Adjournment debate on Thursday on defence in the UK?
What commitment will my right hon. Friend give the work force at Rosyth that the dockyard will be awarded a major part of the construction and systems fitting on the future aircraft carrier, as a yard that stands out across the UK for delivering on cost, on time and to the highest standards?
As the Member for Dunfermline, which is the Black Watch's largest recruitment area, I had hoped, as had many of its families, that it would not be committed to an even more dangerous aspect of its current operations, especially as our US allies, despite having 121,000 more in their armed forces than we do, seem incapable or unwilling to deal with the situation. What commitment can the...
The Defence Committee sees the amendment as contentious, and I understand that it was passed in the other place by only one vote. The amendment would have a retrospective effect. Before 1978, service personnel were unable to accrue pension entitlements for widows or widowers except when marriage occurred before or during service. The amendment would extend the right to a widow's pension to...
I rise to speak on behalf of the Select Committee on Defence. The Chairman sends his apologies as the Committee had a prior commitment to take evidence on another issue this afternoon. I should declare that I am the honorary vice-president of the Dunfermline branch of the Royal British Legion, Scotland. That means that I take considerable personal interest in pension and compensation...
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. Indeed, we need further detailed consideration of where money is being taken from to benefit other developments. In the Lords, it was suggested that to maintain the status quo would cost an additional £200 million. According to the Government, as we have just heard, it is more likely that it would cost £300 million over a 10-year period. All...
I begin by congratulating the hon. Member for North Tayside (Pete Wishart) on securing this important debate. It is usual parliamentary practice for the parties to engage in political point-scoring, but I do not intend to do so because I want to use this time to emphasise to the Secretary of State for Defence the strength of feeling that I have observed among all ranks of serving and retired...
I certainly agree on the strong importance of RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Kinloss not only to the RAF, but to the local communities and their future. I hope that the Secretary of State for Defence, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet will listen to the views and widespread concern, and recognise that they need to—I shall use that very Scottish phrase—"go back and think again" and consult...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what grounds his Department determines whether a contracted price is achievable without subsidy and without additional payments from the Department.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the contracted price was for the refit package for HMS Richmond placed with FSL.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the competition process for the contract for the repair of HMS Nottingham.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the completion date for the study on the Future Role of Crombie will be; and what the date will be of the announcement of the outcome of the study.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on the most recent discussions he has held on future shipbuilding in Scotland.
To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the estimated cost is of holding a national referendum.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the role of Rosyth dockyard in the (a) construction and (b) equipping of the (i) Type 45 and (ii) new aircraft carrier; (2) whether Rosyth dockyard will be (a) the whole ship integration yard for the new aircraft carrier and (b) involved in the block construction of the new aircraft carrier.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the role of Rosyth dockyard as a strategic asset for the Naval Fleet.
