🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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My Lords, these Benches also add our condolences to the families of the three soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Last week was a difficult week for the multinational forces in general both in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is very heartening that the Fulton inquiry has reported so quickly, given that it comprised just Lieutenant-General Fulton and his major. It was an unusual process. Do we now expect...
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My Lords, can the Minister explore that point a little more? Surely the essence of what we are talking about is the difference between precision bombs which hit a point and aerial weapons which disperse bombs over a wider area. These are different sorts of weapons.
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My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Elton, on securing this debate at such an appropriate moment. After the progress at the Oslo conference, we now have the opportunity to take a significant step forward in Lima next week. It is telling that all noble Lords across the House have spoken in support of a ban. In December, at the Second Reading of the Cluster Munitions (Prohibition)...
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My Lords, the Question recognises the increasing hazards to our forces and the welfare support forces as we draw down our bases in Iraq to a single base. This raises another strategic question. Can the Minister assure the House that there are forces on call at high readiness to provide rescue and casualty evacuation capability in the event of a major contingency?
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My Lords, the United States is reported to be spending $3.4 billion this year on training the police and army in Afghanistan and intends to increase that to $5.9 billion in the year beginning in September. What are the comparable United Kingdom figures and do we also intend to increase our spending in the coming year?
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My Lords, we on these Benches join in offering our condolences to the families of the three soldiers killed since we last met. The Minister will be aware that the reports in the press are drawn from the leaked document, Equipment Reverse—SITREP No. 2, which since the weekend has been in the public domain. It confirms what the Minister said—that the forces are well equipped on...
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My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Holme of Cheltenham and the members of the Constitution Committee on their report. It is a pleasure to read an analysis of such clarity which distils the weighty, comprehensive and complex evidence in such an easily understood manner. However, as some other noble Lords have said, when I got to the end I was somewhat disappointed that we ended up...
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My Lords, from these Benches we add our condolences to the family of the rifleman who was so sadly killed yesterday. The Joint Strike Fighter aircraft is an essential component of our carrier capability. In March 2007, the United States Government Accounting Office reported on it again and showed further cost growth. The GAO said: "Accurately predicting JSF costs and schedule and ensuring...
More of Lord Garden's speeches and debates
✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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asked Her Majesty's Government: What were the circumstances of the incident at the Galway air show on 24 June when the door to a Royal Air Force Merlin helicopter in flight was reported to have fallen off and injured three civilians on the ground; and whether a board of inquiry has been convened.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 15 May (WA 21), when the results of the Ministry of Defence survey of December 2006 into Armed Forces electoral registration levels and registration awareness will be available.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: What cost benefits were achieved by relocating No. 6 Squadron from RAF Coltishall to RAF Coningsby in April 2006 rather than retaining it at Coltishall until disbandment 12 months later.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: What category of damage the two United Kingdom Puma helicopters sustained in the collision north of Baghdad on 15 April; and when each is expected to be available again for operations.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: What measures they have taken to assess the effectiveness during the 3 May 2007 elections of the new arrangements for voting by the Armed Forces; and when the results of any assessment will be available.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: Of those military personnel who tested positive for illegal drugs in 2006, how many have subsequently been required to leave the Armed Forces.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: What trends they have identified in illegal drug taking in the Armed Forces since random testing was introduced.
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asked Her Majesty's Government: How many random drug tests were performed on military personnel in 2006; how many of these were positive, and for which drugs or combination of drugs.
More of Lord Garden's written questions
