Lindsay Hoyle: If she will make a statement on her Department's involvement in the Russian resettlement project for retraining unemployed former Soviet army officers in Russia. [39060]
Lindsay Hoyle: That answer was comprehensive, but we know that £496,000 from the know-how fund has been channelled into the retraining of Russian officers. Would not that money be better spent on retraining warlords and on ending poverty in third-world countries?
Lindsay Hoyle: Does my hon. Friend agree that morale was truly lifted with the change of Government? I believe that that has been the main boost to the armed forces.
Lindsay Hoyle: It is interesting that the hon. Gentleman is blaming the Labour party for a turnout of 11 per cent. at Salford. Would I be correct in thinking that, of the 11 per cent., probably only 1 per cent. was voting Conservative, if the Conservative party was lucky? The apathy lies with the Conservative party in Salford.
Lindsay Hoyle: As the hon. Gentleman has so much knowledge, could he tell us how many people turned out to vote in Basildon?
Lindsay Hoyle: The hon. Gentleman says that the trains now run well in Essex, and the Labour party should take the blame. Should not the Labour party therefore take the credit for the punctuality of the trains?
Lindsay Hoyle: I am sure that hon. Members will wish Madam Speaker well on the 25th anniversary of her election to the House. It should be a glorious day for her, as the sun is shining. I want to speak about something radical and different—the reorganisation of police forces. Crime knows no barriers, and there is a great opportunity to consider restructuring. Police officers do a tremendous job in...
Lindsay Hoyle: Does the Prime Minister agree with me that the profits announced by Camelot, which amount to more than £1.5 million a week, are excessive, and that we ought to ensure that the next company chosen does not profit out of good causes? At the end of the day, the people who have lost by more than £1.5 million a week are the beneficiaries throughout the regions. Would not a fairer spread of...
Lindsay Hoyle: Obviously launch aid is important. The world needs this generation of aircraft. I hope that the Government will back it and look favourably on the military version of the Airbus for the FLA.
Lindsay Hoyle: If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 1 July.
Lindsay Hoyle: Will my right hon. Friend congratulate Royal Ordnance's land mine clearance unit, which is in my constituency, on its good work and on all the good work that it has done in Angola, Mozambique, Kuwait and many other countries, especially with today being the birthday of the late Princess Diana? Would that not be the golden opportunity for us to ratify the Ottawa convention as quickly as possible?
Lindsay Hoyle: I congratulate the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on taking a courageous view, for a Conservative Member, on animal welfare. I welcome that revised attitude to animal welfare, and I hope that he will be as sympathetic on the subject of hunting with hounds.
Lindsay Hoyle: Does my hon. Friend agree that there is a danger of pure short-term greed prevailing over long-term loss of customer choice? In my constituency is one of the smallest building societies in Britain, the Chorley building society. We are worried that, if people cash their chips overnight, that will be the end of customer choice in my area, because the society is too small to become a bank. I am...
Lindsay Hoyle: Following that question, will my hon. Friend comment on that proof of good Government practice, which shows that returns will come from a popular Labour Government delivering their commitments, and on how companies can deliver resources on the Church's behalf?
Lindsay Hoyle: In Lancashire.
Lindsay Hoyle: I shall try not to raise as many points as the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean), or no other hon. Members will get in. I welcome the Leader of the House to her new position. She will be sadly missed as President of the Board of Trade. The topics on which I shall speak are car pricing, vehicle emissions and public transport. There are 24 million cars on the road in...
Lindsay Hoyle: What does it say that it is for?
Lindsay Hoyle: My turn to speak has seemed to take a long time coming round. It has been a long debate over two days. At least I have heard many interesting comments, with some of which one can agree and with some of which one may disagree. Here I am, at last, to speak about the strategic defence review. I welcome most of the strategic defence review and its implications for defence in the United Kingdom....
Lindsay Hoyle: Will my hon. Friend give way?
Lindsay Hoyle: I thank my hon. Friend. I do not think that every hon. Member who wished to speak will be able to do so, owing to the length of some of the speeches that have been made. Does my hon. Friend agree that the north-west has suffered more than any other region, except one? I feel that there should be a special intervention to support farmers in the north-west. Is my hon. Friend aware that,...