William Hague: ...the people of Afghanistan to decide their own future in a way that enhances their security and livelihoods without presenting a danger to the rest of the world."-[ Official Report, 5 February 2009; Vol. 487, c.1044.] I think that that is a fair assessment of what we are trying to do.
William Hague: If the Afghan Government were functioning as we wanted them to, with the widespread consent and support of Afghan people throughout the country, and, if the writ of the Government of Pakistan ran properly through all its territory, we would be in a stronger position with regard to the problem that the hon. Gentleman raises. However, there is a fundamental disagreement about the issue, and I...
William Hague: I give way to the right hon. Gentleman, the former Defence Secretary.
William Hague: That is an accurate reflection of our objectives, but the hon. Member for Newport, West (Paul Flynn) was also right to point out that we have not achieved them yet. I agree with the hon. Gentleman on that, so the issue before us is how we go on to achieve them. My right hon. Friend the Leader-
William Hague: I am trying to make the progress that you called for, Mr. Deputy Speaker, but I shall give way to the hon. Lady.
William Hague: ...: "I repeat that I have been reassured by commanders on the ground and at the top of the armed services that we have the manpower that we need for current operations."-[ Official Report, 13 July 2009; Vol. 496, c. 29.] But on a visit to Afghanistan this week, the Chief of the General Staff said that the Army needed more "boots on the ground" to secure areas and win the confidence of the...
William Hague: That illustrates the point, in a way. Clearly, the Prime Minister is not going to spend his entire day, on a day-to-day basis, consumed by these matters, but there should be a Minister in the Government who does spend his or her time in that way. Of course this requires Ministers to work together, but it also requires a clear sense of ownership of the strategy and the problem, and that is not...
William Hague: I do not think it is impossible for us to succeed. If the hon. Gentleman is asking whether I think it is possible that we could succeed on the basis of the objectives that I have been talking about and that the Foreign Secretary clearly shares, on behalf of the Government, I do think that. I do not write off the possibility of success. However, it requires not only the necessary resources but...
William Hague: I will give way one more time and then try to finish.
William Hague: As my hon. Friend will have gathered, I have a great deal of sympathy with that point. A situation such as this requires the regular sharing of all assessments, thoughts and knowledge by the senior Ministers involved-I did not know that that happened only once a month; if that is true, it should be far more often-and a particular Minister who is responsible for the day-to-day concerns of this...
William Hague: ...that as British forces continue the operation: "Behind them will come Afghan forces, whose numbers I want to see raised very substantially over the next few weeks."-[ Official Report, 13 July 2009; Vol. 496, c. 28.] He is quite right to want to see them raised, but that implies that there are nowhere near enough of them at the moment. It seems urgent that agreement be reached with the...
William Hague: ...on Tuesday; the soldier from the Royal Engineers killed on Monday; Lance-Corporal Dane Elson; Lance-Corporal David Dennis; Private Robert Laws and Trooper Joshua Hammond, who were both aged just 18; and Lieutenant-Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, who was the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion the Welsh Guards. Given those casualties, should we not particularly remember this week that our...
William Hague: ...put into plain English for everyone the Prime Minister's assertion last week that "total spending will continue to rise, and it will be a zero per cent. rise in 2013"?—[ Official Report, 1 July 2009; Vol. 495, c. 294.]
William Hague: Perhaps the Leader of the House could spend 100 per cent. of the next minute trying to answer the question she was asked about what the Prime Minister meant by a "zero per cent. rise". Is it not now clear that every single word of the assertion that he made last week is wrong—that total spending will not rise, and there will not even be a "zero per cent. rise", as he bizarrely called it, in...
William Hague: There is no need to talk about the figures in five years' time as the Government's figures show that capital spending will fall from £44 billion this year—and fall every year—to £22 billion in four years. Is it not an indisputable fact that capital spending is being halved?
William Hague: ...hon. and learned Lady aware that figures from the Institute for Fiscal Studies show that capital spending from 2013 as a proportion of national income would be below the average for the whole 18 years of Conservative Government? That is the capital spending that the Government intend to deliver. Is it not also true that, on the Government's figures, the huge increase in debt interest and...
William Hague: If the right hon. and learned Lady believes that capital spending is not being cut and that unemployment is not growing, it is no wonder the Government are so deeply out of touch with the people of this country and with the condition of the economy. Is it not the case that any Government elected at the next election will inherit public finances that are in an unbelievable mess, after 12 years...
William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2009, Official Report, column 630W, on Afghanistan: detainees, when the Governor of Bermuda was first informed that the four Muslim Uighur refugees had been detainees in Guantánamo Bay
William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2009, Official Report, columns 629-30W, on Afghanistan: detainees, what the role of the (a) government and (b) Governor of Bermuda is in respect of Bermudese foreign affairs; and if he will make a statement.
William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2009, Official Report, column 964W, on Afghanistan: detainees, whether the British embassy in Washington notified officials in his Department of the transfer of detainees from Guantánamo Bay to Bermuda before those detainees arrived in Bermuda.