Claire Curtis-Thomas: Will my right hon. Friend give way?
Claire Curtis-Thomas: I am very grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way. Earlier, my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) suggested that there might be a limited number of times when failed states could fail, after which we might have to consider European Union or United Nations control of that country, in order for it to move into steadier waters. Does my right hon. Friend have a...
Claire Curtis-Thomas: Although it would be good to talk about Africa as a whole, I will limit my remarks to a country that I know well, which is Sierra Leone. I have probably been to Sierra Leone at least 12 times in the past four years and I think that I know it reasonably well. I want to talk about the Government's performance in relation to Sierra Leone, to share some of my concerns about how development...
Claire Curtis-Thomas: It is excellent, as the hon. Gentleman says. Unfortunately, the answers to my questions are somewhat more brief than the questions, which is not the desired result. However, there was one deviation from the norm, but it simply allowed me to discover that there were not many answers to be had. It was actually an exercise in obfuscation. I wanted to know how much money was involved, who got it,...
Claire Curtis-Thomas: Does my hon. Friend agree that the very fact of the UK's considerable commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan has induced, and required, many countries that had thus far remained outside peacekeeping forces to join those forces? Even though their countries may be committed to supporting Iraq and Afghanistan, they lacked the military capacity or experience to do so.
Claire Curtis-Thomas: The hon. Gentleman said that we must not reward failure. I am alarmed by that—what does he mean by it?
Claire Curtis-Thomas: On the issue of corruption, does the hon. Gentleman agree that part of the problem in incredibly poor countries is that the Government may have insufficient funds to pay realistic salaries to those who head the judiciary? A fallible judiciary leads to many miscarriages of justice in those countries. Does he support the initiative by this Government and many others to support the development...
Claire Curtis-Thomas: Does my right hon. Friend agree that part of the problem faced by very poor countries that may have considerable resources is the lack of the technical capacity within ministerial ranks to draft legislation, and to produce contracts as a result of that legislation, that protects that country's interests?
Claire Curtis-Thomas: I am grateful for my right hon. Friend's indulgence. On Kenya, will he say a few words about the role of the Kenyan Government in the trial of pirates who were recently captured on the seas off the east coast of Somalia?
Claire Curtis-Thomas: Yesterday, the Home Secretary made an announcement that made it an offence for men to seek prostitutes who have been trafficked or who are being held against their will. I welcome that move and believe that it is an absolutely right, valid step. I was appalled yesterday to hear the English Collective of Prostitutes arguing that it was a retrograde measure. How could it be when we are seeking...
Claire Curtis-Thomas: My right hon. Friend will know that I am very supportive of apprentices, a number of whom are going through colleges at the moment. What we want to ensure is that those apprentices can finish their courses by having work-based experience. Many small companies are going out of business, so will the Minister undertake to ensure that when the Government and his Department in particular place...
Claire Curtis-Thomas: After years of neglect by the previous incumbents in government, there has been substantial investment in social housing in my area. Slum houses have been removed and new buildings have been put up that are far more suitable for the people in our community, and we thank the Minister and this Government for that— [Interruption.] It needs to be said— [Interruption.]
Claire Curtis-Thomas: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On this point, can my hon. Friend reassure me that in the current investment in social housing, which is part of a massive rolling programme, young people who are doing skilled work at college are employed in local projects, so we can take full advantage of that significant investment?
Claire Curtis-Thomas: A few weeks ago in this House, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Government's major contractors would be paid within 10 days. Unfortunately, that fantastic undertaking has not been passed on to the smaller contractors who work for the larger suppliers. That has meant that my constituents have gone belly-up, even though they have done work for the Government. My right hon....
Claire Curtis-Thomas: I am acutely aware that a significant amount of time elapses between a requirement being made known by operational forces on the ground, and the development of the engineering capacity needed to produce the required improvements. What can my right hon. Friend the Minister do to ensure that the lead time between vehicle aspirations and vehicle delivery to meet operational demand, which is...
Claire Curtis-Thomas: Will my right hon. Friend give way?
Claire Curtis-Thomas: rose—
Claire Curtis-Thomas: I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way. He took an intervention from the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) about consultants, and I want to return to that point. Allegedly, £400 million has been spent on consultants, but does the Secretary of State not agree that we need to employ consultants to secure the very best contracts and the best value for people? Moreover, what is...
Claire Curtis-Thomas: Does my right hon. Friend agree that our paltry number of Olympic medals in the years that he has not mentioned today came on the back of investment in private facilities? Sport was then very unegalitarian, but this Government have extended opportunity to all. My school grounds are now safe for my children to play in; they have not been sold for development. In addition, my teachers are well...
Claire Curtis-Thomas: May I bring to the hon. Gentleman's attention some of the points that we heard earlier in Prime Minister's Question Time? There was, frankly, very little support for borrowing. Would he concede that the Olympic programme is founded on a massive construction project, and that unless we make commitments of the kind that this Government have made to the construction companies, we will go...