Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Andrew Murrison and Bob Blackman(9 years, 5 months ago)
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Dr Murrison
I certainly welcome any comments from any commission that are worth reading. I would add that the commission recently set up by the Labour party to look into problems in Northern Ireland, chaired by Deirdre Heenan, has started somewhat poorly. She said by tweet, within minutes of being appointed, that the
“key issue for Labour is a lack of distinct policies”.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
7. What steps the Government are taking to strengthen the economy of and increase inward investment to Northern Ireland.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Andrew Murrison and Bob Blackman(10 years ago)
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Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
I welcome my hon. Friend to his new position. Clearly, one key issue in Northern Ireland is the future of education, so can he set out his plan for how he is going to encourage the breaking down of the divide in terms of the sectarian side of schooling in Northern Ireland?
Dr Murrison
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that it is important that we move towards shared and integrated education where the parents wish that that should happen. He will know from the pact, and from the update that is to be published shortly, that £100 million of additional borrowing has been made available as part of that pact for shared education and shared housing, both of which will be of help.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Andrew Murrison and Bob Blackman(10 years, 10 months ago)
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Dr Murrison
The data that the hon. Gentleman has reported to the House come as no surprise to me. The straight answer to his question is no; we hear all sorts of rumours, but we await a White Paper from the Scottish Government—apparently, it will arrive at the end of this year—laying out more precisely than we have had thus far what they plan to do for national security and defence. It sounds, however, from the data that he has brought to the House that that will be highly hypothetical.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
5. What progress he has made in drawing down the number of UK troops in Afghanistan to around 5,200 by the end of 2013.