Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Murrison and John Bercow

Wednesday 16th July 2014 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Dr Andrew Murrison)]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had a number of discussions with the First Minister, Deputy First Minister and Northern Ireland Minister for Education on this issue. Shared education featured prominently at the recent meeting of the Prime Minister, Secretary of State, First Minister and Deputy First Minister. Through the capital borrowing provisions in the economic pact, the Government have supported a number of initiatives to promote shared education, including the Lisanelly project in Omagh. I look forward to visiting Lisanelly shortly. [Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. There are very serious matters affecting the people of Northern Ireland, and it would be a mark of respect for the people of Northern Ireland if the questions and the answers could be heard.

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[Dr Murrison]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. We need to work at school level and to build the number of apprenticeships in Northern Ireland to ensure that the figure to which I have referred, which remains too high—albeit fairly good in comparison with many other countries in Europe—comes down dramatically.

[Mr Speaker]

The last question relates to the commemoration of the first world war, so I hope that there will be respectful attention.

[Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) (Con)]

9. What role her Department is taking in commemorations to mark the centenary of the first world war.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Murrison and John Bercow

Monday 12th May 2014 Commons Chamber

[Dr Murrison]

Both my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary and the Prime Minister have called for early publication of Sir John Chilcot’s report. I voted against the Iraq war, but served in Iraq in 2003 and I, too, would rather like to see this publication in my lifetime.

[Mr Speaker]

I have been saving up the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr Hollobone) as a favoured delicacy of the House.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Murrison and John Bercow

Monday 17th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Dr Murrison]

We look forward to members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly playing an active role, and we are exploring what that might mean. May I say how pleased I am that the hon. Member for York Central (Hugh Bayley) is president of the Assembly? The Prime Minister has appointed my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) as his parliamentary adviser on the summit. I know that my hon. Friend is working hard, and I look forward to working with him on the preparations.

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) has already approached me about an event that he wishes to stage, so he is going about his duties with great conscientiousness, and I hope to be able to assist him in his endeavours.

[Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries and Galloway) (Lab)]

With the threat of cyber-attack and espionage rising substantially, will the UK play an active part at the summit in pushing for NATO-wide cyber-capability?

Business of the House

Debate between Andrew Murrison and John Bercow

Thursday 24th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I see that the Leader of the House is struggling to identify a governmental responsibility, and I must say that I share his struggle. I think that we will move on.

[Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)]

May we have a debate on the Government’s support for Serbia’s plans to accede to the European Union, given its lamentable record on human rights? That record is exemplified by article 359 of its penal code, which has been used to incarcerate my constituent Mr Nick Djivanovic since 28 March 2011. A country that continues to use a measure crafted by Marshal Tito to incarcerate political prisoners has no place in the European Union which it aspires to join.

Common Fisheries Policy

Debate between Andrew Murrison and John Bercow

Thursday 14th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. These are very important exchanges but they are slow—I have checked the record—and they need to get sharper as regards the speed of both questions and answers.

[Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)]

The proposals are very welcome, but does the Minister agree that given the finite nature of the European maritime fisheries fund, they will work only if he is able to convince British consumers to develop a taste for those species that are discarded? Notwithstanding his comments about Jamie Oliver, how does he propose to do that?