Debates between Brendan O'Hara and Andrea Leadsom during the 2017-2019 Parliament

Business of the House

Debate between Brendan O'Hara and Andrea Leadsom
Thursday 24th January 2019

(5 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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The hon. Gentleman raises a really valid point about teaching young people how to better protect themselves, and he is absolutely right to do so. There is so much that we can do both in terms of encouragement and legislation to ensure that the big social media companies take responsibility, but nothing could be better than encouraging more young people to understand that they themselves need to challenge what they are seeing online. I commend him for raising that point, and I encourage him perhaps to raise it again at Digital, Culture, Media and Sport questions next week on 31 January.

Brendan O'Hara Portrait Brendan O'Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
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May we have a Government statement on reports that the Ministry of Defence is considering destroying the files relating to the RAF helicopter disaster on the Mull of Kintyre in my Argyll and Bute constituency in June 1994? It is still the RAF’s worse peacetime loss of life. Given the controversy surrounding the tragedy, does the Leader of the House share my concern that if the RAF does destroy those files, the MOD could actually be destroying the only future pathway to establishing exactly what happened on that awful night?

Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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I was not aware of the issue that the hon. Gentleman raises. I strongly encourage him to write to MOD Ministers directly or, indeed, if he wants to write to me following business questions, I can take it up with the Department on his behalf.

Business of the House

Debate between Brendan O'Hara and Andrea Leadsom
Thursday 21st June 2018

(6 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on the city of culture status that Coventry will have, and I applaud him for raising the issue of libraries. He will know that, right across the country, there is a transformation in libraries. Many are coming under community ownership, as local authorities seek to improve the use of local funding. I encourage him to seek an Adjournment debate so he can raise the issue for Coventry directly with Ministers.

Brendan O'Hara Portrait Brendan O'Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
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A more enlightened US President, John F. Kennedy, once said that

“the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.”

Can we have a debate in Government time to discuss the US Government’s decision to abandon the United Nations Human Rights Council, so cynically announced on World Refugee Day, and to allow Members to register their abhorrence at the Trump Administration’s decision to detain children and babies in camps, separate from their parents, on the US-Mexico border?

Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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As I have said, the separation of babies and children from their parents is absolutely unacceptable, and we were all glad to see the executive order that was signed yesterday. On the decision of the United States to withdraw from the Human Rights Council, the UK’s position is that we want to see reform of the Human Rights Council but we are committed to working to strengthen it from within. Our support for the Human Rights Council remains steadfast. It is the best tool the international community has to address impunity in an imperfect world and to advance many of our international goals, so we deeply regret the decision made by the United States.

Business of the House

Debate between Brendan O'Hara and Andrea Leadsom
Thursday 21st December 2017

(7 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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Yes, Mr Speaker, there will be a debate on the RBS restructuring group. On the hon. Gentleman’s point about closures, this is a commercial matter, as the Prime Minister has made clear. We are certainly very keen to promote the excellent work of the post office network in providing basic bank account services. He will certainly be aware of the protocols on bank closures that every bank must follow, and he may wish to take this up directly with BEIS Ministers.

Brendan O'Hara Portrait Brendan O’Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
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On a similar note, 62 bank branches are closing in Scotland, including in Rothesay, Campbeltown and Inveraray in my constituency. Thus far, the Government have steadfastly refused to get involved, saying that these are commercial decisions, but such an answer is unacceptable. May we have an urgent statement on the bank closure programme in Scotland and how it can be stopped?

Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom
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As I said to the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire North (Gavin Newlands), the key point is that decisions about bank closures are commercial ones. Many people are turning away from branch banking to mobile banking. There are protocols for consultations on footfall and so on that must be followed by any bank before it decides to close its doors, but these are ultimately commercial decisions.