European Union (Referendum) Bill

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Lord Hammond of Runnymede

Friday 17th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

The Foreign Secretary is speaking as Foreign Secretary today, and is at the Dispatch Box doing so.

[Mr Hammond]

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I shall say something in a moment about the position of my Liberal Democrat colleagues.

Afghanistan (Troop Levels)

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Lord Hammond of Runnymede

Thursday 26th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. A significant number of reservists contribute to the campaign in Afghanistan. They tend to serve as individual augmentees—people with specific skills who are called up to reinforce other units—and as such, their families do not benefit from the group support that tends to help the families of personnel in Regular Army units. As we move forward with our plans to strengthen the reserves, we hope there will be more opportunity to deploy reserve units as formed units, which will in itself help to address the problem my hon. Friend highlights.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Last but not least, I call Guy Opperman.

Strategic Defence and Security Review

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Lord Hammond of Runnymede

Thursday 26th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. One standing up, one sitting down, not two standing at once.

[Mr Hammond]

I am sorry, Mr Deputy Speaker. The right hon. Gentleman says he is giving way, then stays standing up for another three sentences. I am confused. He says the redundancies in the armed forces are grotesque, but he says he will not reverse the spending cuts that the Government have announced. Which is it? Is he going to reverse the cuts or is he going to accept the redundancies?

McNulty Report and West Coast Rail

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Lord Hammond of Runnymede

Thursday 19th May 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

I might get some guidance from you, Mr Deputy Speaker, on whether it is appropriate for me to respond to the hon. Lady’s comments on coastguards—I would be happy to do so if you indicate that that is in order.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. It is up to the Secretary of State which points he wishes to answer.

Severe Winter Weather

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Lord Hammond of Runnymede

Monday 20th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

May I say that we want very short questions? Obviously, it would be helpful—[Interruption.] Order, Mr Penning. It would be helpful if the Secretary of State could also shorten his answers, although I understand that this is a very important subject.

[Mr Hammond]

I can shorten the answer to that question, Mr Deputy Speaker. The right hon. Gentleman offered nothing constructive, and people watching will see that he has nothing to offer except a meaningless rant. I told him in the statement that a cross-ministerial team is meeting regularly and that regional resilience teams are in operation.

What is the right hon. Gentleman talking about, saying that none of the senior management are at airports? Of course senior management, both of the operators and the airlines, are there managing the situation hands-on. He had better ask the police why they are not taking action, because they take the action that they believe is appropriate.

As for fuel, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has asked the Office of Fair Trading to look into—[Interruption.] Labour Members seem to think that we should introduce some kind of Moscow-style central control over everything. The fuel oil business in this country is operated through hundreds of small independent firms, and if price collusion or illegal activity is driving up the price to consumers, the OFT will report back to my right hon. Friend and he will take the appropriate action.