Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Stephen Mosley

Tuesday 20th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con)]

11. What recent assessment he has made of the Ebola infection rate in Sierra Leone.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Philip Hammond)]

The number of new cases and the rate of infection are, I am pleased to say, both now decreasing in Sierra Leone. The fall in the infection rate is a clear demonstration that UK-led efforts are slowing the spread of this deadly disease. The UK remains fully committed to providing the resources and leadership needed to defeat Ebola in Sierra Leone.

[Stephen Mosley]

I thank my right hon. Friend for that really positive response, but what support is he offering to British nationals, including health workers, to ensure that they are fully protected from this disease?

[Mr Hammond]

As my hon. Friend will know, we have established a military-run facility in Sierra Leone to provide health care to health workers who may have been exposed to Ebola. We also regularly arrange medevac flights, where necessary, to bring out health workers. In fact, two health workers were brought out on a precautionary basis in the past few days.

Afghanistan

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Stephen Mosley

Monday 10th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Mrs Eleanor Laing)]

Finally, I call the very patient Mr Stephen Mosley.

[Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con)]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

The smooth transition of power after the election is crucial to the long-term future of the country. Is my right hon. Friend convinced that all the main candidates broadly support the policy directions followed by President Karzai, and, in principle at least, support the bilateral security agreement?

[Mr Hammond]

President Karzai is not currently indicating a willingness to sign the agreement. I think our assessment is that all the candidates appear to support it, and that all of them—as would be expected in a democratic election—are committed to the constitutional settlement in Afghanistan.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Stephen Mosley

Monday 25th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

Our special forces are a huge national asset, and their capability has been expanded very substantially in response to the needs of Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. It follows that as we draw down from our operations in Afghanistan we will want to review some of the supporting infrastructure put in place for that specific operation. As my hon. Friend will know, however, the MOD never comments publicly on the details of special forces numbers, funding or disposition.

[Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con)]

Last week I met trade union representatives from Defence Support Group Sealand who are obviously concerned about the future of the maintenance budget. What future plans does the Secretary of State have for the maintenance budget, and in particular on whether DSG might be privatised?

[Mr Hammond]

The current intention is that DSG will be privatised, and we are in the process of achieving that objective. On the equipment support budget, one important innovation—hon. Members might have thought that this was standard practice, but it has not been until now—is to ensure that no equipment is allowed into the programme for procurement unless we also clearly have a budget to support that equipment over the 10-year horizon to which we budget. Achieving that will ensure not only that our equipment will be first class, but that we can maintain it in first-class condition.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Stephen Mosley

Monday 26th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

I, too, have seen speculation in the media that the Department will be underspending and returning money to the Treasury. It is our policy to operate a prudent approach to our budget, but—unlike the previous Government—it is also our policy to work closely with our colleagues in the Treasury to ensure that we deliver the equipment programme and support the armed forces in the most cost-effective way possible, and over a number of years, not just over a single year.

[Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con)]

T5. Following recent international cyber-security incidents such as the Flame and Shamoon viruses, what recent steps have been taken to secure MOD systems and critical national infrastructure?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Stephen Mosley

Thursday 23rd June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

The hon. Lady is right that we have a big challenge in relation to aviation growth in the south-east. What I did not hear her do was repeat Labour’s policy to build a third runway at Heathrow airport. Perhaps at some stage she could tell the House whether that remains Labour’s policy. The coalition Government cancelled the third runway at Heathrow because of the unacceptable environmental burden that it imposed, but we are committed to developing a new and sustainable aviation strategy that will allow the growth of aviation in the UK—but only when it meets its environmental obligations.

[Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con)]

2. What recent representations he has received on varying national motorway speed limits.