Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alan Reid and John Bercow

Thursday 5th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Time is against us, but I call Mr Alan Reid.

[Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am glad that Machrihanish is on the shortlist to become the UK’s first spaceport. It is far from any centres of population, it has a 3-km runway and the facilities of an RAF base, and I believe that it is the ideal candidate. I hope that the Department for Transport will support Machrihanish’s case.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alan Reid and John Bercow

Wednesday 25th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

What a delicious choice. I call Mr Alan Reid.

[Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The out of touch House of Lords Constitution Committee has said that not enough thought has been given to the impact of giving 16 and 17-year-olds the vote. I hope the Government will reject this recommendation and give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to have their say on who represents them in the Scottish Parliament.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alan Reid and John Bercow

Thursday 18th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Reid]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The Secretary of State may have been reading from an old list. It is important to have an updated list, and he ought to be able to look to people to provide him with an updated list. This is very unsatisfactory. The grouping is with 6, 9, 14 and 15. We really must get these things right.

[Mr Reid]

The price of oil has been coming down quite dramatically in recent weeks. This opens up the prospect of lower prices, particularly for people who live off the gas grid. What is he doing to ensure that companies selling to those consumers bring their prices down to help them with their heating bills this winter?

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Debate between Alan Reid and John Bercow

Thursday 4th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his rather adroit piece of time-wasting.

[Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. This is indeed a day on which we are witnessing parliamentary events that are not very common.

One possible reason for the Minister’s not being here on time is that he was caught unexpectedly—surprised—by the fact that only one Member of the Opposition asked a question in response to the statement by the Minister for Pensions. It is the first time in all my years in the House that I have been present when Opposition Members—apart from the Front-Bench spokesman—have had absolutely nothing to say in response to a statement. Is it not possible that the Minister was held up because he expected the statement to last for the normal length of time?

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman is not only dexterous in parliamentary terms, but he is, in my experience, an unfailingly loyal man, and he has done his best to rescue those on the Treasury Bench in the current circumstances. All that I will say is that Ministers, in any Government, should not be surprised. They must not allow themselves to be put in a position in which they are surprised, and therefore not present. The Minister has not spoken, and therefore if the Minister turns up—and we are grateful to him or her if he or she does—the Minister will have an opportunity to speak.

Smith Commission

Debate between Alan Reid and John Bercow

Thursday 27th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD)]

I congratulate my right hon. Friend, who is implementing a long-standing Liberal policy and succeeding where Gladstone did not. I am delighted to see that the Crown Estate is to be devolved and that the Smith commission recommends further devolution of its assets to the island authorities. Will he support devolution of the Crown Estate’s assets to other coastal and island communities, such as those in Argyll and Bute?

[Mr Speaker]

It is a matter of debate whether the Secretary of State is as great a man as Gladstone, but thankfully his statements to the House are notably shorter.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alan Reid and John Bercow

Monday 24th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I do not like seeing patient colleagues disappointed, so let us speed on. I call Mr Alan Reid.

[Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I was pleased to hear the Minister say that negotiations with defence police and firefighters are still ongoing, but time is running out because the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 comes into effect on 1 April. Will my hon. Friend ensure that these negotiations are concluded to the satisfaction of both sides well before then?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alan Reid and John Bercow

Thursday 20th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I was, frankly, too generous, but the Minister, being the accomplished parliamentarian that she is, was ready with an answer.

[Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD)]

19. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on proposals for Machrihanish to become the site of the UK's first spaceport.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alan Reid and John Bercow

Wednesday 26th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. There is far too much noise in the Chamber. The House must and will hear Mr Alan Reid.

[Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD)]

Superfast broadband is very important for the economy of rural areas. The Government’s target is 90% coverage by 2015, but in the highlands and islands, Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s target is only 75% coverage in each local authority area by December 2016. Will my right hon. Friend meet me to discuss how we can get this target up to something comparable to the rest of the country?

Housing Benefit (Under-occupancy Penalty)

Debate between Alan Reid and John Bercow

Wednesday 27th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Reid]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I hope this is a point of order and not a point of frustration.

[Mr Reid]

The hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) shouted across the Chamber that I voted for the regulations. Is it in order for me to put the record straight? I voted against the regulations, unlike him—he did not turn up.

[Mr Speaker]

Whether putting the record straight is in order or not, the hon. Gentleman has just done it.