Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Fallon and Mark Menzies

Monday 30th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir Michael Fallon]

The United States has always been a good partner to this country and has played a leading role in NATO, and is a key part of the nuclear alliance that we and the United States share together. It is worth remembering that NATO is a nuclear alliance. I look forward to working with the new Administration on precisely that.

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

Will the Secretary of State join me in welcoming the Heads of Government agreement signed at the weekend between the UK and Turkey, securing over 400 jobs in Lancashire? Does that not send out a signal that Britain post-Brexit is open for business?

[Sir Michael Fallon]

It does. I, too, am delighted that the agreement has now been signed in principle on the TFX programme, which will combine Turkish and British technology and brainpower into the development of a new fighter aircraft. I hope that that will lead to many more jobs being created both here and in Turkey.

Falkland Islands Defence Review

Debate between Michael Fallon and Mark Menzies

Tuesday 24th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Michael Fallon]

As I have told the House, we have close and warm relations with other countries in the region. As I said, I have recently met the Foreign Minister from Brazil, and I and my colleagues continue to meet Ministers from other Governments. There is a standing invitation from the Falkland Islands Government to other Governments in the region to visit the islands for themselves and to understand the islanders’ wish to remain British.

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

Typhoon aircraft, which have been mentioned, are built in Warton in my constituency. Will the Secretary of State make sure that, if required, we can send more Typhoons to keep the skies above the Falkland Islands safe?

[Michael Fallon]

The very direct answer to my hon. Friend is yes. There are more Typhoons available. If more are needed for the defence of the islands, we are ready to send them, and we have Mount Pleasant airfield to receive them there.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Fallon and Mark Menzies

Monday 20th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Michael Fallon]

Political support for the coalition’s efforts is extremely important, particularly from the countries neighbouring Iraq and Syria, as I have stressed on my visits to the Gulf. Five countries have already participated in air strikes—the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. It is very important that the action is seen not simply as British, American or western, but as a regional battle against the advance of ISIL.

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

8. What steps the Government are taking to support the export of Typhoon and Hawk aircraft.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Fallon and Mark Menzies

Thursday 26th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

6. What steps he is taking to promote regional growth.

[The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Michael Fallon)]

We want to see growth that is sustainable and balanced, but it is local businesses and civic leaders who best understand what drives growth in their area. Through local enterprise partnerships they will have at least £20 billion to allocate until 2020.

[Mark Menzies]

May I take this opportunity to welcome the Government’s proposed plans to build a high-speed rail network between our great northern cities? In the light of that announcement will the Minister assure me that local businesses in Fylde and the local enterprise zone in Warton will continue to receive the full support of Government to promote growth in west Lancashire?

[Michael Fallon]

Yes, I give my hon. Friend that assurance and tell him that we hope before the summer recess to agree a growth deal with the Lancashire local enterprise partnership, centring on the arc of prosperity it has identified alongside Lancashire’s huge strengths in energy, manufacturing and engineering.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Fallon and Mark Menzies

Thursday 6th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

T4. What steps is the Department taking to support small and medium-sized businesses in Lancashire that are keen to export their goods and services?

[The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Michael Fallon)]

We are committed to helping Lancashire companies to start exporting or to expand in new markets. Between April and December 2013, UKTI helped nearly 600 businesses across Lancashire and I was pleased to see my hon. Friend supporting those efforts by partnering with UKTI in delivering a successful export event for local businesses at the BAE site in his constituency last week.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Fallon and Mark Menzies

Thursday 18th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Michael Fallon]

Happily, I have not fully finalised my summer plans, so I shall add to them this visit to a motorway junction. [Laughter.] My hon. Friend makes a serious point: there is clearly a bottleneck that needs to be removed. I will see if I can accept my hon. Friend’s invitation.

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

4. What steps he is taking to encourage traineeships.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

T3. What efforts are the Minister and his Department taking to support small and medium-sized businesses in Lancashire in the export market?

[The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Michael Fallon)]

My hon. Friend might know that more resource has been made available to UK Export Finance. It is important now to ensure that more and more SMEs understand that export finance assistance is not just something for the large companies, such as Rolls-Royce and BAE, but available to SMEs up and down the country. We will market our efforts there more intensively.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Fallon and Mark Menzies

Thursday 11th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Michael Fallon]

We are accelerating the search for shale, streamlining and simplifying the technical guidance for exploration permits, publishing clearer planning rules and consulting next week on fiscal incentives to encourage exploration and production. Later this year the developers charter will commit developers to earlier engagement with local communities and ensure that local areas that host shale benefit financially, directly and significantly.

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking to meet future energy demand.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Fallon and Mark Menzies

Thursday 21st March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

T8. The north-west is at the heart of Britain’s aerospace industry, and I welcome this week’s announcement of the £2 billion aerospace technology institute. May I urge the Minister to consider the Warton enterprise zone in my constituency as a potential location for it?

[Michael Fallon]

We will certainly do that. The aerospace industry received an enormous boost on Monday with the announcement of £1.5 billion that is to be shared, along with another £1 billion from the private sector. I hope that that will give the industry the confidence to invest, right across the remainder of this Parliament and through to the end of the next one, in what is already one of Britain’s great success stories.