2 Nick Thomas-Symonds debates involving the Department for International Development

Oral Answers to Questions

Nick Thomas-Symonds Excerpts
Wednesday 29th June 2016

(8 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton Portrait The Prime Minister
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Let me thank my hon. Friend for his kind remarks and congratulate him on the role he played in the campaign. As for what MEPs and others have said, people should judge them by the remarks they make. I have made clear what I felt about Nigel Farage and that appalling poster in the campaign. I think the motive was absolutely clear and everyone can see what he was trying to do.

Nick Thomas-Symonds Portrait Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab)
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Q7. My constituency of Torfaen has received substantial amounts of EU funding. The leave campaign in the referendum promised that that funding would continue even if we left the European Union. Does the Prime Minister agree with me that if my constituency loses a penny piece of its funding under his successor, that would be a gross betrayal?

Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton Portrait The Prime Minister
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It is the case that Wales as whole is a net beneficiary of EU funds. As I said throughout the campaign, if the vote was a no vote, I would want to do everything I could to make sure that we continued to help disadvantaged regions and our farmers. Obviously it is difficult for anyone to give guarantees, because we do not know exactly what will happen to our economy in the event of a leave vote, and our economy does face challenges. It will be a matter for my successor as we leave the EU to make good on what they said at the time.

Foreign Aid Expenditure

Nick Thomas-Symonds Excerpts
Monday 13th June 2016

(8 years, 5 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Steve Double Portrait Steve Double
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I agree with my hon. Friend. It is absolutely essential that we ensure our aid budget is being spent well and wisely and is delivering value for money for the British taxpayer. I am sure that the Department for International Development is committed to achieving that.

Nick Thomas-Symonds Portrait Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab)
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While we all want to monitor aid spending, does the hon. Gentleman not agree that the money has transformational potential, not least for the 11 million children who have gone to school for the first time as a consequence of that spending?

Steve Double Portrait Steve Double
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I wholeheartedly agree with the hon. Gentleman. I will come on to that point in a minute. The money is transforming lives around the world, and we should be very proud of that fact.