Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Owen Paterson and Lord Evans of Rainow

Thursday 6th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)]

5. What assessment he has made of the effect of partnership funding on the provision of flood defences.

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Owen Paterson)]

Partnership funding is enabling more flood and coastal schemes to go ahead and giving local people more choice in how their community is protected. The approach has brought forward £72 million of external funding so far. This is likely to increase further, compared with the £13 million during the previous period. Early indications suggest that up to a third more schemes will go ahead in the coming years than if the previous funding system had remained.

[Graham Evans]

Has the Department been liaising with insurance companies to help individuals affected by the most recent floods, such as the businesses that were affected in Northwich?

[Mr Paterson]

I enjoyed my visit to Northwich and pay tribute to all who have worked so hard to put the town straight after a difficult time in the floods. We are working with a range of agencies, including the insurance industry, to ensure that floods cause as little disruption to people’s lives as possible.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Owen Paterson and Lord Evans of Rainow

Wednesday 6th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Owen Paterson)]

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I believe that the House will want to pay tribute to Sir Oliver Napier, whose funeral was held yesterday. He was a founding father and leader of the Alliance party, and a member of the power-sharing Executive in 1974. He led the way towards inclusive politics, and was widely respected across the entire community. He will be much missed.

The threat level in Northern Ireland remains at severe. Despite the overwhelming community rejection of violence, the terrorist groups continue to pose an indiscriminate threat to the safety of police officers and the general public, who want their lives to be free of fear, disruption and intimidation.

[Graham Evans]

The violent scenes that we have witnessed in part of east Belfast in recent days are obviously a matter of great concern. Will my right hon. Friend join me in sending our support and gratitude to the Police Service of Northern Ireland for its restraint, courage and success in combating that disorder as well as the continuing terrorist threat in Northern Ireland?

[Mr Paterson]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his question and I wholly endorse his comments. I happily put on record the Government’s deep appreciation of the restraint and skill with which the PSNI handled the recent disturbances.

However, I would put out a public appeal to all those who are considering expressing their views over the next few days. They, too, should show restraint. I remind them that the rule of law will prevail, and that this week, significant prosecutions have resulted from charges against those who broke the law a year ago.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Owen Paterson and Lord Evans of Rainow

Wednesday 9th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his congratulations to my right hon. Friend. He is not quite right about the request—[Interruption.] No, he is not right to say “months”. The Minister of Justice has negotiated within the Executive and got a significant increase from his fellow Ministers, which we welcome. Having resolved where he stood with the Executive, he then wrote to me with a request calling on the reserve. That letter came to me in January.

[Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)]

4. What recent assessment he has made of the level of threat to security in Northern Ireland posed by residual terrorist groups; and if he will make a statement.

Northern Ireland

Debate between Owen Paterson and Lord Evans of Rainow

Tuesday 27th July 2010 Ministerial Corrections

[Graham Evans]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on hospitality in each year since 1997.

[Mr Paterson]

On 12 April 2010 the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) transferred responsibility for policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available.

Since 12 April the Department has spent £234 on hospitality.

The NIO has no agencies. It has one non-departmental public body which has incurred no cost on hospitality since 12 April.

[Official Report, 19 July 2010, Vol. 514, c. 5W.]

Letter of correction from Mr. Paterson:

An error has been identified in relation to the answer given to the hon. Member for Weaver Vale (Graham Evans) on 19 July 2010, Official Report, column 5W, on hospitality expenditure.

It has come to our attention that the figure of £234 was not up to date at the time of answering this Question as some relevant July costs had not been centrally recorded at the time the Question was answered. The updated figure should have been £438.63.

The corrected full answer should now read: