All 3 Debates between Stephen Farry and Grant Shapps

Defence Spending

Debate between Stephen Farry and Grant Shapps
Wednesday 24th April 2024

(7 months, 4 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
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Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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Very soon.

Stephen Farry Portrait Stephen Farry (North Down) (Alliance)
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I accept the need for additional defence spending, but may I ask the Defence Secretary for reassurance that the Government’s strategy for UK and global security going forward will have an appropriate balance of hard and soft power? By that I mean ongoing investment in diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, international development—potentially including the restoration of the target of spending 0.7% of gross national income—and, indeed, support for the international rules-based order.

Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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I can certainly reassure the hon. Gentleman that that is something that we in the MOD are always looking to do. We have just made our seventh or eighth drop of food aid into Gaza, using the RAF. We are working with the Americans on other solutions, including the pier, and I work very closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Indeed, I used to be a Minister in the former Department for International Development, so I am well aware of the issues he raises. The MOD will always look to assist, with our armed forces, wherever we can; we often combine hard and soft power.

Middle East: UK Military Deployments

Debate between Stephen Farry and Grant Shapps
Tuesday 5th December 2023

(1 year ago)

Commons Chamber
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record

Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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I clarify again that these are not necessarily only drones. Some will be piloted or will be unarmed. My right hon. and learned Friend is absolutely right that no nation should stand alone. It is easy to forget how this all began, when the Hamas terrorist group thought it was a plan to go into Israel to butcher men, women and children, cut off heads and rape people.

Stephen Farry Portrait Stephen Farry (North Down) (Alliance)
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One of the keys to securing and sustaining any ceasefire, pending a wider political solution, may be a UN, or UN-authorised, peacekeeping or monitoring presence on the ground. For various reasons, historical and otherwise, such a presence may have to be led by the Arab states. Does the Secretary of State foresee any situation in which the MOD could provide back-up support to such a presence? Is any planning being done for such a scenario?

Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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As the hon. Gentleman can imagine—and this was included in my conversations in the States last week—there is a huge amount of international work about what happens afterwards and how it will be structured. It is rather too soon, I am afraid, to predict exactly how it will look, but I do not think he is too far off the mark to think that this needs to be a truly global response. It will need to involve Arab partners. We will do whatever we can to support that, but I see no circumstances in which British troops would be on the ground.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stephen Farry and Grant Shapps
Tuesday 4th July 2023

(1 year, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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Of course, I am delighted that the Barnett formula stretches so far in providing some of the excellent additions to those buildings. I just want to repeat that no Government have gone further and faster in the G7 than this one in introducing renewables and ensuring that they now power a very significant part of our grid. We want to go further and faster still, and we will make sure that things such as building codes help with that plan.

Stephen Farry Portrait Stephen Farry (North Down) (Alliance)
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11. What assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the adequacy of workforce skills for delivering net zero projects.