Adjournment debate on Tuesday, 10 June 2008, in the House of Commons, led by Ann Winterton. The answering member was Bob Ainsworth.

Counter-Insurgency (Iraq/Afghanistan)

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on military equipment requirements for counter-insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 477 c20-42WH
Session: 2007-08
Department: Ministry of Defence
Chamber / Committee: Westminster Hall
Proceeding contributions: Lord Beamish | 477 c29WH (Link to this contribution) I agree, but I have to tell the hon. Gentleman—he knows that I have a great deal of affection for hi...; Patrick Mercer | 477 c28-9WH (Link to this contribution) The hon. Gentleman makes an extremely good point. He knows my background. I cannot help but feel tha...; Lord Beamish | 477 c28WH (Link to this contribution) I agree with the hon. Gentleman, who serves on the Defence Committee with me. The hon. Member for Co...; Mike Hancock | 477 c28WH (Link to this contribution) I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will agree with me about this. When looking at FRES, the Defence C...; Mike Hancock | 477 c29WH (Link to this contribution) They do not.; Lord Beamish | 477 c29-30WH (Link to this contribution) I am sorry, but they do; they are apparently now part of the FRES family of vehicles. The original c...; Ann Winterton | 477 c30WH (Link to this contribution) I agree. It would be much more honest to say that FRES is not what was intended, that it has come to...; Lord Beamish | 477 c30WH (Link to this contribution) It is the future rapid effects system, Mr. Olner. That is a good question. [Interruption.] Yes, it i...; Speaker | 477 c30WH (Link to this contribution) Order. Although we are hearing from eminent hon. Members who are well established in respect of the ...; Patrick Mercer | 477 c30-2WH (Link to this contribution) I am delighted to follow the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr. Jones), whose friendship I hold in hi...; Bob Ainsworth | 477 c32WH (Link to this contribution) Merged.; Patrick Mercer | 477 c32-3WH (Link to this contribution) It was scrapped. When my hon. Friend the Member for Aldershot and I visited them in Helmand, where ...; Patrick Mercer | 477 c34WH (Link to this contribution) I completely agree with the hon. Gentleman. I had dinner with a major-general the other day at his h...; Lord Beamish | 477 c33WH (Link to this contribution) If the Army is under the pressure that the hon. Gentleman is describing—the Defence Committee is com...; Mike Hancock | 477 c35WH (Link to this contribution) First, on behalf of myself and my colleagues, I would like to give my condolences to the families of...; Lord Beamish | 477 c35WH (Link to this contribution) That's me doomed.; Mike Hancock | 477 c35-6WH (Link to this contribution) No. He knows, as well as I do, that the Defence Committee has never shirked from its responsibility ...; Bob Ainsworth | 477 c36WH (Link to this contribution) indicated dissent.; Mike Hancock | 477 c36WH (Link to this contribution) The Minister shakes his head. The hon. Member for North Durham who spoke earlier said that there has...; Ann Winterton | 477 c38WH (Link to this contribution) I was not suggesting that.; Gerald Howarth | 477 c38WH (Link to this contribution) I can say on behalf of us all that that will be our loss. We hope that my hon. Friend will be able t...; Gerald Howarth | 477 c38-40WH (Link to this contribution) Not entirely, but my hon. Friend was suggesting that ““next war-it is”” was an issue that we should ...; Bob Ainsworth | 477 c36WH (Link to this contribution) I shake my head now in 2008. I cannot shake my head in 2002 or 1999. Cougar was bought off the shelf...; Mike Hancock | 477 c36WH (Link to this contribution) I welcome the Minister's intervention. Of course, he cannot take responsibility for the past, but he...; Lord Beamish | 477 c36WH (Link to this contribution) Would the hon. Gentleman agree that although what the Minister says is correct, the default setting ...; Mike Hancock | 477 c36-7WH (Link to this contribution) And the gun was nearly rejected. In the end, it had been dismantled and put it together so many time...; Gerald Howarth | 477 c37-8WH (Link to this contribution) I am delighted to serve under your chairmanship, Mr. Pope. I join my hon. Friend the Member for Cong...; Ann Winterton | 477 c38WH (Link to this contribution) Sadly, I must turn down the invitation to take part next Thursday, for the simple reason that I shal...; Bob Ainsworth | 477 c41-2WH (Link to this contribution) That is the way that the hon. Lady came across. In my view, that would be dangerous; it would underm...; Bob Ainsworth | 477 c41WH (Link to this contribution) I echo the comments of the hon. Member for Congleton (Ann Winterton) and other Members in expressing...; Ann Winterton | 477 c41WH (Link to this contribution) I did not say that.; Bob Ainsworth | 477 c42WH (Link to this contribution) I know that the hon. Lady has given a lot of thought to the matter, but her basic argument was that ...; Bob Ainsworth | 477 c42WH (Link to this contribution) If the hon. Lady is burning to have a go at me, I shall give way.; Ann Winterton | 477 c42WH (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. What he suggests is a parody of what I said. He is rig...; Patrick Mercer | 477 c25WH (Link to this contribution) Not doubted, but queried.; Ann Winterton | 477 c24-5WH (Link to this contribution) The hon. Gentleman, who serves with distinction on the Select Committee on Defence, raises another o...; Ann Winterton | 477 c25WH (Link to this contribution) Often, the attitude seems to be that the UK needs the best to cover every eventuality, and therefore...; Speaker | 477 c27WH (Link to this contribution) Order. Two Members are standing to speak. I advise Members that I intend to start the winding-up spe...; Lord Beamish | 477 c27-8WH (Link to this contribution) It is a pleasure to serve in a second debate this morning under your chairmanship, Mr. Olner. I am ...; Speaker | 477 c25WH (Link to this contribution) Afghanistan is a bit outside the reach of the Navy.; Ann Winterton | 477 c25-6WH (Link to this contribution) Yes, the Navy is outside Afghanistan, but I believe that it is worth mentioning en passant. One mus...; Robert Smith | 477 c26WH (Link to this contribution) I have certainly been following closely what the hon. Lady has been saying. She seems to be making a...; Ann Winterton | 477 c26-7WH (Link to this contribution) The hon. Gentleman makes a very good point. Of course foreign policy and defence policy must be inte...; Ann Winterton | 477 c20-1WH (Link to this contribution) I begin by expressing my condolences to the families and friends of the three young soldiers of the ...; Lord Beamish | 477 c23WH (Link to this contribution) I am listening carefully to what the hon. Lady is saying. Is it not the case that the commanders nee...; Bob Ainsworth | 477 c22WH (Link to this contribution) The hon. Lady is raising important issues to which I know she gives a lot of thought. She puts only ...; Ann Winterton | 477 c22-3WH (Link to this contribution) I thank the Minister, but I was not in any way suggesting that we could do that. If he waits a littl...; Lord Beamish | 477 c22WH (Link to this contribution) I accept those statistics, but does the hon. Lady not agree that it is important to consider the per...; Ann Winterton | 477 c22WH (Link to this contribution) I am one of those who have pushed for V-shaped hull vehicles, knowing full well that the use of such...; Philip Hollobone | 477 c21WH (Link to this contribution) I congratulate my hon. Friend on her impressive speech on this important topic. May I draw to her at...; Ann Winterton | 477 c21WH (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that information. That is an extremely distressing situation, ab...
Subjects: Armed forces Defence Deployment Defence equipment Iraq Peacekeeping operations Procurement Terrorism Violence Afghanistan Civil disorder
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on www.publications.parliament.uk

Counter-Insurgency (Iraq/Afghanistan)

Secondary information

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