Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 24 Mar 2015
Falkland Islands Defence Review
"As has been mentioned, my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Beckenham (Bob Stewart) and I visited the Falklands at the end of January, and our report was sent by the Defence Committee to the Ministry of Defence. For security reasons, I cannot comment on most of our recommendations, …..."Bob Russell - View Speech
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Written Question
Wednesday 18th March 2015
Asked by:
Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat - Colchester)
Question
to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Child Maintenance Service payments and Child Support Agency collections are made; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Anna Soubry
As an employer, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes its duties in recovering child support maintenance very seriously. The MOD has a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to facilitate the direct deduction of child maintenance payments from the pay of non-resident parents who are Service personnel.
Where a parent asks the CMS to help obtain appropriate child support from a Service person, the MOD will assist the CMS in engaging with the Service person and will implement any Deduction from Earnings Request submitted by the CMS. This mechanism can also be applied to Service pensions and civilian pay.
The only exception is when the Service person is in an operational zone. Under the terms of the MOU, if a Service person is committed to operations, their Commanding Officer may delay any engagement with the CMS until the non-resident parent is in a position to consider any papers that the CMS may send them and respond appropriately.
Speech in Westminster Hall - Mon 16 Mar 2015
Veterans’ Pensions
"I am grateful to the Minister for allowing me to intervene on her. I should explain that I have been on a Statutory Instrument Committee, and then I had to discuss road safety in the main Chamber. Even I cannot be in three places at the same time. Nevertheless, I …..."Bob Russell - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 09 Mar 2015
Armed Forces (Service Complaints and Financial Assistance) Bill [Lords]
"I am grateful to the Chairman of the Select Committee for the way in which he is setting out its views. Will he expand a little more on the concerns expressed in some quarters about the ombudsman not having any military knowledge and experience? How will she address that problem, …..."Bob Russell - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 09 Mar 2015
Armed Forces (Service Complaints and Financial Assistance) Bill [Lords]
"Does the hon. Lady agree that what we are talking about this evening is a continuation of the good work done by the last two Governments through their respective Armed Forces Bills—the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) and I are, I think, the only two Members who served …..."Bob Russell - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 02 Mar 2015
Defence and Security Review (NATO)
"I do not want the Chair of the Select Committee to ignore one part of the world. With regard to all the countries that he has mentioned we can act as part of the NATO family, but what about the Falklands? He will be aware that Argentina has not given …..."Bob Russell - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 02 Mar 2015
Defence and Security Review (NATO)
"In a world of rapid change, disorder and insecurity, the men and women of Her Majesty’s armed forces remain our most important asset. Yesterday I visited the Imperial War museum at Duxford, which is also the home of the Royal Anglian Regiment museum. I ask myself: are we, today’s generation, …..."Bob Russell - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 02 Mar 2015
Defence and Security Review (NATO)
"Can my hon. Friend recall whether on that occasion the Treasury intervened and tried to trump what the review sought to achieve?..."Bob Russell - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 23 Feb 2015
Oral Answers to Questions
"The armed forces covenant had, of course, the full support of Her Majesty’s Opposition, but does the Minister accept that this is still very much a work in progress? Not all local authorities understand it. Only last week Essex county council refused to continue a support package for the needs …..."Bob Russell - View Speech
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Written Question
Tuesday 10th February 2015
Asked by:
Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat - Colchester)
Question
to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when a Defence Minister last visited the Falkland Islands.
Answered by Mark Francois
- Shadow Minister (Defence)
In June 2007, the then Minister for the Armed Forces, Adam Ingram, visited the Falkland Islands.
In November 2011, Philip Dunne MP and I visited the Falkland Islands, during which time we visited the military base at Mount Pleasant. Whilst not in Ministry of Defence Ministerial positions at the time, we both subsequently joined the Department the following year.