"Historically, many areas with the highest recruitment and employment in the armed forces are also those areas with the highest levels of joblessness, such as the south Wales valleys. On the basis that many of those facing redundancy will return to communities with high levels of joblessness, what additional support …..." Huw Irranca-Davies - View Speech
"I do not want to be parochial, but, while I welcome the broad thrust of the Secretary of State’s announcement, may I ask what it means for squadrons in Cardiff and Swansea? I am thinking of 223 Transport Squadron’s medical unit—which has served on the front line, and on which …..." Huw Irranca-Davies - View Speech
"Families who suffer bereavement or veterans who suffer injury in Afghanistan know that when they return local authorities currently have the power completely to exempt war disablement pension and war widow’s pensions when means-testing for council tax benefit. Does the Secretary of State agree that under the new system local …..." Huw Irranca-Davies - View Speech
"May I invite the Minister to borrow or even steal an excellent idea from the Labour Front-Bench team—the Labour veterans interview programme, where leading companies guarantee veterans interviews for appropriate vacancies—and include that as part of the official resettlement programme? Will he support the calls to roll that programme out …..." Huw Irranca-Davies - View Speech
"May I pay tribute to the young Guardsman Craig Roderick, who was one of the three soldiers killed earlier this week in Afghanistan? He was described as follows by his superior officers:
"I apologise for my voice, Mr Speaker—I was shouting at the television over the weekend. Several years ago, on my first day as a Minister in the Wales Office, the ministerial code was put in front of me and I was asked clearly and precisely whether there were any associations …..." Huw Irranca-Davies - View Speech
"I will try to be brief by asking the Minister to answer the questions of others, not points raised by me.
The director general of the Royal British Legion, Chris Simpkins, said:
“We’re seeing various allowances paid to the armed forces being reduced…If we then see that the Government isn’t …..." Huw Irranca-Davies - View Speech
"Far from blogs, I also quoted Chris Simpkins of the Royal British Legion, who said:
“The British public has shown it sees”
the role of coroner
“as vital in ensuring bereaved Service families can have confidence in the investigations of their loved ones’ deaths. We believe it is fundamental to …..." Huw Irranca-Davies - View Speech
"19. What effects the redundancies in the armed forces announced in the strategic defence and security review will have on standing commitments...." Huw Irranca-Davies - View Speech