Trident Alternatives Review

Debate between Mark Lazarowicz and Danny Alexander

Wednesday 17th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

The whole purpose of nuclear deterrents is to deter their use.

The judgment must be made about where on the ladder we believe that it is credible to stand, provided that the ability to scale up or down as threats change and the momentum of proliferation on the one hand and disarmament on the other shift. As a recognised nuclear weapon state under the non-proliferation treaty, we have an obligation to move towards a world in which nuclear weapons are no longer part of state security and defence postures. It is true that Britain has made significant steps since the cold war in disarmament terms. Some would argue that Britain has done its bit for disarmament and we have reached the minimum level possible. That argument has been deployed at every point at which we have scaled down over the past 20 years, but each time it has proven not to be true. The next step down the ladder is to reduce the salience of nuclear weapons in our defence policy itself, which means accepting that a cold-war-style continuous deterrent has become unnecessary.

[Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab/Co-op)]

If the right hon. Gentleman accepts that the UK will have a non-continuous deterrent, it means that there will be times when the UK does not have an active deterrent. Why then did he rule out the option, at least, of not continuing with the deterrent programme at all?

[Danny Alexander]

I do not accept the premise of the hon. Gentleman’s question and I have answered the substance of it in answer to an earlier intervention.

Investing in Britain’s Future

Debate between Mark Lazarowicz and Danny Alexander

Thursday 27th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

I agree with the first part of what my right hon. Friend said. The massive reforms to health and social care that we announced yesterday are hugely important for the future of this country. I am proud to be part of a Government who are taking those matters forward. Much of the credit for that must go to him for the work that he did in government and for his campaigning outside government. On the latter point, I will certainly raise that matter again with Ministers at the Department of Health.

[Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab/Co-op)]

It was quite reasonable for my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central (Chi Onwurah) to try to find out exactly what the Chief Secretary has announced about the A1, so I will try again. Is he making a commitment to the dualling of the A1 from Newcastle to the Scottish border? If so, when will the work start? If he is not making that commitment, what is he announcing today?

[Danny Alexander]

I am committing to undertaking the improvements that are necessary to bring that road up to a proper standard. There is clearly the need for a detailed feasibility study to consider precisely what is needed at every stage of the route. The money is set aside for that investment between now and 2020, so it will take place.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mark Lazarowicz and Danny Alexander

Tuesday 14th May 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab/Co-op)]

T9. The Chief Secretary was absolutely right on the question of the EU referendum Bill. He cannot speak for the Conservative party, but will he ensure that his party leader once again exercises his European veto and ensures that any such Bill does not come forward as a Government Bill and does not have Government backing?

[Danny Alexander]

The Government’s position was made very clear in the coalition agreement and was confirmed in the mid-term review document published at the beginning of this year: we wish to maintain British membership of the European Union and during this Parliament we will exercise our influence to the utmost to win the arguments in Britain’s national interest, in favour of jobs, investment and growth in this country.

Public Spending

Debate between Mark Lazarowicz and Danny Alexander

Thursday 17th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

That is not a matter for my judgment; it is a matter for the judgment of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, which we established to restore independence to the statistics on which budget judgments are based. According to the OBR, the structural deficit has risen to 8%, while the overall deficit is £155 billion. That is a vast sum. If we are to restore health to our economy we must narrow that gap, and do so quickly.

[Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab/Co-op)]

When the cuts that the Chief Secretary has announced today—which his boss will no doubt announce again on Tuesday—lead to lower growth, higher unemployment and the collapse of the construction industry, with consequential reductions in the Government’s revenue and increases in their benefit bills and, as a result, an increase in the deficit, what will he cut next?

[Danny Alexander]

I think that what the hon. Gentleman and, if I may say so, many Opposition Members fail to recognise is that the country faces a choice: a choice between taking the robust action which is needed and which we will take to bring responsibility to the public finances and reduce the deficit, and failing to take that action. The risk posed by the latter course is clear from what has happened in other countries. I believe that the action that we are taking today, and will no doubt take in future weeks and months, is necessary to ensure that in future we have the jobs and growth that we need.