Written Question
Wednesday 11th March 2015
Asked by:
Thomas Docherty (Labour - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in other EU member states on proposals to amend EU treaties.
Answered by David Lidington
I have already visited 24 Member States to discuss EU reform with my counterparts, most recently, Warsaw on 6 March. Leaders across Europe agree that the EU needs to change. We are setting out the case for Britain’s view of the reforms required to make the EU fit for purpose in the 21st Century. We have already made progress: the June European Council agreed that EU reform was necessary and that the UK’s concerns should be addressed.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 17 Oct 2014
European Union (Referendum) Bill
"I will be suitably brief, because I know that many colleagues wish to speak in this important debate. I congratulate the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) on introducing the Bill. I got to know him quite well when he was a Minister in the Department for Communities …..."Thomas Docherty - View Speech
View all Thomas Docherty (Lab - Dunfermline and West Fife) contributions to the debate on: European Union (Referendum) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 17 Oct 2014
European Union (Referendum) Bill
"I am most grateful to my hon. Friend. He has reminded us of the key role that the current Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer were playing in the early ’90s in forming the economic policies of John Major and Lord Lamont which led us so disastrously to Black …..."Thomas Docherty - View Speech
View all Thomas Docherty (Lab - Dunfermline and West Fife) contributions to the debate on: European Union (Referendum) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 17 Oct 2014
European Union (Referendum) Bill
"I am most grateful for my hon. Friend’s incredibly helpful intervention.
As far as I am aware, very few Conservative Members stood on a platform at the last general election calling for an in/out referendum. I suspect that the hon. Member for Wellingborough (Mr Bone) did, and I know that …..."Thomas Docherty - View Speech
View all Thomas Docherty (Lab - Dunfermline and West Fife) contributions to the debate on: European Union (Referendum) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 17 Oct 2014
European Union (Referendum) Bill
"I am most grateful to Lady Thatcher’s metatron for joining us today. I was not aware that there were many mature students in the Conservative party 20-odd years ago, but it turns out that there were obviously some.
The reality is that the institution that Conservative Members rail against today …..."Thomas Docherty - View Speech
View all Thomas Docherty (Lab - Dunfermline and West Fife) contributions to the debate on: European Union (Referendum) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 17 Oct 2014
European Union (Referendum) Bill
"I know that one or two of them did come up for a few days to help out.
Scotland went on “pause” for three years. Its economy suffered because we were having a referendum. The poison and the nastiness in that debate was something I had never previously encountered in …..."Thomas Docherty - View Speech
View all Thomas Docherty (Lab - Dunfermline and West Fife) contributions to the debate on: European Union (Referendum) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 17 Oct 2014
European Union (Referendum) Bill
"I have already given way twice to my hon. Friend, who has spoken at some length. I want to make some progress because other Members want to get in.
Another problem with the timetable is that it assumes that the Prime Minister will be able to renegotiate by the end …..."Thomas Docherty - View Speech
View all Thomas Docherty (Lab - Dunfermline and West Fife) contributions to the debate on: European Union (Referendum) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 17 Oct 2014
European Union (Referendum) Bill
"I am moving towards my conclusion and am conscious that others want to speak.
Let me be absolutely clear: the idea that the Prime Minister can unilaterally secure significant renegotiation is unrealistic, to say the least. The only way we are going to have significant renegotiation is through an intergovernmental …..."Thomas Docherty - View Speech
View all Thomas Docherty (Lab - Dunfermline and West Fife) contributions to the debate on: European Union (Referendum) Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 17 Oct 2014
European Union (Referendum) Bill
"My hon. Friend says yes, which is a reasonable position if she simply wants out of the European Union. I disagree with her, but it is a legitimate position. What we should not have is the duplicitous behaviour of some Conservative Members. They claim that they want to put this …..."Thomas Docherty - View Speech
View all Thomas Docherty (Lab - Dunfermline and West Fife) contributions to the debate on: European Union (Referendum) Bill
Written Question
Wednesday 7th May 2014
Asked by:
Thomas Docherty (Labour - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2014, Official Report, column 413W, on Falkland Islands, if he will discuss the correct use of the name Falkland Islands with the Secretary of State for the Home Office; and given the misuse of the name by his Department in its internal guidance if he will now issue cross-Department guidance.
Answered by Lord Swire
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials have been in contact with the Home Office to remind them of the appropriate terminology for the Falkland Islands. All Government departments and agencies should refer to ‘the Falkland Islands' in all instances. There is no evidence that incorrect terminology has been used other than in the isolated cases which the Honourable Member highlights. Therefore no cross-Departmental guidance has been issued.