Gibraltar’s representation at the Labour Party Conference continued yesterday evening with the Gibraltar Reception hosted by the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and featuring a keynote speech by the UK Minister for Europe and the Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty MP.
The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia is in Brussels for a series of meetings with the European Commission and in the European Parliament. Top of the agenda are the “continuing deliberate, politically motivated and illegal controls” imposed by the Spanish authorities at the border.
Mr Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to address Parliament on the Budget for the third time as Opposition Spokesman for Health, Social Services and Civil Contingencies. It is a duty and an honour for us on the Opposition benches to contribute to, and vote, on this vital discharge of the responsibility of Parliament.
This is a debate on the Appropriation Bill. It is not, as such, a debate purely on the figures. It is in reality an opportunity for each of us to take stock and assess where matters lie generally and in our particular areas of responsibility. I have many. Since I assumed responsibility for financial services I shadow a total of seven areas spanning four different Ministers, or 40% of the cabinet.