My Lords, we have got figures, figures and figures. There is only one crucial question. The Defence Secretary said in February that the Government
“have hollowed out and underfunded our armed forces”.—[Official Report, Commons, 20/2/23; col.65.]
Yesterday, some new funding was announced. Do the Government believe that yesterday really represents a reversal of the Secretary of State’s analysis and, crucially, is sufficient to secure Britain’s national defence for the future?