Contributions
1,819 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDDefence SpendingMy right hon. Friend the Chair of the Defence Committee is absolutely right on the investment point. I spoke to my opposite number, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, yesterday…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingWe will always keep a very close eye on how we ensure a constant at-sea nuclear deterrent. I can confirm that it has been at sea every single day for 54 years, and we do not…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI could not disagree with the hon. Gentleman more strongly. Even in my time as Defence Secretary, there are decisions that I have made that, if we had not had the nuclear…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingMy right hon. Friend is speaking to the converted. As a keen pilot, I agree with him entirely. In fact, this usually works the other way around, but I will offer him a meeting so…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI thank my right hon. Friend not just for his words, but for his constant campaigning on this subject. Those of us who have been subject to him in a Select Committee know that he…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI welcome my hon. Friend’s comments. There are many members of the reserve forces in the House, including the Minister for Defence People and Families, my right hon. Friend the…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingWe will both ensure that we deliver the things that we have said we will deliver. In a changing world, with the threat of Iran, Russia, a much more assertive China and a…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI am really sorry that the right hon. Gentleman cheapens what is a very important discussion about the defence of the realm with such a ridiculous remark. We should all come here…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI thank my hon. and gallant Friend for his comments. He is right to point out the need to be prepared to use the abilities that we have. Ours is one of the only countries with…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI warmly welcome the hon. Lady’s comments, and I hope very much that those on her Front Bench, who have not attached themselves to the timeline that she urges, have listened…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingWe are sticking with the defence review and refresh, which set out the exact personnel numbers. I think it is 188,000 across all three services. I have explained the extent to…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI could not agree with my hon. Friend more.24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI am pleased to report to the hon. Lady that our defence standards, particularly when it comes to our nuclear estate, are extremely high. Whenever an issue is found, it is…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI encourage the hon. Lady, and all Opposition Members, to have a closer look at what we announced yesterday. This is a fully funded announcement. We have explained where the money…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI welcome the hon. Lady’s support for this package and for the 2.5% and gently suggest that conversations with those on her own Front Bench would be important at this point. It is…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingI warmly join my right hon. Friend in sending exactly that message. As he says, just last week I was looking at the first prototypes of the Challenger 3 coming off the production…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingMy hon. Friend is right. As Business Secretary, I took the decision on Newport Wafer Fab, which highlighted to me the importance of our own supply chain for advanced…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingMy hon. Friend will know that we are twinned with Estonia through NATO and we provide protection to it. Estonia is very much on the frontline with Russia, in a way that we are…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingThe hon. Lady once again asserts that Labour wants to reach 2.5%. Labour cannot just assert it; it has to will the means to get there. I did not hear that from the Labour Front…24 Apr 2024HANSARDDefence SpendingMy hon. and gallant Friend is absolutely right. We have seen how that has worked with Ukraine, and I am sorry that it is not working today with the timeline to get to 2.5%. I am…24 Apr 2024