Contributions
1,486 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Russian Shadow FleetI thank the Defence Secretary for advance sight of his statement and welcome him to his new post. He had a distinguished military career and, as Security Minister, will have had a…15 Jun 2026 · 5d agoHANSARDDefence Investment Plan(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the defence investment plan.10 Jun 2026HANSARDDefence Investment PlanI am grateful to Mr Speaker for granting this urgent question. Before I begin, may I pay tribute to the three Royal Navy personnel who tragically died in a helicopter crash last…10 Jun 2026HANSARDDefence Investment PlanOn a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Before you took the Chair, you will have heard the very strong statement from Mr Speaker about the prospect of the defence investment…10 Jun 2026HANSARDArmed Forces BillUkraine has derogated from the ECHR. Does that put it in the same bracket as Belarus and Russia?02 Jun 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsNo wonder the defence investment plan is so late: the Labour Government still have not worked out how to pay for it. The good news is that others have. Lord Robertson, a former…01 Jun 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsI echo the Secretary of State on the sad news from Iraq and, on behalf of the Opposition, send condolences to the family concerned. It is very sad news indeed. I have a simple…01 Jun 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessI give way to my right hon. Friend, who is an expert on the industrial base.20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessI do not need to add a great deal to that, because my right hon. Friend served in Operation Banner and speaks with great authority. He has always been passionate on this issue,…20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessI am aware that timelines are an issue on a couple of dimensions in the Chamber at the moment, so I will come to my conclusion shortly. My right hon. Friend asks a fundamental…20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessI beg to move amendment (o), at the end of the Question to add: “but respectfully regret the absence of a Defence Readiness Bill from the Gracious Speech, and the 10 month delay…20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessMy hon. Friend has remarkable foresight, because I will be coming to the Chagos issue. This is the key point: had the Prime Minister held his nerve and reformed the benefits…20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessBankrupting the country has consequences.20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessMy right hon. Friend makes an excellent point, and he is absolutely correct. Our legacy Act was based on what happened in South Africa. We may not like it, but if we want peace…20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessOne of the most critical issues in defence at the moment is the munitions position. Obviously, we did not publish it; we were not allowed to as it is a highly sensitive document.…20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessThe hon. Gentleman is always very generous in giving way. He says that the Liberal Democrats would issue war bonds for the extra defence spending, which is just other borrowing.…20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessI respect the hon. Lady, and I respect the strength of her view on this matter, but we have to deal with what is certain. In my view, it is extremely unlikely that any new cases…20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessI think the hon. Lady would be better focusing on the Type 45 destroyers. The former Labour Government were meant to order 12 Type 45s, but they slashed that order in half to just…20 May 2026HANSARDDefence ReadinessI am always grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his very good interventions. He has hit the nail on the head. This is not just about veterans, as important as they are; it is about…20 May 2026HANSARD DefenceI beg to move, That this House regrets that the Defence Investment Plan has still not been published despite the Government promising Parliament that the plan would be published…24 Mar 2026