Contributions
1,320 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe will indeed. We will set out in our defence industrial strategy the detail that the hon. Lady wants. She mentions Babcock, which has welcomed today’s UK-EU agreement as a step…19 May 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsIt is simply too early to say that about any of the nations, including all 27 EU nations. What I can say is that today’s agreement is the necessary key that opens the door to that…19 May 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe previous Government, with our support, set up the Haddon-Cave inquiry, whose job it is to get to the bottom of any allegations and investigate them fully. That is the job it…19 May 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe right hon. Gentleman is a regular attender in this House, and I suggest that he be here on Wednesday for Northern Ireland questions to put that question directly to the…19 May 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe Diego Garcia base is essential to our security and to our security relationship with the US. It was increasingly under threat under the previous Government. We have had to…19 May 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsNo. It shows that when we were elected last summer we inherited a situation of increasing questions and jeopardy over the continuing sovereignty—our operational sovereignty—of the…19 May 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe have committed to set new SME spending targets and establish a new SME support centre. In the last week, we have launched a new tech scaler, and we will strengthen the SME…19 May 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsLast year, we pledged to the British public that if we were elected we would seek a new security pact with the European Union. Today we have made good on that promise. The UK-EU…19 May 2025HANSARDSupport for Veterans: Operation BannerThis Government are dealing with the woeful shortcomings of the last Government’s Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. As we do so, we will give…19 May 2025HANSARDSupport for Veterans: Operation BannerThe Government recognise the important service and sacrifice of those forces veterans who served in Northern Ireland. More were killed during the troubles there than in…19 May 2025HANSARDSupport for VeteransThe previous Government’s legacy Act has been found to be unlawful time and again. We have to deal with that problem, and any Government would. My concern is for the UK service…19 May 2025HANSARDSupport for VeteransI hesitate to turn this into a party political debate, but the right hon. Gentleman has just done that. He must accept that the previous Government’s woeful legacy Act did nothing…19 May 2025HANSARDSupport for VeteransThe right hon. Gentleman is right. We owe the Operation Banner veterans a huge debt of gratitude. Their professionalism and, in many cases, sacrifices of their lives saved…19 May 2025HANSARDUK-EU Defence and Security AgreementThe hon. Gentleman is quite right. [Interruption.] He is quite right, in that during the last Defence Question Time he talked about our not being excluded from the Security Action…19 May 2025HANSARDUK-EU Defence and Security AgreementThis is a big step today—a broad and bespoke agreement between the European Union and the UK on security and defence—but it is a first step. Settling the details and the terms of…19 May 2025HANSARDUK-EU Defence and Security AgreementMy hon. Friend is right about the joint expeditionary force, and he is right to emphasise the importance of the step today. While NATO is the cornerstone of our European…19 May 2025HANSARDUK-EU Defence and Security AgreementQuite simply, the answer to both the hon. Gentleman’s first question and his second question is exactly the partnership deal that we have signed this afternoon.19 May 2025HANSARDSupport for VeteransWe made an election commitment to put the armed forces covenant fully into law, and we will do that. The Minister for Veterans and People is working across Government to ensure…19 May 2025HANSARDSupport for VeteransEarlier this month the nation celebrated 80 years since Victory in Europe Day, and the Government announced the Operation Valour programme, a new UK-wide veteran support system to…19 May 2025HANSARDUK-EU Defence and Security AgreementI will indeed. We congratulate the crew of HMS Dragon on their professionalism and skill, and they will welcome my hon. Friend’s championing of that skill in the House this…19 May 2025