Contributions
1,320 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentIndeed. The forces families who support those who put on the uniform are too often overlooked, which is one reason why we introduced legislation last week for an independent armed…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentOne of the weaknesses in our system is that the often-excellent innovation, research and development does not get developed, invested in or commercialised, so potentially…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentYes, I do. My hon. Friend makes the important point that the starting point for any defence planning must be the threats that we face. At the heart of any defence plans must be…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentI am not sure that I heard the hon. Gentleman welcome the fact that this Government have made a commitment to set a path to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP—a level that…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentI congratulate the shadow Defence Secretary on securing the first Defence urgent question of the new Parliament. Previous Defence Secretaries answered just two urgent questions in…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentFourteen years the Conservative Government had to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, and there was not a plan or a pathway from the last Government, as the shadow Defence…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentYes, they do. Everyone agrees that defence spending must increase, and it is increasing under this Government. It increased in the first Budget of this new Government by nearly £3…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentWe do not need a summit to release the interest on the frozen assets—the corrupt Russian money—as we are doing that already. The Chancellor and I are working closely on that, and…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentI welcome the fact that 23 NATO nations will hit the 2% spend this year. I regard that as a floor, not a ceiling. The UK, under Governments of both parties, has always spent well…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentAt the risk of upsetting my diary secretary, I welcome the opportunity to visit my hon. Friend’s constituency and her local veterans group. She is right that, today of all days,…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentThe right hon. Gentleman made the important point, implicitly in his question, that it is the Ukrainians who are fighting and the Ukrainians who will make the call about whether…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentTo be quite honest with my hon. Friend, it is a little early to have discussions with America. It is less than a week since the presidential elections and the current…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentThe Prime Minister does not need me to tell him that the first duty of any Government and of this Government is to defend the country and keep our citizens safe. He will not need…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentI am almost tempted to encourage the shadow Defence Secretary to answer that question, because he was Minister for Defence Procurement until four months ago, so he is principally…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentThe armed forces will always respond to the requirements placed on them. We will always seek to fulfil our NATO obligations. One reason why I conducted a NATO test in the first…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentThe hon. Gentleman has been consistent in his arguments, and I welcome his contribution. The Treasury will have noted it, and will probably take it as an early representation for…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentIndeed; that is one reason why, early doors in Washington, the Prime Minister not only reaffirmed our iron-clad commitment to increasing defence spending to 2.5% but said that the…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentI am sorry that our confirmation of the steps we are taking from January has not reached the hon. Lady. I will ensure that they are. There will be an uprating in the continuity of…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentI do. My hon. Friend is right. The Institute for Fiscal Studies described that so-called plan, the election pitch four weeks before the Conservatives called the election, as…11 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentMr Speaker, I am going to take what I can from the hon. Gentleman, which is an SNP welcome and an urging for an increase in defence spending. That will happen under a Labour…11 Nov 2024