Contributions
1,831 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDRoyal Navy: Nuclear SubmarinesI can give some of the information that the noble Baroness has asked me for. The Defence Nuclear Enterprise submarine dismantling project has achieved a major milestone as it…15 Jan 2026HANSARDRoyal Navy: Nuclear SubmarinesOf course, the Government’s position is to maintain the position that we have had over many decades. I appreciate the point that the noble Lord raises. He will know—because the…15 Jan 2026HANSARDRoyal Navy: Nuclear SubmarinesThere are debates about the defence budget, and it is a matter for the Opposition to explain some of the promises that they are making, as my noble friend pointed out—we will no…15 Jan 2026HANSARDRoyal Navy: Nuclear SubmarinesI need to be careful about the monetary figures, but I can reassure the noble Baroness that the programme is going ahead according to schedule and will deliver what we need for…15 Jan 2026HANSARDRoyal Navy: Nuclear SubmarinesI am confident about that. I will not go into the number of submarines that are operational for obvious reasons, but the noble Lord will have heard the First Sea Lord outlining…15 Jan 2026HANSARDRoyal Navy: Nuclear SubmarinesThe noble Lord is quite right. Thousands of jobs are dependent on the nuclear deterrent in Scotland and across the UK. I often make the point around the SNP, and we see its…15 Jan 2026HANSARDNew Medium Helicopter ContractThat is a really important point; let me just broaden it. It is not just financial institutions: we still sometimes read of universities not welcoming defence industries on to…14 Jan 2026HANSARDBoarding of Sanctioned VesselsMy Lords, any future requests from the US for Royal Navy and Royal Air Force support for operations will be considered on a case-by-case basis. This includes appropriate…14 Jan 2026HANSARDNew Medium Helicopter ContractWe are having conversations with Leonardo; we have been talking to it for a considerable period. Those discussions go on. All I am saying to the noble Lord, Lord Fox, and to the…14 Jan 2026HANSARDBoarding of Sanctioned VesselsThe legal basis is the fact that these ships are operating as either false flag or stateless vessels. That gives us the legal basis. I have read the reports that the noble Lord…14 Jan 2026HANSARDBoarding of Sanctioned VesselsI shall not stray into that territory, because I am sure that other people are more legally qualified to answer than I am. However, the action that was taken was on the legal…14 Jan 2026HANSARDBoarding of Sanctioned VesselsWhat we are doing is trying to make sure that we get it right. Even if you increase the budget by £3 billion, £4 billion or £5 billion, there will be debate about the correct way…14 Jan 2026HANSARDNew Medium Helicopter ContractThe noble Baroness will know that the final decision on the award of the new medium helicopter contract will be made through the wider defence investment plan. With respect to…14 Jan 2026HANSARDNew Medium Helicopter ContractObviously, exports are an important component of contracts that are made. On the more general point about exports, the noble Lord is right to raise the whole issue. As a…14 Jan 2026HANSARDBoarding of Sanctioned VesselsMy noble friend heard the careful Answer that I gave to the noble Baroness; I hope that went some way to answering the question that he has posed. It is not as though we have not…14 Jan 2026HANSARDNew Medium Helicopter ContractThe noble Lord and I have spoken about this. I understand exactly the points that he has made with such passion, force and logic. I cannot say any more than that the final…14 Jan 2026HANSARDNew Medium Helicopter ContractWe are in constant discussions with Leonardo about this particular contract. However, the noble Lord will have heard what I said: the final decision in respect of the contract…14 Jan 2026HANSARDNew Medium Helicopter ContractWe are certainly making those points—with respect not only to the importance of the main contract but to the impact on the supply chain that is dependent on these contracts—to the…14 Jan 2026HANSARDBoarding of Sanctioned VesselsI do not know about the Bill, but if the noble Baroness is referring to Greenland, the Government have been very clear that that is a matter for the Kingdom of Denmark and…14 Jan 2026HANSARDBoarding of Sanctioned VesselsThe noble and gallant Lord will know that we await the defence investment plan, which will lay out the capabilities that the Government believe that we need for war-fighting…14 Jan 2026