Contributions
413 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDUkraineMy Lords, I remind your Lordships’ House of my interest as a member of the Army Board. I welcome the Government’s commitment to spending £3 billion in military aid until 2030, but…04 Mar 2025HANSARDDefence and SecurityMy Lords, I declare my interest as a member of the Army Board. I welcome the rise to 2.5%; it goes some way to delivering the means that the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, needs to…26 Feb 2025HANSARDUK-Ukraine 100-year PartnershipMy Lords, to date, the UK has given £7.8 billion-worth of military assistance to Ukraine and that has been paid for from the Treasury reserve. Under this agreement, we commit to…22 Jan 2025HANSARDUK-Ukraine 100-year PartnershipWith your Lordships’ indulgence, I will ask one more question since we have lots of time. I want to pick up on a point that the Minister made in her initial response about the…22 Jan 2025HANSARDAir Defence CapabilitiesMy Lords, I commend the Minister, who has quickly established himself as a champion for defence within the department. I know that he is determined to deliver 2.5%, but it comes…09 Jan 2025HANSARDChagos Islands: UK-US Defence RelationshipMy Lords, I was the last Minister to visit Diego Garcia. It is depressing to learn, in Answers to Parliamentary Questions, that no Minister intends to visit in future—that is…05 Dec 2024HANSARDChagos Islands: UK-US Defence RelationshipShe should do so.05 Dec 2024HANSARDDrones: RAF BasesThe Minister has outlined some of the challenges that we face but there is a bigger issue here. Under Article 3 of our NATO treaty, we have an obligation to deliver national…27 Nov 2024HANSARDDrones: RAF BasesMy Lords, perhaps I might build on the question from the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Stirrup, if I may—or not.27 Nov 2024HANSARDSatellites: Adverse Effects on AstronomyMy Lords, the UK space sector is worth over £20 billion and employs about 50,000 people. The UK launched its first space strategy in September 2021, and the noble Viscount may be…20 Nov 2024HANSARDMV “Ruby”: Ammonium NitrateMy Lords, it is one of those odd occasions when you realise that you have some slightly strange expertise: I declare my interests as a firework maker and a bomb disposal officer.…31 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryTo ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the implications for the United Kingdom’s strategic relationship with the United States of America of the…08 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryMy Lords, I did not fully appreciate the strategic value of Diego Garcia until I visited it in 2019 in my capacity as Minister for the Armed Forces. Yesterday, the Foreign…08 Oct 2024HANSARDUkraine: Military SupportMy Lords, I declare my interest as director of the Army Reserve. It is about finding balance. The Minister mentioned Op Interflex, which is undoubtedly a great success, having…12 Sept 2024HANSARDMinistry of Defence: ExpenditureMy Lords, I declare my interest as director of the Army Reserve. The Public Accounts Committee identified a black hole of some £16.9 billion in our capital programme. That sounds…25 Jul 2024HANSARDKing’s SpeechMy Lords, I remind your Lordships’ House of my interests with the Ministry of Defence. What a pleasure it is to be able to follow the noble Lord, Lord Robertson. The greatest…25 Jul 2024HANSARDArmed Forces: Land War ReadinessMy Lords, I declare my interest as director of the Army Reserve. Neither the first nor third division can deploy as a division without large elements of the reserve, and it is a…20 May 2024HANSARDDefence Personnel Data BreachMy Lords, following the declaration of interest from the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Craig, I fear that I should also declare an interest as a lowly two-star officer who has…08 May 2024HANSARDUkraine: Small BoatsHaving listened to the conversation, I think the enthusiasm in your Lordships’ House to support Ukraine in any way that we can is highly commendable. After two and a half years of…01 May 2024HANSARDUK Armed Forces in Middle EastMy Lords, away from the valuable operations of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in the region, it is easy to overlook the regular tempo of land exercises with our allies there,…01 May 2024