Contributions
543 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBBC World ServiceMy Lords, while it is absolutely right that defence and security are more than just arms, I say as an aside before I ask my question that actually having nuclear submarines means…02 Jun 2025HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentGive it anyway!21 May 2025HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentMy Lords, 43 years ago today, at this time, I was under heavy air attack and was later sunk. Recruiting at that stage was very buoyant—thank goodness, after one sinks. Post the…21 May 2025HANSARDNational Shipbuilding StrategyMy Lords, a shipbuilding strategy is meaningless unless there are not just orders for ships, but a drumbeat of orders. I spent 15 years on the Opposition Benches pointing out to…30 Apr 2025HANSARDFarming: 25-year Road MapMy Lords, my noble friend the Minister will be aware that over 60% of the food we have here comes over the water to this country. Bearing in mind that we are about to have a…28 Apr 2025HANSARDSteel IndustryMy Lords, I have here a long list of the numerous occasions on which, over the past 10 years, I raised my concern over the emasculation of our steel industry and the fact that, if…12 Apr 2025HANSARDMathematical SciencesMy Lords, at recent visits to the universities in Cambridge and Manchester, I was shocked to find the huge number of Chinese who are fulfilling special courses on mathematics,…02 Apr 2025HANSARDApple: Advanced Data Protection ServiceDoes my noble friend the Minister agree that while encryption gives great security, if you add a journalist to the distribution list you lose that security?31 Mar 2025HANSARDUK Fishers: EU AgreementDoes my noble friend the Minister believe that we have sufficient ships looking after our territorial seas and our exclusive economic zone—fishery and the things on the seabed—or…31 Mar 2025HANSARDFuture Defence CapabilityMy Lords, our armed services, I am afraid, are in a parlous state—it is no good pretending otherwise. They have been seriously hollowed out and they are nowhere near the…26 Mar 2025HANSARDUS Steel and Aluminium TariffsMy Lords, the steel that the US imports from us is specialist steel. It is interesting that, for the new ballistic missile submarines—both our own and the American ones—a common…12 Mar 2025HANSARDPrime Minister: Meeting with Prime Minister of CanadaMy Lords, at the end of the Second World War, Canada had the third-largest navy in the world, we had the second-largest and America had the largest. In support of my noble friend…12 Mar 2025HANSARDApprenticeships: Entry RequirementsMy Lords, bearing in mind the crucial significance of the maritime sector to our nation’s wealth—and, indeed, survival—can my noble friend the Minister say what we are doing to…10 Mar 2025HANSARDUK Defence: Hypersonic MissilesShould the Chagos deal be signed—which I hope it will not be, because I think it is a mistake—we know that President Trump likes good deals, so will we negotiate with him that he…03 Mar 2025HANSARDUK Defence: Hypersonic MissilesMy Lords—03 Mar 2025HANSARDUS Steel Import TariffsMy Lords, the steel industry is a strategic asset for the country. The Minister stressed the importance of our link with America, but it is important that the Americans understand…13 Feb 2025HANSARDUK–China Economic and Financial Strategy DialogueWere there any discussions at all about the Chinese merchant fleet and the use of certain ships by the Russians as the shadow fleet—and also the £7 trillion worth of trade that…04 Feb 2025HANSARDMajor Defence ContractsMy Lords, on Thursday evening, I spoke at the Cambridge Union on behalf of a motion that Britain should spend more on defence and needs more defence—and I am glad to say we won,…03 Feb 2025HANSARDFiscal Policy: Defence SpendingMy Lords, it is absolutely clear to anyone who knows anything about defence that we need to spend more on our defence forces. I do not think I have come across anybody—including…03 Feb 2025HANSARDRussian Maritime Activity and UK ResponseMy Lords, how nice it is to be talking about ships. I do not agree totally with the noble and gallant Lord about the perception of us within NATO. However, maybe its perception…28 Jan 2025