Contributions
1,811 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Armed Forces Commissioner BillI thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. Implementing the armed forces covenant is something that this Government feel strongly about. That is why we are bringing forward…03 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Commissioner BillCertainly, the consequence of one of our proposed objectives with the Bill—making it easier for people to raise an issue about service life and to have that addressed—is improved…03 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Commissioner BillWith the leave of the House, I will respond to the debate in the time that we have left. On behalf of the Government, I thank all Members for their contributions. It is clear that…03 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Commissioner BillI agree with my hon. Friend’s interventions, and he need not worry, because I will not be sending him a bill for any of the kit that he might have misplaced over the years. My…03 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Commissioner BillI know that the right hon. Gentleman has experience as a Minister who covered this area in the last Government. He is right that we need to reflect on the fact that everyone is…03 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Commissioner BillI thank the right hon. Gentleman. He and I have had many long discussions about issues that the Committee discussed when he chaired it, and I am aware that my hon. Friend the…03 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Commissioner BillI already had, before the right hon. Gentleman intervened—it was the last line I said before giving way to the right hon. Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis). I think…03 Jun 2025HANSARD Armed Forces Commissioner BillI thank my hon. Friend for raising a serious case and a real tragedy, not just for the family of Gunner Beck but our entire armed forces. It needs to be a wake-up call, where we…03 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentI am very happy to do so. It is not just the scientists and engineers at the AWE who support our nuclear deterrent, but the engineers and apprentices in Devonport in my…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentI recognise that the right hon. Gentleman’s question comes from a heartfelt and personal belief in nuclear disarmament. On this side of the House, we support international…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentWell, it was a question of two halves. I agree with the hon. Lady on the first half, and I am grateful for the cross-party nature of what we can achieve here. It is a source of…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentThe Secretary of State will shortly lay out more details of the strategic defence review, but I am happy to answer a few of the questions from my hon. Friend the Chair of the…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentLet me again put on record my thanks to all members of our Royal Navy who go out on patrol, not just on our Vanguard-class submarines, but also on our Astute-class boats—and the…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentYes, I can. The Defence Secretary is open to those conversations, though there may still be a difference of opinion about the best way of scrutinising some of our most sensitive…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentAs I replied to my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier), conversations continue between Members of this House and the Defence Secretary. He…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentI am grateful to my hon. Friend the Chair of the Defence Committee for this chance to set out the Government’s total commitment to the UK’s nuclear deterrent, which has been the…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentI am normally reasonably impressed by the hon. Gentleman on defence matters, but let me say politely that we have £5 billion extra in the defence budget this financial year thanks…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentI do not want to eat the Secretary of State’s sandwiches, and I am acutely aware that the statement that he is about to make—02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentIn the spirit of the day, I suggest that the hon. Gentleman waits for the Defence Secretary’s statement that is coming soon. I am very aware that when people go to a gig, they…02 Jun 2025HANSARDUK Nuclear DeterrentI recognise that there is a range of views on nuclear weapons. I also recognise that there are thousands and thousands of people in Scotland whose jobs are dependent on supporting…02 Jun 2025