Contributions
1,811 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDAUKUS Strategic PartnershipThe UK is fully committed to the AUKUS partnership. On 26 September, the Secretary of State hosted the first AUKUS Defence Ministers’ meeting outside the US. During that…14 Oct 2024HANSARDAUKUS Strategic PartnershipI thank my hon. Friend for her question. Both the Secretary of State and I have visited Barrow to see not only the incredible innovation in the shipyard there, but the amazing…14 Oct 2024HANSARDUK DefencesI am grateful to my hon. Friend for her question and for championing the country’s tech sectors. She is absolutely right that the experience we are seeing in Ukraine means that we…14 Oct 2024HANSARDUK DefencesThe Government greatly value the contribution that the Gurkhas continue to make in supporting the UK’s security and defence, and we take our responsibility to Gurkha veterans very…14 Oct 2024HANSARDUK DefencesI welcome the hon. Gentleman to his place; it is a great job being shadow Minister for the Armed Forces, as I know. If I may say so politely, the reason there is severe financial…14 Oct 2024HANSARDGlobal Combat Air ProgrammeThe Defence Secretary has clear instructions from the manifesto that Britain is to be better defended with a Labour Government. That is why within two weeks of taking office the…14 Oct 2024HANSARDGlobal Combat Air ProgrammeGCAP is an important programme, and there will be further updates in relation to it as the SDR reports in the first half of next year. In the meantime, we continue to progress the…14 Oct 2024HANSARDDefence Research and Development: FundingDefence R&D is critical to maximising the operational advantage of our armed forces. In an increasingly volatile and technology-driven world, the Department remains committed to…14 Oct 2024HANSARDDefence Research and Development: FundingI welcome the hon. Gentleman to the House. As a fellow Devon MP, I believe it is important that we have a strong voice on defence, so I am grateful for his question. The new…14 Oct 2024HANSARDDefence Research and Development: FundingI congratulate the hon. Lady on her appointment as a shadow spokesperson. I was in Ukraine a few weeks ago leading a trade delegation of British companies looking at precisely the…14 Oct 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am grateful for the question, because we know that there is a recruitment and retention crisis in the UK armed forces. It is precisely for that reason that the Defence Secretary…14 Oct 2024HANSARD Afghan Special Forces Relocation ReviewI am grateful to my hon. Friend for his support for ARAP and the Afghans involved. As part of the Afghan Triples review, 2,000 or so cases are under consideration. Where we…14 Oct 2024HANSARD Afghan Special Forces Relocation ReviewI am glad that the hon. Lady raised the issue of Afghan interpreters, who sit outside the Triples in this regard. There are a great many Afghan interpreters in Plymouth. As a…14 Oct 2024HANSARD Afghan Special Forces Relocation ReviewThe review has not yet completed, but as part of it we are looking at evidence amassed across different Government Departments—where evidence of a direct employment relationship…14 Oct 2024HANSARD Afghan Special Forces Relocation ReviewI intend, at the conclusion of the Triples review, to be able to publish a full “lessons learned” summary looking at where we need to get to, but there are a number of lessons.…14 Oct 2024HANSARD Afghan Special Forces Relocation ReviewI understand where the hon. Gentleman is trying to get to with his question. It is difficult for me to comment on special forces, for reasons that he will appreciate. I am also…14 Oct 2024HANSARDAUKUS Strategic PartnershipThere is an opportunity to work with many of our partners internationally on pillar 2 opportunities. Those conversations have been taking place at official level within the…14 Oct 2024HANSARD Afghan Special Forces Relocation ReviewI would like to update the House on the ongoing review of Afghan relocations and assistance policy scheme applications from former members of Afghan specialist units, including…14 Oct 2024HANSARD Afghan Special Forces Relocation ReviewI sent a letter to the hon. Lady on this issue, which I am happy to pick up directly outside the Chamber. However, I reassure her that our intention is to use transitional…14 Oct 2024HANSARD Afghan Special Forces Relocation ReviewThe Government certainly intend to bring forward the Hillsborough Bill, which I hope will enjoy cross-party support, particularly in relation to a duty of candour. What we have…14 Oct 2024