Contributions
1,082 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Seventh sitting)We do indeed have a disagreement on principle. I suspect that the Minister might privately have some sympathy with the new clause but, for reasons we are all aware of, he cannot…16 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Sixth sitting)I beg to move amendment 25, in clause 37, page 56, line 35, at end insert— “(4) The Secretary of State must create a plan for ensuring and monitoring the efficiency of the RFCA in…16 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Sixth sitting)I appreciate my hon. Friend’s comments. He proves that the issue is not all about recruitment, as he was in the Air Training Corps but joined the Royal Marines. I thank him for…16 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Seventh sitting)It is very clear that the hon. Member for North Durham basically implied that we are aligned with the Russians. That is a despicable thing to say.16 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Seventh sitting)I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.16 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Sixth sitting)The essence of the amendment, tabled in my name and that of my hon. Friends, is to place a requirement on the Secretary of State to create a plan to ensure and monitor the…16 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Seventh sitting)As that was technically an intervention, I will have the first crack at it, but I am sure the Minister heard what the hon. Lady said. I see what she is trying to do here. Within…16 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Sixth sitting)I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. On the point about CCFs, part of the Department’s thinking at the time was that a lot of young people, particularly in the independent sector,…16 Apr 2026HANSARDStrategic Defence Review: Funding(Urgent Question) : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans to fund the recommendations of the strategic defence review.15 Apr 2026HANSARDStrategic Defence Review: FundingLabour’s strategic defence review had three co-authors. I would like to ask the Minister a question about each of them in turn. Does he agree with Dr Fiona Hill that there is a…15 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Fourth sitting)In my experience, retired officers, particularly retired senior officers, are keenly aware of their pension entitlements. If we are paying them a pension through the armed forces…14 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Fourth sitting)I beg to move amendment 9, in clause 20, page 34, line 27, at end insert “or (iii) a retired holder of such a rank.” This amendment would add retired officers to those qualified…14 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Fifth sitting)Thank you, Mr Efford. I just wanted to know who got the job. Turning to the RFA, I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Truro and Falmouth for what she has done to raise the profile…14 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Fourth sitting)This is not a criticism of the Minister, because no doubt he had other important things to do, but he was not on that visit, as I recall. As Her late Majesty once said,…14 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Fourth sitting)I again place on record our thanks to you, Mr Efford, and to our excellent Clerks and the team who organised a very good visit down to Portsmouth, where I think we learned a lot…14 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Fifth sitting)As the title of clause 30 is “Commissioner’s functions in relation to Royal Fleet Auxiliary”, I will ask the Minister something about the commissioner and then something about the…14 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Fifth sitting)For the record, whatever we did or did not do in Government, we did not bring in the £2.6 billion of operational spending cuts in the financial year just gone. That is why our…14 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Fifth sitting)Yes, Mr Efford. I will conclude there. I just wanted to know why the RFA is doing a job that the Royal Navy is supposed to do. After our debate yesterday, perhaps the Minister…14 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Fifth sitting)I do not think we need to have a debate on clause 20 stand part because we had a pretty thorough debate on the amendment, which covered most of the issues. I will seek the leave…14 Apr 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)Mr Offord, I was—26 Mar 2026