UK Arms Sales to Israel Kim Johnson (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab) 1.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of
UK arms sales to Israel on (a) civilian deaths and (b) compliance
with international humanitarian law in Gaza. (900146) The Secretary
of State for Defence (Grant Shapps) All export licence applications
are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the strategic export
licence criteria. This Government will not use any export...Request free trial
UK Arms Sales to Israel
(Liverpool, Riverside)
(Lab)
1. What assessment his Department has made of the potential
impact of UK arms sales to Israel on (a) civilian deaths and (b)
compliance with international humanitarian law in Gaza.
(900146)
The Secretary of State for Defence ()
All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case
basis against the strategic export licence criteria. This
Government will not use any export licences to any destination
where applications are not consistent with the criteria.
I thank the Secretary of State for that answer, but since the
horrendous Hamas attacks on 7 October, 12,000 innocent
Palestinian civilians have been killed; and two thirds were women
and children. The UN Secretary-General has described Gaza as a
“graveyard of children”. Today an Israeli airstrike on a United
Nations Relief and Works Agency school has killed 12 people. The
Indonesian hospital in Gaza is currently surrounded by Israeli
Defence Forces tanks. Can the Minister confirm whether arms sold
by the UK have been used in violations of international
humanitarian law, and will he explain why arms sales to Israel
have not yet been suspended?
The hon. Lady is right to describe as terrorism the horrendous
and heinous attacks by Hamas, without which this would not have
started. We call on all parties—the Israelis included—to ensure
that they act within international humanitarian law. It will
interest her to know that our defence exports to Israel are
relatively small—just £42 million last year—and, as I mentioned
in my initial answer, they go through a very strict criteria
before anything is exported.
Israel and Gaza
Neil O’Brien (Harborough) (Con)
2. What steps he is taking to encourage de-escalation of the
conflict in Israel and Gaza. (900147)
The Secretary of State for Defence ()
We are working with partners across the wider region, urging all
sides to de-escalate tension, facilitate the supply of
humanitarian aid, and tackle all forms of extremism.
Neil O’Brien
We are all absolutely heartbroken—[Interruption.]
Mr Speaker
Order. Members must sit down again once another Member is
speaking. We cannot have two Members on their feet at the same
time.
Neil O’Brien
We are all heartbroken by what is happening in the middle east.
As Israel works to root out Hamas terrorists, will my right hon.
Friend work to ensure that aid gets to civilians and that Israel
works in a way that is compatible with international law? As the
Government work to get hostages freed, will they also work for
increasingly long humanitarian pauses that can build towards a
just and lasting peace?
My hon. Friend is right about trying to do everything we can in
the region. That is why I sent a Royal Navy task group to try to
de-escalate tensions, including RFA Lyme Bay and RFA Argus. Those
facilities, along with others, are doing everything they can to
help lower the tensions and certainly act as deterrents, and to
ensure that we can get aid into the region. He will be interested
to hear that we have had 51 tonnes of aid delivered so far, and
there will be another flight later this month.
(Kingston upon Hull West and
Hessle) (Lab)
There are thousands of orphans and displaced families amid an
ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. What are the Government doing
to ensure that unrestricted aid is reaching all the people who
desperately need it, and, importantly, to ensure that Israel
lifts the siege conditions?
As the hon. Lady will know, we are in favour of seeing pauses in
the action. Some people, I know, call for a ceasefire, but I
would point out that there was a ceasefire on 6 October; the
problem is that it was broken by Hamas, who wrought this carnage
on the middle east. We are doing everything possible to help get
that aid in. With the Royal Navy taskforce, infantry, and other
personnel in the region, we now have an uplift of about 600
personnel in the wider region, who are all helping to ensure that
we get the aid in and across the border once we have got it to
the region itself.
(Bournemouth East) (Con)
I welcome the Defence Secretary to his place. Behind Hamas, sits
Iran; behind Iran, sits Russia; and, increasingly, behind Russia
sits China. That is the geopolitical backdrop that will define
the next decade, with growing authoritarianism impacting on our
security and our economy. Is it now time to increase the defence
budget to 3%?
My right hon. Friend will know that we have indeed pledged to
increase defence spending to 2.5%, as economic conditions allow.
This year, it will probably be around 2.4%, so we are making good
progress. Prior to getting this role, I talked about my own
desire to see higher defence spending, because we are living in a
much less certain world, with many more variables. He is right to
point out Iran’s action, with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syrian
militias in Iraq, and Houthis in Yemen very much driving the
situation.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
The reality is that neither the long-term security of Israel nor
justice for the Palestinians will be found through bombs and
bullets. As an international community, we need to be doing all
we can to move to an enduring cessation of the violence, but
while we are doing that, can the Secretary of State say how the
UK armed forces will be utilising their capacity to help those
getting aid into Gaza to get much bigger quantities in than is
happening at the moment?
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right about the UK’s desire to
do that, and I have talked about how we have deployed a large
increase in personnel in the region to work with various
Governments. I have personally spoken to most of the middle
eastern Governments, and on those calls the first thing they have
done is welcome our deterrent and the fact that we have brought
such a large amount of aid—now £30 million—to help the
Palestinians. It is not just the hostages themselves who are
being held hostage; the population of Gaza are being held hostage
by Hamas, and therefore the solution is to deal with Hamas
themselves.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Wentworth and Dearne)
(Lab)
After nearly three months, it is very good to finally welcome the
Defence Secretary to the Dispatch Box for the first time. He
reflects the deep concern about the humanitarian catastrophe in
Gaza and the risks of wider escalation. Labour totally condemns
Hamas terrorism. We back Israel’s right to defend itself, but
require it to meet its duties under international law and lift
the siege conditions, and we want to see the breaks in fighting
extended to get much more aid in and the hostages out. We back
the military deployments to the region to support wider security,
but with attacks against US personnel rising, what action is the
Defence Secretary taking to increase protection for UK personnel
in the middle east?
First, Mr Speaker, it is good to be at the Dispatch Box opposite
the right hon. Gentleman. I thank him, as well as yourself and
others, for their condolences when I was not able to attend the
first Defence questions.
In terms of protecting our own personnel, I have asked the Chief
of the Defence Staff to review their position. I made reference
to the additional personnel who have moved to the region, but did
not mention that several have been moved to Tel Aviv, Beirut and
Jordan, all with the aim of protecting both British military
personnel and British citizens in the region. We keep that matter
under constant review.
Would the Defence Secretary agree that over the past decade,
there has been an international failure to pursue a Palestinian
peace settlement and tackle the Hamas threat? Middle east
escalation risks were not mentioned in the Government’s defence
Command Paper update, nor were Hamas or Palestine. With threats
increasing, is the Defence Secretary pursuing that defence plan
in full, including further deep cuts to the British Army?
The right hon. Gentleman is right to say that nobody, including
the Israelis, saw what Hamas were about to do coming. That points
to the need for much greater surveillance, but also—much wider
than that—the need to pursue the two-state solution, which is
official British policy and is something that the world must do
as this conflict, we hope, comes to an end.
The answer to the right hon. Gentleman’s question about being
able to deploy British troops and, indeed, assets is that when I
asked the question, the answer came back immediately: “Yes, we
can do it, and there is more that we could do should we need to.”
I am satisfied that we cut our cloth in order to react to events
around the world, which of course came on top of what we are
doing in Kosovo and elsewhere. We will certainly make sure that
we maintain the resources to carry out those important
missions.
Service Accommodation
(Ogmore) (Lab)
3. What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of service
accommodation for armed forces personnel. (900149)
(North Shropshire) (LD)
8. What steps he is taking to improve service accommodation for
armed forces personnel. (900154)
The Minister for Defence Procurement ()
Currently, 96.5% of the service family accommodation meets or
exceeds the Government’s decent homes standard; only those
properties should be allocated to service families. The
Government continue to invest significant sums to improve the
quality of UK service family accommodation. The Defence
Infrastructure Organisation received an investment of £400
million over this financial year and the next as part of the
defence Command Paper refresh, meaning that the forecast £380.2
million for this year is more than double last year’s investment
in maintenance and improvements.
The Minister will be aware that this time last year, almost 5,000
homes of armed forces personnel were affected by black mould and
damp, which obviously included many properties that had children
in them. A year on, too many of our service personnel and their
families still have this problem. No matter whether it is one
house or 5,000 houses, can the Minister set out how he is going
to tackle this problem quickly? Our armed forces personnel and
their families deserve better than what they have been getting to
date.
The hon. Gentleman asks an excellent question. We are aware that
what happened last winter was not good enough. Too many homes
were affected, particularly by damp and mould. That is why we
have prioritised getting the investment in, and it has more than
doubled in the current financial year. I am pleased to confirm to
him that last week I set out our winter plan. It shows that 4,000
homes in the defence estate would benefit from significant work
on damp and mould, which is about 60% of the total number that
require that work.
A constituent of mine who lives in Clive barracks at Tern Hill in
Shropshire has reported that he lives in rat-infested
accommodation, sometimes with two to six soldiers living in the
same room. As a result, shipping containers have been placed in
the grounds—about 40 at the end of August—and kitted out like
budget hotel accommodation for those soldiers to live in. Can the
Minister provide any reassurance that these servicemen will be
provided with somewhere appropriate to live in the near
future?
I am obviously sorry to hear about that case. I would ask the
hon. Member to write to me with the details, and I will look into
it with the DIO. The key thing is that, wherever we are talking
about—whichever specific barracks or base—if we are going to get
on with the works, we need the money there, and we have got that.
We have put in place the extra £400 million, and as I set out in
the winter plan, thousands of forces personnel will now benefit
from that work.
(Rayleigh and Wickford)
(Con)
The DIO is not fit for purpose, and the Future Defence
Infrastructure Services accommodation contract has been a
disaster, including completely unacceptable delays in issuing and
checking gas and electricity safety certificates. No private
landlord would get away with this without being sued. The
Secretary of State had a good run out at the Defence Committee
last week, and said he was potentially looking at radical reforms
in this area. Can I urge the Minister and his boss to do
precisely that to honour our service personnel and their families
in a way they are not being honoured at present?
I am very grateful to my right hon. Friend. He knows that I share
his passion for seeing genuine step change improvements in our
accommodation. That is why we have announced the spending that we
have. On the performance of the contractors, which the DIO
ultimately oversees, one of the important aspects of the winter
plan is a significant increase in staff manning the telephone
service, so that we see better service to personnel. We expect
the average waiting time for one of those calls to go from seven
minutes to 29 seconds. It will be very important to service
personnel that, when they make those calls, they get answered in
good time.
Dame (Gosport) (Con)
The Minister may be aware that earlier this year one of the
accommodation blocks in HMS Collingwood in my Gosport
constituency was shut down all together because it just simply
was not fit for human habitation. There are also some issues with
the accommodation blocks in HMS Sultan. Could I invite the
Minister to come to Gosport to have a look at some of the
accommodation on offer for our service personnel? It is simply
not good enough, and they deserve better.
I would be more than happy to do so.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Plymouth, Sutton and
Devonport) (Lab/Co-op)
There is a new Defence Secretary, but it is the same old story in
service accommodation, with reports of broken boilers, black
mould, leaky roofs and painfully long waits for repairs. Last
Christmas, one service family told me that they went without a
working boiler for three weeks and were forced to live in a hotel
over Christmas and new year. Can the Minister assure me that no
one who serves our country in uniform will go without heating, or
be forced out of their home this winter because of the dire state
of their military accommodation?
I am grateful to the hon. Member, and I repeat the point: we
recognise that performance was not good enough last winter, which
is why the Secretary of State made it an absolute priority to get
the extra investment in. Having done that, I am pleased to say
that the winter plan does include boiler and heating upgrades for
about 1,500 homes.
Armed Forces: Non-combat Incidents and Jurisdictional
Constraints
John Mc Nally (Falkirk) (SNP)
4. What discussions he has had with his US counterpart on
increasing awareness of (a) non-combat incidents and (b)
jurisdictional constraints affecting the armed
forces.(900150)
The Minister for Armed Forces ()
Defence Ministers have close relationships with our US colleagues
and discuss such issues on a case-by-case basis.
John Mc Nally
I thank the Minister for his answer. It is fast approaching the
sixth anniversary of Captain Dean Sprouting being killed, in a
road traffic accident in 2018 while on operational duties, by US
servicemen. The US guardsmen did not adhere to any standard
operation procedures or health and safety regulations, driving
unsuitable and poorly maintained vehicles on an unnecessary
journey. Captain Sprouting’s death was both avoidable and
preventable, and it would not have occurred had the US servicemen
involved adhered to the regulations. Despite the continuous
efforts of his widow, Linda, for the Ministry of Defence to
highlight the complicated jurisdictional procedures involved in
blue-on-blue incidents, Linda and her boys continue to suffer the
consequences on a daily basis. What I would like to ask the
Minister is: given that the Defence Minister in the Lords—
Mr Speaker
Order. I think the Minister must have got the gist by now and be
able to answer with something. [Interruption.] Just to help the
hon. Member for Falkirk (John Mc Nally), I have to try to get
through a list of what are meant to be questions. I gave him a
long time to ask a question, and it was not forthcoming. If I do
not do this, I will not get through the other people who wish to
ask questions.
The hon. Gentleman raises a very complicated case and the widow,
to whom I send my condolences, is obviously keen to see the
matter resolved. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman and I meet to
discuss the issue in appropriate detail.
Mr Speaker
I am happy to look at an Adjournment debate, if that helps, but
we have to have short questions to get other people in.
Support for Veterans
(North Ayrshire and Arran)
(SNP)
5. What steps he is taking to support veterans. (900151)
(North Devon) (Con)
7. What steps his Department is taking to support veterans.
(900153)
The Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families
( )
The Ministry of Defence delivers a range of services to veterans
and their families, including the administration and payment of
armed forces pensions and compensation, and tailored advice and
assistance through the Veterans Welfare Service, Defence
Transition Services and integrated personal commissioning for
veterans.
When veterans and their families are compensated for the
detrimental impact their service has had on their lives, that is
unjustly classed as income when applying for means-tested
benefits, rendering veterans and their families ineligible for
welfare support under UK Government control, the most significant
of which is pension credit. As a result, thousands of veterans
miss out on almost £6,000 every year. Will the Minister pledge
his support for the Royal British Legion’s Credit their Service
campaign? And will he work with the Department for Work and
Pensions and his other Cabinet colleagues to ensure that
compensation awarded to veterans is disregarded when applying for
means-tested benefits?
Dr Murrison
Of course the MOD works with the DWP on a range of issues.
Compensation is set in the full knowledge of how it will be dealt
with under the benefits system in the UK. By most measures, the
armed forces compensation scheme and the war pension scheme are
felt to be sound and appropriate for awarding significant amounts
of money to those who have served our country and who,
unfortunately, have been disadvantaged as a result.
Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking The Veterans
Charity in North Devon for their Poppies to Paddington operation,
which saw 231 wreaths from the Great Western Railway region reach
Paddington for Remembrance Day, and for their incredible work to
help support our wonderful veterans across the UK?
Dr Murrison
I absolutely will, and I add my congratulations to my hon.
Friend’s in thanking The Veterans Charity in North Devon. I also
congratulate her on the extraordinary support she gives to our
veterans in her constituency and elsewhere, particularly as we
come out of the season of remembrance, which I know you were
heavily involved with too, Mr Speaker. It is important to reflect
on those who give so much in the service of our country.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Plymouth, Sutton and
Devonport) (Lab/Co-op)
Over the past year, the number of veterans claiming universal
credit has increased by 31.6%, which is nearly a third. Does the
Minister recognise that the King’s Speech failed to help veterans
in receipt of universal credit to cope with the increased cost of
living caused by his Government’s economic failure? And does he
further recognise that some of the long-term sick who his party
has been attacking in the media over the last few days are
veterans with physical and mental health challenges? What advice
has he given his colleagues about the Conservative party
rhetoric, and about lending their full support to our veterans
and all those who have served?
Dr Murrison
The hon. Gentleman will know that universal credit is an in-work
benefit. Within the system, there are allowances that we offer to
our veterans that can be improved. As he knows, that is why we
have instituted the quinquennial review and the independent
review of veterans’ welfare services, which we will be responding
to shortly.
Trident Nuclear Programme
(Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
(Alba)
6. If he will make an estimate of the annual maintenance and
running costs of the Trident nuclear programme. (900152)
The Minister for Defence Procurement ()
The Ministry of Defence co-ordinates a range of interdependent
programmes to support, maintain and renew the nuclear deterrent.
The expected cost of the combined defence nuclear enterprise will
be set out at supplementary estimates in February.
The estimated costs of Trident’s renewal stand at the moment at
£31 billion, with a further £10 billion earmarked for
contingency. We know that containment of nuclear material is a
problem for the Ministry of Defence, and we also know from recent
reports that a Vanguard-class submarine nearly had a collision
over the weekend. Our party put in a freedom of information
request asking about transportation of nuclear material through
Scotland, and that was rebuffed. The UK Government may be content
to play second fiddle to the US on weapons of mass destruction,
but can the Secretary of State explain the lack of transparency
on WMD movement in Scotland, and justify Scotland’s being kept in
the dark? Is it not time to abandon this costly and dangerous
bomb and get it out of Scotland for good?
Mr Speaker
Order. Let us help each other to get through the list,
please.
I profoundly disagree about this being the time to abandon the
deterrent. I could not think of a worse time. The policy of the
hon. Gentleman’s party is not just to abandon the deterrent but
to withdraw from NATO. I could not think of a more reckless
policy to undertake in the face of Russian aggression. We support
the deterrent and we will continue to invest in it.
Sir (New Forest East) (Con)
Does the Minister share my relief that both main parties in the
House of Commons support the retention and renewal of the nuclear
deterrent? Did he also share my relief that, in July 2016 when
the vote was held on whether to renew the nuclear deterrent,
there was a massive majority of 355 in favour of doing that? That
sends a message to the Scottish nationalists about how
unrepresentative their views are.
I am extremely grateful to my right hon. Friend for that remark.
I was delighted that those on the Labour Front Bench showed their
agreement by nodding when I gave my previous answer. I am
delighted that there is consensus. I think we all agree that,
particularly at this time, the country needs the security of a
deterrent to deter what would be the most aggressive threats to
our nation’s freedom.
Mr Speaker
I welcome the shadow Minister to her place.
(Garston and Halewood)
(Lab)
May I confirm again that Labour’s support for our nuclear
deterrent, which we maintain on behalf of our NATO allies, is
total? However, following reports in newspapers about a
malfunctioning depth gauge on a Vanguard submarine at sea, can
the Minister explain what steps he has taken to ensure that such
an incident never happens again?
First, I am delighted to hear confirmation of Labour’s total
support for the deterrent. That sends a very powerful message to
our adversaries about our national endeavour to support the
deterrent and its renewal. On the specific story that the hon.
Lady mentions, she will not be surprised to hear that we do not
comment on operational matters in respect of our submarines.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(West
Dunbartonshire) (SNP)
This one will break the convention.
Let me also welcome the Secretary of State to their position. The
nuclear enterprise has an uncapped budget, and, after the demise
of HS2, is the largest single public procurement project on these
islands. For those of us on the SNP Benches at least, that is
money spent on a weapons system that is designed never to be
used, which not only bleeds money from the conventional MOD
budget but sucks it from hospitals, schools and social care. On a
day when the preview of the autumn statement in the Financial
Times reads,
“Stagnation nation: governing the UK when ‘there is no
money’”,
can the Minister advise the House what steps his Department is
taking to ensure that there are no further cuts to conventional
forces or elsewhere because of the uncapped, runaway Trident
budget?
The hon. Gentleman talks about budget and cost. I can be open
about the figure that matters: 80 million. That is the combined
death toll in the first and second world wars. We have not had a
third world war and we are profoundly lucky, and I put it to the
House that it is not a coincidence.
We know from the official history of the submarine service by
Peter Hennessy and James Jinks that, during the transition to
Vanguard, contingencies were made in Whitehall for the possible
alteration of the continuous at-sea deterrent to take account of
the complete breakdown of one or more hulls. This involved diving
a Polaris submarine into Loch Long to remain there on a quick
reaction alert. Can the Minister advise the House on what
discussions his Department is having on the contingencies that we
now see arising from an almost 40-year-old Vanguard fleet?
The hon. Gentleman, too, will not be surprised to hear that we
will not comment on that, other than to say that we have had a
continuous at-sea deterrent since 1969. We should all be proud of
that, and I am delighted to see that Members on both sides of the
House who support our Union also support the nuclear
deterrent.
RAF Aid Flights to the Middle East
(Slough) (Lab)
9. What steps he is taking to increase the number of RAF aid
flights to the middle east. (900155)
(Lewisham East) (Lab)
13. What steps he is taking to increase the number of RAF aid
flights to the middle east. (900162)
The Secretary of State for Defence ()
Defence assets continue to be ready to supply humanitarian
support to the region. As the hon. Gentleman knows, the delivery
of aid is impeded by the many challenges around Gaza, but so far
we have airlifted 51 tonnes of aid to the country.
Mr Dhesi
As I have said previously, I want to see an end to the violence
in the middle east, although I acknowledge that neither Israel
nor Hamas agreed to an immediate ceasefire. While negotiations to
deliver an enduring peace are ongoing, we must urgently
accelerate the delivery of aid via the RAF to alleviate human
suffering on the ground. Can the Secretary of State explain why,
within two weeks of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, nearly
100 tonnes of aid was delivered there, yet since the Israel-Hamas
war broke out more than a month ago, only 50 tonnes has been
delivered by the RAF?
I can. The difference is a war zone. When I said that we had
delivered “to the country”, I meant, of course, to Egypt. From
there we have to get the aid across the Rafah crossing, which,
for all the reasons of complexity, is not always open or
available. There are many restrictions to getting that aid in,
but I am working very hard on that. The problem is not a lack of
resource; we have put in £30 million, more than doubling the
existing £27 million, and I can assure the hon. Gentleman that
there are further flights leaving later this month.
For more than a month we have witnessed a distressing
humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza. It is welcome that the
RAF is flying UK humanitarian aid to the region, but so far we
have seen only three RAF flights. When will the Government
increase the number of flights and the amount of aid given to
Palestinians, who have suffered so much and who deserve, at the
very least, the basic essentials to try to survive?
The issue is not getting the aid to the region; we could fly more
aircraft. The issue is getting the aid into Gaza itself, and in
that regard we have the problem of Hamas, a terrorist
organisation not in the least bit interested in looking after the
citizens of Gaza, and, of course, the problem of the Rafah
crossing, which is opened and closed on a fairly arbitrary basis.
However, I can assure the hon. Lady that we are working very hard
with all the different bodies and Governments in the region to
get more of that aid in as quickly as possible. The capacity
constraint is not flying it to the region.
Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy
(Ealing Central and Acton)
(Lab)
10. What steps he is taking to support Afghan citizens who are
eligible for the Afghan relocations and assistance policy.
(900157)
The Minister for Armed Forces ()
Some 13,000 eligible persons and their families are now in the UK
under the ARAP scheme. We are determined to deliver on our
commitments, with many hundreds more arrivals in the UK planned
before the end of the year.
Dr Huq
In the light of Pakistan’s brutal crackdown on undocumented and
temporary visa-bearing Afghan refugees and its forcible
deportation of those people back to Afghanistan, can the Minister
confirm the security of those eligible for the Afghan citizens
resettlement and ARAP schemes in Pakistan, including many whose
claims have been unprocessed for two years? Can he expedite those
claims to stop people being thrown back into the clutches of the
Taliban?
May I gently encourage Members on both sides of the House to
change their tone when describing the Government of Pakistan in
relation to these matters? We would not have brought out
thousands of people had it not been for the support of the
Government of Pakistan, and we continue to enjoy their support
and co-operation in our efforts to bring out many thousands more.
As the hon. Lady well knows, because it has been well covered in
the media, the Government of Pakistan have sought to accelerate
the deportation of those whom they consider to be there
illegally, but our excellent team in the high commission in
Islamabad are working day and night with the Government of
Pakistan to ensure that that does not happen to those who are in
Pakistan under ARAP and ACRS. We are moving at our best pace to
bring people back, with the full co-operation of the Government
of Pakistan.
Military Support: Ukrainian Armed Forces
(Harwich and North Essex)
(Con)
11. What steps his Department is taking to provide military
support to the Ukrainian armed forces. (900158)
The Secretary of State for Defence ()
We continue to support Ukraine—we provided £2.3 billion of
military support in the last year—and will go on doing so,
because Putin must not win in Ukraine.
I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer and for the
consistency of support the British Government have shown and the
way they have led our NATO allies in support of the Ukrainians
right from the start. How are we going to maintain that lead in
the face of another war in the middle east, a certain amount of
disarray in the Congress and indeed some visible wavering among
our European allies?
My right hon. Friend is right that the UK has led, and we must
continue to do so. I have visited Ukraine twice this year, I
hosted a Ukrainian family for a year in my own home, and the
Government have set up the British-led international fund for
Ukraine, which is on its way to delivering, I think, nearly £800
million of support. We have also been first with tanks, with
ammunition, with long-range missiles and with permissions, and we
intend to be first with this war going forward.
(Halton) (Lab)
It is vital that we continue to give military aid to Ukraine and
to show our steadfast support and leadership in Europe. Has the
Secretary of State had a chance, since he came into office, to
meet with representatives of the defence industry to talk about
how we maintain that level of military aid to Ukraine and, if he
has had such a meeting, what was the outcome?
Yes, on several occasions, including in Kyiv and, more recently,
last Thursday at the MOD, where I met with large, medium and
small defence companies to discuss exactly that issue. There are
a whole range of measures in place to increase the amount of
arms, particularly arms replenishment, that can come through via
UK companies. Having supported Ukraine from the beginning, we
must support them all the way through to the end, and we intend
to do so.
Armed Forces: Skills for the Future
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(Con)
12. What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the armed
forces have the skills required for the future. (900160)
(Banff and Buchan) (Con)
20. What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the armed
forces have the skills required for the future. (900170)
The Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families
( )
In June 2023, the Ministry of Defence published the
Haythornthwaite review of armed forces incentivisation. Multiple
teams are being stood up across Defence to implement all 67
recommendations, working to establish a reward and
incentivisation architecture that will attract and retain skills.
Meanwhile, I am delighted to say that the Army has just been
named the UK’s No. 1 employer of apprentices for the third
consecutive year.
I am aware that the MOD is the biggest single employer of
apprentices, with more than 15,000 soldiers currently on the
programme, and I have seen the excellent training and development
that takes place at the Army Foundation College, which, as my
right hon. Friend knows, is located in Harrogate. Does he agree
that the apprenticeship scheme is not only bringing in future
talent, but ensuring that those individuals have the skills for
the remainder of their lives?
Dr Murrison
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I enjoyed my relatively
recent visit to Harrogate. More than 95% of all non-commissioned
recruits across the armed forces are offered apprenticeships
mapped to their training. As he rightly says, that benefits not
only Defence but the individual and the wider economy.
Given that the defence of our United Kingdom is reserved and
education and skills are devolved, what discussions is my right
hon. Friend having with the devolved Administrations to ensure
that the skills needed by our British armed forces are being
developed across our whole United Kingdom?
Dr Murrison
The Ministry of Defence actively engages with the devolved
Administrations to align education, skills and development, and
will continue to do so, using the UK-wide pan-Defence skills
framework, which ensures that the armed forces skills
requirements are met across the country and contribute to the
wider economy that we share.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister for that response. Beyond the Battlefield,
an independent charity in my constituency, does incredible work
with veterans who are homeless, giving them accommodation and
some skills. I have extended an invitation to the Minister to
come to Northern Ireland to visit Beyond the Battlefield, so I
will extend that again. I think he will be impressed—I know I
am—and he will see that what we do in Northern Ireland can be
done elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
Dr Murrison
It is always a joy to visit Strangford—one of the most beautiful
places in these islands, if I may say so. I am grateful for the
hon. Gentleman’s invitation; I have it at the front of my mind
and when I am in Northern Ireland I will ensure that I visit.
Armed Forces Personnel: Recruitment
(Aylesbury) (Con)
14. What steps his Department is taking to recruit armed forces
personnel. (900163)
The Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families
( )
We remain committed to maintaining the overall size of the armed
forces and recognise the importance of recruitment to achieve
that. We are responding to immediate challenges with a programme
aimed at increasing the breath of potential candidates and
driving efficiencies in recruitment. Meanwhile, the services
continue to meet all their operational commitments, keeping the
country and its interests safe.
Since my election, I have met many new recruits during visits
with the armed forces parliamentary scheme, and I have always
been incredibly impressed by their sense of duty, their
commitment to serve their country and their recognition of the
great careers that lie before them, but we know that there are
still shortages in recruitment. How can my right hon. Friend
ensure that all parts of the armed forces recruit the right
number of people, with the right mix of skills and experience to
keep our nation safe in these increasingly dangerous times?
Dr Murrison
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that recruitment to the armed
forces is mixed—some of it is good, some of it less good—across
the western world. We are struggling to recruit people into our
armed forces, and we must redouble our efforts. That is why we
have had the Haythornthwaite review and the tri-service
recruitment model, which I am convinced will plug the gaps that
we have in skills and overall numbers.
Ministry of Defence Guard Service
(Somerton and Frome) (LD)
15. What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of
the operational MGS employment contract on applications for
promotion in the Ministry of Defence Guard Service. (900165)
The Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families
( )
There is no evidence—[Interruption.]
Mr Speaker
Order. Look, I do not need Members making signals to me on taking
questions—it is quite obvious that I go from the Government side
to the Opposition side.
Dr Murrison
There is no evidence that the operational MOD Guard Service
employment contract has had a material bearing on workflow,
recruitment and retention. However, it is not possible to conduct
an accurate assessment of the impact that OMEC has had on
applications from staff seeking promotion, because of the way
applications are filed. That said, the MOD Guard Service is
encouraged by the volume of applications received for vacancies
through fair and open competition, no doubt encouraged by the
fact that OMEC terms and conditions of service remain highly
favourable when compared with private sector security
companies.
I thank the Minister for his response but, respectfully, I do not
find it sufficient. My constituent has provided more than a
decade’s service within the Ministry of Defence Guard Service. He
reports that he and his contemporaries are disincentivised to
apply for promotion, because it would mean switching to the new
OMEC contracts from their legacy contracts and an extra six
hours’ work a week. Many are leaving. Will the Minister promise
to investigate this issue thoroughly?
Dr Murrison
I am grateful to the hon. Lady. The new way of working was passed
through the trade union consultation process, of course, and in
terms of pay, pension, leave and sickness benefits and working
hours, the MOD Guard Service performs well, as I have said,
against private security companies. That is why we appear to be
recruiting and retaining well.
Indo-Pacific Region: Stability
(Gloucester) (Con)
16. What steps his Department is taking to help ensure stability
in the Indo-Pacific region. [R] (900166)
The Minister for Armed Forces ()
The tempo of our engagements and operations in the Indo-Pacific
grows all the time on land, sea and air. We are also
strengthening regional resilience among our partners to uphold
freedom of navigation, deter security threats and build support
for international law throughout the Indo-Pacific.
I agree that relationships with several south-east Asian states
have reached new highs as a result of partnerships in areas such
as space and cyber as well as air and maritime capabilities. Does
my right hon. Friend agree that we should do more to ensure that
the United Nations convention on the law of the sea is maintained
in the South China sea, working closely with our partners in the
region?
My hon. Friend hides his light under a bushel, because as a trade
envoy in the region he will have had much to do with the improved
relationships we enjoy there. Furthermore, HMS Spey transited the
Straits of Malacca only this weekend, demonstrating the UK’s and
the Royal Navy’s commitment to upholding freedom of navigation in
the South China sea and around.
(South Shields) (Lab)
Does the Minister believe the appointment of as Foreign Secretary
strengthens or weakens the Prime Minister’s stance that China
poses an “epoch-defining challenge” to global security?
It greatly strengthens the Prime Minister’s position.
Medium-sized Helicopter Industry
(West Dorset) (Con)
17. What steps his Department is taking to help support the
medium-sized helicopter industry in the south-west. (900167)
The Minister for Defence Procurement ()
Helicopters form an important part of our integrated operating
concept. Through past and current investment in rotary
capability, the UK industrial base remains well placed to support
existing and future helicopter platforms. Positive progress is
being made towards the next stage of the competition with the
three downselected suppliers: Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo
Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK.
Can my hon. Friend confirm that the invitation to negotiate for
the medium-sized helicopter will indeed be issued by the end of
December?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend. We are keen to get on with this,
and that is certainly our intention. At the moment, we are in the
process of securing final cross-Government approval. As I said,
that is our aim, but I cannot absolutely guarantee it.
Defence Jobs
Mr (Delyn) (Ind)
18. What steps his Department is taking to support defence jobs
across the UK. (900168)
The Minister for Defence Procurement ()
The most recent estimate shows that MOD investment supports more
than 200,000 jobs in industries across the UK, and continued
investment in defence along with the changes we continue to make
as part of our defence and security industrial strategy are
contributing to further economic growth and prosperity across the
Union.
Mr Roberts
I thank the Minister for his answer. As a Member from north-east
Wales, I am interested in how we promote defence spending in all
regions of the United Kingdom, meaning that there is some
balance, with defence jobs and investment not concentrated in the
same part of England every time. What can the Minister do to
assure my constituents in Delyn that they will have as much
opportunity as those in places such as the south-west of
England?
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. Obviously, we strongly
want to see defence expenditure benefiting every part of the
Union. I can confirm expenditure with industry in Wales amounting
to about £744 million. Just to reassure him and show him how
importantly we regard Wales, the week before last I heard I held
my small and medium-sized enterprise forum in Cardiff at Space
Forge, a brilliant Welsh SME that we are supporting with half a
million pounds of funding to develop in-space manufacturing of
semiconductors. That is a strong example of how we are supporting
Welsh SMEs in the defence sector.
RAF Surveillance Aircraft
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(LD)
19. What assessment his Department has made of the potential
impact of RAF surveillance aircraft on UK strategy and operations
overseas. (900169)
The Minister for Armed Forces ()
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising the work of the slightly
less glamorous part of the Royal Air Force that does
long-distance surveillance missions. They are an important part
of the UK’s defence strategy and our ability to monitor and
observe what our adversaries are doing. Their work over the past
year above the north Atlantic and the high north, the Baltic, the
Black sea, the eastern Mediterranean and across the middle east
has been central to defence operations. The team at RAF
Waddington and at Lossiemouth should be congratulated.
We understand that UK surveillance assets such as Rivet Joint are
providing surveillance support to Israel. I appreciate that, for
reasons of operational security, the Minister cannot comment on
the operational specifics of this activity, but will he rule out
the possibility that these platforms are being used to support
target acquisition?
While I was grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his initial
question, he also gives me an opportunity to make an important
clarification. Rivet Joint is not flying in support of Israel; it
is flying to observe the risk of escalation in the region, to
inform decision making in the UK MOD, and for nothing else.
(North Wiltshire) (Con)
Is my right hon. Friend concerned about the volcanic activity in
Iceland at the moment? The P-8 regularly uses Keflavik airport
near Reykjavik. Could that be interrupted by the threatened
volcanic activity?
To the relief of people everywhere hoping for a Christmas
getaway, I am told that this particular volcanic ash is not the
same as that of last time and thus does not pose such a threat to
aviation. However, we are, of course, monitoring it carefully and
have contingencies.
Topical Questions
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(900171)
The Secretary of State for Defence ()
My first months as Defence Secretary have strengthened my
long-held belief that we need to strengthen our national defence
as the world grows ever-more dangerous. With the challenges in
Ukraine, the middle east and the Indo-Pacific, these are more
contested times than any since the cold war. The servicemen and
women of our armed forces are our greatest asset. As has been
mentioned, as we ask them to do extraordinarily difficult things
around the world and they do deserve comfort back home. That is
why I have put service accommodation at the forefront of my
mission.
I thank the Secretary of State for his answer. Will he add his
thanks to volunteers such as Trevor Simcock, Mal Mullet and Chris
Smith, who work with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
locally in Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke? Ahead of
the Armistice Weekend, I was proud to join them at Burslem
cemetery with my daughter Amelia to clean the headstones of 130
of our brave and fallen heroes. Will he add his thanks and come
to visit those great volunteers?
I am delighted to add my thanks to my hon. Friend’s brilliant
volunteers. It is an opportunity to mention from the Dispatch Box
the many thousands of people who turned out across the country on
Remembrance Weekend to commemorate and remember those who bravely
gave of themselves so that we can be here in freedom today.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Wentworth and Dearne)
(Lab)
The Defence Secretary said recently that, despite middle east
tensions, we must not forget about Ukraine. I welcome that
statement, but the UK’s leadership on support for Ukraine is
flagging, so will Wednesday’s autumn statement, as a minimum,
confirm the commitment to match this year’s £2.3 billion in
military aid funding for next year?
I do not know when the right hon. Gentleman was last able to
visit Kyiv himself, but when he does go, he will discover that
the attitude there is that no country in the world has been more
forward-leaning and progressive in its support, and that remains
the same today as it was before this conflict began. We have
trained 52,000 Ukrainian troops since 2014. Our support is not
for today or tomorrow or the short term; it is forever.
Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
T4. What assessment has the Defence Secretary made of the
strategic importance to UK national security, and indeed that of
the United States, of retaining British sovereignty over Diego
Garcia?(900174)
It is essential that we maintain our position, to be able to
assist ourselves and the United States, in Diego Garcia.
(Mid Bedfordshire)
(Lab)
T2. I am proud that my constituency is home to hundreds of armed
forces personnel and their families and former families, but as
Members on both sides of the House have mentioned, last winter
far too many of them found themselves living in accommodation
that simply was not fit for purpose. Can the Minister confirm how
we will be getting tough with the contractors who are letting
down our families this winter, and can we have some clarity on
when all armed forces families will finally be able to live in
homes that are fit for their heroes?(900172)
The Minister for Defence Procurement ()
I commend the hon. Gentleman for raising this important matter
for his constituency, and I am pleased to work with him on what
we offer his service personnel. I have said that last winter was
not good enough, but this year we are ramping up massively. We
have at times withheld profit from contractors where they have
not performed, but what I want to see from them above all is
delivery. We have put in place the £400 million and I now want to
see that delivered as improvements to houses, including work
being done on boilers and on damp and mould. Thousands of homes
will be supported this winter and hopefully we will be in a far
better position.
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(Con)
T5. Does my right hon. Friend agree that we are more secure as a
country when the world is a safer and more peaceful place, and
that a successful two-state solution for the Israel and Palestine
question is therefore a part of our own national security
too?(900175)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right about that. The way that we
can start along that path is that Hamas could release the 242
innocent civilians that they are holding hostage, which includes
some Brits. That would open the door to starting to be able to
get a resolution. That is what they should do, but sadly, I doubt
that they are about to.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
T3. Labour Party research on waste in the Ministry of Defence
shows that over £15 billion has been squandered since 2010, so
when are the Government going to get a grip on defence
procurement and secure value for money for the British
taxpayer?(900173)
On all the key metrics there has been a significant improvement
since the hon. Gentleman’s party was in office. If you were to
ask, Mr Speaker, what the key test was for a procurement system,
I would say it is wartime. Of course we are not ourselves
directly at war, but in supporting Ukraine, we have seen
excellence in procurement, particularly at Defence Equipment and
Support, getting equipment—
Mr Speaker
Order. I call the Chair of the Select Committee, .
(Witney) (Con)
May I take this opportunity to formally welcome the Secretary of
State to his position? I am grateful for his comments on military
accommodation being a priority for him. The Select Committee is
undertaking an inquiry into that as well. One of the issues that
has come up is the absence of a military uniformed accommodation
officer who is responsible for continually inspecting
accommodation and then liaising with the contractors to ensure
that the repairs take place. Is that something my hon. Friend the
Minister will consider?
I strongly congratulate my hon. Friend on becoming Chair of the
Defence Committee and I look forward to working with him. I know
that, predating his appointment, he had a strong interest in
accommodation, and I enjoyed visiting his constituency to look at
the accommodation for Brize Norton. I will consider his point and
write to him.
(East Renfrewshire)
(SNP)
T6. In 2022, 11.2% of British Army recruits were women. That is
down from 12.6% in 2020. In 2021, 9% of British Army recruits
were from ethnic minority backgrounds, and that is down from
11.7% in 2020. What is the Secretary of State doing to urgently
remedy this reduction in the diversity of recruits?(900176)
I want to make it absolutely clear that I think everyone working
within the civil service as part of the Ministry of Defence and,
indeed, working in the UK armed forces should feel able to be
represented and be a part of it. I want to challenge the hon.
Lady’s figures: the numbers I have for female representation
between last year and this year are 10.4%, rising to 11.5%—it has
actually gone up, not down—and civilian representation at SCS
level stands at 45%. None the less, I accept the overall point
that we need to see a far more balanced armed forces in the
future.
(Wrexham) (Con)
Two years ago, the Defence Select Committee undertook an inquiry
into the experiences of women in the armed forces. While progress
has been made, the culture within defence remains unacceptable.
We now understand that 60 female senior civil servants at the MOD
have made allegations of sexual assault, harassment and abuse.
Would my right hon. Friend like to comment?
The Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families
( )
I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for her question, and I
reiterate once again my thanks for all the hard work she has done
on behalf of women in defence. She is quite right: it is
unacceptable. Today, the permanent secretary has written to the
Department with an action plan on how to deal with the specific
issue my hon. Friend has raised, in particular asking our
non-executive directors to conduct a review, so that we can
ensure that what we are doing stands up to muster against the
norms in other large organisations.
(Warley) (Lab)
T7. The Ukraine conflict has reinforced the need for a thriving
defence industry to underpin our security. Will the Secretary of
State now take the opportunity to revisit his predecessor’s
policy of placing so many orders abroad, rather than in British
industry with British workers, and in particular, the building of
the fleet solid support ships in foreign yards?(900177)
The right hon. Gentleman talks about the fleet solid support
ships being built in foreign yards. I can assure him that
recently, I had the great pleasure of visiting Harland &
Wolff at its Appledore yard in north Devon. That is in the UK,
and it is where a significant part of the FSS contract will be
made.
Dr Thérèse Coffey (Suffolk Coastal) (Con)
Rock Barracks in my constituency is home to the excellent 23
Parachute Regiment. I know the Government have invested a lot of
money in new accommodation, but people are being let down. We
know that Pinnacle is the problem, but it also worries me that
people feel they cannot approach their MP directly because of
retaliation if they make a complaint. I encourage the Minister to
come and visit so that we can fix this problem properly.
I am alarmed to hear that. It is a pleasure to take a question
from my right hon. Friend, who is my constituency neighbour; it
is not far for me to travel, and I would be delighted to do
so.
(North Shropshire) (LD)
T8. I welcome the Minister’s statement last week that 60% of
homes with damp and mould will be receiving support, because that
has been such a big issue at RAF Shawbury in my constituency. Can
he explain what is going to happen to the other 40% of homes that
have damp and mould, and will he commit to a minimum standard for
service accommodation for military families?(900178)
The hon. Lady asks a very good question. To be clear, the figure
of 4,000 homes with damp and mould is for this winter: we have
put in place £400 million of additional spending. Of course, as
we move into next year, we will look at what further work can be
undertaken so that we can deal with all the other properties.
(Gainsborough) (Con)
Will the Minister confirm that the Ministry would never put
serving personnel at risk by putting an open camp for illegal
migrants in a serving base, and therefore any undertaking about
that is worthless—that the most we will get at RAF Catterick is a
closed detention centre?
The Minister for Armed Forces ()
I am well aware of my right hon. Friend’s concerns. I am happy to
meet him and discuss them further.
(North Durham) (Lab)
T9. Has the MOD made any further payments in addition to the
£480 million it paid to General Dynamics in March of this year? I
understand that subcontractors on the programme are not being
paid, or are not being paid the amounts they expected. Is there
any reason why General Dynamics should not be paying its
subcontractors on this programme?(900179)
The right hon. Gentleman is very knowledgeable on these matters,
and I am more than happy for him to write to me about them. The
Ajax contract is a firm price contract, and I am very pleased to
say that we are getting very positive feedback from the Household
Cavalry about that platform’s capability, its sensors and its
cannon. I do not know the answer to the right hon. Gentleman’s
specific question about payments to subcontractors, so he is more
than welcome to write to me.
(Filton and Bradley Stoke)
(Con)
Will my hon. Friend meet me to discuss a British company, Christy
Aerospace and Technology, which has the capability to
dramatically reduce the time it takes to train Ukrainian pilots
on F-16s, and does he agree that we need to do everything we can
to accelerate the rate at which we can get those pilots
trained?
It is always a pleasure to meet my hon. Friend.
It is always a pleasure to meet my hon. Friend. He has been an
absolute champion on the Ukraine issue, and I would be delighted
to meet him to see what more we can do.
Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)
T10. Ian Bernard is a constituent of mine who served in the
Royal Air Force and witnessed the nuclear tests on Christmas
Island. Ian is still to receive his nuclear veteran’s medal, and
he has asked me to ask the Minister whether that omission could
be rectified.(900180)
Dr Murrison
I am disturbed to hear that the hon. Gentleman’s constituent has
not received his medal, because they have been minted and
distributed. If he would like to write to me with the details, I
will chase it up.
(Bolton North East) (Con)
Local mosques in Bolton are collecting donations, yet there seem
to be major problems in getting those donations and aid into
Gaza. What discussions is the Department having with the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office and the Israeli Government
about ensuring that those donations get to those most in need?
Not doing so will only escalate the conflict.
As I have described, it is a complex position on the ground to
get the aid all the way through, but I am happy to either meet or
take details from my hon. Friend to ensure that those donations
get where they are intended.
(Rochdale) (Lab)
Defence Ministers will be aware that the situation in Kosovo is
deteriorating dramatically. Can the Secretary of State give us an
assurance that the current international military presence there
is sufficient to counter any threat from Belgrade?
When the Supreme Allied Commander Europe asked us for additional
support for the Kosovo-Serbian border, the answer was immediately
yes, that weekend, and we have a battalion there now, which is
doing a great job. That has contributed to a lessening of
tensions, and we are keeping a close eye on it in our
conversations, to ensure that we do not see the situation
erupt.
(Hendon) (Con)
This weekend we witnessed the third attack in a year on a
commercial vessel in international waters. The cargo ship Galaxy
Leader has been described by the Israeli Government as British
owned and Japanese operated. What actions will the Minister take
to prevent such acts of terrorism on British vessels?
We are very aware of the incident that my hon. Friend describes.
The US navy has a presence in the Red sea, and the Royal Navy
always keeps under review options to deploy there too.
(Reading East) (Lab)
Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997 receive a lower pension
than other British soldiers. Will the Minister update the House
on the current negotiations between the UK and the Government of
Nepal to solve that difficult issue?
Dr Murrison
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, and I am seeing a bilateral
committee with veterans and the Nepalese ambassador on Wednesday.
This is an ongoing process. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that
pension schemes are extremely complicated, and in many cases the
Gurkha pension scheme and offer to transfer subsequently
represents good value for many of our brave Gurkha veterans. I am
certainly in discussion with the interested parties. I am afraid
that I cannot offer any promises at all, but nevertheless
discussions are ongoing.
(East Devon) (Con)
The great south-west region is home to cutting-edge defence
companies such as Supacat, which makes military vehicles for our
armed forces. The Jackal 3 is an incredible vehicle that is being
put to good use in Ukraine. What steps is my hon. Friend taking
to ensure that more defence jobs come to the south-west?
It is brilliant to see south-west colleagues standing up for the
defence sector in their constituencies, and my hon. Friend is
right about Supacat—it is a brilliant platform. In February 2023
Supacat was awarded a £90 million contract by the MOD for 70
high-mobility truck vehicles, to be delivered by the end of the
financial year, securing 100 jobs in the UK. Supacat already has
two other direct contracts with the MOD for the Jackal military
enhancement programme, which is valued at a total of £4.5
million.
Sir (Rhondda) (Lab)
We must ensure that Putin does not win. We must co-operate and
help with the reconstruction of Ukraine. Is it not time that we
started seizing Russian state assets to help pay for the
reconstruction of Ukraine?
A long time ago, when the war started, I was Transport Secretary.
We seized quite a lot of yachts and aircraft, which have still
not been released, to ensure that they did not benefit from their
closeness to Putin. The hon. Gentleman is right that over time we
must keep cranking up the different ways by which we ensure that
money is not flowing to that regime, and we will continue to keep
that under review.
(Scunthorpe) (Con)
I believe that the ability to make virgin steel is crucial to the
UK’s defence capabilities. Does my right hon. Friend the
Secretary of State agree?
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. She has been a
long-running champion of the steel sector and its importance to
her constituents. Of course, we want a smooth transition between
blast furnace and electronic arc steel making technology. Steel
remains incredibly important to the defence sector. Take the Type
26: almost 50% of that is British steel. That is 1,400 tonnes per
ship. That underlines why it is so important that, in
constituencies such as my hon. Friend’s, we continue to support
the steel sector.
(Angus) (SNP)
The Secretary of State and his predecessors rightly called out
the wanton and unlawful destruction of civilian infrastructure in
Ukraine—homes, hospitals and schools. Why can they not show equal
uproar at what is happening to civilians in Gaza?
There is a principle in international law that a country can
defend itself. Ukraine was attacked for absolutely no reason
whatsoever. While we call on Israel, both privately and publicly,
to protect civilians in whatever way it can, Hamas are using
civilians as human shields, and deliberately using the
infrastructure on top of them to hide behind. I would have
thought that the hon. Gentleman could see the difference.
Sir (New Forest East) (Con)
Does the Secretary of State agree that it is vital that his
counterparts in the US Administration realise that if Putin does
not lose in Ukraine, the peace and security of the whole of
Europe is called into question, so it is in their short and
medium-term interests to make sure that Putin is seen to
fail?
My right hon. Friend is characteristically correct about this,
but I would widen that point: we are talking about the security
of not just Europe, but the Indo-Pacific, and indeed the entire
world. Putin must not win.
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