The Secretary of State was asked—
Cost of Living: Armed Forces Personnel
(Portsmouth South) (Lab)
1. What assessment he has made of the impact of the rise in the
cost of living on armed forces personnel. (900416)
(Newport West) (Lab)
11. What assessment he has made of the impact of the rise in the
cost of living on armed forces personnel living in Newport West
constituency. (900427)
The Minister for Defence People and Veterans ()
Armed forces personnel, like everyone else, are not immune to the
international inflationary pressures and cost of living
pressures, and I am therefore very pleased to announce that the
Defence Secretary has chosen to freeze the daily food charge for
our armed forces personnel. We are also limiting the increase in
accommodation charges to 1%, ensuring that the council tax rebate
reaches those in military accommodation, and increasing the
availability of free wraparound childcare at the start of the new
academic year.
The Government are failing our frontline forces during a cost of
living crisis. According to data from the Minister’s own
Department, the percentage of personnel who believe that their
pay and benefits are fair has fallen for the first time in four
years, with four in 10 servicemen and servicewomen unhappy with
their pay and benefits. What success has the Minister had with
the Chancellor in securing the pay rise our troops need and
deserve?
In terms of measuring the contentment of those serving, the
reality that I see day in, day out is that armed forces personnel
are content with their pay and conditions. They are also content
because of the remarkable job security they have in the armed
forces, the subsidised accommodation, and the remarkable and
unique non-contributory pension. That is all thanks to the £24
billion uplift made available by the Prime Minister and the
Defence Secretary.
As we commemorate 40 years since the Falklands conflict, I pay
tribute to the brave soldiers who did their duty there, such as
Lance Sergeant Alan Dalgleish, who lived in Newport West. But I
am afraid, sadly, that the Government’s approach to the welfare
and livelihoods of armed forces personnel and veterans such as
Lance Sergeant Dalgleish is lacking in both compassion and
practical support. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the
impact that the Tory cost of living crisis is having on forces
personnel living in Newport West?
I do not recognise that characterisation, but of course I join
the hon. Lady in solemn and compassionate commendation of the
veterans of the Falklands liberation. The Defence Secretary will
speak more about that. On her question, I ask her to recognise
the work we have done specifically in Wales. I hope that she,
like me, is very pleased to see the independent Wales Veterans
Commissioner in place, and that she will work with him to improve
the lives of veterans in Wales.
NATO Effectiveness
(Clacton) (Con)
2. What recent assessment his Department has made of the
effectiveness of NATO in safeguarding the freedom and security of
its members by political and military means. (900417)
The Minister for the Armed Forces ()
NATO remains the cornerstone of the UK’s defence and security.
All allies stand steadfast to defend and deter threats to the
Euro-Atlantic, underlined by our unwavering collective commitment
to article 5 of the Washington treaty.
With the EU leading the charge to support Ukraine and combat
Putin’s horrific invasion, does my hon. Friend agree that the
next Secretary-General of NATO should be, if not British, from a
nation with real skin in the game such as Poland?
You will not be surprised, Mr Speaker, to know that I think there
are a number of excellent candidates to be the next NATO
Secretary General, and I absolutely agree that those who have
been to the fore during the response to Ukraine and who have skin
in the game, as my hon. Friend says, should be leading
contenders.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Let me ask the Minister this, and I want a straight answer: if we
are going to be an effective member of NATO, when are we going to
stop this crazy policy of diminishing the size of the armed
forces? Seven years ago, I asked a former Defence Secretary,
“What if Mr Putin’s people just arrived in the English channel?”,
as we went below 100,000 service personnel. The plan today now is
to go down to 72,000. Is that credible as a major armed force in
NATO?
In the context of a question about NATO, the hon. Gentleman is
wrong. NATO massively outnumbers Russia as an adversary. The UK
commits more than our minimum requirement to NATO. Moreover,
allies around NATO are clear that contributing in the traditional
domains of land, sea and air is no longer sufficient and that
NATO needs capabilities in space and cyber-space, on which,
through the integrated review, the UK has invested and is to the
fore.
(South Dorset) (Con)
I am going to follow up that question, I am afraid. NATO does
outnumber Russia, it is true, but we have to have the weight,
muscle and mass, to a certain extent, to react in the event, God
forbid, of some form of confrontation with Russia. I ask my hon.
Friend the Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of
State to reverse the very bad decision to reduce the Army by
10,000.
The Secretary of State has been clear throughout the integrated
review process that we are a threat-led Department. As things
stand, and as I have said at the Dispatch Box a number of times—I
know that my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary has said
likewise—a lot of what is in the IR is proving to be vindicated
by the realities of the conflict in Ukraine. As we move towards
Madrid, and NATO is increasingly clear about what it wants as an
alliance as capabilities across all five domains, the UK
continues to lead thinking, rather than being behind it.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Wentworth and Dearne)
(Lab)
NATO meets in two weeks to agree its masterplan for the next 10
years, yet there are growing concerns about the UK meeting even
its core NATO commitments. Is it true that the Defence Secretary
warned the Chancellor that Britain risks missing its 2% spending
commitment? What is the Defence Secretary doing about Ajax, given
that the Public Accounts Committee’s new report states that the
MoD
“is failing to deliver the…capability that the Army needs to…meet
its NATO commitments”?
Why has the Defence Secretary failed to set out a vision to
ensure that Britain continues to be NATO’s leading European
nation?
The Defence Secretary is a passionate advocate for our nation’s
armed forces and for defence within the Government, but his
correspondence with other Ministers in the Cabinet necessarily
should remain private. The reality is, as I said in answer to the
question earlier from the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr
Sheerman), that the UK exceeds its NATO minimum requirement, and
as NATO moves into its new strategic concept and looks at how it
will operate across all five domains, it is the UK’s decisions
from the IR that are informing what others will now contribute to
NATO, rather than vice versa. The right hon. Member for Wentworth
and Dearne () finished with a question about
the Secretary of State setting out a vision for NATO. I cannot
think of anybody within NATO who has set out a more compelling
vision for the alliance and the UK’s role within it.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
Can the Minister set out what input the UK Government have had
into the 2022 strategic concept, due to be published at the
Madrid summit later this month? What impact might that have on UK
defence interests over the next decade?
The concept has not been signed off yet. At Defence Minister
meetings this week, the Secretary of State will be looking at it
further before it goes to the NATO summit in Madrid. As the hon.
Lady would expect, Ministers from the MOD and the Secretary of
State most obviously are travelling around the Euro-Atlantic all
the time in order to have these discussions, and people from
other NATO capitals are visiting the MOD, so that we can build a
shared consensus before we reach the moment of decision, and the
UK has been instrumental in shaping those thoughts.
(Aylesbury) (Con)
A couple of weeks ago, Members from all parts of the House went
to Romania with the armed forces parliamentary scheme, where we
saw the work being done by the RAF as part of NATO’s air policing
role. Will my hon. Friend join me in thanking 140 Expeditionary
Air Wing for all it is doing to keep our skies safe? Does he
agree that that work is an excellent example of the role of NATO
in safeguarding our freedom and security?
I was in Bucharest on Thursday evening and Friday morning, having
the exact conversations that the hon. Member for Rutherglen and
Hamilton West () was checking we were
having. I had the honour when I was there of meeting members of
the RAF who are involved in Operation Biloxi and air policing. I
indeed pay tribute to 140 Expeditionary Air Wing and all other
members of the RAF who have been involved in air policing in
Romania, Lithuania and elsewhere.
Mr Speaker
We now come to the SNP spokesperson, .
(Glasgow South)
(SNP)
Before I get into my question, as this will be our last Defence
questions before Armed Forces Day, may I thank those in the armed
forces for all their service, particularly over the past couple
of years during the pandemic? I also offer the support of those
on these Benches to the Government in getting home the two UK
nationals currently held by a Russian puppet court in eastern
Ukraine.
On the strategic concept, there are three areas that we believe
the Government must push for NATO to strengthen: the state levers
of conventional defence power; societal resilience across the
alliance, particularly in conjunction with the European Union’s
strategic compass; and the international rules-based system that
keeps us safe, including among alliance members themselves. Can
the Minister outline, as he tries to garner that consensus, what
he thinks a successful strategic concept looks like?
It is one of those wonderful moments when we are in vigorous
agreement. We would share the view that the state levers of hard
power and the societal levers of resilience are hugely important,
that NATO must stand for something and that its members must
subscribe to a rules-based international system. Those
discussions are not hard to have because just about everybody
else in NATO would passionately agree with that position.
I am grateful for that answer, but as other hon. Members have
said, including on the Conservative Benches, a successful
strategic concept surely does not include the UK Government
cutting the armed forces by 10,000 and reducing the Army to its
size in the war of the Spanish succession in 1701. Will the
Minister, along with his colleagues in the Ministry of Defence,
revisit the arbitrary cutting in size of the Army by 10,000?
Would that not show NATO allies that he was serious about
conventional defence forces in the UK and send the right message
ahead of Armed Forces Day later this month?
Opposition spokespeople are in the habit of starting the clock on
pledges for defence spending increases the day after the UK makes
an enormous increase in defence spending. The UK led the alliance
in deciding to increase spending in the face of increased
insecurity in the Euro-Atlantic. NATO’s strategic concept does
not specify exactly what each nation must have; the strategic
concept is what NATO as an alliance wants to do. The key to that,
as the hon. Gentleman rightly said at the start, is having
interoperable levers of hard power that are shared across the
alliance with the countries that do them best; having real
homeland resilience so that, across all domains, on the eastern
front and in-depth, there is real resilience within NATO members;
and having a set of values that NATO unites around, stands up for
and sells around the world.
LGBT Armed Forces Personnel: Courts Martial
(North Wiltshire) (Con)
3. How many LGBT armed forces personnel were court-martialled on
account of their sexuality in the most recent period for which
data is available prior to 2001. (900419)
The Minister for Defence People and Veterans ()
We acknowledge wholeheartedly the fact that historically some
service personnel were thrown out of the service purely because
of their sexuality, which was deeply unjust. For that reason, we
have commissioned an independent review. That will assess some of
the figures involved, which is indeed a grey area, and we look
forward to announcing that in due course.
At a recent meeting with the organisation Fighting With Pride, I
was horrified to hear that until 2001, LGBT servicemen and women
were routinely court-martialled and dismissed; they lost their
pensions and the right to wear their medals or their berets on
Remembrance Sunday. That was an outrage, as the Minister
correctly said. A far bigger outrage, however, is that that
injustice has not been corrected. To this day, gay people—gay
servicemen—from that time still have no pension and are treated
with contempt by the armed service, which is absolutely
disgraceful. I welcome the fact that he has set up an inquiry
into that, although he has not yet appointed a chairman, but we
need far more than an inquiry: we need those people to be
pardoned and for them to get their dignity and humanity back.
The hon. Gentleman mentioned Fighting With Pride; I commend its
activity and rightful advocacy in this area. I entirely agree
with him and I am pleased to say that there is a highly credible
and eminent individual who will chair the review. My hopeful
expectation is that we will make the formal announcement next
week to coincide with Armed Forces Week.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister, .
(Plymouth, Sutton and
Devonport) (Lab/Co-op)
Before Labour lifted the ban on LGBT personnel serving in our
armed forces, thousands of LGBT personnel were hounded out of
service, removed and abandoned after serving with pride. I
welcome Ministers allowing sacked personnel to wear medals, but
there are further restrictions, including written orders from
commanding officers saying that the sacked personnel will not be
able to wear headwear or insignia as veterans. Does the Minister
agree that until all restrictions are lifted on those personnel,
and pension issues resolved, the MOD will remain in breach of the
military covenant?
Of course, I absolutely agree and I am pleased to say that the
scope of the review will be very broad and that the Government
will listen with compassion and sincerity to the recommendations
of the independent reviewer. We hope that will provide a path
towards delivering justice.
UK Nuclear Deterrent
(Berwickshire, Roxburgh and
Selkirk) (Con)
4. What steps his Department is taking to maintain the
effectiveness of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. (900420)
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
Four new Dreadnought class submarines will enter service from the
early 2030s, and we will replace the current nuclear warhead. We
keep our nuclear posture under constant review in the light of
the global security environment. About 30,000 jobs across the
nuclear enterprise are dedicated to maintaining and delivering
the deterrent, now and tomorrow.
The Government will be aware of a recent opinion poll that shows
that Trident enjoys 58% support among Scots, yet the SNP and
Green Ministers in the Scottish Government wish to see us remove
Trident and even leave NATO altogether. Given the current
international crisis, does the Defence Secretary think their
position is wise?
Mr Wallace
It is certainly the case that the SNP cannot have it both ways.
It wants to have an independent Scotland and join NATO, while
also removing part of its nuclear defence. I notice that the
First Minister alone said in 2021 that an independent Scotland
would be a “keen signatory” to the treaty on the prohibition of
nuclear weapons. That would make it the only NATO country to be a
signatory to that treaty, and it is a clue to how the SNP says
one thing and does another.
Support for Ukraine’s Military
(West Bromwich East)
(Con)
5. What support his Department is providing to Ukraine’s
military.(900421)
(Wimbledon) (Con)
14. What support his Department is providing to Ukraine’s
military.(900430)
(Colne Valley) (Con)
21. What support his Department is providing to Ukraine’s
military.(900438)
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
The UK has committed £1.3 billion for military operations and aid
to Ukraine. As part of the delivery of lethal and non-lethal aid
in support of Ukraine’s military, we are liaising with Ukraine’s
armed forces to meet their operational requirements. Most
recently, we have announced that we will be providing highly
capable multiple launch rocket systems, which will provide
Ukraine with a significant boost in capability.
I had the pleasure of virtually meeting Iryna, a young member of
the European Solidarity party in Ukraine, and some of the stories
she told me of the frontline in Ukraine were shocking. Young
members of Iryna’s party, like many brave people, have been on
the frontline in this fight—some kidnapped, and some killed.
Could my right hon. Friend spell out what steps his Department is
taking to support all young people in the Ukrainian army during
this terrible conflict?
Mr Wallace
My hon. Friend is right: it is not just about weapons; it is
often about non-lethal aid, such as medicines and body armour.
The UK has sent over 200,000 pieces of non-lethal aid, including
body armour, range finders and medical equipment, and we will
continue to do so. This is also about making sure that we look at
the training being given to those young people, because if they
are to have the best chance of survival on the frontline, we need
to make sure that they are not only properly equipped, but
properly trained.
I had the honour to meet a number of Ukrainian officials
recently, and the Secretary of State is right that they are very
pleased about our commitment of military hardware. He is aware,
of course, that they continue to ask for more. Could I ask him
what consideration he has given to or discussions he has had with
allies about providing air capability?
Mr Wallace
My hon. Friend is right that that is often the request we receive
from the Ukrainians and the international community, and he will
remember the discussion about MiG-29s from Poland a few months
ago. Air is a requirement of the Ukrainians, and we have had a
number of discussions at the donor conferences, which I first
convened a few months ago. One or two nations have looked at
providing helicopters to Ukraine, and I think they may do so at
some stage. Of course, the difference between that type of
weapons system and another is the amount of training. That
restricts countries such as the United Kingdom, because our
planes are obviously very different. Therefore, wherever we can
support the provision of air from countries holding Soviet stock,
we will do our best to do so.
On behalf of Huddersfield and Colne Valley’s Ukrainian community,
can I thank the Secretary of State for Defence for the
magnificent support the UK has been giving to the Ukrainian
military forces fighting such a valiant fight against the
oppressive Russian forces? He mentioned support with the multiple
launch rocket systems and the importance of training, but how is
he balancing the timescales of that with supplying the existing
Soviet-era weaponry with the ammunition it needs for the fight
today and this week?
Mr Wallace
My hon. Friend is right to point out the importance of the next
step and, indeed, the requirement for more artillery. The key
here is to make sure that the new artillery, which is obviously
designed for NATO use using NATO ammunition, is applied and used
in a NATO way, rather than just repeating the way Soviets would
have used artillery because that way we would run out of
ammunition pretty quickly. That is why we will be sending MLRS,
and we are also sending self-propelled 155s from a donor—not UK
AS 90s, but others—to Ukraine to assist in giving it such deep
fires capability. In tandem, we are helping alongside other
countries, especially in the Baltic, in training those people to
put that type of deep fires into effect.
(Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
(SNP)
With reports that medical services in Mariupol are likely already
near collapse and the potential for a major cholera outbreak,
what discussions has the Secretary of State had with colleagues
across Government to explore urgent medical relief that could be
deployed by the MOD?
Mr Wallace
The hon. Member makes the very important point that the
consequences of Russian brutality, destruction of infrastructure
and so on are the second-order effects such as cholera
infections, starvation and, indeed, other problems. That is why,
when we have our donor conferences, we make sure we talk about
non-lethal aid, and I know that my right hon. Friend the Foreign
Secretary and others talk to their ministerial counterparts about
how we can help in those areas. The MOD itself cannot directly
intervene in Mariupol, but where we have knowledge and can
co-ordinate the treatment of people outside Ukraine—through lift,
moving them to hospitals in other countries using our aircraft—we
will do that, and I have already spoken to a number of our Black
sea colleagues to see what we can do in places such as
Mariupol.
(Gower) (Lab)
At business questions, I raised the issue of the destruction of a
depot in Dnipro that was storing non-lethal supplies, including
donations of medicine collected by Clare-Anna Mitchell and other
constituents from Gower in Swansea. The network organising these
supplies is Never Surrender; it is an efficient and effective
deliverer but wants to work with the Government to make sure it
can continue to do this good work. Will the Secretary of State
meet me and Never Surrender to discuss how we can arrange
this?
Mr Wallace
Yes, and will the hon. Lady pass on our thanks to Never Surrender
and her constituents? I visited Ukraine last week and saw that
this is not as easy as people think: it is not only about
donating, but also about the hours and hours of queues at the
border to then get through into the country to then deliver that
aid, for which we are very grateful.
As the hon. Lady points out, there is the indiscriminate
—sometimes deliberate—striking by Russia of targets like medical
support or, as I saw, shopping centres, so that it can put people
out of jobs and put pressure on the economy; that is the type of
adversary we are dealing with. I will be happy to meet with the
hon. Lady, but if she wants an earlier meeting I suggest one of
my Ministers, as this week and next week there will obviously be
NATO meetings.
(Cumbernauld, Kilsyth
and Kirkintilloch East) (SNP)
We fully support all the Government’s efforts to properly arm the
Ukrainians with the equipment and weapons they need, but the
Secretary of State has alluded a couple of times to the fact that
there is also the corresponding challenge of training. Will he
say a little more about his discussions with colleagues and
allies about maximising opportunities for Ukrainian personnel to
be able to use the equipment and armoury that most suits their
needs?
Mr Wallace
First and foremost, it is incredibly important that we get the
right training to those serving in the Ukrainian armed forces.
One of the tragic characteristics of the Russian armed forces is
that they simply shove into one end of a meat grinder their own
forces, who then—mainly men—come out and are killed en masse. It
is hard to have sympathy for that, but nevertheless we are not
going to be like that; we must make sure the Ukrainians are
trained in using the equipment we give them and we do not just
hand it over and let them face the consequences. We will continue
to work on that; I will brief the hon. Gentleman’s Front-Bench
spokesman soon on these topics and any further steps. The United
Kingdom and a number of our European colleagues are keen to do
more on training; when I have more news, I will announce that to
the House.
Several hon. Members rose—
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Select Committee, .
(Bournemouth East) (Con)
If all NATO countries had provided the same scale of support to
Ukraine as Britain has there is every possibility that Russian
forces would now have been pushed out of mainland Ukraine.
Instead, Russia is consolidating in the Donbas and there is every
chance it may now be turning its sights to Odesa. If that port
falls, Ukraine will be landlocked, further impacting on the cost
of living crisis here and across Europe because critical grain
exports cannot get out.
Is it time for the UK to lead a coalition of willing NATO allies
to secure a United Nations General Assembly-approved humanitarian
zone around the port and territorial waters, with neighbouring
international waters policed by an international maritime force?
That would ensure that the breadbasket of Europe and beyond is
able to function and remain part of Ukraine.
Mr Wallace
My right hon. Friend makes the valid and important suggestion
that we must do what we can to get the grain out of Ukraine. It
is not just an energy crisis that people face; it will be a food
crisis if the Russians are continually to both steal and blockade
that grain.
However, I am afraid, with due respect to my right hon. Friend,
that securing the Black sea and the UN mandate to do that are
definitely easier said than done. I continue to speak to a number
of Black sea partners and other members to see what else we can
do to explore getting that grain out both overland and at sea.
While Russia has talked the talk, it has done the complete
opposite when it comes to providing assurances on any
humanitarian corridor, especially on the land, as we saw at
Mariupol, and now obviously at sea.
Several hon. Members rose—
Mr Speaker
We come now to Question 6; I am intrigued as to why Question 13
is not grouped with it.
Ajax Programme
(Warley) (Lab)
6. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Ajax
vehicles programme. (900422)
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
I think that Question 13 was not grouped with this one to give
the right hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) a whole theatre
of his own to ask his question. I will be first to support that
when we come to it.
We have been clear that this is a troubled programme, and we have
not paid a penny to General Dynamics under the Ajax contract
since December 2020. Ajax will be a formidable capability. We
want it to work and for General Dynamics to deliver it, but we
will not take a vehicle into service that is not fit for purpose.
We benefit from a robust contract and will make use of it.
But look, the Secretary of State has effectively admitted the
failings of the Ajax programme, which are very public and have
been comprehensively exposed by both the Defence Committee and
the Public Accounts Committee. Unfortunately, since then, we have
not had any indication—not even in his reply—that the fundamental
problems have been resolved, and the Army is facing a dangerous
gap in capacity. Will he either announce that he will scrap the
failed programme or give us an early, fixed and firm timetable
for such a decision? Stick or twist, Secretary of State?
Mr Wallace
The Ajax programme is a troubled programme. We agree with many of
the recommendations in the Public Accounts Committee’s report. We
are independently testing a number of the issues arising with
that programme and we must ensure that, when we take another
step, it is evidence based. As I said, we are clear to make sure
that we bring it into service. In the meantime, we have withheld
payment—a considerable amount of money—since December 2020. That
is really important. General Dynamics wants this resolved, and we
want it resolved.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Islwyn) (Lab/Co-op)
I am glad that the Secretary of State mentioned that the MOD did
not pay General Dynamics throughout 2021; by December 2021, it
had paid £1.1 billion less than scheduled. However, the position
is not sustainable in the local economy or in the Welsh economy
as it is causing real anxiety among the workers, the wider
economy and the local supply chain. When will the Government give
an answer on what they will do about Ajax? I agree with my right
hon. Friend the Member for Warley (), who mentioned the report by
the PAC. Anybody who has had anything to do with Ajax will say
that, after 12 years, enough is enough and a decision must be
taken.
Mr Wallace
I understand the hon. Member’s frustration and that of the
workforce in Wales, who had hoped and wanted to produce a vehicle
that was fit for purpose and would add to the British Army’s
important capability. We have to proceed based on science and
evidence. Like General Dynamics, we are bound to a contract, and
I do not want to say anything that would jeopardise those
positions. We have done independent trials and, when those
results are forthcoming, we can have a further discussion. I
recently met the head of General Dynamics and made my position on
the next steps very clear. As I have said from the beginning, we
will not accept into service a vehicle that is not fit for
purpose.
Support for Veterans
(Southport) (Con)
7. What steps his Department is taking to help support veterans
across the UK. (900423)
The Minister for Defence People and Veterans ()
We continue to work tirelessly to ensure that veterans are
supported right across the UK. The “Veterans’ Strategy Action
Plan”, published earlier this year, set out 60 commitments and
£70 million of investment, particularly on the themes of
healthcare and employment. There is a big demand for veterans in
the employment market because, Mr Speaker, military service gives
you skills for life.
I recently attended the opening of Southport veterans’ hub, which
does an excellent job in providing support for ex-service
personnel in my constituency. Will my hon. Friend join veterans
at the hub to further understand what more support his Department
can give?
I would like to acknowledge the importance of such gatherings,
which I have seen regularly in my constituency. I thank my hon.
Friend for his support of that hub. If I find myself near
Southport in the near future, I would be delighted to visit.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Barnsley East) (Lab)
One veteran who served as a Royal Engineer for 38 years told me
that he has been fighting for almost nine years to receive the
compensation that he is entitled to. Currently, nearly 3,000
people are stuck in the Veterans UK appeals system facing similar
experiences. We all know that there are issues with veterans’
compensation. When will the Minister stop denying that and
act?
We are acting, and I am pleased to confirm that we are investing
£40 million in a radical digitalisation programme, which I saw
with my own eyes a few weeks ago when I was in Norcross, where
the paper records are held. There are frustrations, but work is
continuing apace.
Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy
(Barnsley Central) (Lab)
8. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the
Afghan relocations and assistance policy. (900424)
(Newport East) (Lab)
18. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of
the Afghan relocations and assistance policy. (900435)
The Minister for the Armed Forces ()
To date, over 9,500 eligible individuals have already safely
relocated to the UK under the Afghan relocations and assistance
policy; we think we have about the same to go in terms of the
number of people eligible. Flights are leaving, principally from
Islamabad, every fortnight, but obviously partners in the region
have a say over what they accept as a flow rate. I was in
Islamabad three weeks ago to discuss that with the Pakistan
Government. I am delighted to say that they have announced a
further phase to allow nations like the UK to evacuate those who
have popped up in Pakistan. We will be getting on with that
now.
With your forbearance, Mr Speaker, I pay tribute to all those who
served in the Falkland Islands 40 years ago.
I turn to the Minister’s response. A former member of the unit I
helped to establish has now been waiting nine months for his ARAP
application to be processed. He is in hiding, terrified that he
is going to be kidnapped and murdered by the Taliban—all because
he stepped forward to serve when we asked him to. Will the
Minister give an undertaking to look at the detail of this
particular individual’s case? Can he say what more is being done
to clear the backlog of applications?
The hon. Gentleman is a phenomenal campaigner for those who
served alongside the UK armed forces; in fact, I think I probably
sign dozens of letters a week responding to his various
inquiries. I am surprised that I have not already corresponded
with him on this particular case if he has raised it with me, but
perhaps we can talk afterwards to ensure nothing has fallen
through the cracks.
Family members of Afghan interpreters in my constituency who came
to the UK under the ARAP scheme are among the 12,000 Afghans
stranded in bridging hotels. That is shameful. How on earth can
we trust the Government to deliver on the new pathways announced
today if they have accommodated only a third of those who fled
the Taliban over the last year?
The hon. Lady’s question is well intended. We want the same
thing: we want to help. It is frustrating, however. The
Government were criticised for outsourcing the Ukraine refugee
scheme to members of the public, yet the reality is that if the
Government have to be responsible for it in its entirety, people
end up being stuck in hotels until councils are willing to take
people out of those hotels. It is appalling that Afghan refugees
are still stuck in hotels nine months later. I am desperate that
councils around the UK step up and help us to accommodate the
people who served our country with such amazing bravery and
selflessness, and who are stuck in hotels because councils cannot
accommodate them.
(Basildon and Billericay)
(Con)
As chairman of the British Council all-party parliamentary group,
I have been raising the plight of 170 British Council contractors
who remain in Afghanistan in fear of their lives, 85 of whom have
been deemed by the Government to be at very high risk. Given the
written ministerial statement today, what assurances can the
Minister give that the latter group in particular will be
prioritised? They are not the only ones in fear for their lives
in Afghanistan—there are many more. If he cannot give that
assurance, given the urgency of the situation, will he knock on
whatever door is required in Government and press upon that
individual the need for action?
My hon. Friend has already seconded me on a number of occasions
to speak to colleagues around Government on his behalf, as part
of his campaigning on behalf of those who worked for the British
Council. He knows, I think, that both the Foreign, Commonwealth
and Development Office and the Home Office are seized of the need
to do the right thing by them. The Afghan citizens resettlement
scheme is clearly the opportunity. In Islamabad three weeks ago,
while of course my focus was ARAP, I was able to also reassure
myself—I hope he will be encouraged to hear this—that all is in
place to begin bringing people out under ACRS through that route
as well.
Support for NATO Allies: Ukraine
(Rochdale) (Lab)
9. What steps the Government are taking to support NATO allies in
response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (900425)
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
We have doubled our presence in Estonia, reinforced the enhanced
forward presence battlegroup, and deployed an aviation taskforce
to Lithuania. We are contributing to enhanced air policing over
Romania and Bulgaria, and enhanced vigilance activity in Cyprus,
Poland and the Baltic states. We have deployed additional troops
and capabilities to Poland, and led the development of joint
expeditionary force activity options.
One of the strengths the Secretary of State will have at the NATO
summit is the fact that this country has done so much to support
our NATO allies. His second great strength is that we hit the 2%
of GDP contribution. That is important to empower those who argue
with our NATO allies that they must hit the same figure. Earlier
on, the Minister for the Armed Forces would not answer directly
the question of whether we will maintain that 2% spending. Can
the Secretary of State assure the House now that the 2% will be
maintained or, preferably, increased?
Mr Wallace
The hon. Gentleman asks a straight question and I will give him a
straight answer. Between now and the end of the comprehensive
spending review period, we are at 2%—in fact, 2.3%—of GDP.
However, inflation, GDP and growth shrinking off GDP will affect
all those GDP pledges, which is why some countries in NATO have
very high GDP spend, but also have a very small economy. Within
the comprehensive spending review period, I am on track to be
above 2%.
Dreadnought Programme
(Barrow and Furness) (Con)
10. What assessment he has made of the progress on the delivery
of the Dreadnought programme. (900426)
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
On 9 May, I visited my hon. Friend’s constituency and we went to
see the Dreadnought programme. He was with me when I signed the
delivery of phase 3, the most important phase of rolling out the
first of class HMS Dreadnought, in Barrow-in-Furness. It is set
for sea trials so that it will be ready for patrol, hopefully in
the early 2030s.
It was a pleasure to host my right hon. Friend in Barrow for that
announcement. The submarine programme based in my constituency
supports more than 11,000 jobs locally, but the Astute programme,
the Dreadnought programme and the boats being developed under
SSN(R) will keep us and our allies safe for generations to come.
With that in mind, will my right hon. Friend thank those people,
from pipefitters to programme directors, for the work they are
doing on that critical national programme?
Mr Wallace
My hon. Friend is right. In Barrow, they are doing some of the
most complex engineering on earth, and it is breath-taking and a
huge achievement. Not only are we rolling out the Dreadnought
class, but we have committed funding for the next stage of the
attack submarine, the next generation of Astutes. It is a vital
part of our subsea defence and I am delighted that the
Australians, when they chose to switch from the French submarine,
came to the United States and the United Kingdom as future
partners in that programme, because very few places in the world
can do it. One of those places is Barrow.
Armed Forces Housing Accommodation
(Slough) (Lab)
12. What recent assessment he has made of the quality of housing
accommodation for armed forces personnel. (900428)
The Minister for Defence People and Veterans ()
As of 6 June 2022, 96% of service family accommodation has been
assessed as meeting or exceeding the Government’s decent homes
standard. Housing below that standard is not allocated to service
families because we are putting service families at the heart of
defence, and that is reflected in the provision of their
quarters.
Mr Dhesi
In my recent visits to UK military bases, many of our servicemen
and women raised with me the issue of substandard accommodation,
which will no doubt have an impact on recruitment and retention.
Indeed, complaints about service accommodation have rocketed by
20% in the first four months of 2022, compared with 2021. The
Government are presiding over record low levels of satisfaction.
Why are the Government failing our brave troops, and what will be
done urgently to improve service accommodation?
We take these issues seriously, because we recruit the soldier
but we retain the family. That is why we are putting record sums
of investment into SFA. In the last seven years, we have invested
more than £936 million in SFA improvements, and in the coming
year we will invest £176 million in SFA. We are putting our money
where our mouth is.
Mr Speaker
To ask the same question as the other one, I call .
Ajax Programme
(North Durham) (Lab)
13. What assessment he has made of the initial outcomes of the
trials for the Ajax armoured fighting vehicle programme.
(900429)
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
But not the same questioner, Mr Speaker.
General Dynamics has proposed changes to Ajax to address noise
and vibration problems identified in the vehicles. The changes
have been assessed by Millbrook independently, and we expect to
receive its final report shortly. We will not proceed without a
high degree of certainty, and we will not accept a vehicle that
is not fit for purpose.
As my right hon. Friend the Member for Warley () said earlier, it is nearly
two years since the MOD had the problems with Ajax and no fix is
in sight. In December last year, the Minister for Defence
Procurement said that if the contract is cancelled,
“There is a parent guarantee in place between GDUK…and the parent
company”—[Official Report, 15 December 2021; Vol. 705, c.
1090.]
Is that specific to this contract or is it just a gentleman’s
agreement?
Mr Wallace
Given the legal weighting of that question, I think it best if I
write to the right hon. Gentleman with the detail. I would not
want to say anything at the Dispatch Box that would either cause
the taxpayer to suffer unnecessarily as a result of any legal
remedy or jeopardise a very important programme as we are trying
to fix its problems and roll it out.
Support for Defence Jobs
Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)
15. What steps his Department is taking to support defence jobs
across the UK. (900431)
The Minister for the Armed Forces ()
The most recent estimate shows that Ministry of Defence
investment supports more than 200,000 jobs in industries across
the UK. We recently marked the first anniversary of the defence
and security industrial strategy, which has received positive
feedback from industry. Continued high and focused investment in
defence, along with the changes that we are making as part of the
DSIS, will contribute to further economic growth and prosperity,
including jobs, across the United Kingdom.
Karl MᶜCartney
As the Member for Lincoln in Bomber County, as Lincolnshire is
also known, and with RAF Waddington in my constituency, I have
many constituents who work in the defence sector. Investment in
defence continues to be strong: there are now more than 80
defence companies across Lincolnshire, and Lincoln College has
Britain’s first air and defence college, working in partnership
with the Royal Air Force and with companies in the defence
industry. Would the Minister and perhaps the Secretary of State
care to visit Lincoln, see that great facility for themselves and
reaffirm the Government’s commitment to supporting the defence
sector in Lincolnshire?
I pay tribute to the work of all those at RAF Waddington and
those who support them. The Greater Lincolnshire local enterprise
partnership is a major investment hub for the Department and the
defence industry. Lincoln College’s air and defence college,
which is run in partnership with the RAF and with several key
defence companies, supports existing career paths into science
and engineering. My hon. Friend will be gutted that I am
answering his question rather than the Minister for Defence
Procurement, who is on his way to the Falklands, but I am certain
that the Minister will want to visit, as my hon. Friend
suggests.
Topical Questions
(Brecon and Radnorshire)
(Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(900441)
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
This year commemorates all those who fought in the Falklands
conflict. We should not forget the sacrifice made by many to
liberate those islands from an aggressive Argentinian invasion by
a dictator. Many of us will not forget that conflict: it shaped
our own childhood and upbringing. My own regiment served there,
alongside those of other hon. Members, who will know veterans
well. To send a force 8,000 miles to stand for Britain’s values
and uphold international law was some achievement then; it would
be some achievement now.
On behalf of the many thousands of Falklands veterans I
represent, I fully endorse the Secretary of State’s comments
about the Falklands war.
I pay tribute to the Royal Welsh Battalion, which is proudly
leading NATO’s battle group in Estonia as part of our forward
presence and which took part in NATO’s Exercise Hedgehog in the
Baltics last month. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that Welsh
soldiers will continue to play a key role as we step up our
efforts to support our NATO allies in eastern Europe?
Mr Wallace
My hon. Friend makes a strong point on behalf of the Welsh
soldier, the Welsh airman—RAF Valley is on Anglesey—and the Welsh
Navy. The Welsh are at the forefront of our responses around the
world: not only did the Queen’s Dragoon Guards, the Welsh
cavalry, recently return from Mali, but the 1st Battalion the
Royal Welsh is one of the main battle groups in Estonia enhancing
the forward presence. Wales adds a lot to the United Kingdom and
to the British Army. Without a Welshman in your platoon, you are
not doing very well, in my experience.
Mr Speaker
We now come to the shadow Secretary of State.
(Wentworth and Dearne)
(Lab)
On the eve of the 40th anniversary, we remember the sacrifice in
liberating the Falklands and we reaffirm the significance of the
islands to our future security.
During the Defence Secretary’s visit to Kyiv in recent days, two
Brits fighting with the Ukrainians have faced a Russian show
trial and another has been reported killed. How many former
British forces personnel are fighting in Ukraine?
Mr Wallace
The simple reality is that we do not know how many ex-soldiers
are fighting in Ukraine. Obviously, at the beginning of the
conflict, we all publicly made statements to try to deter people
from doing so. The two former soldiers who have been captured
were themselves living in Ukraine or half-Ukrainian. Like others,
I am saddened by the loss of the other former veteran who was
reported killed recently. As far as the individuals are concerned
who decided of their own volition to go and fight separately from
the United Kingdom or any of its serving personnel, we are
unaware of the total number, although there are estimates.
But did the Defence Secretary even ask the question when he was
in Ukraine last week? Four weeks ago, a Minister said that
“we are working with the Government of Ukraine to understand how
many British Nationals have joined the Ukrainian Armed
Forces.”
It is time that the Defence Secretary answered that question.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 14 other European countries
have now rebooted their defence plans, their defence spending and
their defence procurement. Why will the Defence Secretary not do
the same?
Mr Wallace
Let me respond to the right hon. Gentleman’s last point first. No
one has said that I will not do the same. What I have said is
that we are threat-based. We have in fact increased the number
from 72,000 to 72,500, and increased that number by a further
500, to a total of 73,000. We have done that in response to a
need as we shake up the Army.
As for the next few years, Members may recall that our spending
review started earlier than those in the rest of Whitehall. We
have a commitment to continue with 2% for the duration of that
spending review. We were the first country in Europe—we seem to
get punished by the Opposition for this—to increase our spending
significantly to supply weapons to Ukraine to ensure that we keep
pace with many of the threats that we face around Europe.
I did raise the question of the veterans and former veterans who
are fighting in Ukraine with my Ukrainian counterpart, and indeed
we have asked that question on a number of occasions. It is of
course for the Ukrainians to answer and to find those details,
but I have some sympathy with the Ukrainians: they are fighting a
war, and not one or two or three but tens of thousands of their
citizens are on that front. I think that is important.
(Keighley) (Con)
T2. The United Kingdom was the first country to supply military
aid to Ukraine, and since then it has supplied thousands of
anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft systems and armoured vehicles
to Ukraine’s heroic armed forces. Can my hon. Friend assure me
that this world-leading support will remain in place for as long
as Russia’s illegal invasion continues?(900442)
The Minister for the Armed Forces ()
I can certainly give that assurance. We will give the Ukrainians
as much as we can. We will support them with logistics, training
and equipment to give them every chance of ensuring that Putin
fails.
(Birkenhead) (Lab)
T4. It is now three months since the Prime Minister and the
Secretary of State visited the Cammell Laird shipyard in my
constituency for the launch of the national shipbuilding strategy
refresh, but for all the lofty promises that were made on that
day, the Government continue to sell out British shipbuilding by
refusing to guarantee work for UK shipyards. Let me give just one
example. British yards are ready and able to deliver the Royal
Fleet Auxiliary’s new fleet solid support ships, but Ministers
continue to refuse to rule out offshoring the lion’s share of the
work on that critical project. Can the Secretary of State tell me
when this Government will at last put British manufacturers first
and adopt my party’s policy of building in Britain by
default?(900445)
Mr Wallace
I think the hon. Gentleman could have written that 20 years ago,
when his party was not delivering a national shipbuilding
strategy or anything like one, did not have a shipbuilding
pipeline as large as ours, did not invest in the shipyards in the
way in which we are going to, and did not do anything other than
spout this same old claptrap. The simple reality is that we will
be building more ships in Britain with British supply chains,
whether that is for the Navy or for other Government Departments.
As ever, the hon. Gentleman is playing to the crowd.
(High Peak) (Con)
T3. I am sorry to inform the House that Jordan Gatley, from
Glossop in my constituency, is reported to have been killed in
Ukraine. Jordan had previously served in the British Army, and
was fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. My thoughts and, I am
sure, those of the whole House are with Jordan’s family. I am
very proud of the support that Britain is giving the Ukrainian
people to help them to defend their homeland, but, thinking
forward to the longer term, may I ask the Secretary of State what
steps are being taken to strengthen the Ukrainian state and the
Ukrainian armed forces to allow them to have a strong deterrent
in the face of any future Russian aggression?(900444)
My hon. Friend has hit upon the key point. For the last two
months or so, the discussion with the Ukrainians has followed two
tracks. There is the discussion about how to support them in the
fight tomorrow, and there is the discussion about how to ensure
that they are secure within their own borders whenever this
conflict eventually ends. The UK is to the fore in both those
efforts, bringing together international support and,
increasingly, mobilising the UK defence industry.
(Bristol East) (Lab)
T5. After the conference on disarmament in March, the UK
representative said that while the situation in Ukraine would
clearly have an impact on countries’ security calculations, it
also“makes it more important than ever for the international
community to revitalise our commitment to arms control and
disarmament.”Can the Secretary of State tell us what discussions
he has had with his NATO counterparts since then on
reinvigorating multilateral nuclear disarmament
talks?(900446)
Mr Wallace
None.
(Darlington) (Con)
T6. I recently had the pleasure of welcoming the Secretary of
State for International Trade to Darlington to open the new
control room at Modus Ltd, which has invested £24 million in
pioneering underwater sea drone technology. What consideration
has my hon. Friend given to potential uses for this technology in
the defence sphere?(900447)
The Royal Navy continues to accelerate its drive towards uncrewed
capabilities, including remotely operated and fully autonomous
systems, and to exploit opportunities for advances in automation
technology, both above and below the water. The minehunting
capability programme is full of opportunity, and I know that my
hon. Friend will want to speak to the Minister for Defence
Procurement about the role that businesses in his constituency
can play in it.
(Newport West) (Lab)
T9. Labour’s dossier on waste in the MOD found that at least £15
billion had been wasted since 2010, and that £6 billion has been
wasted since 2019 while the current Defence Secretary has been in
post. Can he explain why the Government are failing to get a grip
of the defence procurement process to secure value for money for
the taxpayer?(900450)
Mr Wallace
I know that the hon. Lady will be familiar with the phrase “dodgy
dossier”, because I remember that her party produced one,
historically. The procurement dossier that Labour has produced is
so dodgy that it actually has double counting. It includes £594
million for the Warrior sustainment programme followed by the
integrated review project cancellation of £540 million, and it
adds those together to make £1 billion. It also confuses the
retirement of old systems, claiming it as waste. I am sure she
would not like to go to war with old equipment that is out of
date, and that she would rather it was retired and replaced with
modern equipment. Her party has added retirement to the dossier
and pretended that it was waste. Labour needs to do a lot better
if it wants to be taken seriously on defence procurement and the
defence of the realm.
(Harrow East) (Con)
T7. Last week, as part of a visit to Romania by the all-party
parliamentary group on Romania, I had the opportunity of visiting
the NATO base near the port of Constanta where we saw the RAF
contribution to the NATO no-fly zone, effectively, in the
territorial waters of Romania. Those brave men and women are
working 18 hours a day to ensure that there is no Russian
incursion in such territories. What extra support can my right
hon. Friend provide so that we lessen the strain that is being
placed on those wonderful people?(900448)
I know that the Romanian Government were grateful for the visit
of the APPG. On Friday morning, I held a trilateral with the
Romanian and Ukrainian deputy Defence Ministers. Snake Island was
to the fore in our discussions, but what we concluded is not for
public consumption.
(Kingston upon Hull North)
(Lab)
Will the Defence Secretary pay tribute to Keith Thompson, who has
been the driving force in organising this coming weekend’s events
in Hull to mark the 40th anniversary of the Falklands conflict,
as well as the role that the requisitioned North sea ferry, the
Norland, played in transporting the 2nd Battalion the Parachute
Regiment to the Falklands and the vital role that the merchant
navy played in that conflict?
Mr Wallace
Yes, I pay tribute to the right hon. Lady’s constituent and thank
him for that work. We often forget that it was not just the Army,
the Marines and the frontline Navy; it was also the merchant
ships of the merchant navy, and people who had just gone to sea
on a normal day who suddenly found themselves on the way to the
south Atlantic. Their bravery was amazing, and we should all be
great admirers of their efforts to help save lives in the thick
of battle. I want to thank her and her constituent for their
work.
(Wrexham) (Con)
T8. An army marches on its stomach, but according to the recent
armed forces continuous attitude survey, only 47% of our
personnel use the service-provided catering facilities, of whom
only 25% are satisfied with the service they receive from those
contractors. Can the Minister please outline how he is going to
improve the cookhouse experience?(900449)
The Minister for Defence People and Veterans ()
I totally agree that this is an important subject. My experience
of the cookhouse in Aldershot has always been very satisfactory,
but we acknowledge that there is a great variation in the
service, which is why we are re-letting this contract for an
improved service by 2025.
(Edinburgh West) (LD)
I would like to associate myself with the Defence Secretary’s
remarks about the Falklands war. Given his recent comment that
the Army is woefully behind the rest of the public sector in
enabling women to have careers, can he tell us what opportunities
he is taking to drive diversity in leadership positions in the
armed forces? For example, how many women are on the Army
Board?
Mr Wallace
On that last question, I am happy to confirm the previous
announcement that we now have General Nesmith on the Army Board,
the first woman to hold that position. I think the hon. Lady
would agree—I am happy to listen to her ideas—that there is a
long way to go in this regard, especially in the Army but across
all three services. We have set out a lot of steps, especially in
reply to the report from my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham
() on women in the armed
forces, but there is still more to do, and I assure the hon. Lady
that this is one of my top priorities. It is at the top of my
inbox every time there is a problem, but also when there are
ideas about what more we can do.
(South East Cornwall)
(Con)
I salute the incredible bravery shown by Ukraine’s military.
Following Russia’s use of hypersonic missiles, is the Department
working at pace with partners across NATO to find an effective
defence against such weaponry?
Mr Wallace
Yes, it is. We committed £6.6 billion to research and development
in the defence Command Paper to make sure we are fighting not
yesterday’s battles but tomorrow’s. We are taking steps to work
internationally and on a sovereign basis to see how we can defend
against both hypersonic and other types of missiles.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
I pay tribute to the brave men and women who fought for us in the
Falklands. I was here at the special Saturday sitting, and I am
still proud of what we accomplished. If there were to be a
similar occurrence now, would we have the capacity to act in the
way we did?
Mr Wallace
Yes, I think we would.
(Clwyd South) (Con)
I grew up in an Army family, and I represent many Army families
in Clwyd South. I therefore welcome Wales Armed Forces Day in
Wrexham on Saturday. Does the Minister agree that the newly
appointed veterans commissioner for Wales, Colonel , clearly demonstrates the
UK Government’s practical commitment to supporting military
families across Wales who sometimes have very complex problems
relating to welfare, mental health and other issues?
I agree. I hope my hon. Friend and I will meet Colonel in Wales very soon.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
President Biden has made clear the USA’s respect for Taiwan’s
sovereignty and its willingness to provide support to that
nation. What discussions have Ministers had with our
international allies about joining this recognition and any
potential defence-specific support?
Mr Wallace
Taiwan is obviously a clear and growing point of tension in the
Pacific. I regularly speak to our allies, both in NATO and
further afield, about those tensions. Here in the United Kingdom
we are reminded of Hong Kong’s recent experience and what the
read-across could mean for other people who are trying to live
freely and within the rule of law. The UK’s position is that the
problems between Taiwan and China should be resolved through
peaceful and diplomatic means.
(New Forest East) (Con)
This week marks the passing of that doughty Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament campaigner ex-Monsignor Bruce Kent. While paying
their due respect, will the Government nevertheless reassert the
fact that, as long as other countries have nuclear weapons,
Britain must never give up its nuclear deterrent?
Mr Wallace
I remember, in my formative years politically, asking the late Mr
Bruce Kent a question when I was at school. I do not think I
asked the question very well, and I do not think he answered it
very well, either. The reality is that Britain’s position is one
of multilateral disarmament. It is not a position of unilateral
nuclear disarmament.
Dame (Gosport) (Con)
Will my right hon. Friend reassure the House of the parity of
esteem between veterans with physical injuries and those with
psychological illnesses sustained during service? Will he or one
of his team meet me to discuss what support is available to a
number of my constituents and other working-age veterans across
the UK who are struggling with mental ill health as they adjust
to civilian life?
I am pleased that we have parity of esteem and parity of
provision through the excellent NHS “Op Courage,” which is
available for veterans with mental health needs. I look forward
to showcasing it to my hon. Friend.
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
Last week I had the pleasure of joining my hon. Friend the Member
for Newcastle-under-Lyme () in opening Veterans Connect in
the great town of Tunstall. Four fantastic veterans set up this
fantastic organisation, which is helping homeless people across
our community in north Staffordshire. Will the Minister thank
Alex, Lee, Trevor and others for all their fantastic work?
I join my hon. Friend in thanking them. I hope we have an
opportunity to make a joint visit.
(Meon Valley) (Con)
I echo the Secretary of State’s comments on the 40th anniversary
of the Falklands war. Yesterday marked the anniversary of the
attack on HMS Glamorgan, the last of the 22 ships to be hit
during the conflict, with the loss of 14 lives—82 lives were lost
on ships altogether. Will my right hon. Friend pay tribute to all
those who lost their life, and to those who came back with
lifelong injuries, both physical and mental?
We do put on record our thanks and we remember those people with
gratitude and a sense of deep compassion about the legacy that
this conflict left.
(Bracknell) (Con)
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.
Does the Secretary of State agree that acts of wanton, unprovoked
and unjustified aggression do not pay dividends?
Mr Wallace
My hon. Friend is right. If Britain stands for anything, it is
that no matter whether 8,000 miles away in the south Atlantic or
in Ukraine, Britain will stand up for its values and, if
necessary, fight for them.
(Stroud) (Con)
I think that the hon. Member for Barnsley East (), on the Opposition Front
Bench, was talking about my constituent. If not, there are two
people who served for 38 years in the Royal Engineers and are
struggling with multi-year battles with Veterans UK tribunals on
a number of things. Some veterans are telling me that the
Minister’s positive experience of VUK is not what they are
experiencing on the ground, particularly on mental health issues.
Will he meet me to discuss the case and perhaps—this is similar
to what my hon. Friend the Member for Gosport (Dame ) said—talk about mental
health with veterans?
I totally acknowledge that there have been problems with the
awards of war pensions and armed forces compensation. I would be
very happy to take up that case and expedite it, and write to my
hon. Friend.
(Ynys Môn) (Con)
Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking all the members of
the armed forces who worked so hard to make the Queen’s platinum
jubilee such a success? In particular, will he thank those from
RAF Valley for the spectacular fly-past over Buckingham Palace?
Perhaps he would like to come to Anglesey to thank them
himself.
Mr Wallace
I was there only a few weeks ago. I think the whole House would
like to give our thanks to the armed forces for the work they did
over that weekend and for all the hours of rehearsal they do,
sometimes in the middle of the night, which none of us ever see,
to make things very special. From Trooping the Colour on the
Thursday all the way through to the pageant, our armed forces did
us proud, as did a number of the armed forces from the
Commonwealth, which were also in attendance and on parade that
day. Our armed forces are absolutely part of the fabric of our
society and part of the greatness of the United Kingdom. I am
delighted not only that they were there on parade, but that it
was a privilege for us to see the royal family so held in high
regard by those men and women of the armed forces.
Mr Speaker
After returning from the Falklands, I must congratulate those who
continue to serve down in the south Atlantic, 7,000 miles from
home. It would be really helpful if the Secretary of State
reinstated the Chinook for them.
