Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East) (Ind) (Urgent Question): To
ask the Secretary of State for Defence to make a statement on our
policy to deter and, if required, respond to the use of nuclear
weapons by President Putin. The Minister of State, Ministry of
Defence (Alec Shelbrooke) Russia’s continuing assault on Ukraine is
an unprovoked and premeditated attack against a sovereign
democratic state and it continues to threaten global security. This
week, my right hon....Request free
trial
(Bournemouth East) (Ind)
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to
make a statement on our policy to deter and, if required, respond
to the use of nuclear weapons by President Putin.
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence ()
Russia’s continuing assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked and
premeditated attack against a sovereign democratic state and it
continues to threaten global security. This week, my right hon.
Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is meeting with Defence
Ministers in Brussels to discuss further support for Ukraine, and
later today my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will be
speaking to members of the G7.
I can assure the House that the UK and our allies remain
steadfast and united in our support for Ukraine. As previously
set out to the House, Defence is playing a central role in the
UK’s response to the Russian invasion, providing £2.3
billion-worth of military support and leading in the
international response.
We were the first European country to provide lethal aid to
Ukraine. To date, we have sent more than 10,000 anti-tank
missiles, multiple-launch rocket systems, more than 200 armoured
vehicles, more than 120 logistics vehicles, six Stormer vehicles
fitted with Starstreak launchers and hundreds of missiles, as
well as maritime Brimstone missiles. In addition, we have
supplied almost 100,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, nearly 3
million rounds of small arms ammunition, 2,600 anti-structure
munitions and 4.5 tonnes of plastic explosive.
Defence is also providing basic training to Ukrainian soldiers in
the UK. To date, we have trained over 6,000 Ukrainian recruits in
the UK, and we continually review and adjust the course to meet
their requirements. Defence will continue to respond decisively
to Ukraine’s requests and the equipment is playing a crucial role
in stalling the Russian advance and supporting our Ukrainian
friends.
President Putin’s comments on nuclear are irresponsible. No other
country is talking about nuclear use. We do not see this as a
nuclear crisis.
Mr Ellwood
Thanks to our support and that of allies, Ukrainian forces have
done the unthinkable in pushing back Russian force. However, with
Putin now on the back foot and the third largest military in the
world humiliated, this conflict has entered a darker chapter and
we cannot be bystanders. Putin cannot be seen to lose this war
and, as his response to the Kerch bridge attack shows, he is
stooping to ever more unconventional tactics. The threat of
Putin’s turning to tactical low-yield nuclear weapons remains
low, but it has increased, posing questions for Britain and the
United States that must be addressed before, not after, that line
is crossed.
Russian military doctrine allows first use of nuclear weapons in
response to conventional attacks on Russian soil. That is why the
sham referendums took place in the Donbas region—so that Putin
could claim it was part of the motherland. In response, as things
stand, our formal position is so-called strategic ambiguity: the
promise of a response, but no public clarity on what that might
be.
We gained a reputation for blinking when it came to Georgia, on
chemical weapons use in Syria and when the Crimea was annexed. I
believe we should state now what our conventional response would
be to Putin’s either deploying nuclear weapons directly or
targeting hazardous infrastructure such as chemical or indeed
civil nuclear plants. Such clarity could be the very deterrent
that helps to prevent such hostile actions from taking place,
rather than the vague position we have now.
Our adversaries—not just Russia—must know and fear the military
consequences of daring to resort to using nuclear weapons, even
if they are low yield. This is not an operational decision but a
political call. We have a duty to do all we can to deter Putin
from going nuclear. Let us not leave it to chance. Let us exhibit
the robust statecraft and engagement that this unpredictable war
now requires.
I am grateful for my right hon. Friend’s comments. I reiterate
what I said at the start: President Putin’s comments are
irresponsible. No other country is talking about nuclear use, and
we do not see this as a nuclear crisis. President Putin should be
clear that, for the UK and our allies, any use of nuclear weapons
at all would break the taboo on nuclear use that has held since
1945 and lead to severe consequences for Russia.
President Putin has launched an illegal and unprovoked invasion
of Ukraine. His forces continue to commit senseless atrocities.
The people of Ukraine seek only to restore their sovereignty and
territorial integrity, and we will continue to support Ukraine’s
right to defend.
My right hon. Friend speaks of tactical nuclear missiles, but
nuclear is nuclear. I reiterate what the Secretary-General of
NATO said:
“President Putin’s nuclear rhetoric is dangerous. It is reckless.
NATO is of course vigilant. We monitor closely what Russia does.
Russia must understand that nuclear war can never be won and must
never be fought. And it will have severe consequences for Russia
if they use nuclear weapons. And this has been very clearly
conveyed to Russia. So we will continue to support Ukraine. And
we will continue to support them in their efforts to liberate
even more territory, because they have the right to do so.”
It is not and never has been tactically smart to outline exactly
what the response would be to any potential situation. We will
continue on the lines that this Government and, indeed, the
Secretary-General have outlined.
(Plymouth, Sutton and
Devonport) (Lab/Co-op)
I welcome the new Minister to his place. It is because Ukraine is
winning that Putin’s behaviour is becoming so volatile. The sham
referenda, the irresponsible nuclear sabre-rattling, the missile
attacks on civilians—these are the hallmarks of a tyrant on the
ropes and a tyrant who is losing.
Labour stands with our friends in Ukraine. With our unshakeable
commitment to NATO, the Minister knows that he has our full
support for the actions the Government are taking to help Ukraine
win. Yesterday’s missile attacks on civilians are a significant
escalation. The NATO Secretary-General was right to describe the
attacks as “horrific and indiscriminate”.
Ministers have Labour’s full support in countering Putin’s
aggression. In that spirit, I ask the Minister when he will set
out a long-term strategy of support for Ukraine, so that we can
make sure that Putin’s war ends in failure. Can he confirm that
the NLAW—next generation light anti-tank weapon—replacement
orders have finally been placed? When does he expect to replenish
our depleted weapons stockpiles? What assessment has he made of
the worrying statements by Lukashenko and the continued presence
of Russian troops and armour in Belarus?
I would be grateful if the Minister addressed the concerning
media reports of the withdrawal of almost 700 British troops
currently deployed to our NATO ally Estonia, without any planned
replacement. That risks sending the wrong message at the wrong
time, and it has worried our international allies. We cannot walk
away until the job is done. With that in mind, will he reassure
the House that he will not withdraw any further UK troops from
our allies, and that the UK will meet our NATO commitments?
Finally, as more bodies are unearthed at the sites of war crimes,
we remember them and we remember those killed yesterday in
Putin’s criminal missile strikes. Does the Minister agree that
the best justice for those killed is victory for Ukraine, a free
and sovereign nation, and war crime tribunals for those
responsible?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his kind comments and I
look forward to working across the Dispatch Boxes on these vital
issues.
On the hon. Gentleman’s comments about the horrific war crimes we
have seen unfold every time there is a Russian retreat, I think
that every decent human being is appalled. I am proud that the UK
Government are funding the International Criminal Court, and we
will do everything we can to support Ukraine in bringing the
perpetrators of these horrific crimes to justice.
I hope the hon. Gentleman will forgive me if I come back to him
with a written answer on the postures from Lukashenko.
On Estonia, the overall capability of our commitment there is far
more important than the number of troops alone. We have committed
to strengthening that capability over the forthcoming years. I
was in Estonia, and indeed Latvia and Lithuania, in my previous
role in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. I have seen at first
hand the work that takes place there. All our NATO allies can be
reassured that we are committed to making sure that the NATO
frontline is secure. We work with colleagues and there will be
variation in how that is done.
With regard to support, the hon. Gentleman will have noticed that
my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has set
up the international support fund. This country contributed £250
million to that, and I believe the total figure is now above €400
million. That is in place to help support Ukraine as this war
moves forward and the conflict carries on, so that it can use
that money not only in the conflict but to rebuild and, of
course, ensure it has the ammunition supplies and things it
needs.
With regard to NLAW and our weapons supply, we are working with
industrial supply chains and are confident that we will have the
ability to defend ourselves and to give support, but we do not
comment on operational capability beyond that.
(Chingford and Woodford
Green) (Con)
I welcome my right hon. Friend to his position. What has happened
over the past few days is a war crime if ever there was a war
crime, and I hope that the Government and the whole alliance will
now commit to the pursuance of all those responsible for the
deliberate targeting of civilian areas. There can be no respite
and we should be sanctioning anybody we think has had anything to
do with it.
I agree that ambiguity is not the same as no plan. The purpose
behind what Putin is doing now is to split the
alliance—everything he does is to split the alliance. What he
wants is for part of the alliance to get wobbly and worried about
the potential use of nuclear weapons and to start calling for
negotiations. The critical issue here is that all of the alliance
must remain united on the idea that we have a plan, but it is for
the Minister to judge whether we would ever use nuclear weapons,
not for us to say whether we would, and the alliance would stay
together.
I am most grateful to my right hon. Friend for his kind comments.
On his point about nuclear rhetoric, we have seen this pattern
before. President Putin uses it as a sabre to rattle, to try to
deter us and distract our efforts in Ukraine. It simply will not
work because, fundamentally, NATO is a nuclear defensive
alliance, and it will be for all the time that nuclear weapons
exist. It is one that has been successful, and it is one that
President Putin should take notice of. What is important at this
moment in time, as we talk about the nuclear sabre-rattling, is
that we stay calm, analyse the situation as it is and demand that
he steps back from this dangerous nuclear rhetoric, so that there
cannot be any miscalculation on any side as we move forward.
On war crimes, I fundamentally agree with what my right hon.
Friend said. We will do everything to bring to justice those who
have perpetuated these horrific crimes, which go against every
aspect of the Geneva convention. Every day that this war goes on,
more and more war crimes are committed.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson, .
(Angus) (SNP)
I am pleased to welcome the new Minister to his place. These
barbaric attacks by Russia on Ukraine’s civilian population and
infrastructure, together with its extremely unwelcome nuclear
rhetoric, demonstrate the renewed urgency with which Ukraine’s
defensive capabilities need to be upgraded, particularly its air
defences, such as that which Germany and the United States are
sending. What anti-air assets is the UK sending, and how can that
be accelerated and increased?
Moreover, is the UK, like Estonia, preparing to send more winter
equipment to assist defensive operations in Ukraine throughout
its long, harsh winter? Similarly, what further assistance will
the world-leading cold weather combat specialists 45 Commando,
based in Arbroath, be tasked with to support Ukraine’s defence
forces in their winter combat operations? The Minister attempted
to justify the halving of numbers in Estonia by saying that this
is not a numbers game, but of course force strength is all about
the numbers, and I wonder how he thinks they will be viewing that
in Estonia and Moscow. Perhaps he can explain to the House what
recent behaviour from Russia has indicated a lessening threat to
our NATO allies on the eastern flank, from whom the UK appears to
be shamelessly walking away.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind comments. On Estonia, we
are not talking about the UK walking away from a NATO ally; this
is about NATO defence, and NATO operations that vary over time.
We work with our allies. I have recently been to these countries,
and have seen the exercises taking place and how we play a part
in them. We should not focus on just one area and then suggest
that we have walked away; we have not.
On the hon. Gentleman’s air defence questions, of course we have
Stormer vehicles and Starstreak missiles. We remain committed to
delivering what Ukraine needs, when it asks for it, in the light
of how, tactically, it can best be used. Operational capabilities
are the subject of constant conversation between the Ukrainian
and British Governments. On cold weather preparation, we are
working exceptionally closely with the Ukrainians to supply them
with the equipment and training that they need to get through
this winter.
(North Somerset) (Con)
I am delighted to see my right hon. Friend in his position. He
talked about the coalition of countries that have been helping
Ukraine to defend itself, which includes the United
Kingdom—something of which we should be very proud. Will he
confirm that Iran has supplied Mohajer-6 and Shahed-series
unmanned aerial vehicles to Russia? What other countries are
giving logistical support and weaponry to Russia in its war of
choice against the Ukrainian people?
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for his comments. I hope
that he will forgive me if I cannot answer that question
directly; I will write to him when I have the facts and the
answers.
(Lewisham West and Penge)
(Lab)
Yesterday, I was talking to Natalia, a Ukrainian teacher who came
to my constituency with her seven-year-old twins when the war
broke out. She watched in horror over the weekend as bombs rained
down on her home city of Kyiv. Her husband and mother are hiding
in a bomb shelter. Natalia’s six-month placement under the Homes
for Ukraine scheme is at an end, and she is terrified of having
to return with her children. What conversations has the Minister
had with his colleagues in the Home Office and in the Ministry of
Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that those
who have fled war do not face homelessness as placements come to
an end?
The hon. Lady raises an important issue, which was mentioned
earlier. If she sends me the exact details, I will talk to
colleagues in the Home Office.
(Gloucester) (Con)
Events on the edge of Ukraine have become more and more alarming
over the last few days. Clearly there is a major role for NATO in
trying to bring back a peaceful situation. What information can
the Minister, whom I congratulate on his new position, share with
us today on talks that we have had with countries such as China
and India, which may have useful leverage with Putin?
Of course, the response to the situation in Ukraine is
Government-wide; it involves the Foreign Office as much as the
Ministry of Defence. Responsibility for the relationships that my
hon. Friend mentions sits in the Foreign Office, and I am sure
that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will have heard
his comments.
(Leeds Central) (Lab)
Do the Government regard the Kerch bridge, which links Russia
with Ukrainian territory seized by Russia in 2014, and which was
attacked over the weekend, as a legitimate military target? Would
the Minister care to contrast that target with the pictures we
saw yesterday of a large missile crater in Kyiv, right next to a
children’s playground?
Of course, Crimea is Ukrainian territory that has been invaded.
Any allegations about what happened at the bridge, and any
questions about what is behind the attack, are for the Ukrainians
to answer, but what happened at Kyiv is simply a war crime. We
will make every effort to hunt down the people responsible and to
bring them to justice.
(New Forest East) (Con)
My right hon. Friend is a reassuring presence at the Dispatch
Box, and I congratulate him on his recent appointment to his
post. Does he agree that all that will deter Putin from the use
of nuclear weapons is the thought that: a) they may be
ineffective; and b) their use may not result in the west
withdrawing its military support for Ukraine, which is what has
enabled it to resist successfully so far? Is it not therefore
imperative that the west makes it clear that the support will
continue? Did he note the remarks of General David Petraeus, who
said that western support, in conventional terms, would be
redoubled if Putin made any such move?
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for his kind comments.
Indeed, General Petraeus really just outlines the situation
overall that NATO is united. It is a defensive force and a
nuclear defensive force. I am proud that this country has had a
constant at-sea nuclear deterrent for almost 54 years.
Statistically, that is deemed to be impossible, but it is
something we have achieved and continue to achieve. That acts as
a major counterbalance to any leader of a country who may be
thinking that nuclear weapons may be something to use. The policy
has been shown to work, but we have to calm down and take the air
out of the talk about where we are moving with the nuclear
rhetoric. It is highly irresponsible of the Kremlin to be upping
the rhetoric on nuclear weapons, and I hope that it will draw
back from those comments, because the last thing we want to see
is any miscalculation and we must make sure that it does
everything to take it out. Fundamentally, to answer my right hon.
Friend, the NATO alliance is showing just how united it is and
that it will stand up to this level of nuclear threat.
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(LD)
I thank the right hon. Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood)
for tabling this urgent question on the enormously important
issues that we have been discussing. I must disagree with his
suggestion in newspapers today that we reconsider no-fly zones
over Ukraine’s cities and critical national infrastructure, and
expediting Ukraine’s membership of NATO. Putin is ever weaker at
home in Russia, and while this is a failed operation in Ukraine
against Ukraine, his popularity could grow significantly in
Russia if his attempts to paint this as a NATO-Russia conflict
are successful. Can the Minister outline what further steps the
Government intend to take to ensure that we and all of our NATO
allies are as one in deciding what additional support can be
provided to Ukraine?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his comments, and I think
his attitude to no-fly zones and NATO membership is based in
reality. What we are seeing is the NATO alliance and other allies
around the world determined to give the support that we can give
to Ukraine. There is no suggestion of backing down on that
support, and we have support from outside the NATO allies. It is
an international coalition that is helping to train Ukrainian
troops, helping to contribute towards the international funds
and, indeed, supplying lethal and non-lethal aid, and that
alliance is growing stronger.
(Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale
and Tweeddale) (Con)
I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial
Interests.
During the recess, I had the opportunity to travel to Lviv and
Kyiv to see the work of the HALO Trust, which is a charity based
in my constituency that focuses on de-mining and attempting to
bring areas back to a degree of normality. I was struck by two
things in Ukraine. One was the gratitude of the people for the
support that this country has given during the conflict, but the
other was their efforts to bring about a degree of normality.
Does the Minister agree that yesterday’s events were a deliberate
attempt by Russia to disrupt the normality that civilians are
trying to achieve in these cities and across Ukraine? Does he
acknowledge that they are indeed war crimes because they are
focused on civilians? Does he also agree with me that, given the
resolve that the people of Ukraine have shown to date, they will
not succeed?
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend and, yes, I agree with what
he has said. Indeed, last Tuesday I visited Ukrainians being
trained by our forces in north Yorkshire, and I managed to speak
to some who were on day one of their training. What struck me was
their determination, no matter their age, to make sure that their
country, their sovereign land, their families and their lives
will be returned to normal, and they will fight back against this
enemy, so I completely agree with what my right hon. Friend
said.
(Rhondda) (Lab)
I warmly congratulate the Minister. He looks very comfortable at
the Dispatch Box, although obviously we do not want him to feel
too comfortable there. He is right to say that Putin’s targets
yesterday were either deliberate or deliberately indiscriminate,
and either way that amounts to a war crime.
May I ask him about Elon Musk, who seems to be playing a double
game at the moment, and whose tweet earlier this week was
profoundly unhelpful? There are also questions about why there
have been outages of the Starlink system, which may have made
bigger difficulties for Ukraine. Is there a moment at which we
might have to consider sanctioning Elon Musk?
Sanctions remain under review at all times, and everything will
be taken into consideration in the round. We must always ensure
that we are well aware of all the facts rather than just reacting
to social media, and then those things can be looked at,
including whether any sanctions would be appropriate.
(Cheltenham) (Con)
I warmly welcome the Minister to his post.
Today is Ukraine Day at Cheltenham literature festival, and this
morning I had the extraordinary privilege of meeting musicians,
poets and writers who have travelled from bombarded cities to
come to Cheltenham to perform. Will the Minister join me in
thanking the British Council and Cheltenham literature festival
for ensuring that our support is not just military, but extends
to supporting the culture of that great country?
I am delighted to do that. I know my hon. and learned Friend will
have been deeply involved with his constituents and the
Ukrainians, and that his office will have given them the warmest
welcome possible.
(Chesterfield) (Lab)
Putin’s murderous actions over the weekend are a surefire sign of
his desperation, which comes partly from the host of desertions
among the Russian military, including from an army, thought to be
his pride, that is in retreat. Should we be making the point that
every person in Russian uniform who commits a war crime will be
sought, not just those in positions of power, and should we be
doing everything we can to increase the scale of Russian
desertions and undermine Putin’s campaign that way?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman and I completely agree with
him. We must not underestimate the scale of the atrocities that
are being committed, which are war crimes. Many Members of the
House have served in the military, and many have been in the
battlefield. They are trained to the laws of the Geneva
convention and the laws of the battlefield, as are many people in
Russia—certainly the Russian leaders will know those laws. There
are consequences to breaking them, and I am proud that we are
putting funding, investment and resources into the International
Criminal Court to bring those who do so to court. I know that
whatever we do will have support across the House. We have to say
that it does not matter who someone is, from a squaddie to a
general—if they have committed a war crime, we will find them and
send them to prison. If they do not believe that, they should
remember that we are still sending former SS officers who are
almost in their hundreds to prison today.
(North Wiltshire) (Con)
The Russian doctrine of escalate to de-escalate almost certainly
means that when the rats are cornered—and the rat Putin and his
rat-like friends are cornered right now—they will lash out. That
is almost without question. I hope the Minister is right in
thinking that that will not necessarily be a nuclear lash-out—I
think that is unlikely, although we must be ready for it—but
there are many other ways he could lash out, including with
cyber, chemical and biological weapons, or economic weapons. That
might involve covert operations beyond Ukraine, not necessarily
in Ukraine itself. What preparations has the Ministry of Defence
made? I do not want details, which the Minister will quite
rightly not tell us, but I hope the MOD is making careful
preparations for all sorts of hybrid warfare that may now occur,
including in places other than Ukraine.
My hon. Friend raises points that we have spoken about many times
in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and he will be aware that
chemical, biological, hybrid and cyber warfare are certainly in
our military planning and strategy, as indeed are nuclear
weapons. Huge amounts of resources go into cyber capability and
other such areas. Indeed, part of the memorandum that the former
Prime Minister signed with Finland and Sweden was to give support
in those areas if they were to be attacked. Overall, I assure my
hon. Friend that all those issues are discussed in the round. I
could not comment on specific operational capabilities, but I
hope I can reassure him that those issues are treated just as
seriously.
(Putney) (Lab)
I went to Kyiv recently with a group of other parliamentarians,
and there was no conversation that did not include the need for
justice and the need to take all war criminals to court. What
discussions has the Minister had about not just freezing assets
but seizing and repurposing them to rebuild Ukraine? Has he had
discussions about a special tribunal to work alongside the ICC to
prosecute acts of aggression and bring more perpetrators to
justice?
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for the intent of her questions. I
have not had those discussions—obviously, I am early in the
role—but I will take those comments back to other Ministers.
Overall, that question goes to allies and the international
community—it is not just about our approach, because it is not
just this country seizing assets and sanctioning, and it is not
just this country that will be involved in taking things forward
with the ICC. I cannot answer her questions specifically, but I
am sure that colleagues have heard her and, if she would like to
write to me with more details, I would be happy to respond.
(Huntingdon) (Con)
As Russia loses on the battlefield, it seems to be engaging in
retribution through missile attacks on civilian areas. When the
all-party parliamentary group on Ukraine recently went to Kyiv,
the Defence Minister said to us that if refugees are to be
encouraged to move back to Ukraine and internally displaced
persons are to be encouraged to move back to reoccupied areas,
defence against missile attack will become essential. Other
countries are looking at that seriously and providing
anti-missile support. Will we do so as well?
Indeed, and we are already supplying levels of air support. What
I said earlier remains relevant: we will continue to work with
the Ukrainians to try to deliver what they need to defend their
country. We are already supplying air defence systems.
(Belfast East) (DUP)
I wish the Minister well as he takes up his new role. He is right
to say that we have engaged with and are responding to the
requests from Ukraine, but he should know that when we provided
Starstreaks and NLAWs, which are made in my constituency, we did
so in the face of a request for the imposition of a no-fly zone,
and we did not go that far. Even though we are giving
surface-to-air missiles and air defence capabilities, Ukraine is,
today and yesterday, still asking for more. This morning, the US
announced that it would provide new high mobility artillery
rocket systems for greater air defence capacity. Will the
Minister assure us—if not today on the Floor of the House then in
the coming days—that he will engage to ensure that we are
responding to the requests that Ukraine is making?
We are indeed responding to as many requests as we can from
Ukraine. The Government’s policy on no-fly zones remains the
same; it has not changed. However, wars and conflicts develop
over time and we are seeing large advances. We will also see a
change in the weather as winter sets in. All of those things
create a different operational demand from what was taking place
three months ago. We therefore work closely with our Ukrainian
colleagues to try to deliver to them what they need to carry out
operations successfully.
(North West Leicestershire)
(Con)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that despite President Putin’s
heightened rhetoric and threats to use nuclear weapons
irresponsibly in Ukraine, that may just be further maskirovka?
His track record shows that, in desperation, he is far more
likely to resort to chemical weapons. What should NATO’s response
be to that?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who characterises the actions of
President Putin in desperation quite well. The reality is that
NATO treats all weapons of mass destruction with the same
seriousness and that, operationally, how to respond to such
things is discussed constantly. Again, I may have to disappoint
my hon. Friend. It would be foolish to outline exactly what the
response would be to any weapon of mass destruction because, if
President Putin does not know what the consequences would be, he
cannot make calculations about using them in the first place.
(Kingston upon Hull North)
(Lab)
I congratulate the Minister on his new role. Further to the
question put by my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham West and
Penge (), may I ask whether there
have been any discussions with the Department for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities, which is responsible for the Homes for
Ukraine scheme? Many councils are worried that they will have to
deal with homelessness among many of the Ukrainians who are here
on that scheme.
I am grateful to the right hon. Lady. That has not come across my
desk at this stage, but we will make sure that the Home Office
and DLUHC pick up on it.
(Barnsley Central) (Lab)
I welcome the Minister to his new role. Specifically in response
to the war in Ukraine, the Prime Minister made a commitment to
update the integrated review, and we now know that Professor
is leading a process from Downing
Street that aims to report before Christmas. Given the concern
expressed by Members across the House about potential loss of
capability and personnel, does the Minister think that it would
be prudent not to make any cuts to defence until we know what the
outcome of that review is going to be?
As the hon. Gentleman knows, it is a commitment of the Government
to increase spending on defence—to move to 3% by the end of the
2030s, with 2.5% on the way—but we have already increased defence
spending by £24 billion in real terms since 2020, and there are
no plans to cut the defence budget at this time.
(Weaver Vale) (Lab)
I welcome the Minister to his place. I had a conversation today
with the Local Government Association, which informed me that
1,915 Ukrainian families have presented as homeless—a point that
my hon. Friends have raised. Will the Minister have urgent
conversations with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities and the relevant Home Office Minister? It
really is life or death for many, and housing them will help
motivate the troops in Ukraine.
My colleagues and I will indeed take up the issues that are being
raised on the Floor of the House with the relevant Departments.
We will make sure that those conversations are taking place.
(East Antrim) (DUP)
Under Putin, Russia has become a terrorist state and a terrorist
sponsoring state, whether it is killing people in our own country
whom it regards as dissidents, blowing up infrastructure or now,
of course, rape and pillage across Ukraine. The latest act of
terror, of course, is terror from the skies. Can the Minister
give us an assurance that he will work with our Government and
with Governments across Europe to ensure that, if no-fly zones
are imposed across Ukraine, we will at least provide Ukraine with
the necessary defences to ensure that the terror from the skies
is dealt with effectively?
I can give that assurance to the right hon. Gentleman, because
that is indeed what we are doing. As I made clear earlier, the
Government’s position on no-fly zones remains unchanged, but we
are delivering air defence capability to the Ukrainians. We will
continue to deliver on that capability, along with other
international allies. As I know the hon. Gentleman appreciates, a
mix of equipment is going into Ukraine from various allies, and
that has to be in reaction to what the Ukrainians need. I am
trying to give him the reassurance that we are doing everything
we can with all international partners to deliver what the
Ukrainians need on the ground.
(Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
(Ind)
I congratulate the Minister on his new role. Given the situation
in Ukraine and wider volatility, will he at least agree to review
the decision to remove UK forces from Estonia, or is he unable to
do so because it forms part of wider armed forces cuts by his
Government, which are alarming our allies, undermining our
security and directly breaking a 2019 Conservative manifesto
commitment?
As I made clear earlier, we remain committed to the NATO alliance
and to providing what resources NATO needs, where and when they
are needed. The UK has not withdrawn from Estonia. We are still
involved in the Baltic states. We are involved in the joint
expeditionary force and the forward presence. It is not fair to
say that Britain is walking away from these countries, because we
are simply not.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
I welcome the Minister to his place; I think he is doing very
well this afternoon. This is probably the most perilous time that
I can remember, as a long-standing Member of the House. It is
dangerous and we should be very careful. He said that we should
lower the rhetoric and show quiet determination. On that note,
can we see more presence with the United States and the rest of
the NATO allies meeting together and showing quiet assurance
firmly against what is happening? This weekend, we saw the shift
politically of Russia to the extreme right, with the appointment
of a new general in charge. We are in perilous times.
I thank the hon. Gentleman—those are kind words from somebody of
his experience—and he is absolutely right to speak about the real
danger that the world is in, with Russia raising the nuclear
rhetoric, which does need to be brought back down. The most
important thing in defence and international affairs is patience,
calmness and deterrence. Not outlining clearly what our reactions
would be is an important part of a deterrent. The hon. Gentleman
is absolutely right that it is important that we carry on working
with allies, and the Secretary of State for Defence will meet
other Defence Ministers shortly. All those issues are about
making sure that we are united, have the best strategy and, of
course—I hope this reassures the hon. Gentleman —that we try to
de-escalate. We can all imagine some of the terrifying
consequences, but we hope that we can continue with what have
been successful policies for decades now and calm down the
rhetoric.
(Reading East) (Lab)
I welcome the Minister to his place. Following the dreadful
attacks this week, many Ukrainian families in Britain will
understandably be thinking again about when they will return
home. Further to the questions from my hon. Friend the Member for
Lewisham West and Penge () and my right hon. Friend the
Member for Kingston upon Hull North ( ), what additional support is
the Government considering for councils and local Ukrainian
community centres in the UK, which are doing so much to support
families at this very difficult time?
As I said, I cannot answer that question from the Dispatch Box,
but I will look into it and respond to the hon. Gentleman in
writing.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
With reports of nuclear plant employee, Valeriy Martynyuk, being
kidnapped by Russian forces and facing potential torture, what
support is the UK providing to secure his release?
We are getting back into the question of the horrific war crimes
that are taking place; we are working as closely as we can with
international allies in that area. This is of course a
diplomatic—as well as an MOD—issue, but across the alliance, we
are determined to pursue the perpetrators of kidnapping and
mutilation, which are clearly defined in the Geneva convention as
war crimes. We will prosecute, as the hon. Member for
Chesterfield (Mr Perkins) made clear. Whether it involves someone
of the most junior rank or the most senior officer, we will
pursue everybody. They should know and fear that, because if they
commit these crimes, the international community will pursue
them. It is still pursuing Nazi war criminals, bringing them to
justice and still imprisoning them. We will not stop.
Mr Speaker
Finally, I call the new grandfather, .
(Strangford) (DUP)
Thank you, Mr Speaker—it is always good to know that the Shannon
name is growing and, obviously, that will help in 18 years’ time
whenever they come to vote.
I welcome the Minister to his place, wish him well and thank him
for his answers. Has an assessment been done of how effectively
food and medical supplies are entering into the communities that
are on the outskirts of battle zones? How can we further step up
to help Ukrainian citizens who are fighting for freedom and
liberty and for their very lives?
I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on the new addition to his
family; I know that his grandchild will not have any problem in
having someone to give them a bedtime story.
The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that he asks a technical
question, and I will seek to answer him in writing on those
specific details.
Mr Speaker
I think it would be an Adjournment debate.
|
