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Secretary and his team of ministers. Order, order. Questions to the | :00:07. | :00:12. | |
Secretary of State for Defence. I hope you will allow me to add my | :00:13. | :00:32. | |
tributes to Jo Cox and her work. She pressed very hard consumers never be | :00:33. | :00:38. | |
forgotten. I will answer this question together with question 11. | :00:39. | :00:42. | |
Our Strategic Defence Review set ambitious plans to strengthen our | :00:43. | :00:47. | |
work with allies and partners to promote our security and | :00:48. | :00:52. | |
perspective. We will continue to lead in Nato, G-7, the United | :00:53. | :00:58. | |
Nations, and to maintain good relationships with the United States | :00:59. | :01:02. | |
and our other friends and allies around the world. My constituency, | :01:03. | :01:11. | |
my country, and people of my generation voted against Brexit, but | :01:12. | :01:15. | |
we are going to be dragged out of the European Union against our well. | :01:16. | :01:21. | |
in Afghanistan, Ukraine, across in Afghanistan, Ukraine, across | :01:22. | :01:26. | |
Africa and the vital role in the Mediterranean. What reassurance does | :01:27. | :01:30. | |
the Secretary of State have for Scotland and for young people that | :01:31. | :01:34. | |
this vital work will not be undermined by Google last Thursday? | :01:35. | :01:42. | |
-- by the vote last Thursday. The bedrock of defence rests on Nato and | :01:43. | :01:53. | |
the United Kingdom is committed to strengthening cooperation within | :01:54. | :01:58. | |
Nato and collective defence across the alliance. We will be adding | :01:59. | :02:04. | |
further reassurance to that at the Nato summit in Warsaw the week after | :02:05. | :02:16. | |
next. What a shambles. The Defence Secretary, that is not good enough. | :02:17. | :02:22. | |
You do not have a plan for Brexit. He confused position of his | :02:23. | :02:28. | |
Government, there is no plan on the table. Will we be like Norway? Can I | :02:29. | :02:33. | |
suggest that we look it that when it comes to defence and we opt in to EU | :02:34. | :02:44. | |
defence schemes. Norway remains a very valued member of the Nato | :02:45. | :02:51. | |
alliance and we will be intensifying our cooperation with countries like | :02:52. | :02:56. | |
that. It is true that membership of the European Union complemented our | :02:57. | :03:06. | |
membership of Nato and we are engaged in an operation in the | :03:07. | :03:09. | |
central Mediterranean, continuing to save lives there and to disrupt the | :03:10. | :03:16. | |
business model of the migrant smugglers from Libya to Africa. The | :03:17. | :03:20. | |
Royal Navy will continue that Haskell. -- continued that asked. | :03:21. | :03:29. | |
Our relationship with members of the EU will remain as strong as | :03:30. | :03:35. | |
yesterday even when we are not members. Is not all members of the | :03:36. | :03:40. | |
European Union are not members of Nato, the fact that we are back | :03:41. | :03:42. | |
corner stone of Nato stands for a corner stone of Nato stands for a | :03:43. | :03:49. | |
strong defence. To be a member of both is some duplication. We | :03:50. | :03:55. | |
continue to argue against duplication between the European | :03:56. | :04:01. | |
Union and Nato. My friend is right, we have important relationships with | :04:02. | :04:07. | |
other European countries. We have a treaty with France and growing | :04:08. | :04:13. | |
cooperation with Germany. I reassure the French and the German defence | :04:14. | :04:17. | |
work at those relationships and to work at those relationships and to | :04:18. | :04:25. | |
strengthen them. Thank you, Mr Speaker. In light of the result last | :04:26. | :04:29. | |
week, will the Secretary of State reassure me that the United Kingdom | :04:30. | :04:34. | |
remains is committed to article five of the north Atlantic to the in both | :04:35. | :04:39. | |
the conventional and nuclear sense for allies in the eastern part of | :04:40. | :04:44. | |
Europe? Absolutely. That is a central commitment of Nato. We have | :04:45. | :04:52. | |
committed to the 2% Nato defence spending targets and we will be | :04:53. | :05:00. | |
offering further reassurance, particularly to members of the | :05:01. | :05:05. | |
eastern flank of Nato, when it comes to the Walsall Summit on Friday. | :05:06. | :05:13. | |
Given the bombing by President Bhutto over the weekends and the | :05:14. | :05:19. | |
role that written plagues in sanctions against him, how concerned | :05:20. | :05:25. | |
is he about the impact on the referendum result on European | :05:26. | :05:27. | |
solidarity standing up to Putin. solidarity standing up to Putin. | :05:28. | :05:36. | |
President Putin. Russia has intervened in the Syrian Civil War | :05:37. | :05:40. | |
and it is important it is held to account. We took the lead in not | :05:41. | :05:46. | |
only proposing but insuring that the sanctions imposed on Russia for | :05:47. | :05:53. | |
their actions are continued. They are continued for the moment but | :05:54. | :05:57. | |
once we are outside the European Union are in over that will be | :05:58. | :06:03. | |
diminished. Does my right honourable friend agree that the upcoming | :06:04. | :06:07. | |
negotiation on leaving the EU presents a huge opportunity to | :06:08. | :06:13. | |
redouble our efforts at cooperation with our EU friends and allies? | :06:14. | :06:21. | |
What plans does my right honourable friend have to protect cross-border | :06:22. | :06:36. | |
investments? We will continue the cooperation and I have already set | :06:37. | :06:43. | |
the growing cooperation that we had the growing cooperation that we had | :06:44. | :06:46. | |
with Germany and indeed with other European countries. Our recent | :06:47. | :06:50. | |
Strategic Defence Review is international by design and | :06:51. | :06:57. | |
prioritises working more closely with allies. As far as European | :06:58. | :07:03. | |
companies that are invested here, they see a rise in defence budget | :07:04. | :07:08. | |
here and we hope they will continue to invest here is to compete for the | :07:09. | :07:12. | |
various tenders we are making available. Our military alliances | :07:13. | :07:19. | |
lie on diplomatic ties with our European neighbours. What steps is | :07:20. | :07:23. | |
the Secretary of State taking to ensure our Brexit negotiations do | :07:24. | :07:27. | |
not sour these relationships and weekend are alliances? I have spoken | :07:28. | :07:36. | |
to all my fellow defence ministers in these key relationships and we | :07:37. | :07:41. | |
will have to work hard to ensure that those bilateral relationships | :07:42. | :07:47. | |
are kept in good repair. We have strong defence relationships and | :07:48. | :07:50. | |
defence sections in embassies across Europe and we will have to look it | :07:51. | :07:56. | |
these individually to make sure that in the Brexit negotiations that that | :07:57. | :08:01. | |
kind of operation, the joint training and exercises and | :08:02. | :08:04. | |
cooperation on capabilities, that none of that is put at risk. What | :08:05. | :08:13. | |
representations has my right honourable friend received from our | :08:14. | :08:18. | |
allies and defence partners about meaning Trident, which the new | :08:19. | :08:21. | |
Shadow Defence Secretary described as being a monumental mistake that | :08:22. | :08:26. | |
our country and planet cannot afford? Is my honourable friend | :08:27. | :08:33. | |
knows, we are committed in our manifesto to replacing the four | :08:34. | :08:40. | |
Trident submarines and I hope that Parliament will be able to endorse | :08:41. | :08:42. | |
the principle of that replacement shortly. Our allies can rest assured | :08:43. | :08:50. | |
that our commitment to Nato and our commitment as he nuclear power to | :08:51. | :08:56. | |
Nato is not altered by the result of the referendum. The Secretary of | :08:57. | :09:03. | |
State will be a way that is the pound plummets against the dollar, | :09:04. | :09:11. | |
the cost of procuring items will soar. There will be consequences for | :09:12. | :09:17. | |
the procurement, including the already delayed type 26 programme. | :09:18. | :09:24. | |
The Government said there would be a cut to the defence budget in terms | :09:25. | :09:28. | |
of Brexit. When and where will that axe fall and what will be tell our | :09:29. | :09:34. | |
allies that the worst of summit, every one of whom was convinced we | :09:35. | :09:38. | |
should remain within the European Union. -- Warsaw Summit. All the | :09:39. | :09:45. | |
defence ministers around the world wanted us to stay within the | :09:46. | :09:49. | |
European Union, but the British people made their decision. As far | :09:50. | :09:53. | |
as the equipment programme is concerned, we're negotiating for | :09:54. | :09:58. | |
maritime patrol aircraft and for the first leg 35s to fly of the | :09:59. | :10:05. | |
carriers. I hope that that will be concluded soon. Scotland faces the | :10:06. | :10:11. | |
prospect of being taken out of the European Union against its will. Can | :10:12. | :10:16. | |
I remind the Secretary of State of the first page of the 2015 document | :10:17. | :10:25. | |
where it said economic security goes hand-in-hand with economic security. | :10:26. | :10:29. | |
The European Union was an integral part and it is strategically | :10:30. | :10:34. | |
valuable for implementing our defences security obligations. Given | :10:35. | :10:40. | |
that Brexit won the referendum and the economy is in freefall, what | :10:41. | :10:45. | |
plans does he have to review that 2015 plan? I am disappointed he | :10:46. | :10:51. | |
should be talking down the British economy. So many jobs in Scotland | :10:52. | :11:01. | |
depend on it. I would caution his depend on it. I would caution | :11:02. | :11:05. | |
party against talking down an party against talking down an | :11:06. | :11:09. | |
economy that all our constituents depend. Our national security is, of | :11:10. | :11:18. | |
course, the security of the United Kingdom, including that of Scotland. | :11:19. | :11:26. | |
In defence questions before I take my new post, can I start... At what | :11:27. | :11:38. | |
will be my last defence questions before I take up minute post, can I | :11:39. | :11:43. | |
start by thanking the Secretary of State and his office for all the | :11:44. | :11:46. | |
cooperation he has given in the six months I have been in this role? | :11:47. | :11:50. | |
Whether it has been in arranging trips to Army bases are providing | :11:51. | :11:56. | |
briefings in the fight against serve-mac two, he has been a | :11:57. | :12:02. | |
generous opponent to stop -- Two. The thought of anyone in this house | :12:03. | :12:05. | |
should be on how we can reassure the British people that we can keep the | :12:06. | :12:09. | |
country safe and secure in the wake of Brexit. It is something we need | :12:10. | :12:12. | |
to put together on and work together on. Not just within our own parties, | :12:13. | :12:16. | |
but across the house as a whole. Can the Secretary of State please | :12:17. | :12:20. | |
reassure us that leaving the EU will not put an end to participation in | :12:21. | :12:25. | |
joint security missions with our European partners? He has mentioned | :12:26. | :12:29. | |
the mission in the Mediterranean, but can I also ask him particularly | :12:30. | :12:33. | |
about the highly successful counter piracy mission in the Horn of | :12:34. | :12:39. | |
Africa? I'm grateful to the Honourable Lady for her generous | :12:40. | :12:42. | |
remarks and congratulate her on her move. And we will welcome the new | :12:43. | :12:52. | |
Shadow Defence Secretary. I think he is a wall on his first parade, but | :12:53. | :13:00. | |
we will welcome him and paid tribute to his service in uniform. He will | :13:01. | :13:06. | |
be the fourth Shadow Defence Secretary I have seen in under two | :13:07. | :13:13. | |
years, but I hope he lasts. Let me say to the Honourable Lady, yes, it | :13:14. | :13:17. | |
is very important that we reassure our allies in Europe and around the | :13:18. | :13:21. | |
world that Britain is not turning its back on them, on the contrary, | :13:22. | :13:27. | |
we are still playing a leading role in the world, and that includes work | :13:28. | :13:31. | |
in some of the vital operations in the Mediterranean and the Horn of | :13:32. | :13:37. | |
Africa, some of which are led by Nato, others of which are led by the | :13:38. | :13:41. | |
European Union. I thank the Secretary of State for his answer | :13:42. | :13:44. | |
and is generous words, and I shall pass on his comments to the new | :13:45. | :13:47. | |
Shadow Secretary of State for defence when he takes up his post | :13:48. | :13:50. | |
this afternoon. They are typical of the way he and his office have | :13:51. | :13:53. | |
worked. One particular concern that many people have is around the | :13:54. | :13:58. | |
implications of Brexit for our border controls. What will happen to | :13:59. | :14:02. | |
our border control of Calais? What will happen to the Common travel | :14:03. | :14:07. | |
area with Ireland? And will be cooperation we currently receive | :14:08. | :14:09. | |
from our European counterparts in respect to tackling illegal | :14:10. | :14:14. | |
immigration be maintained? Can the Secretary of State tell us how we | :14:15. | :14:17. | |
will go but resolving these issues? Will be Armed Forces play a role in | :14:18. | :14:21. | |
that, and in what way can we keep our borders safe and secure? I | :14:22. | :14:28. | |
counted six questions to which I know the honourable gentleman will | :14:29. | :14:30. | |
make a pithy response because we must make progress to other | :14:31. | :14:33. | |
Honorourable Members who also have questions on the order paper, | :14:34. | :14:35. | |
something it would have been good to remember earlier. Noting that the | :14:36. | :14:43. | |
honourable lady has spawned her defence review because - it is | :14:44. | :14:47. | |
important to live party sticks together and as United". -- it is | :14:48. | :14:54. | |
important the Labour Party sticks together. Britain will play its part | :14:55. | :15:04. | |
in assisting the border force and other organisations like Nato in | :15:05. | :15:06. | |
dealing with people smuggling and illegal migration, which she asks. | :15:07. | :15:16. | |
Mr Speaker, this Government is committed to sustaining ship | :15:17. | :15:19. | |
building skills on the Clyde. As we confirmed in the strategic defence | :15:20. | :15:23. | |
and security review last September, we will build two additional | :15:24. | :15:25. | |
offshore patrol vessels before build work starts on the Type 26. This | :15:26. | :15:31. | |
will help sustain shipbuilding skills between completion of major | :15:32. | :15:36. | |
blocks of the Queen Elizabeth class carriers, and commencement of Type | :15:37. | :15:40. | |
26 build. That remains the case, this plan has not changed, and over | :15:41. | :15:44. | |
the next decade we will spend around ?1 billion on Royal Navy warships. | :15:45. | :15:54. | |
-- ?8 billion. As my honourable colleague pointed out, the pound is | :15:55. | :15:56. | |
in freefall, and every fall against the dollar makes purchasing either | :15:57. | :16:04. | |
aircraft or the F-35 more expensive. Workers in the Clyde shipyards had | :16:05. | :16:08. | |
seen orders cut by 80 present already, and the current crisis | :16:09. | :16:13. | |
makes their situation worse. Can the Minister reassure me and those on | :16:14. | :16:17. | |
the shop floor in Govan that the Type 26 programme will begin as soon | :16:18. | :16:22. | |
as possible and not in 2019 as some have suggested? We have already | :16:23. | :16:29. | |
invested 1.6 billion in Type 26, including ?427 million this March. I | :16:30. | :16:34. | |
have to say to the Honourable Lady as gently as I can that this | :16:35. | :16:37. | |
commitment could not have been made of her friends had had their way and | :16:38. | :16:41. | |
had become independent when shipbuilding would have ceased to | :16:42. | :16:46. | |
months ago. The Minister will remember that radius shipbuilding | :16:47. | :16:52. | |
projects, in particular the carriers and the type 45 destroyers, ended up | :16:53. | :16:55. | |
being much more expensive because of delays. Does he accept that BAE | :16:56. | :17:01. | |
Systems is ready to start cutting steel on the Type 26 programme | :17:02. | :17:07. | |
relatively soon, and that delays will cause our total number of | :17:08. | :17:11. | |
warships to dip, and the ones we eventually get will be more | :17:12. | :17:17. | |
expensive? I would say to my honourable friend, who is | :17:18. | :17:19. | |
knowledgeable about these matters, this will be one of the largest | :17:20. | :17:24. | |
defence programmes that this Government will enter, and he will | :17:25. | :17:29. | |
agree with me that it is absolutely right to enter into a contract once | :17:30. | :17:33. | |
we are confident of the delivery schedule and the ability of the | :17:34. | :17:38. | |
contractors meet that schedule on a cost-effective basis. Once we're in | :17:39. | :17:41. | |
that position will be ready to contract. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The | :17:42. | :17:48. | |
Clyde was promised a world-class frigate factory, one to build 30 new | :17:49. | :17:57. | |
frigates for the UK. However, today, Mr Speaker, we hear what has been | :17:58. | :18:00. | |
delayed by a year. There are thousands of members of staff on | :18:01. | :18:04. | |
secondment around the country because there isn't enough work in | :18:05. | :18:09. | |
the shipyards, and the word betrayal rings around those shipyards and is | :18:10. | :18:13. | |
now factory has appeared, no work has started. We have asked in the | :18:14. | :18:18. | |
past four plans for the frigate building programme and for promises | :18:19. | :18:22. | |
that all work will be carried out on the Clyde. Questions have gone | :18:23. | :18:30. | |
unanswered. I ask... So I asked the Secretary of State when precisely he | :18:31. | :18:35. | |
will present a committed plan to build the new frigates we need, with | :18:36. | :18:41. | |
cast-iron timescales to bring some security to the workforce in Glasgow | :18:42. | :18:48. | |
and around the country. Brief response from the Minister, and we | :18:49. | :18:53. | |
will move on. As I have already indicated today, this Government has | :18:54. | :18:57. | |
already contracted significant sums into this programme. Once we're in a | :18:58. | :19:01. | |
position to sign a contract, that is when we say what the duration of the | :19:02. | :19:04. | |
build programme will be, and we are not there yet. Question number | :19:05. | :19:13. | |
three, Mr Speaker. With permission, I will answer this question with | :19:14. | :19:19. | |
another. Meeting takes place on the 20th of July, the campaign against | :19:20. | :19:24. | |
Daesh is making progress, with Coalition support and Iraqi forces | :19:25. | :19:30. | |
now hold Ramadi, the engaged in clearing Daesh from Falluja, and | :19:31. | :19:34. | |
undertaking preparations for retaking muzzle. The Syrian | :19:35. | :19:39. | |
Democratic forces are currently undertaking... Can my honourable | :19:40. | :19:43. | |
friend and from that Britain is playing the second biggest part in | :19:44. | :19:47. | |
the Coalition after the United States of America, and that our | :19:48. | :19:50. | |
involvement is making a real difference to the fight against | :19:51. | :19:55. | |
Daesh? Yes, the United Kingdom is playing a significant role in the | :19:56. | :19:58. | |
Coalition, I am pleased to confirm that. The RAF has undertaken more | :19:59. | :20:03. | |
strikes in Iraq and since December in Syria than any other Coalition | :20:04. | :20:09. | |
nation apart from the United States. We now have over 1100 service | :20:10. | :20:13. | |
personnel supporting operations in the region, and that is making a | :20:14. | :20:16. | |
real difference to the amount of the campaign. What assistance is the | :20:17. | :20:22. | |
Government providing to Jordanian authorities in light of the recent | :20:23. | :20:26. | |
deterioration in security there, and especially in light of the recent | :20:27. | :20:30. | |
suicide attack killing six soldiers outside the refugee camp? We have a | :20:31. | :20:35. | |
very strong defence relationship with Jordan that includes work on | :20:36. | :20:42. | |
training forces together, and we will obviously continue to keep that | :20:43. | :20:46. | |
under review, not least because of the pressure on the Jordanian and | :20:47. | :20:53. | |
Syrian border. Last week it was reported that US fighter jets were | :20:54. | :20:55. | |
scrambled to intercept Russian bombers attacking American backed | :20:56. | :21:02. | |
rebels in Syria. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to the | :21:03. | :21:07. | |
conflict competing Allied air forces in the campaign against Daesh? There | :21:08. | :21:13. | |
is a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Russia | :21:14. | :21:19. | |
about the conduct of their operations. We do not cooperate with | :21:20. | :21:22. | |
Russia, but there is a mechanism which we can avoid this kind of | :21:23. | :21:26. | |
conflict. But these is the way to avoid it would be for Russia to stop | :21:27. | :21:31. | |
assisting the regime and to stop bombing innocent civilians. | :21:32. | :21:38. | |
Opposition activists and Kurdish officials have said that hundreds of | :21:39. | :21:45. | |
cards half leading -- hundreds of Kurds are fleeing their homes. If | :21:46. | :21:51. | |
This Place is captured Adobe the biggest strategic defeat for Daesh | :21:52. | :21:57. | |
in Syria. Can the Secretary of State comment on this situation, | :21:58. | :22:02. | |
particularly that that I have described for Kurdish civilians who | :22:03. | :22:06. | |
are being abducted in the hundreds? They are, that is why we need to | :22:07. | :22:09. | |
bring this terrible conflict in Syria to an end. Progress is being | :22:10. | :22:14. | |
made by the Syrian Democratic forces in closing of what is called the | :22:15. | :22:20. | |
pocket, and breaking the supply line up to the Turkish border, which | :22:21. | :22:27. | |
restricts the ability of Daesh to trade oil illegally across the | :22:28. | :22:30. | |
border or to recruit foreign fighters the other way. Progress is | :22:31. | :22:37. | |
being made there, and I hope that one day when it is recaptured, those | :22:38. | :22:41. | |
same forces can then move on to other areas. What discussion is | :22:42. | :22:53. | |
having with our allies to cut off funding to Daesh? International | :22:54. | :22:59. | |
efforts are underway to restrict the ability of Daesh to raise money from | :23:00. | :23:04. | |
selling oil or artefacts or anything else on the... Or to access other | :23:05. | :23:10. | |
funding on international markets. That is work that requires | :23:11. | :23:15. | |
cooperation right across the Coalition, and it is working which | :23:16. | :23:18. | |
the native kingdom is playing a leading part. While we have been | :23:19. | :23:28. | |
otherwise preoccupied, the atrocities that have been carried | :23:29. | :23:33. | |
out by Daesh over the last few weeks remain deeply worrying. Will the | :23:34. | :23:39. | |
Secretary of State of an undertaking that he will cooperate through Nato, | :23:40. | :23:43. | |
bilaterally with other European allies, and take such strategic | :23:44. | :23:50. | |
action unilaterally to make sure that everything is done to try to | :23:51. | :23:54. | |
stop this up falling, these appalling atrocities? Yes, we are | :23:55. | :23:59. | |
facing a most barbarous enemy that is not simply torturing and killing | :24:00. | :24:04. | |
innocent civilians in Syria and Iraq but still poses a very direct threat | :24:05. | :24:10. | |
to us here in Western Europe on the first anniversary, Mr Speaker, of | :24:11. | :24:18. | |
the slaughter of 30 other subjects in Sousse a year ago. Whether it is | :24:19. | :24:23. | |
through the international Coalition, through the use of Nato assets, | :24:24. | :24:27. | |
through other bilateral frameworks, let me reassure the gentleman mac | :24:28. | :24:34. | |
that we are absolutely committed to the fight and eventual defeat and | :24:35. | :24:45. | |
degradation of Daesh. The 20 13th Trident alternatives review | :24:46. | :24:47. | |
considered alternative systems and postures for the United Kingdom's | :24:48. | :24:51. | |
nuclear deterrent. And it concluded that no alternative is as capable or | :24:52. | :24:58. | |
offers the same degree of resilience as continuous at sea deterrence. I | :24:59. | :25:04. | |
thank my honourable friend for that answer. Some have expressed concern | :25:05. | :25:09. | |
that with advancing technology are submarines can now be detected and | :25:10. | :25:13. | |
discovered by underwater drones. Can my honourable friend assure me that | :25:14. | :25:19. | |
this is not in fact the case? Yes. We are confident that our submarine | :25:20. | :25:23. | |
fleet is remains safe and secure. We devote considerable resources to | :25:24. | :25:27. | |
assessing capabilities and new technologies that could threaten the | :25:28. | :25:30. | |
operation of a deterrent, including intentional threats, development of | :25:31. | :25:36. | |
cyber and unmanned underwater vehicles. I'm happy to reassure my | :25:37. | :25:40. | |
Honourable Friend on precisely that point. Whoever standard our dispatch | :25:41. | :25:47. | |
box or his, there is a cast-iron majority to do the right thing by | :25:48. | :25:54. | |
trident's successor, and to reach out roads to defend our nation | :25:55. | :25:58. | |
rather than turn inwards. Will devote still happen before summer | :25:59. | :26:00. | |
recess? I am grateful to the Honourable | :26:01. | :26:10. | |
Gentleman. There is clearly a majority. There is a majority in | :26:11. | :26:16. | |
this House and I believe it is right that this House should vote on the | :26:17. | :26:21. | |
principle of the renewal of the deterrent and I hope he will not | :26:22. | :26:32. | |
26 frigates are behind schedule. The 26 frigates are behind schedule. The | :26:33. | :26:38. | |
Navy is said to have ran out of money. Given the state of the | :26:39. | :26:43. | |
economy as of last Friday, can he give us assurance that they can run | :26:44. | :26:53. | |
out of money for Trident as well? These get drilled for the type 26 | :26:54. | :26:58. | |
has not been set. The ships will cost between half a billion and ?1 | :26:59. | :27:04. | |
billion each. I am not going to sign a contract for the ships until I'm | :27:05. | :27:10. | |
satisfied that they represent good value for the Royal Navy and for the | :27:11. | :27:25. | |
taxpayer. In January the department published an Armed Forces families | :27:26. | :27:29. | |
strategy, embracing seven key themes. Employment, accommodation, | :27:30. | :27:38. | |
children, Trinity support, specialist support, health and | :27:39. | :27:45. | |
well-being, and transition. We have reviewed our casualty and | :27:46. | :27:46. | |
compassionate processes and we are compassionate processes and we are | :27:47. | :27:51. | |
introducing a pilot of a new welfare scheme for reservists. We continue | :27:52. | :27:55. | |
to work to ensure that our Armed Forces and their families are | :27:56. | :28:00. | |
treated fairly. Economic and military security is laid out and | :28:01. | :28:08. | |
have been weakened by the recent events and this could not have | :28:09. | :28:10. | |
happened at a worse time for the Armed Forces. I am sorry, we do not | :28:11. | :28:20. | |
have time for two examples. I need a simple question with it? At the end. | :28:21. | :28:27. | |
It causes considerable concern. Does he agree that the continuing welfare | :28:28. | :28:31. | |
of our personnel should be a priority? The ants is yes. -- the | :28:32. | :28:44. | |
answer is yes. The majority of companies and those who have signed | :28:45. | :28:47. | |
up to the Armed Forces covenant kills that the country as a whole | :28:48. | :28:53. | |
feels that should be a yes. I have been working with the veteran | :28:54. | :28:57. | |
support group to assure that those leaving the Armed Forces received | :28:58. | :29:00. | |
the support that they need. Will the Minister explain what his Government | :29:01. | :29:06. | |
is doing to extend support offered through projects that the of serving | :29:07. | :29:12. | |
of prevention rather than cure? I am of prevention rather than cure? I am | :29:13. | :29:17. | |
grateful for the work that the honourable lady mentions where a | :29:18. | :29:25. | |
range of charities are working with the Armed Forces. We give | :29:26. | :29:28. | |
considerable priority to this and to ensuring that people's transition, | :29:29. | :29:33. | |
which is one of the seven aspects of the strategy I mentioned, is | :29:34. | :29:37. | |
successful and the stories that one hears from companies that sign of | :29:38. | :29:41. | |
covenant successfully taking on-board people for new careers | :29:42. | :29:45. | |
are doing the local authorities and are doing the local authorities and | :29:46. | :29:54. | |
housing are bearing fruit. With promotion I would like to add some | :29:55. | :29:58. | |
questions six and seven to gather. The Government is blubbering | :29:59. | :30:03. | |
stronger defence. The defence budget will rise by 0.5% every year and | :30:04. | :30:11. | |
they will access money from the joint security fund. This is the | :30:12. | :30:15. | |
first time in six years that the defence budget will increase in real | :30:16. | :30:20. | |
times. Given the vote last week, does the Minister agree that Britain | :30:21. | :30:26. | |
should continue to remain a key player on the international stage | :30:27. | :30:29. | |
and will Britain continue to use its influence to encourage Nato to have | :30:30. | :30:38. | |
2% spending of their GDP? Nato is the cornerstone of our defence and | :30:39. | :30:42. | |
we are leading players in full and six fellow members in beating the | :30:43. | :30:47. | |
spending commitments. Since 2014, allies have made progress. Five of | :30:48. | :30:56. | |
them now spent 2% and it spent 20% of their defence budgets on | :30:57. | :31:04. | |
equipment. 16 have increased their spending. Obviously with the | :31:05. | :31:11. | |
increasing budget comes increasing responsibility for ensuring value of | :31:12. | :31:19. | |
money for tax hears. Has my honourable friend learn the lessons | :31:20. | :31:29. | |
of failed procurement under Labour. One of the programmes that | :31:30. | :31:36. | |
experience delays and cost overruns. The decision 2010 to cancel it was | :31:37. | :31:43. | |
difficult, but the purchase of nine aircraft will give us the capability | :31:44. | :31:48. | |
that we need in the time frame that we want and I best value for the | :31:49. | :31:53. | |
taxpayer. Are you making sure we have adequate defence and that we | :31:54. | :31:57. | |
get value for money? The Public Accounts Committee were very | :31:58. | :31:59. | |
disturbed recently when we looked disturbed recently when we looked | :32:00. | :32:03. | |
into the nature of the housing management for our service families | :32:04. | :32:09. | |
which seems to be war. Can the Minister tell me how he is going to | :32:10. | :32:13. | |
make sure we get value for money and a better service to our service | :32:14. | :32:21. | |
families? I am pleased to be able to confirm that the Public Accounts | :32:22. | :32:25. | |
Committee is also finding that in the area of defence equipment and | :32:26. | :32:32. | |
German we have consistently brought programmes then within budget and | :32:33. | :32:35. | |
with minimal time overruns. We have more to do on housing. Where the | :32:36. | :32:41. | |
defence budget is spent is crucial and given the uncertainty that has | :32:42. | :32:44. | |
because of the British Steel industry as a result of the EU | :32:45. | :32:48. | |
referendum vote, what reassurance can he give them at this time? We | :32:49. | :32:56. | |
have adopted the Government's policy to ensure that Steele contracted | :32:57. | :33:03. | |
makes all steel procurement opportunities available to UK | :33:04. | :33:07. | |
producers. It is the case that there is a much reduced amount of steel | :33:08. | :33:12. | |
expected to be available for tender in future work because the | :33:13. | :33:16. | |
substantial part has been in the aircraft carrier programme and we | :33:17. | :33:19. | |
will not be building vessels as big as that for the foreseeable future. | :33:20. | :33:26. | |
I welcome the Government's spending 2% on defence, but can he confirmed | :33:27. | :33:32. | |
there is no increase in cash terms and we will not find a situation | :33:33. | :33:38. | |
like this year where in order to meet the 2% money was transferred | :33:39. | :33:42. | |
from other departments to meet the 2%? As is made clear last year at | :33:43. | :33:54. | |
the same time as the STS are, it is going up each year in real terms. | :33:55. | :34:00. | |
There has been much talk about the increase in the defence budget, but | :34:01. | :34:04. | |
to hit the 2% of GDP target, we have to be careful given the result of | :34:05. | :34:10. | |
the Brexit vote and there may be a recession. Can he reassure the | :34:11. | :34:13. | |
House, the public and the Armed House, the public and the Armed | :34:14. | :34:18. | |
Forces that the Government's commitment on defence spending will | :34:19. | :34:22. | |
be maintained not just in terms of GDP but also tonnes of cash? I will | :34:23. | :34:27. | |
not join with those on the other side of the House you want to talk | :34:28. | :34:30. | |
the economy down. We have a clear commitment to meet the Nato defence | :34:31. | :34:34. | |
spending pledge and that is what we spending pledge and that is what we | :34:35. | :34:49. | |
will do. Mr Speaker, the department continues to develop are unable for | :34:50. | :34:53. | |
structure as we set out in the defence review. This will include | :34:54. | :34:59. | |
completing two aircraft carriers, eight combat ships, offshore patrol | :35:00. | :35:09. | |
vessels. Can the Minister confirm press reports today of leaked | :35:10. | :35:13. | |
correspondence showing that the MOD are looking to save ?500 million and | :35:14. | :35:19. | |
the type 26 programme, refusing an offer from PE and starting the | :35:20. | :35:31. | |
programme in time? As I have already said on the type 26 programme, we | :35:32. | :35:36. | |
will enter into a contract was never established the best value for the | :35:37. | :35:40. | |
taxpayer and to schedule that can be delivered by the contractor. After | :35:41. | :35:44. | |
the vote last week, these are uncertain times for UK manufacturer. | :35:45. | :35:49. | |
One thing the Government could do to boost manufacturing would be to make | :35:50. | :35:56. | |
a decision on the successor. Can he say when that will be? He will have | :35:57. | :36:03. | |
heard my right honourable friend confirmed this will not be very | :36:04. | :36:14. | |
long. The national security council has considered preparations for the | :36:15. | :36:21. | |
Walsall Summit next week. Our intention is to demonstrate at | :36:22. | :36:27. | |
adaptable and transparent and adaptable and transparent and | :36:28. | :36:31. | |
responding to the range of threats responding to the range of threats | :36:32. | :36:33. | |
that we face today. The United that we face today. The United | :36:34. | :36:41. | |
Kingdom is seen as an ineffective partner in global Affairs, as is | :36:42. | :36:49. | |
highlighted by the supreme Commander of Nato. What does the Secretary of | :36:50. | :36:54. | |
State think his Government can achieve in Warsaw? I hope that we | :36:55. | :37:00. | |
can further reassure those Nato members on the eastern flank that we | :37:01. | :37:06. | |
stand by our commitment in the face of Russian aggression. I hope we | :37:07. | :37:11. | |
continue to make the alliance more flexible to deal with the new threat | :37:12. | :37:16. | |
that we face, particularly from cyber and hybrid warfare. I hope to | :37:17. | :37:21. | |
British leadership we will encourage other allies to meet the 2% | :37:22. | :37:25. | |
commitment that we are already meeting this year. The Secretary of | :37:26. | :37:33. | |
State will be aware that we cannot hide behind the percentage GDP. We | :37:34. | :37:39. | |
need Nato membership and partnership more than ever before giving the | :37:40. | :37:42. | |
vote on Thursday and the dreadful result. You can get all of our | :37:43. | :37:57. | |
defence forces into Wembley. We have more than 100,000 members of our | :37:58. | :38:03. | |
Armed Forces, but I agree with him on the importance of Nato. Because | :38:04. | :38:10. | |
we are withdrawing from the European Union, it is even more important to | :38:11. | :38:15. | |
reinforce our commitment to Nato and to the obligations of Nato | :38:16. | :38:19. | |
membership. That is why we lead in complying with the 2% commitment and | :38:20. | :38:24. | |
that is why you will hear at the Walsall summit the additional | :38:25. | :38:29. | |
deployments we are likely to make to the eastern flank. Forces aligned to | :38:30. | :38:40. | |
the Libyan Government of national accord are making progress against | :38:41. | :38:44. | |
Daesh, while Daesh may have suffered setbacks in their stronghold in the | :38:45. | :38:51. | |
East they have not been defeated and they may look to re-establish | :38:52. | :38:57. | |
themselves elsewhere in Libya. In Tripoli the security situation is | :38:58. | :39:00. | |
calm but fragile, with increasing support for the president from the | :39:01. | :39:09. | |
militia. Libya was seen as the worst foreign policy disaster of the | :39:10. | :39:14. | |
Government. What discussions he has had with EU counterparts about the | :39:15. | :39:19. | |
continued involvement in the cost of Libya? I continue to discuss this | :39:20. | :39:23. | |
counterparts. We have agreed to counterparts. We have agreed to | :39:24. | :39:32. | |
deploy an additional vessel to that particular operation and we are | :39:33. | :39:36. | |
working with the new Libyan Government, I have spoken to the | :39:37. | :39:39. | |
defence Minister there, we are working with them to support them in | :39:40. | :39:46. | |
their fight against Daesh. It is also vital that we continue to work | :39:47. | :39:50. | |
with other allies along because flying and I can announce today that | :39:51. | :39:57. | |
we are extending the training that we provide to Tunisian forces for a | :39:58. | :40:07. | |
further year. Small businesses are crucial for growth and innovation in | :40:08. | :40:10. | |
this country and we are determined they should play an increasing part | :40:11. | :40:15. | |
in supplying defence. We are committed to achieving 25% of | :40:16. | :40:18. | |
barbecue and spend with small and medium businesses by 2020, that is | :40:19. | :40:24. | |
10% higher than sector in the last Parliament. We have refreshed our | :40:25. | :40:29. | |
small and medium business policy. What that is my honourable friend | :40:30. | :40:33. | |
taking to make as simple as possible for small firms to benefit from this | :40:34. | :40:39. | |
increased spend? We have appointed a new network of supply chain | :40:40. | :40:44. | |
advocates to provide a named point of contact for potential suppliers. | :40:45. | :40:50. | |
We are providing an online tool to supply opportunities and we are | :40:51. | :40:53. | |
simplifying our terms and conditions. | :40:54. | :41:03. | |
A former first Sea Lord told the Defence Select Committee that the | :41:04. | :41:09. | |
delay in the Type 26 frigate programme was due to money problems | :41:10. | :41:13. | |
in the MoD budget. So can the Minister tell the house and more | :41:14. | :41:17. | |
importantly tell the workers on the Clyde how many jobs will be lost, | :41:18. | :41:20. | |
and what is the impact on the world-class apprenticeship | :41:21. | :41:25. | |
programme? Apprentices are very important to maintain skills on the | :41:26. | :41:30. | |
Clyde to complete the programme for Type 26. The intent is to, once we | :41:31. | :41:35. | |
signed the contract, we will then have clarity on the best value for | :41:36. | :41:39. | |
money that we will be able to get for the taxpayer, and that is our | :41:40. | :41:49. | |
priority. With regard to targeting the rules of engagement, the use of | :41:50. | :41:53. | |
remotely piloted air Systems is no different to that of any other | :41:54. | :41:56. | |
aircraft. Therefore there is no separate policy of their use in this | :41:57. | :42:05. | |
respect. With respect, it is evident the Government intends to use lethal | :42:06. | :42:10. | |
force outside armed conflict for counterterrorism purposes despite | :42:11. | :42:12. | |
the legal basis for that being unclear. Will the Government clarify | :42:13. | :42:17. | |
the legal basis for the use of Crohn's or targeted killing outside | :42:18. | :42:19. | |
of armed conflict? -- the use of drones. We are very clear that this | :42:20. | :42:26. | |
is guided by international law, and we're there is an identified, direct | :42:27. | :42:29. | |
and immediate threats to the United Kingdom, where we have no other | :42:30. | :42:33. | |
means of dealing with it, we reserve the right to use force. There was a | :42:34. | :42:41. | |
question on this very same subject, does the member wish to intervene | :42:42. | :42:45. | |
and give a benefit of a sports? No. Very helpful. Order! Topical | :42:46. | :42:59. | |
questions. My immediate priorities remains excess in our operations | :43:00. | :43:05. | |
against Daesh, and in preventing our Strategic Defence Review | :43:06. | :43:07. | |
commitments. On Friday week I will join the Prime Minister for the Nato | :43:08. | :43:11. | |
summit in Warsaw where we will review progress since the Wales | :43:12. | :43:15. | |
summit, agree further reassurance to our eastern allies, and take further | :43:16. | :43:19. | |
steps to demonstrate the Alliance's strength and unity. Given the | :43:20. | :43:27. | |
project success of the Brexit campaign and the subsequent downward | :43:28. | :43:30. | |
spiral in the value of the pound, which is now a 31 year low, can the | :43:31. | :43:35. | |
Minister tell me additional cost to the trident renewable programme on | :43:36. | :43:39. | |
top the current estimate of ?205 billion? We published in the | :43:40. | :43:46. | |
Strategic Defence Review, our most up-to-date assessment of the cost of | :43:47. | :43:50. | |
the Trident replacement programme, at ?31 billion, plus a contingency | :43:51. | :43:57. | |
of a further ?10 billion. In light of the momentous decision taken by | :43:58. | :44:02. | |
the nation last Thursday, can my honourable friend explained to the | :44:03. | :44:07. | |
house what implications that decision has on working in military | :44:08. | :44:11. | |
intelligence from not only European countries but also other countries | :44:12. | :44:16. | |
from around the world? Defence in the UK is grounded in our strength | :44:17. | :44:21. | |
and relationships with our closest allies and partners. We worked | :44:22. | :44:24. | |
extensively with them principally through Nato, but also bilaterally. | :44:25. | :44:29. | |
The UK's decision to leave the EU does not change that approach? . In | :44:30. | :44:36. | |
the first year of this Government, there were over 1800 properties | :44:37. | :44:40. | |
within the married quarters estate that will let NT for the majority of | :44:41. | :44:44. | |
the year. Since then, the number has more than quadrupled. Can the | :44:45. | :44:48. | |
minister explained why this has been allowed to happen, why these | :44:49. | :44:54. | |
properties are not being used? My understanding is there are just | :44:55. | :44:57. | |
under 10,000 VoIP properties at the moment under the SFA estate. We need | :44:58. | :45:02. | |
VoIP properties division that when people trickle post they have a | :45:03. | :45:07. | |
project to go to. She will be aware we are moving the army back from | :45:08. | :45:10. | |
Germany at the moment, so we need to their properties, but up to half of | :45:11. | :45:13. | |
these properties are currently up for disposal. The fact is apartment | :45:14. | :45:22. | |
property, policy, is that around 10% of these properties should remain | :45:23. | :45:25. | |
vacant, in fact there are more than 20%. The reality is that there is | :45:26. | :45:30. | |
such a high proportion of these anti-properties because they are not | :45:31. | :45:33. | |
in a fit state for people to live in, and they cannot be released for | :45:34. | :45:37. | |
sale by the leaseholder because they would cost too much for this | :45:38. | :45:41. | |
Government to repair, and yet the taxpayers having to spend more than | :45:42. | :45:48. | |
30 million every year for the MoD to rent these properties. Can the | :45:49. | :45:51. | |
minister explained why his department is wasting ?30 million? | :45:52. | :45:58. | |
I'm not sure the honourable lady had my answer. It is not every year we | :45:59. | :46:02. | |
seek to return the Army back from Germany, which is why we do need to | :46:03. | :46:06. | |
have extra properties. But over half the properties are currently up for | :46:07. | :46:10. | |
disposal, and in addition to that we also invested over ?200 million in | :46:11. | :46:16. | |
building 1200 new service accommodations to ensure we get the | :46:17. | :46:18. | |
best quality accommodation for our troops. Whilst I welcome the recent | :46:19. | :46:27. | |
announcement that Lincolnshire will still have an airshow, what is my -- | :46:28. | :46:34. | |
what steps is my honourable friend taking to increase home ownership of | :46:35. | :46:37. | |
memories of the Armed Forces? I'm delighted to say that since the | :46:38. | :46:42. | |
forces helped to buy scheme was introduced thousands of service | :46:43. | :46:44. | |
families have taken the opportunity to buy their own home. Will the | :46:45. | :46:50. | |
Minister undertake an urgent review of the awards of the Legion of | :46:51. | :46:56. | |
honour? I have many constituents who have been awarded by the French | :46:57. | :47:01. | |
authorities, I have notified the Mr defence over a year ago, and are | :47:02. | :47:04. | |
still not received their medals. Could the Minister look at this | :47:05. | :47:08. | |
urgently? I am more than happy to look at this. The honourable | :47:09. | :47:13. | |
gentleman will be aware there was a review. It is fair to say the French | :47:14. | :47:16. | |
authorities have simply been overwhelmed by the number of | :47:17. | :47:19. | |
applications, but we have a system over 200 cent each week to the | :47:20. | :47:23. | |
French, and of the original applications which remain I | :47:24. | :47:25. | |
understand the all now have been awarded. My honourable friend will | :47:26. | :47:30. | |
be aware of the valuable and essential work done by African union | :47:31. | :47:36. | |
troops to prevent and ameliorate conflict all or African, work that | :47:37. | :47:39. | |
is essential for this country as well. Can he update the house on the | :47:40. | :47:43. | |
support being provided to them by the UK to assist with their | :47:44. | :47:51. | |
peacekeeping role? He affords me the opportunity to be commuted to our | :47:52. | :47:54. | |
forces are training the Rwandan forces as well as the African union | :47:55. | :47:59. | |
East Africa stand-by force. The training we are providing is there | :48:00. | :48:02. | |
to help security sector reform and also enhance their capabilities for | :48:03. | :48:08. | |
peace operations and also disaster relief. Following the questioning of | :48:09. | :48:16. | |
MoD officials at the Public Accounts Committee on infantry management, | :48:17. | :48:21. | |
will the Minister tell us what the current state of the commodity | :48:22. | :48:22. | |
services transformation programme is? Is the super shed built, and how | :48:23. | :48:28. | |
confident is the Government that the transformation of logistics to | :48:29. | :48:31. | |
support armed services will not result in equipment shortages? The | :48:32. | :48:37. | |
new MOD Donington facility will be completed on schedule before the end | :48:38. | :48:43. | |
of the year. Can the Department update the house on progress being | :48:44. | :48:47. | |
made in increasing the number of cadet units in state schools so that | :48:48. | :48:50. | |
more young people can benefit from the skills and experiences from | :48:51. | :48:57. | |
those cadet units? We are receiving a healthy number of applications to | :48:58. | :49:01. | |
set up new units, Mr Speaker. These are processed through a run. 25 new | :49:02. | :49:06. | |
state school units have been approved since November last year. | :49:07. | :49:13. | |
350 school cadet units are currently parading. And the programme is on | :49:14. | :49:19. | |
track to achieve its target of 500 in schools by 2020. Thousands of | :49:20. | :49:27. | |
Kurdish Peshmerga have died of its usually injured by fighting wood. | :49:28. | :49:34. | |
Can we -- by fighting Daesh. Can we rush in a field hospital and allow | :49:35. | :49:38. | |
at least some of the must use the injured to benefit from special | :49:39. | :49:41. | |
searing the UK? It is the least we can do. We have done it huge amount | :49:42. | :49:47. | |
to support Kurdish fighters. To date we have trained 3900, and that | :49:48. | :49:54. | |
includes not just dealing with IED pars-mac, but also first aid and | :49:55. | :50:04. | |
first line support. -- IEDs. I met a constituent who was injured by | :50:05. | :50:08. | |
thunder flash in 1979 but his injury was not diagnosed until 2011. Will | :50:09. | :50:14. | |
Ministers look at his case to ensure he is receiving all the compensation | :50:15. | :50:19. | |
and pension that he deserves? I will of course be delighted to look at | :50:20. | :50:22. | |
the case, may I suggest that we meet? What percentage of the G8 | :50:23. | :50:34. | |
contract will be offset to British companies, and will he confirm that | :50:35. | :50:41. | |
missiles will be procured from British companies? The P8 contract | :50:42. | :50:47. | |
has not yet been met. We announced at the time our intention to procure | :50:48. | :50:56. | |
P8 that some $4.5 million per aircraft is UK sourced. Support | :50:57. | :51:05. | |
contracts will be let in due course. Despite Airbus trying to bully their | :51:06. | :51:08. | |
employees to vote Remain in the referendum last week, and my | :51:09. | :51:12. | |
honourable friend assure the house that the wings of the beneficent | :51:13. | :51:20. | |
aircraft will still be made here? Airbus are an important defence | :51:21. | :51:25. | |
contractor who are obviously a significant employer in his | :51:26. | :51:27. | |
constituency in both civil and defence work. Where they choose to | :51:28. | :51:31. | |
locate wings in civil contract in the future will be a matter for | :51:32. | :51:38. | |
Airbus. Distressingly, Unicef reported that yesterday in Syria 25 | :51:39. | :51:44. | |
children were killed by air strikes. Can I ask the Secretary of State to | :51:45. | :51:47. | |
tell us what conversations he is having with our international | :51:48. | :51:50. | |
partners to make sure that we take every necessary step to defend | :51:51. | :51:57. | |
civilians? The Honourable Lady raises an important point, and to | :51:58. | :52:01. | |
date on that operation we know that from the UK strikes we have had no | :52:02. | :52:06. | |
reports of civilian casualties, and that is because of the care that we | :52:07. | :52:10. | |
take, and the investigations that we do after every strike. We are | :52:11. | :52:15. | |
working with our allies to develop joint policy in this area. | :52:16. | :52:29. | |
I'm delighted to receive such a welcome. The Royal military School | :52:30. | :52:39. | |
of music has been here for 150 years. Will the Minister work with | :52:40. | :52:44. | |
me to work with the Ministry of Defence to keep a physical military | :52:45. | :52:54. | |
presence remaining in Witton. Can I commend my Honourable Friend? Our | :52:55. | :52:57. | |
constituents could not ask for a greater champion when it comes to | :52:58. | :52:58. | |
this issue. Since our adjournment debate last | :52:59. | :53:15. | |
month, the situation has not changed, however, I am convinced we | :53:16. | :53:17. | |
will continue to have military concerts there in the future. | :53:18. | :53:25. | |
Exactly what action is the Government taking to protest about | :53:26. | :53:34. | |
the use of phosphorus bombs against the people? We have a very clear | :53:35. | :53:42. | |
policy in this country for the export of the nations and the like. | :53:43. | :53:47. | |
We have not exported cluster munitions since 1989. The Honourable | :53:48. | :53:53. | |
Lady is asking about phosphorus. I will write to the Honourable Lady | :53:54. | :54:00. | |
later. I was grateful for the Minster's earlier answer on the | :54:01. | :54:05. | |
expansion programme. Could he indicate at what point if at all | :54:06. | :54:08. | |
expressions of interest from schools in non-priority areas will be | :54:09. | :54:11. | |
accepted if insufficient applications are made from priority | :54:12. | :54:20. | |
areas? My honourable friend reflects on the problems of success. We do in | :54:21. | :54:25. | |
fact have many applications from priority areas according to the | :54:26. | :54:28. | |
three criteria that have been set out a number of times. I cannot make | :54:29. | :54:34. | |
any firm promises, I'm afraid, for those who do not meet the priority | :54:35. | :54:38. | |
criteria. We are firmly on track to deliver the skills we need. Last | :54:39. | :54:46. | |
Friday I was invited to the 4th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment | :54:47. | :54:49. | |
based in Barnsley, to thank them for their service I had of Armed Forces | :54:50. | :54:53. | |
Day. Will the Secretary of State join me in pain could it to the | :54:54. | :54:57. | |
superb men and women there, superbly led a major Darren Schofield? That | :54:58. | :55:04. | |
may congratulate all those from the Armed Forces, including those from | :55:05. | :55:07. | |
reserve units who took place at key events in Cleethorpes, Plymouth, | :55:08. | :55:12. | |
Glasgow, Woolwich, and many other locations up and down the country. | :55:13. | :55:17. | |
We are proud of them, and we gave the public the opportunity to show | :55:18. | :55:23. | |
their support. Will the Secretary of State reassure the house that in | :55:24. | :55:25. | |
contrast to the party opposite, morale in Armed Forces remains high, | :55:26. | :55:33. | |
and desertion rates are very low? I'm happy to confirm that from our | :55:34. | :55:35. | |
attitude survey that we do every year. Morale is high, and the Armed | :55:36. | :55:41. | |
Forces appreciate that with a growing defence budget every single | :55:42. | :55:44. | |
year they have much to look forward to. I thank the veterans Minister | :55:45. | :55:52. | |
for listening to the plight of war widows penalised for remarrying. | :55:53. | :55:57. | |
Could he give a sense of how long his review into this matter will | :55:58. | :56:03. | |
take? I hope to come back to the house and the honourable gentleman | :56:04. | :56:04. | |
as soon as possible. World member wishing to take her | :56:05. | :56:23. | |
seat, please come to the table. -- with the members. | :56:24. | :56:43. | |
I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and there true | :56:44. | :56:50. | |
allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, | :56:51. | :56:52. | |
according to law, so help me God. | :56:53. | :57:02. |