:00:00. > :00:10.Of hello and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage from the
:00:11. > :00:14.House of Commons. In an hour's time the shadow health secretary will ask
:00:15. > :00:18.an urgent question about the imposition the new contract for the
:00:19. > :00:22.junior doctors. After that there'll be to select committee statement on
:00:23. > :00:27.the appointment of the commission of Public appointments and on private
:00:28. > :00:31.member's bills. The main business sees MP debate to back business
:00:32. > :00:37.motions on the introduction of national living wage and changes to
:00:38. > :00:41.employee contracts and educational attainment in Yorkshire and the
:00:42. > :00:45.Humber. To me for a round in the day in both houses of parliament at 11pm
:00:46. > :00:49.this evening. But first we will have questions to the defence secretary.
:00:50. > :00:50.Michael Fallon and his team of ministers. The first question is
:00:51. > :01:10.from the Paisley MP. Order, order. Questions to the
:01:11. > :01:16.Secretary of State for defence. Question number two Mr Speaker. As
:01:17. > :01:21.my right honourable friend the Prime Minister made clear on the 10th of
:01:22. > :01:25.February, we will bring forward a debate and vote in this house at the
:01:26. > :01:34.appropriate moment and announce it in the usual way. Can the Minister
:01:35. > :01:39.confirm in value terms where Trident falls in regards to the cost-benefit
:01:40. > :01:42.ratio used in the government's own standard appraisal mechanism? Any
:01:43. > :01:45.confirm that the appraisal has been conducted and will he make this
:01:46. > :01:52.available to members in the comments library? I will of course make
:01:53. > :01:57.available what figures we can to the honourable gentlemen. Let me be
:01:58. > :02:01.clear though, the overall cost of the successor programme was set out
:02:02. > :02:07.in the strategic defence and security review that will be
:02:08. > :02:11.published in November and it is ?31 billion, which should be seen in the
:02:12. > :02:18.context of a deterrent that will serve us for over 30 years. It is an
:02:19. > :02:23.open secret that the Ministry of defence wanted this debate to take
:02:24. > :02:27.place in the spring, and so I do not blame the Secretary of State for the
:02:28. > :02:31.fact that it has not happened, but he is on the record as saying that
:02:32. > :02:35.people are worried about the wavering position of the labour
:02:36. > :02:40.opposition on this matter. Would it not assist to restore bipartisanship
:02:41. > :02:47.on the issue for the debate to be brought forward at least prior to
:02:48. > :02:51.the Labour Party's conference, or does the government and by that I
:02:52. > :02:55.mean number ten, prefer to see dissension at a Labour Party
:02:56. > :03:03.conference to bipartisanship on a particularly important issue? Well,
:03:04. > :03:08.no. The position is that we announced our commitment to replace
:03:09. > :03:12.the existing Vanguard submarines in November and we would like that
:03:13. > :03:18.principle to be endorsed by a vote in this house. I obviously would
:03:19. > :03:23.like that vote to take place as soon as possible. Respecting of course,
:03:24. > :03:32.the things that exist in the spring and summer. Does the Secretary of
:03:33. > :03:37.State understand that unlike some on this side, we will not allow any
:03:38. > :03:42.individual questions over cost, valid though they may be in and of
:03:43. > :03:47.themselves, as an excuse to wiggle out of our commitment to the British
:03:48. > :03:53.people? Those who remain true to the spirit will do the right thing for
:03:54. > :03:57.Britain. I am very glad to hear that and I would certainly caution the
:03:58. > :04:01.Labour Party from moving away from the moderate mainstream support for
:04:02. > :04:07.our deterrent, which every previous labour government has supported.
:04:08. > :04:12.Indeed I note that the honourable Lady's advisors told journalists
:04:13. > :04:16.that her review would be fudged as "The last thing we want is another
:04:17. > :04:22.reason for those who opposed Jeremy to call for him to go", she seems to
:04:23. > :04:25.be the only person that seems defending our country means
:04:26. > :04:30.defending the labour leader. Can my honourable friend confirm that the
:04:31. > :04:33.tried and revealed concluded that in fact there was no credible or
:04:34. > :04:40.affordable alternative to a Trident based nuclear deterrent? Yes, the
:04:41. > :04:45.alternative was looked at exhaustively as part of the Trident
:04:46. > :04:49.alternatives review, three years ago. And I said out the principal
:04:50. > :04:54.arguments as to why we are making this replacement in a speech to
:04:55. > :05:05.Policy Exchange on the 23rd of March. Last Monday I visited
:05:06. > :05:09.Northwest Derby on a successor programme and one of the things they
:05:10. > :05:13.wanted is certainty. Certainty on the budget on this programme but
:05:14. > :05:17.also certainty on the future. With the Secretary of State agree with me
:05:18. > :05:21.that any notion that sometime in the future, say next general election,
:05:22. > :05:24.where an easy option to cancel this programme would be disastrous, not
:05:25. > :05:31.just in terms of our defence but for our workforce? It would be
:05:32. > :05:35.disastrous for our defence and for jobs in this country but also
:05:36. > :05:39.disastrous for our relationship with all of our principal allies. Let me
:05:40. > :05:43.be very clear, this programme is already going ahead, we have spent
:05:44. > :05:52.some nearly ?4 billion as authorised by this house. Work is under way in
:05:53. > :05:56.Derby and at a number of other locations across the country,
:05:57. > :06:03.including those in Scotland and is already employing several thousands
:06:04. > :06:06.of people in small companies. The ministry of State for defence
:06:07. > :06:11.procurement wrote in November 2014 and I quote" the security
:06:12. > :06:15.requirement to sustain certain capabilities within the UK, for
:06:16. > :06:18.instance a nuclear submarines, means that single source procurement or in
:06:19. > :06:22.a significant activity. Taxpayers are entitled to know this money is
:06:23. > :06:27.being spent properly. That is why the single source regulations office
:06:28. > :06:31.has been established." So can the Secretary of State tell the House,
:06:32. > :06:38.and he meetings his department has had so far with the SS are all about
:06:39. > :06:42.the successor programme? I am very happy to write to the honourable
:06:43. > :06:46.Lady the number of meetings that may or may not have taken place. But let
:06:47. > :06:51.us be very clear, this programme is now under way and I think it is time
:06:52. > :06:56.she made up her mind about whether or not she is going to support it or
:06:57. > :07:00.whether we will be taking a message to our allies, including the
:07:01. > :07:04.president of the United States, who visits on Friday, that the party
:07:05. > :07:07.opposite is no longer prepared to support a deterrent they have always
:07:08. > :07:16.supported in the past. I dare say we will find out what people think when
:07:17. > :07:18.the vote comes. I asked the secretary of state specifically
:07:19. > :07:21.about the as SRO and successor programme, I appreciate he does not
:07:22. > :07:24.know the answer so let me tell him. There have been no meetings, I have
:07:25. > :07:28.a letter from the Ministry of defence. The as SRO was tasked with
:07:29. > :07:34.saving at least ?200 million last year through its MRD contracts but
:07:35. > :07:40.because the Secretary of State will not -- will not allow it to do its
:07:41. > :07:44.job probably, there is only a savings of ?300,000. Why is it not
:07:45. > :07:49.being allowed to scrutinize the successor contract? Is it because of
:07:50. > :07:53.the department saying quote the government needs a safe space away
:07:54. > :07:56.from the public gaze to allow policy options, unfit for public comment,
:07:57. > :08:03.and therefore... This is not good enough. We demand that he reversed
:08:04. > :08:05.this decision and open up the successor programme to the
:08:06. > :08:12.independent scrutiny that it requires. She appears to completely
:08:13. > :08:17.misunderstand the function of the single source resource office which
:08:18. > :08:22.is to supervise contracts once they are signed. This particular contract
:08:23. > :08:27.is still under negotiation and I am certainly not going to go into
:08:28. > :08:31.details of the negotiation with her or indeed in this house until it is
:08:32. > :08:35.signed. Once it is signed, then of course we will make sure that it is
:08:36. > :08:45.properly scrutinised. Number three sir. Our growing defence budget
:08:46. > :08:50.allows us to expand the defence network, including new posts in
:08:51. > :08:58.Finland, Albania, and Senegal, also covering a number of other places as
:08:59. > :09:03.well. We are also creating new posts in Afghanistan, Latvia, Lithuania,
:09:04. > :09:07.and Georgia. The expansion of the DA network will increase defenses
:09:08. > :09:14.global reach and influence and will strengthen our partnerships around
:09:15. > :09:17.the world as set out in SDSR 2015. I think the Minister for that reply,
:09:18. > :09:20.it is critical we are continually vigilant of the security threat
:09:21. > :09:25.coming from Russia. Will he ensure that there are sufficient numbers in
:09:26. > :09:29.the Baltic states, Central Europe, and the Ukraine and Poland to
:09:30. > :09:31.provide the analysis, and expertise required to fully understand the
:09:32. > :09:39.security defence dynamics of the region? Indeed. I am sure my
:09:40. > :09:45.honourable friend welcomed the announcement of the new DA in
:09:46. > :09:50.Finland and the new deputy post in two of the Baltic states. On his
:09:51. > :09:56.point on expertise, I should stress that we are not just expanding the
:09:57. > :10:04.number of DAs, we are also expanding the career path and expertise. For
:10:05. > :10:13.example we opened a new defence post in Sharon and we reviewed those
:10:14. > :10:17.conditions of service. I'm a big supporter of our DA network but it
:10:18. > :10:20.is also important that the defence is a robust and relationships to
:10:21. > :10:25.their host countries. What representations does the defence
:10:26. > :10:28.have in regards to the allegations of targeting citizens in Yemen, not
:10:29. > :10:36.least after allegations that a missile made in the UK was located
:10:37. > :10:42.at one of the sites? The department gets a constant stream of advice
:10:43. > :10:47.from the DA and from a number of other sources on the matter that the
:10:48. > :10:51.honourable gentleman has ingeniously managed to work into his
:10:52. > :10:56.supplementary. Does my horrible friend agree with me that army 2020
:10:57. > :11:01.and the creation of regional forces that is implied by that will help
:11:02. > :11:05.very much grow future defence areas and enable officers in the future to
:11:06. > :11:08.have a career pathway that will include a substantial element of
:11:09. > :11:13.foreign service and in particular allow them to have the skills they
:11:14. > :11:19.need to be able to be effective in the defence? My honourable friend is
:11:20. > :11:24.exactly right on that matter. Of course he knows having previously
:11:25. > :11:29.done the international brief in the MOD. The new approach would be for
:11:30. > :11:32.grades with them facing parts of the world means that expertise and
:11:33. > :11:39.institutional memory on particular regions will grow, combining this
:11:40. > :11:48.with the greatly improved career prospects for the DA should greatly
:11:49. > :11:52.increase our representation. Can I threw the Minister thanked the
:11:53. > :11:56.defence areas in Libya for their brief on the foreign affairs
:11:57. > :12:01.committee about four or five months ago. And also for their candour and
:12:02. > :12:09.rigour given to us. I wonder what the Minister can do to tell the
:12:10. > :12:12.House about the proposed visiting of the international assistance Mission
:12:13. > :12:23.in what the individual contribution might be considered. My honourable
:12:24. > :12:27.friend has shown a certain ingenuity in managing to work that question in
:12:28. > :12:31.as a supplementary here to stop as he knows very well, this matter has
:12:32. > :12:37.not yet been decided, but I am delighted that he has received such
:12:38. > :12:44.a typically excellent assistance from the DA? The Minister does not
:12:45. > :12:47.have to sound so surprised, because ingenuity as we have discovered is
:12:48. > :12:57.not an entirely novel phenomenon in the House of Commons. Number four.
:12:58. > :13:01.As from this month, Ministry of defence's budget has risen to over
:13:02. > :13:06.?35 billion and increase of 800 million on the year just ended. This
:13:07. > :13:09.is the first real terms increase in six years, reflecting the priority
:13:10. > :13:14.set out by this government in 2015 spending review, through increasing
:13:15. > :13:21.defence spending by half a percent above inflation every year to 2020,
:13:22. > :13:26.2021. This government has committed his country to meeting the Nato
:13:27. > :13:31.guideline to spend to synergy on defence every year this decade. I
:13:32. > :13:36.welcome this increased budget. Can the Minister said that if we were to
:13:37. > :13:42.adopt a position at the -- advocated by some and not spending 2%, what
:13:43. > :13:48.would the impact be on the morale of our troops, their equipment, and our
:13:49. > :13:53.security? My honourable friend is quite right to identify that the
:13:54. > :13:58.threats we face are growing in scale, complexity, and concurrency.
:13:59. > :14:02.A failure to meet this good -- commitment would significantly
:14:03. > :14:05.impact our ability to deliver the capability needed to face these
:14:06. > :14:12.threats and would send a very wrong message to our defence. Our
:14:13. > :14:17.commitment to spend 2% on defence makes one of the most capable Armed
:14:18. > :14:21.Forces in the world, to spend hundred ?78 billion in equipment and
:14:22. > :14:25.support over the next decade, and to fund an increase in the regular
:14:26. > :14:30.personnel for both the Navy and Air Force and an increase in the reserve
:14:31. > :14:35.for British Army. The Minister cannot really pull the wool over our
:14:36. > :14:43.eyes on this one because we all know that defence spending was set for
:14:44. > :14:46.bloat GDP, but a government including things that have never
:14:47. > :14:50.been included in the Nato and also is before like war pensions and
:14:51. > :14:55.indeed the pension contributions of MOD civilian staff. So can the
:14:56. > :14:59.Minister now come clean, will he have to resort to these kinds of
:15:00. > :15:06.accounting gimmicks to be able to assure Nato that in future we are
:15:07. > :15:10.going to maintain 2% spending? The honourable gentleman in
:15:11. > :15:16.characteristic style is looking for a smoke where there is no fire. We
:15:17. > :15:22.use the native definition to make a calculation of our GDP spent. --
:15:23. > :15:26.Nato. They assert the figure and then publish it. We have done in the
:15:27. > :15:31.past under previous administrations and will do it again under this
:15:32. > :15:36.administration. The government's defence review set out ?178 billion
:15:37. > :15:39.programme of investment in equipment for our Armed Forces in the next
:15:40. > :15:43.decade. Will my right honourable friend ignore calls from the other
:15:44. > :15:46.parties to cut defence spending which would mean smaller, weaker
:15:47. > :15:51.Armed Forces and a loss of highly skilled jobs in that sector? I thank
:15:52. > :15:55.my honourable friend for giving me the chance to workers again our
:15:56. > :15:58.commitment to increase spending for each and every year in this
:15:59. > :16:03.Parliament on defence and security. That would be a real terms increase,
:16:04. > :16:06.we published our 10-year forward equipment plan which shows the
:16:07. > :16:10.contribution that the defence will be making to the prosperity of the
:16:11. > :16:13.nation, another objective which we have taken on in the defence review
:16:14. > :16:21.for the first time. That will benefit both the security of our
:16:22. > :16:27.nation and the economy as a whole. Despite his department's claims,
:16:28. > :16:36.they reality is that the Royal Navy has between 2010 and 2015 had a
:16:37. > :16:40.decline of 33% and carriers and ships, a 17% decline in summer rains
:16:41. > :16:47.and a 17% decline in destroyers and forgets. We are a maritime nation
:16:48. > :16:50.and yet our Navy is declining. Is it not time that we placed greater
:16:51. > :16:56.investment in our maritime capability? The honourable lady is
:16:57. > :17:01.very experienced in these matters and she will note that in 2010, the
:17:02. > :17:06.then Coalition government inherited a dire financial situation across
:17:07. > :17:10.the public sector and especially in defence. Some very difficult
:17:11. > :17:16.decisions were taken in 2010 to reduce certain front line elements,
:17:17. > :17:20.including aircraft carriers. She is also fully aware that we are in the
:17:21. > :17:25.midst of a largest shipbuilding programme this country has ever
:17:26. > :17:28.known and early next year we expect to see the first of the Queen
:17:29. > :17:35.Elizabeth aircraft carriers moved out of a city to take up its
:17:36. > :17:38.position with be wrong Navy. The private member's bill last year
:17:39. > :17:43.requiring the government to enshrine in law that we spend at least 2% of
:17:44. > :17:48.an defence, may I welcome today's announcement and hope that the
:17:49. > :17:52.honourable member is wrong and this doesn't represent new money. Can I
:17:53. > :17:57.take this opportunity to congratulate my friend on whether...
:17:58. > :18:01.Alongside the lead given by the Prime Minister in this endeavour and
:18:02. > :18:07.welcome the 24 typhoons which have been sold to Kuwait and I hope that
:18:08. > :18:12.this will contribute to the MOD's budget. I would like to thank my
:18:13. > :18:16.right honourable friend who himself in a previous role has
:18:17. > :18:20.responsibility for promoting and I have even better news for them. The
:18:21. > :18:26.announcement last week of someone Demarco typhoons to Kuwait was not
:18:27. > :18:31.for 24 aircraft but for 28. What defence spending can be guaranteed
:18:32. > :18:41.for the steel industry, given the community procurement rule to allow
:18:42. > :18:46.community benefit? This government has undertaken a new set of
:18:47. > :18:50.procurement guidelines for steel, which we have implemented through
:18:51. > :18:53.the Ministry of defence through a combination of briefings to the
:18:54. > :18:56.defence suppliers undertaken by the Secretary of State and I have
:18:57. > :18:59.written personally to the chief executives of the 15 largest
:19:00. > :19:03.contractors where -- we are cascading that to the supply chain
:19:04. > :19:11.to ensure future defence procurement, there is every chance
:19:12. > :19:17.for steel manufacturers to bid. Members opposite appeared to be
:19:18. > :19:20.insinuating that the party are advocating a reduction in defence
:19:21. > :19:24.spending and it is entirely untrue. They may be unfortunate that the
:19:25. > :19:28.honourable member should say that the impact the defence cuts have on
:19:29. > :19:31.the morale of ground forces because I have a letter from the Secretary
:19:32. > :19:35.of State confirming from the Ministry of defence that they agreed
:19:36. > :19:43.to make ?5 million of savings after the budget this year. In the end,
:19:44. > :19:49.the government... For the first time since 1982, we left the Falcons
:19:50. > :19:53.without a Navy frigate protecting it. Can he clarify the record that
:19:54. > :19:56.we have a government that is cutting defence spending, massively in
:19:57. > :20:01.recent years, and leaving the nation less protected as a result of it?
:20:02. > :20:03.The honourable government really needs to read those letters more
:20:04. > :20:08.carefully. The reduction that he referred to related to the in year
:20:09. > :20:13.spending of the department, which ended at the beginning of this
:20:14. > :20:16.month. The defence budget for the current and future year is going up
:20:17. > :20:20.in the question he needs to answer with his colleagues is why wants his
:20:21. > :20:27.party commit to the 2% Nato commitment as we have? Number five.
:20:28. > :20:32.With your permission I will answer this question together with
:20:33. > :20:36.questions of 11, 14, and 15. My next regular meeting with my counterparts
:20:37. > :20:40.in the Coalition is on the 4th of May. The campaign against Daesh is
:20:41. > :20:46.making progress with Coalition support, Iraqi forces now are
:20:47. > :20:52.clearing it and have begun preparatory operations. In Syria,
:20:53. > :20:59.Daesh has been driven from Allison Dottie, clearing a supply route to
:21:00. > :21:04.Iraq. Can I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. With the
:21:05. > :21:09.advent of a new government in Libya, does the secretaries they believe
:21:10. > :21:13.that preparing the ground to request military assistance from the UK,
:21:14. > :21:17.does he think that's part of that request that they will require
:21:18. > :21:23.assistance against, with air strikes against Daesh target in Libya? I am
:21:24. > :21:26.grateful to the honourable member, in the early days the Foreign
:21:27. > :21:32.Secretary visited Tripoli this morning and the board of the new
:21:33. > :21:35.government. I am fellow European union defence ministers will be
:21:36. > :21:41.meeting in Luxembourg tonight to hear it directly from Prime Minister
:21:42. > :21:47.so Roche as to how he thinks we can best establish that new government.
:21:48. > :21:52.We do urgently need to engage with it, not least to help close down the
:21:53. > :21:55.very dangerous migration route that is seeing so many lives lost in the
:21:56. > :22:01.Mediterranean and to help the government tackle the spread of
:22:02. > :22:06.Daesh on the coast. Can my right honourable friend confirm that
:22:07. > :22:11.contrary to the propaganda, Daesh has lost most of its territory data
:22:12. > :22:16.held a year ago and now is the right time to back the Iraqi security
:22:17. > :22:20.forces in taking the fight to them? My honourable friend is quite right,
:22:21. > :22:26.with Coalition support, Iraqi security support has taken around
:22:27. > :22:34.30% of the populated areas that Daesh once held in Iraq. A city is
:22:35. > :22:39.in the process of being cleared along with many others. We continue
:22:40. > :22:44.to provide vital air support as well as specialist training and
:22:45. > :22:49.equipment. Experience tells us that unless he gets civil institutions up
:22:50. > :22:53.and running quickly after a conflict and, you can end up with a failed
:22:54. > :22:56.state. Could my right honourable friend advise what steps his
:22:57. > :23:01.Department is taking to ensure that does not happen in Syria once Daesh
:23:02. > :23:05.have been driven out? I am grateful to my honourable friend, following
:23:06. > :23:09.these Syria conference held in London in February, there is now a
:23:10. > :23:14.stabilisation plan for Syria, that we are working to deliver with our
:23:15. > :23:19.international partners. We are already working with existing Syrian
:23:20. > :23:22.institutions to try and restore stability in communities on local
:23:23. > :23:28.government and defence. But stabilisation in Syria depends on a
:23:29. > :23:32.sustainable peace deal that protects communities from attack, either by
:23:33. > :23:35.Daesh or the regime. We are supporting that peace deal through
:23:36. > :23:41.the international Syrian support group. Tomorrow the Mayor of London
:23:42. > :23:46.will unveil intrabulbar Square reconstruction of the arch of the
:23:47. > :23:51.temple of Bell from Palmyra, as a symbol of our defiance against Daesh
:23:52. > :23:56.and our commitment to protect culture in war zones where it is
:23:57. > :23:59.reasonably possible to do so. In December the Secretary of State
:24:00. > :24:02.announced that he was commissioning a group within the Armed Forces of
:24:03. > :24:07.modern-day monuments men to lead forward this agenda and bring the UK
:24:08. > :24:11.into compliance with the Hague convention. I hope that will be in
:24:12. > :24:16.the Queen's speech shortly. Can we get an update on that? I'm grateful
:24:17. > :24:21.to my honourable friend. The government has announced it will
:24:22. > :24:27.renounce --... That includes the establishment of the military
:24:28. > :24:33.cultural property property unit. My ministry is art engaging with the
:24:34. > :24:38.stabilisation unit to further develop plans for that capability to
:24:39. > :24:43.help better protect such important monuments in future. It is also of
:24:44. > :24:47.course important to deny Daesh the revenue they have earned from
:24:48. > :24:52.selling artifacts and coins from archaeological sites? We've only
:24:53. > :24:59.stabilise Libya by having ground forces. Will he accept that that may
:25:00. > :25:04.include British forces? It is up to the new government of national
:25:05. > :25:08.Accord being established in Libya with our support, led by Prime
:25:09. > :25:13.Minister to make clear what assistance he needs. A number of
:25:14. > :25:16.countries including ourselves have already indicated that we will be
:25:17. > :25:21.part of a Libyan international assistance mission, but it is far
:25:22. > :25:27.too early to speculate as to what form that assistance might take,
:25:28. > :25:33.whether it is training or advice in the ministries or other support. My
:25:34. > :25:37.right honourable friend will be all too aware of the evidence of the
:25:38. > :25:44.trustees being committed by Daesh and religious minorities in areas
:25:45. > :25:47.they control. Can the Secretary of State update me as to what specific
:25:48. > :25:54.actions have been taken in the military campaign against Daesh to
:25:55. > :25:58.prevent this? We have to continue to degrade and eventually to defeat
:25:59. > :26:02.Daesh to bring some of these horrific attacks that we have seen
:26:03. > :26:07.on the persecution of those of other faiths that we have witnessed,
:26:08. > :26:14.particularly the persecution of the minority. In the end, Daesh has to
:26:15. > :26:18.be defeated so that we can have a tolerant and comprehensive
:26:19. > :26:26.settlement in Syria that protects all minorities.
:26:27. > :26:36.Best wishes to the Royal Regiment of Scotland, on Friday with a service.
:26:37. > :26:41.I'm sure the whole house will join me and pressing on for that
:26:42. > :26:44.position. Mr Speaker, let me, as it increases when becoming the focus of
:26:45. > :26:48.the campaign by the international community to defeat Daesh, given
:26:49. > :26:53.that the UK's last intervention was by any measure a catastrophic
:26:54. > :26:57.failure, could the Minister tell us what plans have the government had
:26:58. > :27:03.to make sure that we have cleared the object is, we have exit
:27:04. > :27:10.strategy, and a transparent policy for rebuilding the country
:27:11. > :27:12.afterwards? Let me certainly join with the honourable gentleman in
:27:13. > :27:17.wishing our Regiment of Scotland a very happy 10th birthday, and to
:27:18. > :27:23.acknowledge the contribution they make. To the military tradition in
:27:24. > :27:27.Scotland. Let me be clear with the House, no decisions in respect to
:27:28. > :27:31.any involvement in Libya have yet been taking. We are waiting of
:27:32. > :27:37.course to hear from the new government of national court on the
:27:38. > :27:44.what kind of assistance they need. We have a very strong interest in
:27:45. > :27:46.helping that government rapidly stabilise the country. Not least
:27:47. > :27:52.because of the spread of AIS, along with those... A very direct threat
:27:53. > :27:58.to Western Europe and ourselves. Thank you Mr Speaker. The government
:27:59. > :28:02.are considering sending ground troops to Libya. Could the Minister
:28:03. > :28:07.give us a cast-iron guarantee that any such deployment of foot soldier,
:28:08. > :28:11.British ground troops into Libya would be a matter that would be
:28:12. > :28:14.discussed on the floor of this house and voted on by the sounds? Hear,
:28:15. > :28:18.hear! First of all, let me be clear that
:28:19. > :28:22.no such decision has been taken and we are not contemplating at the
:28:23. > :28:31.moment a commitment of that time, but what I can say to him is that if
:28:32. > :28:37.we are, in the future, to deploy military forces in a combat role
:28:38. > :28:39.into a conflict zone, we would of course, as the Prime Minister has
:28:40. > :28:46.made clear, come to this house first. Emily Thornbury. This is a
:28:47. > :28:49.very important constitutional issue and I'm sure that the Secretary of
:28:50. > :28:52.State will understand. How can it be that we read in the media that the
:28:53. > :28:57.government have already drawn up plans to send a thousand troops to
:28:58. > :29:01.the Libyan unity government in order to fight Daesh, and when asked
:29:02. > :29:04.whether or not they will be deployed in hostile areas a defence source
:29:05. > :29:10.told the daily e-mail that it wasn't clear yet. Surely it is important
:29:11. > :29:13.that, instead of briefing the media, the Secretary of State committed to
:29:14. > :29:17.coming to this house and answering questions directly. I'm their
:29:18. > :29:20.concern that a written answer today that about the Secretary of State
:29:21. > :29:23.said he reverts -- reserves the right to take military action
:29:24. > :29:27.without this. Does this mean we will not have a proper debate on proposed
:29:28. > :29:30.employment or will he come to this house, allow us to have a proper
:29:31. > :29:34.debate, answer questions and allow us to have a proper road? First of
:29:35. > :29:36.all, let me caution the honourable Lady against believing everything
:29:37. > :29:43.she reads in the daily mail. LAUGHTER
:29:44. > :29:50.Secondly, let me... Let me make it very clear that we are not going to
:29:51. > :29:53.be planning and deployment as reported in that newspaper. Thirdly,
:29:54. > :29:56.let me make it clear I'm always prepared to answer questions in this
:29:57. > :30:01.house, which I am indeed doing at the moment. And thirdly, the written
:30:02. > :30:05.answer that I tabled today makes it very clear the circumstances in
:30:06. > :30:11.which we will, of course, come back to Parliament for its approval. But
:30:12. > :30:14.I should also emphasise that the Prime Minister and I have to take
:30:15. > :30:19.decisions about the deployment of ships and planes and troops and that
:30:20. > :30:24.we do not want, as Daesh will understand, to be artificially
:30:25. > :30:27.constrained in action to keep this country safe. Hear, hear!
:30:28. > :30:34.We will keep Parliament in form and we will, of course, is against birth
:30:35. > :30:41.damn -- to get approval before deploying -- seek its approval
:30:42. > :30:48.before deploying British forces. Question number six, Mr Speaker.
:30:49. > :30:51.Nato remains the cornerstone of our defence, but the European Union has
:30:52. > :30:53.an important company to reroll in addressing and managing
:30:54. > :30:59.international crises, especially when Nato cannot or chooses not to
:31:00. > :31:06.act. Our response to the complex security threats we face require us
:31:07. > :31:09.a united comprehensive approach to including the European Union's
:31:10. > :31:16.diplomatic humanitarian and economic levers. Hear, hear!
:31:17. > :31:21.Mr Speaker, our most important defence includes a certain US
:31:22. > :31:24.president will visit this week, have recognised that the leadership and
:31:25. > :31:26.membership of the US vital for Britain's national security. Hear,
:31:27. > :31:30.hear! And our place in the world, so what
:31:31. > :31:34.assessment has he made and the implications of leaving BEA on our
:31:35. > :31:44.transatlantic alliance and for our national events? -- leaving BEA. I
:31:45. > :31:47.can't think of one ally, other than the United States, I can't become
:31:48. > :31:51.one that thinks the world would be safer or that we will be safer if we
:31:52. > :31:59.left the European Union. Let me be clear, our central defence rests
:32:00. > :32:02.upon our membership of Nato. But there are things that the European
:32:03. > :32:07.Union can add to that, not least, for example, in the recent action
:32:08. > :32:11.taken against Russia by the European Union, after its annexation of
:32:12. > :32:15.Crimea and its interference in eastern Ukraine, it was the European
:32:16. > :32:20.Union that was able to apply economic sanctions, something Nato
:32:21. > :32:23.cannot do. Hear, hear! President Obama is indeed visiting
:32:24. > :32:28.the country later this week. Nobody doubts for a second the total
:32:29. > :32:33.commitment of the United States to Nato. Nobody claims for a second
:32:34. > :32:38.that just because the United States is not in BEA it is any less
:32:39. > :32:43.committed to national defence to Nato or anything else -- not in the
:32:44. > :32:46.DU. Indeed the United States would not surrender a jot of its
:32:47. > :32:50.sovereignty. The fact is our security depends on the excel, it
:32:51. > :32:54.does not depend on EU and if we leave the EU we will be just as safe
:32:55. > :33:00.then as we are now. Hear, hear! Honourable friend and I, although I
:33:01. > :33:04.think have been friends for many years, we differ on this particular
:33:05. > :33:11.matter. Let's be clear, let us be very clear... The United States, as
:33:12. > :33:17.we do, shares its sovereignty by its membership of Nato. By being
:33:18. > :33:22.prepared to come to the aid of other Nato members to the obligations of
:33:23. > :33:26.Article five. There are many international ways in which we
:33:27. > :33:34.decide to share our sovereignty for the common good and also for the
:33:35. > :33:37.better security of our country. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Does the
:33:38. > :33:46.Secretary of State recognised the enormous value of EU membership to
:33:47. > :33:54.our defence industry? LAUGHTER Recently, Jordan 70% of countries
:33:55. > :33:59.want Britain to remain in DU -- saw that. Does he agree with me that to
:34:00. > :34:04.European funded in particular sector development is critical for British
:34:05. > :34:10.defence companies to maintain a leading edge in the global market?
:34:11. > :34:14.Well, I do agree with much of that. We just heard, Mr Speaker, earlier
:34:15. > :34:21.this afternoon of the success of the typhoon sales to Kuwait, a European
:34:22. > :34:26.consortium put together with four different European countries.
:34:27. > :34:31.Successfully selling and aircraft now to eight separate nations. There
:34:32. > :34:37.are ways in which projects and programmes are of such a scale that
:34:38. > :34:43.the European collaboration is only beneficial. Should this country
:34:44. > :34:48.decide to leave the European Union, my right honourable friend undertake
:34:49. > :34:51.to use his best endeavors to secure as much of the ?10 billion a year we
:34:52. > :34:55.would save to boost the defence budget? Hear, hear!
:34:56. > :35:00.LAUGHTER I don't anticipate this country
:35:01. > :35:05.actually taking such a dramatic step, let me repeat again, I don't
:35:06. > :35:09.know any of my defence minister colleagues around the world who
:35:10. > :35:13.would like this country suddenly to start leaving the international
:35:14. > :35:16.alliances and partnerships that it's entered, so I don't think the money
:35:17. > :35:28.that my honourable friend thinks might be available will be. Number
:35:29. > :35:30.eight, the Minister at the box. My right honourable friend the
:35:31. > :35:35.Secretary of State has our he indicated earlier that the nuclear
:35:36. > :35:39.deterrent is at the apex of the UK's full-spectrum of defence capability.
:35:40. > :35:42.The UK's defence nuclear enterprise is gearing up to deliver the
:35:43. > :35:47.successor to be vanguard class submarines. Last month we announced
:35:48. > :35:50.a further ?642 million of preparatory work ahead of the
:35:51. > :35:55.investor decision for this programme. This investment in
:35:56. > :35:59.successive summer will not only help to Britain safe but will support
:36:00. > :36:04.over 30,000 jobs across the UK. Thank you, Mr Speaker. With Russia
:36:05. > :36:09.openly menacing our allies and at the same time we are on because of a
:36:10. > :36:14.security of the greatest sacrifices ever made by our armed forces
:36:15. > :36:17.defending this country, would it not be both foolish and totally
:36:18. > :36:20.inappropriate for us no longer to be prepared to make relatively so small
:36:21. > :36:23.and financial sacrifice to maintain the on asset that can Duricic --
:36:24. > :36:30.guarantee the freedom of this country. I think my honourable
:36:31. > :36:33.friend is absolutely right. As the Secretary of State has indicated in
:36:34. > :36:37.his speech on nuclear deterrence before Easter, we do have both a
:36:38. > :36:42.political and a moral responsibility to protect our people and allies.
:36:43. > :36:45.The nuclear deterrent is a sign to Nato and, as a leading member of
:36:46. > :36:48.Nato, we cannot and should not outsource our commitments to others.
:36:49. > :36:53.There has been a broad political consensus for it decades in this
:36:54. > :36:57.house, on this need to maintain the UK's independence strategic
:36:58. > :37:01.deterrence. We are clear on this side of the House where we stand.
:37:02. > :37:06.This remains the official policy of her majesties official opposition,
:37:07. > :37:08.and it is in our view, there is possible that the honourable Lady
:37:09. > :37:17.and her leader appear determined to put the ultimate security of our
:37:18. > :37:21.nation at risk. LAUGHTER Thank you. The Minister and indeed
:37:22. > :37:27.earlier the Secretary of State referred to belong held -- the
:37:28. > :37:30.long-held and well-known views of the Leader of the Opposition on this
:37:31. > :37:34.issue. The people who will put this resolution to the House on the
:37:35. > :37:39.Secretary of State and the Prime Minister. Given that there is
:37:40. > :37:42.overwhelming support for the renewal, from the Ministry of
:37:43. > :37:46.defence, from the forces, from industry, from the workforce, and
:37:47. > :37:52.there is a majority in this house, will be get the message through to
:37:53. > :37:55.dinner and a fair number ten stop playing party politics with this
:37:56. > :38:00.issue of national security, but people here in this house? Hear,
:38:01. > :38:03.hear! I think the honourable gentleman who
:38:04. > :38:07.speaks with some knowledge on these matters, has been a strong
:38:08. > :38:11.indication to the House that there will be a broad measure of support,
:38:12. > :38:17.which we thoroughly welcome. I will offer the Prime Minister his advice.
:38:18. > :38:22.Mr Speaker, two weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting Rolls-Royce
:38:23. > :38:26.appealed Road in Bristol. I met with apprentices and workers of the
:38:27. > :38:29.defence aerospace operations and turbines manufacturing facility. I
:38:30. > :38:33.witnessed important work Rolls-Royce is doing around the country for
:38:34. > :38:36.manufacturing nuclear engines and servicing the vessels. Does the
:38:37. > :38:41.Minister agree that tried it stands to benefit the economy by voting for
:38:42. > :38:46.the many jobs it will create gastritis? I think my honourable
:38:47. > :38:51.friend for highlighting that the fact that this programme will not
:38:52. > :38:54.just benefit those folk working for Rolls-Royce in the various parts
:38:55. > :39:01.particularly around Derby, but all of the employees will be a system to
:39:02. > :39:02.the contractor, but it will benefit countries and gas companies and
:39:03. > :39:10.constituencies right across this country, including his own. -- it
:39:11. > :39:13.will benefit companies. What's we will always investigate serious
:39:14. > :39:22.allegations of wrongdoing, we are committing -- committed to and ...
:39:23. > :39:28.Opportunist investigation to our armed Forces. Prime Minister chaired
:39:29. > :39:31.a national Security Council meeting on this subject in February looking
:39:32. > :39:34.at a range of options which we had developed and taxed my honourable
:39:35. > :39:39.friend, the Minister for human rights and myself, to bring forward
:39:40. > :39:42.a comprehensive package to address the problem. We expect to make
:39:43. > :39:47.announcements very shortly. Thank you. Two weeks ago I'm a justice
:39:48. > :39:54.said that the public interest lawyers showed "A serious failure to
:39:55. > :39:58.observe essential ethical standards when they claim that British
:39:59. > :40:03.soldiers were as possible for the death of a child close call. Does he
:40:04. > :40:06.agree that this is the latest example of the hounding of our
:40:07. > :40:09.forces, something that we committed to clamp down on in our manifesto,
:40:10. > :40:13.and this must not be investigated? Hear, hear!
:40:14. > :40:16.I do agree with my honourable friend. It's right that public
:40:17. > :40:21.interest lawyers have been referred to the solicitors disciplinary
:40:22. > :40:25.tribunal, the Justice criticised them for failing to take action when
:40:26. > :40:30.they discovered inconsistencies between their payments accounts and
:40:31. > :40:37.mowers, Windows inconsistencies were pointed out to them the fact that
:40:38. > :40:39.they ignored them and continued. In his words nor as possible lawyer
:40:40. > :40:42.conscious of their duties to the client and the court would have felt
:40:43. > :40:48.able to advance that original allegation. Would it have not helped
:40:49. > :40:51.to deter future legal cases against soldiers in the House red the
:40:52. > :41:00.remarkable speech made last Thursday in this house by the Member for...
:41:01. > :41:05.Who said from his position as a formal soldier and journalist that
:41:06. > :41:08.many untruths by ministers, civil servants, and an military resulted
:41:09. > :41:12.in grave errors in the war in Afghanistan. Where can we start a
:41:13. > :41:18.full inquiry into the reasons we went into Helmand? I know the
:41:19. > :41:21.honourable gentleman cares passionately about these issues and
:41:22. > :41:26.I would point him to the number of investigations which have gone on
:41:27. > :41:29.him above produced very lengthy investigation by the Ministry of
:41:30. > :41:34.defence, but also committees of this house that have looked into
:41:35. > :41:39.Afghanistan and am in particular, Helmand in 2006. I think what is
:41:40. > :41:42.important is that we might be lessons from those inquiries and I
:41:43. > :41:47.hope that he will be able to see from operations today, particular,
:41:48. > :41:54.that we are acting on those lessons learned. Number 12, sir. Mr Speaker,
:41:55. > :41:59.the UK is proud to be one of five Nato countries who meet the 2% of
:42:00. > :42:02.GDP spending on defence commitment. Since the defence investment pledge
:42:03. > :42:07.was made at the Wales Summit in 2014, progress has been made with 16
:42:08. > :42:12.allies increasing the defence spending in real terms and 24 allies
:42:13. > :42:16.now spending more of their defence budgets on equipment. As it happens,
:42:17. > :42:19.the leadership role which the UK is headed given within Nato on this
:42:20. > :42:25.issue was warmly welcomed once again by the US to be the -- Deputy
:42:26. > :42:30.defence Secretary. I had discussions with them last Friday. What signal
:42:31. > :42:33.would it send to our Nato governments and our Verza reads
:42:34. > :42:37.ahead of the Brussels summit if the government took the advice of some
:42:38. > :42:42.in this house and failed to commit to spend 2% of GDP on defence? --
:42:43. > :42:49.Warsaw Summit. What my honourable friend update the House on the Libya
:42:50. > :42:53.and wider Middle East situation? I'm not sure that the Speaker will give
:42:54. > :42:57.me enough time to answer both of those issues. I will work as on the
:42:58. > :43:01.first of five May. The Secretary-General was here last week
:43:02. > :43:03.and he praised the United Kingdom for our leadership on defence
:43:04. > :43:09.spending and our contribution to Nato. I the Nato summit in Warsaw in
:43:10. > :43:12.July, we expect to see further progress on the part of our allies
:43:13. > :43:16.and working to meet Nato's 2% guideline, but my contrast the
:43:17. > :43:19.deafening failure to match this commitment by the party opposite
:43:20. > :43:26.sense precisely the wrong message but to our allies and even worse, to
:43:27. > :43:29.our anniversaries. Mr Speaker, the Minister has made much of this 2%.
:43:30. > :43:35.2% in the United Kingdom is quite different from a measurement of 2%
:43:36. > :43:39.of the Nato allies. This process of self assessment, does the Minister
:43:40. > :43:43.not agree that it has profound applications that applied his method
:43:44. > :43:49.of tabulation of GDP expenditure in the militaries? I've already
:43:50. > :43:53.indicated earlier this afternoon that there is Nato who makes the
:43:54. > :43:58.definition and Nato assesses the contributions that are made by each
:43:59. > :44:02.member nation to their return. So it is not for the United Kingdom to
:44:03. > :44:12.make that determination, it is Nato. Number 13, Mr Speaker. In the recent
:44:13. > :44:15.SDSR, Minister defends agree a new strategic objective of country
:44:16. > :44:19.beating to the nation's prosperity. We do that in many ways, not least
:44:20. > :44:23.by spending some ?20 billion a year with industry, around half of which
:44:24. > :44:28.is in the manufacturing sector and some were billion pounds with SMEs.
:44:29. > :44:32.Could the Minister tell the House just how much his department has
:44:33. > :44:35.saved by buying cheap steel from Sweden? Does he think that in any
:44:36. > :44:44.way it offsets a devastating impact on our steel industry? I'm in a
:44:45. > :44:49.position to update the House in relation to the steel component of
:44:50. > :44:54.the aircraft carrier contract, much the largest defence procurement
:44:55. > :45:02.contract where, of the structural steel, some 95,000 tonnes have been
:45:03. > :45:09.procured from UK steel mills over the period of that contract. Mr
:45:10. > :45:11.Speaker, can the Minister confirm that United Kingdom works very
:45:12. > :45:16.closely with countries like Pakistan on defence procurement. Will he join
:45:17. > :45:18.me in welcoming the former Minister of Pakistan who sits in welcoming
:45:19. > :45:22.the former minister of Pakistan's music to the public Valerie at the
:45:23. > :45:29.top? -- who sits in the public gallery. Currently he ought to know
:45:30. > :45:36.and second, it's wide of the question. Mr Stephan Phillips. Mr
:45:37. > :45:40.Phillips is here, splendid! LAUGHTER How could I've thought otherwise for
:45:41. > :45:45.moment with Mac only that the honourable gentleman has eliminated
:45:46. > :45:48.to a different position in the chamber -- has moved to the
:45:49. > :45:52.different position and the timbre. LAUGHTER
:45:53. > :45:57.Very well there. Thank you, my department is committed to improving
:45:58. > :45:59.the quality of service and the accommodation provided to our
:46:00. > :46:04.service personnel and their families who have been working closely to
:46:05. > :46:08.deliver these improvements. Works to improve accommodation has resulted
:46:09. > :46:09.in the upgrading of some 3000 homes to complete refurbishment of the
:46:10. > :46:15.separate installation of around 10,000 new kitchens, baths perms,
:46:16. > :46:19.and central heating systems -- bathrobes. I will be short which may
:46:20. > :46:26.be why you didn't see me earlier. LAUGHTER
:46:27. > :46:29.Service housing is absolutely critical, Knowle to the well-being
:46:30. > :46:34.of our servicemen and women and their families, but also to their
:46:35. > :46:36.morale. Brilliant Amy has been an appalling contractor and of
:46:37. > :46:41.department has taken this issue seriously. Cannot hurt -- encourage
:46:42. > :46:45.my honourable friend to continue to be robust and take the contract away
:46:46. > :46:50.from them but less and until they start to discharge their operations
:46:51. > :46:55.properly? My honourable friend is absolutely right to highlight the
:46:56. > :46:58.poor performance of Karelian game to date. I am determined as indeed the
:46:59. > :47:04.Secretary of State is, to improve this matter which is why we will
:47:05. > :47:09.continue to work closely with brilliant Amy. I can assure my
:47:10. > :47:12.honourable friend that CarillionAmey has committed to me all the key
:47:13. > :47:20.performance indicators across state contracts including the national
:47:21. > :47:25.housing by the end of May 2000 16. Question number one please, Mr
:47:26. > :47:28.Speaker. My priorities are main success in our operations against
:47:29. > :47:32.biased and implementing our SDSR commitments. This month the defence
:47:33. > :47:36.budget increases for the first time in six years and will increase in
:47:37. > :47:42.every year of this Parliament. Our choice to spend more on stronger
:47:43. > :47:46.defence will help keep us safe. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Secretary
:47:47. > :47:49.of State will know about the worrying number of cancers and
:47:50. > :47:54.terminal illnesses reported amongst groups of personnel working in
:47:55. > :48:01.Scotland in the 1980s and 90s, who worked in a toxic soup of chemicals.
:48:02. > :48:04.He will know of the distressing inconsistencies and financial
:48:05. > :48:07.support for those affected. Can he confirm that the government -- the
:48:08. > :48:12.government scare to properly investigate in this and to
:48:13. > :48:17.compensate victims fairly? Hear, hear!
:48:18. > :48:21.Yes, when a veteran considers that their service is led to an illness
:48:22. > :48:25.or injury, they are entitled to make a claim for compensation through our
:48:26. > :48:29.legal claims department. Or to apply enhancements to their pensions. Let
:48:30. > :48:33.me assure the honourable member that the veterans welfare service will
:48:34. > :48:38.listen and will provide all necessary support. Last week the
:48:39. > :48:44.parliamentary undersecretary responded to a debate in Westminster
:48:45. > :48:54.by our honourable friend, the Member for a Mr, about air Cadet training
:48:55. > :49:02.facilities. 1312 training Cadet unit used up the facilities for gliding
:49:03. > :49:04.that about my honourable friend... Will he make sure those facilities
:49:05. > :49:13.are still made available to our cadets? Wethersfield, the facility
:49:14. > :49:18.you are referring to, has been identified for disposal on the new
:49:19. > :49:21.site as yet to be selected, but I can reassure my honourable friend
:49:22. > :49:26.that we are strongly committed to gliding and 614 volunteer gliding
:49:27. > :49:32.goblin, will be expanding into its new role as a regional hub. Our
:49:33. > :49:38.immediate priority is to get cadets that flying again. Starting in and
:49:39. > :49:47.this year it should be a fully delivered by 2018. Those injured in
:49:48. > :49:51.the course of their duties should receive the financial support they
:49:52. > :49:55.need, but currently the value of compensation payments is being
:49:56. > :50:01.eroded by a comparative third under the armed Forces compensation
:50:02. > :50:04.schemes income payments and the war disablement pensions supplement.
:50:05. > :50:07.Applying the triple lock to military compensation payments will ensure
:50:08. > :50:12.that the higher of earnings, inflation or two and a half percent
:50:13. > :50:14.is paid. When would the government take everyday is to review the
:50:15. > :50:21.statements and make some of the impacts of the real terms from the
:50:22. > :50:24.current system -- 2.5%. We always keep our payment systems under
:50:25. > :50:27.review and of course the honourable Lady will be aware that in the
:50:28. > :50:30.recent budget the Chancellor decided that the were the first time the
:50:31. > :50:35.payments under the war pensions scheme would be set aside for care
:50:36. > :50:40.costs. These of these positive measures that we do keep under
:50:41. > :50:43.review in support of our veterans. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Does my
:50:44. > :50:49.honourable friend agree that to wade's decision to buy 28 world
:50:50. > :50:55.beating typhoons is testing to the skill of the PAD workforce, many of
:50:56. > :51:01.whom live in my constituency -- Kuwait. We welcome wholeheartedly
:51:02. > :51:07.this month's contract signed by the Kuwait for the Typhoon aircraft.
:51:08. > :51:10.Record to become the eighth country to select the euro fighter Typhoon
:51:11. > :51:15.and the third in the Gulf. It is positive for our bilateral defence
:51:16. > :51:17.relationship and for jobs across the British aerospace and defence
:51:18. > :51:23.industry, including the thousands employed by BEA systems at Wharton
:51:24. > :51:27.in Lancaster, many of her constituents, it is excellent news
:51:28. > :51:30.for the House right across the UK. Following the Foreign Secretary's
:51:31. > :51:34.statement that we stand to provide further assist Ms. Bass assistance
:51:35. > :51:37.to Libya and its people, can the Secretary of State confirm what kind
:51:38. > :51:40.of assistance the UK would be willing to provide and how much
:51:41. > :51:45.notice this house would have before a vote on military action in Libya?
:51:46. > :51:49.I've made it clear that we are waiting to hear from the Prime
:51:50. > :51:53.Minister and the new government, which has only just been established
:51:54. > :51:57.in the last few days. What kind of assistance they want, whether it is
:51:58. > :52:03.training or other support. So far as I noticed that a notice to this
:52:04. > :52:09.house is concerned, Ira Pete, there is no plan at the moment to deploy
:52:10. > :52:15.British troops and any kind of combat role and if there was such a
:52:16. > :52:20.plan in a conflict zone anywhere in the world we would come to this
:52:21. > :52:25.house first -- I repeat. Those particularly nasty force of Daesh
:52:26. > :52:28.has ceased territory at the top of a valley in Lebanon. Can my right
:52:29. > :52:31.honourable friend assure the House that the British Government is doing
:52:32. > :52:34.everything it can to support the government of Lebanon in tackling
:52:35. > :52:39.this particularly nasty group of people who are inflicting misery on
:52:40. > :52:46.local people? Yes, I discussed with the Lebanese defence minister last
:52:47. > :52:50.week the threat they faced and the importance of Lebanon's security. We
:52:51. > :52:54.have recently committed to spending a further ?23 million on equipment,
:52:55. > :52:58.mentoring and training to help the Lebanese Armed Forces to secure
:52:59. > :53:02.their entire border with Syria. We plan to spend an additional four and
:53:03. > :53:09.a half million on operations training so that by 2019 some 20,000
:53:10. > :53:17.Lebanese soldiers will have received British training -- spend an
:53:18. > :53:22.additional 4.5 million. Making sure the very high percentage of UK steel
:53:23. > :53:30.is used in defence and particular will he say that these steps moving
:53:31. > :53:37.forward... Will help UK steel to do any successive Trident submarines? I
:53:38. > :53:41.can assure the honourable gentleman that the government as a whole is
:53:42. > :53:45.committed to supporting the UK steel industry and the Ministry of defence
:53:46. > :53:49.Department have the policy guidance to the contractors to address
:53:50. > :53:51.barriers to be open market. I am working closely with our contractors
:53:52. > :53:57.to make sure that they support this new policy. In relation to the
:53:58. > :54:02.submarine contracts as and when they are placed, there are some special
:54:03. > :54:06.steels were the United Kingdom suppliers have a very important role
:54:07. > :54:10.to play. There are some others where we don't at present have many
:54:11. > :54:15.factors capable of supplying in the UK, so it's a balance. Is the
:54:16. > :54:19.Secretary of State aware that the standard of food for military and
:54:20. > :54:23.HMS and other similar naval establishment has become the source
:54:24. > :54:28.of so many complaints that service personnel have been banned from
:54:29. > :54:31.taking photographs on social media to critique it? What does he do to
:54:32. > :54:37.make sure that our service men and women are properly taken care of in
:54:38. > :54:43.a basic areas such as food. Corn mills covering breakfast lunch and
:54:44. > :54:46.dinner, nutritional standards, including unlimited access to
:54:47. > :54:52.carbohydrates and vegetables. I have experienced food which our armed
:54:53. > :54:58.forces personnel have. Personally I got eight experience, however the
:54:59. > :55:01.normal process is to be a complaint down the chain of command, but I
:55:02. > :55:05.will be more than happy to look into it for my honourable friend. Mr
:55:06. > :55:11.Speaker, ministers this afternoon have member markedly coy about the
:55:12. > :55:14.timing of the decision for the Trident successor programme. I
:55:15. > :55:21.understand the point about that, but can the Minister helped the House by
:55:22. > :55:26.giving an indication of whether or not we are likely to get a verdict
:55:27. > :55:30.after the 24th of June and before the House rises for the summer
:55:31. > :55:38.recess on the 21st of July? I hope we will have an early debate and
:55:39. > :55:41.vote on the principle of supporting the replacement of power for
:55:42. > :55:44.existing submarines. I should explain to the honourable lady that
:55:45. > :55:48.this will not be on the main gate decision because there is not one
:55:49. > :55:55.main gate decision, we are obviously negotiating with our suppliers for
:55:56. > :55:59.four separate submarines. The Secretary of State is a suave and
:56:00. > :56:04.polished by the mystery performer. Hear, hear!
:56:05. > :56:09.Which is why the defence select committee would like to see a little
:56:10. > :56:12.bit more of him and why it's doubly disappointing that, despite trying
:56:13. > :56:19.since the beginning of March to agree with his private office, to
:56:20. > :56:22.our slots before the end of May, so far we have only achieved one and
:56:23. > :56:26.the offer of a second which happens to be our local bans on local
:56:27. > :56:31.government election day, that's far from ideal. With economy have an
:56:32. > :56:35.idea with his private office and asked them to extract their
:56:36. > :56:40.proverbial digit... LAUGHTER And thus avoid our two quite
:56:41. > :56:43.important inquiries on the Middle East and on Russia being either
:56:44. > :56:49.delayed or having to be written without his valuable input?
:56:50. > :56:57.I always enjoyed my appearances before my honourable friend and his
:56:58. > :57:05.colleagues on the select committee. It is sometimes not always easy to
:57:06. > :57:07.reconcile their offers with some of my international travel commitments
:57:08. > :57:14.by I will certainly today have a look at them. They seem like busy
:57:15. > :57:17.man with many commitments and a full diary but House committees are very
:57:18. > :57:26.important and I'm sure the Secretary of State will not forget that. Get
:57:27. > :57:30.it sorted, man. Hawks are built at my constituency and promote the best
:57:31. > :57:38.of British, so I wonder if there are plans to procure new plans for the
:57:39. > :57:42.red arrows? I recently announced a new support contract for the Hawk
:57:43. > :57:48.aircraft which takes it out to November 2020 and we have time to
:57:49. > :57:53.decide how to sustain them beyond that. What I would like to say
:57:54. > :57:56.though is that the red arrows are due to commence a substantial
:57:57. > :57:59.programme of displays in this country and overseas this summer and
:58:00. > :58:07.I hope many members of the House have an opportunity to watch them.
:58:08. > :58:13.100 years ago, my constituency was established as a centre to deal with
:58:14. > :58:17.nerve gas attacks. They continue to do a fantastic job tackling the
:58:18. > :58:22.grave threats we face in this country from Daesh. Following the
:58:23. > :58:28.visits of the Secretary of State and other ministers, what reflections
:58:29. > :58:34.would they have on the continuing role of DSTL in my constituency?
:58:35. > :58:37.DSTL is meant to defend our nation and forces against a wide range of
:58:38. > :58:42.threats, it is just as crucial today as it was 100 years ago. We will
:58:43. > :58:45.continue to invest in science and technology to stay ahead of our
:58:46. > :58:53.adversaries and I would like to congratulate all of our staff there
:58:54. > :58:56.and in my own constituency on reaching this milestone and for the
:58:57. > :59:03.remarkable work they do in helping keep our country safe. With both
:59:04. > :59:07.existing and potential success of programme in mind along with tried
:59:08. > :59:15.and, what measures have this department taken to identify on
:59:16. > :59:21.exported -- unexplored ordinance? The department takes a safety of our
:59:22. > :59:26.nuclear fleet at the highest possible level, so there are
:59:27. > :59:30.continuous attempts to ensure that any potential threat to our
:59:31. > :59:33.submarines are monitored. If the honourable gentleman has something
:59:34. > :59:36.specific you'd like to draw to our attention, he should do so and I
:59:37. > :59:45.would be happy to meet to discuss it. Tata steel develop new types of
:59:46. > :59:48.steel for our aircraft carriers. Can my outer friend ensure that British
:59:49. > :59:56.steel manufacturers continue to innovate and deliver for the Royal
:59:57. > :00:01.Navy? I am grateful to my honourable friend for highlighting the success
:00:02. > :00:04.of Tata Steel in supplying to the aircraft carrier. There are other
:00:05. > :00:08.grades and types of steel, which are not presently available in this
:00:09. > :00:11.country, and we would certainly be able to talk to the ministry about
:00:12. > :00:21.what steps they can take to make such types available. The Army
:00:22. > :00:26.reserve in my constituency... They are being in correspondence with the
:00:27. > :00:29.Minister and have yet heard a response from rumours he had to be
:00:30. > :00:32.confirmed or consulted with the wider community about its imminent
:00:33. > :00:40.closure, can I have a response please, Minister? I am grateful to
:00:41. > :00:44.the honourable Lady for her letters on this. We have also had a word in
:00:45. > :00:52.the margins, we are looking into this matter, we do have a robust
:00:53. > :00:55.system for appeals to this and so far I am unable to offer the
:00:56. > :01:00.honourable lady any comfort but I will come back to her shortly.
:01:01. > :01:05.Further to the question I asked by my honourable friend, the 1206
:01:06. > :01:08.training squadron in Litchfield is one of the biggest in the West
:01:09. > :01:11.Midlands but it too has been suffering from the lack of glider
:01:12. > :01:20.training position. What hope can you give my friends and core members
:01:21. > :01:26.that their training will be resumed? I am delighted to be able to answer
:01:27. > :01:32.a question from the distinguished president of that squadron.
:01:33. > :01:38.LAUGHTER Two years ago, nearly two years ago, all had to be disbanded
:01:39. > :01:42.for safety reasons. We have been unable to find a contractor who can
:01:43. > :01:46.credibly take on the repair of the vigilance, but the Vikings are all
:01:47. > :01:52.on their way up, together with a small number of vigilance. By 2018,
:01:53. > :01:58.we will be delivering a full programme of colliding with an
:01:59. > :02:07.enhanced level of powered flying with more tutors in starting this
:02:08. > :02:09.year. Some 5000 service personnel serving overseas, they want to have
:02:10. > :02:17.postal votes. They've applied for that and tell me that their votes
:02:18. > :02:19.are sent to the regiment, to those overseas, that they are
:02:20. > :02:22.disenfranchised. And I asked the ministers question. What is he doing
:02:23. > :02:31.to ensure that these votes are given to those overseas who wish to vote?
:02:32. > :02:34.We actively partook in the governmentwide scheme which is lost
:02:35. > :02:37.on the February -- 1st of February to ensure our service personnel were
:02:38. > :02:43.aware that they could register. We will be doing the same again through
:02:44. > :02:46.issuing a defence information notice in me with the regards to the EU
:02:47. > :02:51.Referendum, but it is ultimately down to individual service, and
:02:52. > :02:56.whether they do or do like her register or vote. Could I ask my
:02:57. > :03:01.right honourable friend or perhaps the Minister of state, the
:03:02. > :03:12.honourable and very gallant lady,... LAUGHTER Gallon because she is in
:03:13. > :03:19.the Royal Navy reserve. Could I ask whether they could assure the House
:03:20. > :03:24.that no investigator used by either public interest lawyers is paid for
:03:25. > :03:33.for any service by the Ministry of defence? I can give that assurance.
:03:34. > :03:42.Although the Ministry of defence does not direct the investigations
:03:43. > :03:48.of them, it is responsible to ensure public money is being spent well and
:03:49. > :03:53.efficiently. Although we can clearly justify investigations into
:03:54. > :03:56.wrongdoing and investigations that exonerate our armed forces, we
:03:57. > :04:02.cannot justify spending money on processes which frustrate those
:04:03. > :04:05.processes and we have given very clear ministerial direction that
:04:06. > :04:09.those agents are not to be paid with public money and we have received
:04:10. > :04:14.assurances that that is the case. I am sorry it demand exceeds supply
:04:15. > :04:27.but we must now move on. Urgent question. Heidi Alexander. If you
:04:28. > :04:29.will make a statement on the imposition of a new