:00:00. > :00:17.Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence.
:00:18. > :00:19.Number one, Mr Speaker. The campaign against Daesh is making steady
:00:20. > :00:25.progress with coalition support, Iraqi forces have freed Falluja and
:00:26. > :00:29.as part of preparatory operations for retaking Mosul have liberated
:00:30. > :00:38.another time. The Syrian Democrat forces have taken Manbij and Turkish
:00:39. > :00:42.backed opposition forces have taken Jarablus, denying Daesh the last
:00:43. > :00:46.border crossings into Turkey. As we approach the second anniversary of
:00:47. > :00:51.our military operations, I should like to pay tribute to the men and
:00:52. > :00:56.women of all three services who work tirelessly to defeat Daesh and to
:00:57. > :00:59.keep Britain safe. I think the Secretary of State for that answer
:01:00. > :01:05.but given the announcement of a US and Russian negotiated ceasefire in
:01:06. > :01:09.Syria, does the Secretary of State believe that Russia is now an
:01:10. > :01:16.unpredictable ally, or an unwelcome threat in the fight against Daesh?
:01:17. > :01:21.Russian military activity in Syria has supported the Assad regime,
:01:22. > :01:26.which bombs, tortures and stars its own people. While we welcome the
:01:27. > :01:34.latest ceasefire from tonight, it is Russia that must make it work, by
:01:35. > :01:37.stopping Assad from attacking Syrian civilians, moderate opposition
:01:38. > :01:40.groups, and by helping to get humanitarian aid into Aleppo and
:01:41. > :01:50.other cities that have been starved of food. The G20 communique last
:01:51. > :01:56.week in China talked about terrorist financing. We have done a lot in our
:01:57. > :02:02.military operations to degrade that. Can you say what more the UK can do
:02:03. > :02:07.to degrade the money the terrorists are getting from smuggling and
:02:08. > :02:11.extortion? What more can the UK military do to deny Daesh those
:02:12. > :02:15.sources of funding? The infrastructure targets that the RAF
:02:16. > :02:20.have been attacking in recent months have included oil installations to
:02:21. > :02:25.reduce the revenue that Daesh have been getting from oil trading,
:02:26. > :02:32.sealing the border will also help the flow of illicit goods and indeed
:02:33. > :02:36.oil across the border, and we continue to work with our
:02:37. > :02:48.international partners to reduce the access of Daesh to the financial
:02:49. > :02:55.system. Could I ask the Secretary of State about the ammunition we
:02:56. > :03:01.supplied to Peshmerga and the delay can do so? We have supplied, as my
:03:02. > :03:04.honourable friend knows, not only heavy machine guns to the Peshmerga,
:03:05. > :03:14.but ammunition for those machine guns. And I announced earlier in the
:03:15. > :03:16.summer a fresh gift from us of ammunition for those heavy machine
:03:17. > :03:22.guns and I'm pleased to tell honourable friend that ammunition
:03:23. > :03:29.has now arrived and is being used. The US- Russia agreement to tackle
:03:30. > :03:32.Daesh will clearly have an impact on British forces. Is the Secretary of
:03:33. > :03:39.State able to say anything about the deployment of our air force there or
:03:40. > :03:45.indeed special forces? As he knows, on the deployment of our special
:03:46. > :03:50.forces in any country in the world, but he raises an important point
:03:51. > :03:54.about the deconstruction of the airspace. At the moment, the
:03:55. > :03:58.agreement between Russia and the United States, we are party to that
:03:59. > :04:06.agreement, that ensures that there is minimum risk of coalitions --
:04:07. > :04:10.collisions or misidentification of aircraft. And that obviously will
:04:11. > :04:21.continue to be the case after the ceasefire. Can I ask on what date
:04:22. > :04:28.the initial training will be deployed? Yes, I announced in June
:04:29. > :04:36.that we would be sending another 250 British troops to the Al Asad air
:04:37. > :04:40.base in western Iraq to consummate the Danish training programme, as
:04:41. > :04:45.part of what is cut the building partner capacity effort. I am very
:04:46. > :04:56.pleased to tell him that the advance party have now arrived in the last
:04:57. > :05:01.few days at the airbase. This is indeed a critical time for the
:05:02. > :05:04.future of Syria. May I had the SNP's voice to those across this gem in
:05:05. > :05:11.wishing well the proposed ceasefire in Syria, and we echo the call for
:05:12. > :05:15.all signs in this awful conflict to observe it. Given the ceasefire is
:05:16. > :05:21.vital in the campaign to defeat Daesh, could I ask the separate --
:05:22. > :05:24.what discussions with the UK Government Hannes with the US and
:05:25. > :05:28.the Russian Federation and what role did the UK Government play in
:05:29. > :05:32.helping to broker this ceasefire? I am grateful to him for his earlier
:05:33. > :05:37.remarks. The UK Government has been involved in promoting the ceasefire
:05:38. > :05:41.all the way back from the original cessation of hostilities, which was
:05:42. > :05:46.announced at the Munich Security conference, and we have been part of
:05:47. > :05:49.the intense efforts to get and to keep moderate opposition groups
:05:50. > :05:54.around the table to negotiate a future settlement the Syria, and we
:05:55. > :06:01.have also been part of encouraging the ceasefire has well. Mr Speaker,
:06:02. > :06:07.talking of the moderate forces, what discussions as the UK Government had
:06:08. > :06:11.with the representatives of the 70,000 moderate troops who we were
:06:12. > :06:16.led to believe, we were discussing ahead of last year's bombing of
:06:17. > :06:20.Syria, what could he tell us, what contact has been made and what
:06:21. > :06:25.assurances have been given by those moderate forces that this ceasefire
:06:26. > :06:28.will stick? We have been in contact with exactly those moderate forces
:06:29. > :06:33.and indeed representatives from the different opposition groups in
:06:34. > :06:37.Syria. They were in London last week for precisely those kind of
:06:38. > :06:42.discussions. We very much hope that the ceasefire will stick now. A
:06:43. > :06:47.large part of that will depend on Russia persuading the Syrian regime
:06:48. > :06:50.to back the ceasefire in stock but it is also important that it is
:06:51. > :06:57.properly respected right across northern Syria as well. Challenging
:06:58. > :07:01.the death cult ideology of Daesh is vital if we are to tackle this type
:07:02. > :07:06.of terrorism. Can the Minister update the hose-mac on the progress
:07:07. > :07:10.being made by the 34 Muslim nations being coordinated by Saudi Arabia to
:07:11. > :07:14.defeat Daesh? Yes, we'll welcome the efforts that have been made and have
:07:15. > :07:19.been led by Saudi Arabia. I visited the centre they have established in
:07:20. > :07:24.Riyadh to lead this effort to make it very clear that Islam is a
:07:25. > :07:29.religion of peace and to coordinate the various programmes of the
:07:30. > :07:37.radicalisation that are already now in force across the Arab world. Mr
:07:38. > :07:42.Speaker, we all welcome very much the recent announcement of the
:07:43. > :07:45.ceasefire in Syria, which as well as providing opportunity for all sides
:07:46. > :07:49.to focus on defeating Daesh, creating space for further
:07:50. > :07:53.negotiations and ending the conflict once and for all. The need for a
:07:54. > :07:58.negotiated settlement in Syria is as potent as ever, particularly in
:07:59. > :08:01.light of horrifying reports of yet another chlorine attack in recent
:08:02. > :08:06.days. Can the Secretary of State tell the House a bit more about the
:08:07. > :08:11.implications for the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in
:08:12. > :08:19.Syria under the ceasefire details? I am grateful for his, for what he has
:08:20. > :08:23.said and for his support. Yes, getting humanitarian aid into Aleppo
:08:24. > :08:27.and some of the other towns and cities that have suffered is a key
:08:28. > :08:30.part of the ceasefire and I think it will be one of the tests of the
:08:31. > :08:39.ceasefire as to whether the regime is really prepared to allow these
:08:40. > :08:51.much-needed convoys in. Sorry, Mr Speaker. Question number three.
:08:52. > :08:58.Since the extremely generous offer by President Hollande to confer the
:08:59. > :09:01.Legion D'Honneur on the surviving veterans, we have had a number of
:09:02. > :09:05.discussions with representatives of the fans Government about the
:09:06. > :09:08.process for making the award. As a result the French Government has
:09:09. > :09:16.presented over 3500 medals to British veterans. The process is
:09:17. > :09:26.being made as smooth as possible. No problems this time, Mr Speaker! I
:09:27. > :09:31.thank the Minister for his answer. Several veterans are still waiting
:09:32. > :09:34.for the award of their Legion D'Honneur, and others have passed
:09:35. > :09:37.away over the last year without receiving it. Would the Minister
:09:38. > :09:41.join me in calling on the French authorities to resolve this issue as
:09:42. > :09:44.a matter of urgency and also to look at whether the honour can still be
:09:45. > :09:48.conferred on those who have passed away since? It is established by law
:09:49. > :09:53.in France through set requirements for scrutiny and approval. French
:09:54. > :09:58.authorities have done the most to expedite the issue of the awards. As
:09:59. > :10:03.with the UK, honours and awards are generally not made posthumously. I
:10:04. > :10:09.confirm a couple of the cases have been submitted to French authorities
:10:10. > :10:16.but there is no record of 14 the third veteran. I do appreciate the
:10:17. > :10:19.efforts the Minister and the Department have taken in trying to
:10:20. > :10:28.ensure that individuals get their Legion D'Honneur medals but we still
:10:29. > :10:32.have, a large number of people who qualified and have applied but not
:10:33. > :10:35.received it. Is it possible to do an audit in the UK of how many
:10:36. > :10:40.applications are outstanding so he can chase those up? The French have
:10:41. > :10:48.awarded approximately 3500. We have sent the French about 4300. At the
:10:49. > :10:52.moment, the process is taking between six and eight weeks. I
:10:53. > :10:57.appreciate that are still a significant period of time, given
:10:58. > :11:00.the age of this court, but I can assure the honourable gentleman, who
:11:01. > :11:04.has pursued this persistently, we have done everything we can to try
:11:05. > :11:05.and make this process as quick as possible, given the circumstances
:11:06. > :11:20.and the age of those veterans. The French embassy are trying to do
:11:21. > :11:24.their best. If everybody has a problem with their constituent,
:11:25. > :11:29.write to me because these people deserve better than this. The
:11:30. > :11:33.honourable gentleman is too modest to reveal that although he is
:11:34. > :11:41.himself not a Normandy veteran he does hold the honour. I am grateful
:11:42. > :11:45.to my honourable friend for the support he offers and I can only
:11:46. > :11:51.repeat we are keen to get these expedited as quickly as possible and
:11:52. > :11:54.whilst all of the cold heart is a rather certain age of any member has
:11:55. > :11:59.a constituent they are particularly concerned about please contact us
:12:00. > :12:09.and we will endeavour to get it to them as quickly as possible. Number
:12:10. > :12:13.four. With your permission I should like to answer question for and
:12:14. > :12:16.questioned ten together. Small businesses are crucial for growth
:12:17. > :12:23.and innovation in this country and we want them to take an increasing
:12:24. > :12:27.share of our growing defence budget. We are committed to achieving 25% of
:12:28. > :12:31.our procurement spend with small and medium-sized businesses by 2020 and
:12:32. > :12:37.that target is 10% higher than the one set during the last Parliament.
:12:38. > :12:44.May I say how nice it is to see my noble friend in the place and also
:12:45. > :12:49.to ask what steps she can take to ensure the MOD's largest customers
:12:50. > :12:58.use small firms to deliver their contracts. She is absolutely right.
:12:59. > :13:03.It is essential that we work not only directly in our defence
:13:04. > :13:08.procurement process but also with our supply chains and I'm delighted
:13:09. > :13:13.to let the House no that the supply chain advocate network and the
:13:14. > :13:19.supply chain champions are well under way and that last year the
:13:20. > :13:26.Ministry of Defence was able to make direct spend with almost 5000
:13:27. > :13:29.different companies. In addition to that country ask the Minister to
:13:30. > :13:35.confirm what measures the MOD can take to reduce the revelatory burden
:13:36. > :13:40.that small firms have such as those in my own constituency in making
:13:41. > :13:48.applications when it comes to procurement of defence equipment.
:13:49. > :13:51.The honourable gentleman is right to highlight ways in which we can make
:13:52. > :13:55.this easier for small and medium-sized businesses. This year
:13:56. > :13:59.we removed the turnover requirement in the prequalification process and
:14:00. > :14:09.we're working towards simplifying contract terms so that we can reduce
:14:10. > :14:14.it to three pages. Can I welcome the Minister to her position but can I
:14:15. > :14:20.ask her to take notice of what happens in Huddersfield. We have
:14:21. > :14:24.many fine people making things that people want in our defence forces
:14:25. > :14:31.but would she disassociate itself from the fat and lazy term used by
:14:32. > :14:38.British businessmen. We have no fat and lazy businessman in
:14:39. > :14:42.Huddersfield. Those are not my words and I would like to pay tribute to
:14:43. > :14:45.the many businesses in Huddersfield and around South Yorkshire which to
:14:46. > :14:52.such wonderful work in terms of supplying our Ministry of Defence.
:14:53. > :14:56.On Wednesday I raised the issue of an engineering company that went
:14:57. > :15:00.into ministration. I would like to place on record my appreciation to
:15:01. > :15:03.the procurement Minister who are taught noticed scrambled around and
:15:04. > :15:11.rearranged her diary to meet Administration is. Will the
:15:12. > :15:19.procurement Minister work with me and the administrators to learn no
:15:20. > :15:24.stone unturned until we can see if we can save these valuable jobs.
:15:25. > :15:33.Yes, we are working hard to represent the interests. We will be
:15:34. > :15:39.able to meet with him and the administrators later today. In rugby
:15:40. > :15:45.we are proud of the contribution that GE Power conversion are making
:15:46. > :15:55.to the global combat ship problem they also contribute to the local
:15:56. > :15:59.economy. My honourable friend is right to highlight the fact that
:16:00. > :16:04.earlier this year we were unable to announce contracts for some of the
:16:05. > :16:09.long leave items as part of this programme and to highlight the way
:16:10. > :16:16.in which small and medium-sized businesses play such an important
:16:17. > :16:21.role in that supply chain. It is interesting listening to the
:16:22. > :16:30.Minister's words and I greatly support 25% of expenditure by 2020.
:16:31. > :16:38.However, figures published last month were quite clear that over 2%
:16:39. > :16:40.went to companies assessed as small and medium-sized businesses. It is
:16:41. > :16:46.determined by independent verifiers so why has there not been an
:16:47. > :16:54.assessment of new suppliers carried out since 2014 or is the Department
:16:55. > :17:03.resorting to accountancy? I don't recognise the figures she has cited
:17:04. > :17:05.but I can confirm that in 2014 we spent 19% with small and
:17:06. > :17:12.medium-sized businesses and she highlight the fact the contract in
:17:13. > :17:16.terms of evaluating the characteristics of different firms
:17:17. > :17:20.which is a Cabinet Office contract ended in 2014 and we are in the
:17:21. > :17:25.process of discussing with our colleagues what the successful
:17:26. > :17:35.framework would be like. Number five. I will answer questions five
:17:36. > :17:40.and six together. We are determined to meet the commitment to ensure
:17:41. > :17:48.Armed Forces overseas are not subject to persistent legal claims.
:17:49. > :17:52.I explore the work my predecessor did working across government to
:17:53. > :17:59.bring proposals in the very near future. I welcomed the statement and
:18:00. > :18:05.urge the government to press ahead with reforms in this area
:18:06. > :18:08.particularly to the extra Torino jurisdiction of human rights laws so
:18:09. > :18:13.that we do have accountability for Ray acts of wrongdoing but we don't
:18:14. > :18:25.subject those risking life and limb to litigation by Amblin 's chasing
:18:26. > :18:30.lawyers. It is very important that those who have done wrong adult with
:18:31. > :18:38.Experian wrong that tax paid lawyers are chasing around the country
:18:39. > :18:41.trying to prosecute other people. Our Armed Forces are the best in the
:18:42. > :18:44.world and we must do everything to protect them both on and off the
:18:45. > :18:49.battlefield. To that end with many soldiers based in Sennybridge in
:18:50. > :18:56.Brecon can my honourable friend assure them that the Iraq historic
:18:57. > :19:04.allegations trailer Bale will look carefully at the claims made against
:19:05. > :19:10.British forces personnel. I think we can all welcome the demise of
:19:11. > :19:14.lawyers and it is for the authorities that look closely at
:19:15. > :19:20.what they did and then income. Having trained at Sennybridge many
:19:21. > :19:30.years ago I can assure everybody that this government is behind them.
:19:31. > :19:37.Could I welcome my honourable friend to this place. They especially
:19:38. > :19:43.welcome his stance on this matter. Is he aware of the fact that Phil
:19:44. > :19:48.Shiner who has made so much money out of this is trying to conceal his
:19:49. > :19:52.ill gotten gains by threatening editors threatening to expose him
:19:53. > :19:59.with it so on the basis of so-called mental health problems. Can I pay
:20:00. > :20:15.tribute for -- to my right honourable friend. Let's let the
:20:16. > :20:28.bodies do their workforce and see what comes out on the other side of
:20:29. > :20:31.that. Number seven. We positively encourage bids from British
:20:32. > :20:35.companies to ensure they are in the best position to win future steel
:20:36. > :20:38.contracts. We have issued new policy guidance to address the barriers
:20:39. > :20:45.that might prevent UK steel producers from competing effectively
:20:46. > :20:48.on the open market. Now that government departments are mandated
:20:49. > :20:52.to provide information about the proportion of UK steel used in crime
:20:53. > :20:56.commercial service would the Minister please tell the House what
:20:57. > :21:04.percentage of UK steel has been used in current and will be using future
:21:05. > :21:07.defence projects? She rightly speaks up for the steel production in her
:21:08. > :21:12.constituency and she will be very pleased to know that of the largest
:21:13. > :21:18.project the UK Government has ever procured that uses steel she will be
:21:19. > :21:21.aware that that is the carrier programme which is currently under
:21:22. > :21:29.construction and that the vast majority of that comes from Tata
:21:30. > :21:35.steel. I support the increasing use of small firms but will the Minister
:21:36. > :21:41.and take to encourage those small firms to use British Steel wherever
:21:42. > :21:45.possible? He's right that it's a process not only of encouraging
:21:46. > :21:52.competition within the procurement process but also where there are
:21:53. > :21:57.long lead type items and in our security review we have set out the
:21:58. > :22:03.largest programme of investing in ships for some time. There will be a
:22:04. > :22:08.lot of long lead time items were small businesses will be able to
:22:09. > :22:20.work with those who are procuring the contract in order to find a
:22:21. > :22:22.place in that supply chain. Recent defence procurement decisions have
:22:23. > :22:29.failed to take into account the benefits to the UK economy gained by
:22:30. > :22:36.manufacturer -- manufacturing domestic day. Will the minister
:22:37. > :22:40.commit to assess the wider economic and social benefits derived from
:22:41. > :22:46.building the three new solid support vessels in the UK with British Steel
:22:47. > :22:54.and share information with this House? She's right to highlight that
:22:55. > :23:00.in our strategic review we have set out a programme. We are investing in
:23:01. > :23:05.more ships, aeroplanes and more cyber investment. She mentioned the
:23:06. > :23:09.solid support ships and those will not be procured until later in this
:23:10. > :23:14.Parliament but I can assure her that we will do everything we can with
:23:15. > :23:18.those items and programmes that have been set out in advance to ensure
:23:19. > :23:20.that British company and British Steel companies have all the
:23:21. > :23:30.information they need to be successful. Number eight.
:23:31. > :23:33.Competition remains the best way of securing value for money but
:23:34. > :23:39.sometimes we need to place single source contracts. We therefore
:23:40. > :23:42.establish a new regime with an independent regulator to ensure
:23:43. > :23:46.contract costs and profit rates are both reasonable and transparent. Can
:23:47. > :24:06.I thank her for that answer. Will those changes have government
:24:07. > :24:13.support? Yes, in March this year we reduced the profit rate on single
:24:14. > :24:15.source contracts from 10.6% to 8.95% and the regulator will then
:24:16. > :24:21.recommend a rate for 2017 which we will consider carefully as well as
:24:22. > :24:29.their recommendation in terms of multiple profit rates. What steps is
:24:30. > :24:34.the minister taking to ensure that were single source contracting is
:24:35. > :24:41.placed abroad that there is appropriate levels set aside so that
:24:42. > :24:49.apprenticeships in British defence companies are protected and
:24:50. > :24:53.facilitated? She will be aware that this is an ongoing subject of
:24:54. > :25:01.discussion. She will be aware of the commitment that General dynamics has
:25:02. > :25:13.made in Wales to create 250 jobs in the supply chain. When the contracts
:25:14. > :25:19.are derived unnecessary costs can be occurred when the design
:25:20. > :25:25.specifications are changed. What steps is the Minister taking to
:25:26. > :25:31.ensure these latest changes after contracts have started no longer
:25:32. > :25:35.occur? This was one of the major themes that came out in terms of the
:25:36. > :25:42.review of how we could improve defence procurement. They were
:25:43. > :25:46.problems with the design of the type 45 which was ordered at the
:25:47. > :25:51.beginning of the last decade which has been costly to rectify and
:25:52. > :25:55.therefore that is why we take such care now in terms of the design to
:25:56. > :25:59.prevent such things happening in the future.
:26:00. > :26:05.I welcome what the Minister has said in answer to another question in
:26:06. > :26:10.terms of the targets that are in place to ensure small and
:26:11. > :26:13.medium-sized enterprises in the UK benefit from defence procurement.
:26:14. > :26:19.But when she is looking at the issue of value for money and single source
:26:20. > :26:25.contracts, can she assure the House that value for money includes
:26:26. > :26:32.looking at British jobs, British skills and, as my honourable friend
:26:33. > :26:36.said, investment in apprenticeships? Can I thank the honourable member
:26:37. > :26:39.again for mentioning apprenticeships, and I will -- our
:26:40. > :26:44.commitment to continue to work with our single source suppliers to
:26:45. > :26:47.ensure they remain, in fact we can clearly see they are some of the
:26:48. > :26:53.lead providers of apprenticeships across the defence procurement area.
:26:54. > :27:03.Number nine, served. We aim to maximise the benefit of the UK for
:27:04. > :27:08.UK technologies and know-how. These results can be exported through a
:27:09. > :27:15.technology transfer company, which we estimate will have contributed
:27:16. > :27:19.over ?200 million to export value by 2018 and to have generated over 500
:27:20. > :27:25.jobs. On Friday I will launch our plans for a new approach to further
:27:26. > :27:30.exploit innovation in defence. During recess, I spent some special
:27:31. > :27:36.time with the Government Chief Whip and the member for Stafford visiting
:27:37. > :27:39.Stafford barracks. As we continue to draw down from Germany,
:27:40. > :27:43.Stoke-on-Trent and stature and enjoy an influx of highly trained
:27:44. > :27:48.personnel and with it the growth of potential telecoms business, could I
:27:49. > :27:51.urge the Minister to hold a meeting with the Stoke and Staffordshire
:27:52. > :27:56.Local Enterprise Partnership to see how the MoD can help ensure that
:27:57. > :28:00.local businesses enjoy some input to their growth from this arrival of
:28:01. > :28:08.highly trained personnel from Stafford barracks? I'm happy to help
:28:09. > :28:13.facilitate that meeting. I am aware that are a number of companies in
:28:14. > :28:17.his constituency that have submitted proposals to the Centre for defence
:28:18. > :28:21.enterprise, I think they have had some feedback and we are as anxious
:28:22. > :28:31.as he is that we capture any of that know-how for the future. Can I
:28:32. > :28:33.welcome the Government's recent partnership agreement with Leonardo
:28:34. > :28:37.helicopters on research into unmanned aerial vehicles, and asked
:28:38. > :28:40.that ministers work with me to help maximise the effect this has in
:28:41. > :28:48.support of design and engineering jobs? We are very helpful to do
:28:49. > :28:52.that. He will recall we announced at Farnborough the signing of a ten
:28:53. > :28:56.year strategic partnering arrangement with Leonardo one one of
:28:57. > :29:04.the most important defence companies based here in Britain and I hope
:29:05. > :29:08.that will help enhance jobs in his constituency to further export
:29:09. > :29:13.success, and through the right technology and innovation, but also
:29:14. > :29:21.meet our own defence requirements. Question number 11. Mr Speaker, we
:29:22. > :29:25.continually invest in recruitment to attract a diverse and talented
:29:26. > :29:28.workforce that we need now and in future for our Armed Forces. Over
:29:29. > :29:33.8100 new recruits joined the Army last year, an increase on the
:29:34. > :29:39.previous year, and in July, the strength of the reserve was 23,400,
:29:40. > :29:43.closely matching the 33,000 we need. We will continue to work closely
:29:44. > :29:47.with all parts of the country, in particular Northern Ireland. I thank
:29:48. > :29:53.him for that response. I understand this is the first time a boy soldier
:29:54. > :30:00.or someone from the ranks has risen to the position of Minister of
:30:01. > :30:04.State. With help to recruit for the Army, reserves in Northern Ireland
:30:05. > :30:07.have met their targets. Could I ask, can the reserves in Northern Ireland
:30:08. > :30:15.numbers be expanded or increase to take account of that positive
:30:16. > :30:19.recruiting environment? Can I say thank you to the kind comments he
:30:20. > :30:23.makes. We were very close pals in Northern Ireland and visited on
:30:24. > :30:30.occasion will be visiting visiting the problems in the near future. --
:30:31. > :30:34.the province. The ceiling is not one in that we do not want more people
:30:35. > :30:37.from Northern Ireland, it is whether the operational units could take
:30:38. > :30:41.them. I will look closely into looking at whether we can take more
:30:42. > :30:44.from Northern Ireland. Can congratulate Northern Ireland for
:30:45. > :30:52.serving the crown so well for many years. Can I ask what steps he is
:30:53. > :30:56.taking to address the shortfall in engineers and have -- as he had any
:30:57. > :31:03.ideas about giving short on secondment? That is exactly what we
:31:04. > :31:08.tried to do, be as flexible as possible the contracts, not only was
:31:09. > :31:15.short-term and long-term secondment from industry but from other navies
:31:16. > :31:19.as well. There is a shortfall in specific areas but what we need to
:31:20. > :31:24.do is make sure the offer we make, whether it be in marine engineers or
:31:25. > :31:30.any other part of the Armed Forces, is suitable for the 21st century.
:31:31. > :31:35.Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to welcome the Minister to his post. He
:31:36. > :31:38.is one of the -- is aware of the big issue here is taking on, how he will
:31:39. > :31:45.assist the Government Dicko -- to achieve the manifesto pledge of the
:31:46. > :31:48.army not falling. He also recognised a huge issue in the British Army in
:31:49. > :31:53.terms of retention. Does he think what he is saying actually
:31:54. > :31:55.recognises the scale of the challenge that faces us, for the
:31:56. > :32:04.Government to achieve that manifesto pledge? We are determined to fulfil
:32:05. > :32:07.manifesto pledge, but it is right manifesto pledge, but it is right
:32:08. > :32:12.for the Army in particular. I know how difficult it is with retention.
:32:13. > :32:19.I purchased my discharge from the army myself. But what is making
:32:20. > :32:24.people leave? Are we being as flexible as we can? When I left, I
:32:25. > :32:31.had a letter a couple of months later asking me whether I wanted to
:32:32. > :32:38.re-enlist. If we have got them in uniform, let's keep them in uniform.
:32:39. > :32:42.commitment to and inequalities commitment to and inequalities
:32:43. > :32:45.ordered across the public sector. As the younger demographic from which
:32:46. > :32:50.the army recruits is increasingly ethnically diverse, will my
:32:51. > :32:56.honourable friend commit to pay special attention to the recruitment
:32:57. > :33:04.retention and promotion figures of BME service personnel? And I also
:33:05. > :33:09.pay tribute to my honourable and gallant colleague for his service to
:33:10. > :33:13.her Majesty when he was in uniform. For the Armed Forces to work on the
:33:14. > :33:17.21st century, it has to represent the community where they come from.
:33:18. > :33:23.Whether it be from DME or more women in the Armed Forces, -- BME, I think
:33:24. > :33:29.we need to be careful to make sure that we promote the Armed Forces to
:33:30. > :33:36.those sorts of people so that they feel comfortable in the Armed
:33:37. > :33:41.Forces. Can I add my voice to those who are welcome you to your place
:33:42. > :33:45.today in the hot seat on this issue. This Government may not be very good
:33:46. > :33:50.at meeting its own targets, particularly on Army recruitment.
:33:51. > :33:52.But ministers at least deserved point for creativity. Their plan to
:33:53. > :33:58.grow the trained strength of the Army by changing the definition of
:33:59. > :34:01.training may help with cooking the books but it will not address the
:34:02. > :34:05.problem. Can the Secretary, the Minister tell us whether he believes
:34:06. > :34:09.it is appropriate for personnel to be deployed on operations before
:34:10. > :34:15.completing their full training, and if so, how he can be confident they
:34:16. > :34:21.will be adequately prepared? Can I say from experience, some duties
:34:22. > :34:24.once you have passed phase one training can be done and it will
:34:25. > :34:30.certainly done in my time in 1974 when there was a Labour Government.
:34:31. > :34:39.If we are trying to recruit people, we need money, we need to be part of
:34:40. > :34:45.Nato that something -- liver-mac want us out. Can I welcome him to
:34:46. > :34:51.his post. Can I just touch on Navy recruitment? Can he quash these
:34:52. > :34:53.rumours that we will not have enough trained sailors demand both our
:34:54. > :34:59.aircraft carriers when they are launched? We have not hidden the
:35:00. > :35:07.fact that it is very difficult to make sure we are doing everything we
:35:08. > :35:12.can, but we will have, and I was on one of the aircraft carriers
:35:13. > :35:16.recently and I was watching the other craft being built, and we will
:35:17. > :35:23.have the crews and they will be the pride of the Navy. Number 12,
:35:24. > :35:27.please. Mr Speaker, while maintaining the freedom of action to
:35:28. > :35:31.operate independently, interoperability with our Nato
:35:32. > :35:35.allies is fundamental to virtually all UK defence capabilities. For the
:35:36. > :35:38.general-purpose frigate, the Royal Navy is already exploring how this
:35:39. > :35:43.can be delivered and considering how it will operate within Nato. Does
:35:44. > :35:47.the Minister agree that by opening up more of the procurement process
:35:48. > :35:52.to a broad range of suppliers and avoiding any hint of protectionism,
:35:53. > :35:56.it may be possible to keep the costs of replacing the frigates low? I
:35:57. > :35:59.know that the honourable member for Clacton pays close interest to
:36:00. > :36:08.defence procurement issues, and he will also be eagerly anticipating
:36:09. > :36:11.Sir John Parker's National shipbuilding strategy, which he has
:36:12. > :36:16.committed to publish for before the Autumn Statement. In that context,
:36:17. > :36:23.he would be aware that complex warships can only be built in the
:36:24. > :36:28.UK. Specifically on the type 30 one. When can we expect an announcement
:36:29. > :36:30.on building these ships? We have the capability and the skills,
:36:31. > :36:36.presumably we have a budget. Scotland expects. Can I gently
:36:37. > :36:40.reminded the honourable gentleman that we are building these ships
:36:41. > :36:49.because we all decided to remain part of the UK, and indeed, we are
:36:50. > :36:52.in the process of providing more ships, more aircraft, more equipment
:36:53. > :36:59.to our Armed Forces than ever before. As soon as we have concrete
:37:00. > :37:08.timetables to announce to the House, we will do so. Question 13. The cost
:37:09. > :37:12.of production scheduled for the Type 26 global combat ship will be
:37:13. > :37:15.decided at the main investment decision point of the programme.
:37:16. > :37:21.Negotiations are ongoing to delivering contracts that are value
:37:22. > :37:26.for money for the Navy and for the taxpayer. The general-purpose
:37:27. > :37:31.frigate programme is at its very early stages. Decisions on build
:37:32. > :37:36.location and timetable will take advantage of the recommendations of
:37:37. > :37:42.the national ship building strategy. I thank him for his answer. He is
:37:43. > :37:48.well aware that his department promised 13 frigates on the Clyde in
:37:49. > :37:51.2014, a huge part of the Scottish independence referendum case for the
:37:52. > :37:56.union play on this promise. With the number already dropped to eighth,
:37:57. > :37:59.why can he not answer a civil question, when will the Type 26
:38:00. > :38:06.design be approved? -- simple question. There will be a large
:38:07. > :38:10.number of new frigates, but specifically eight new
:38:11. > :38:14.anti-submarine warfare ships designed to protect the deterrent
:38:15. > :38:23.that the Scottish National party voted against. The me be clear, the
:38:24. > :38:28.timetable, I hope, will be set out shortly, when the design continues
:38:29. > :38:36.to mature and many negotiations with BEA Systems are completed. Isn't it
:38:37. > :38:40.a fact that BAE Systems are ready to start cutting steel right now, and
:38:41. > :38:46.the only thing that is holding things up is a lack of funds in the
:38:47. > :38:50.MoD's budget? The reality is that if we don't start building these ships
:38:51. > :38:56.on time, surely we will end up with the same old story that we will drop
:38:57. > :39:00.below the already inadequate total of 19 frigates and destroyers, or if
:39:01. > :39:03.we do not, we will have to pay a lot more money to keep old ships in
:39:04. > :39:07.service longer than they should be kept in service? Wick-mac can I just
:39:08. > :39:13.reassure my honourable friend we have invested over 1.8 billion
:39:14. > :39:20.pounds in the Type 26 ship already. I announced a further 183 million in
:39:21. > :39:26.July for the guns to go on the ship. A lot of the design work has been
:39:27. > :39:30.completed. But I am not prepared to sign a contract with BAE Systems
:39:31. > :39:34.until I am absolutely persuaded that it is in the best interests of value
:39:35. > :39:40.for money for the taxpayer and indeed for the Navy. Thank you, Mr
:39:41. > :39:44.Speaker. The Secretary of State will be aware that the shipyards are in
:39:45. > :39:48.my constituency. Can I say to him, the clear message from the workforce
:39:49. > :39:55.can perhaps be best paraphrased by Darth Vader, we want these ships,
:39:56. > :39:59.not excuses. Can he explain why the original timetable to cut steel was
:40:00. > :40:03.made this year, but has not been done, and can I ask him to speed up
:40:04. > :40:10.the process so that ships can be built on the Clyde? We will not be
:40:11. > :40:16.ordering anything from the Clyde if Scotland had become independent
:40:17. > :40:21.because convex warships are only built in the United Kingdom. --
:40:22. > :40:26.conflicts. But this contract is to be in the best interests of the
:40:27. > :40:29.taxpayer. I am aware of the need to sustain a boy Matt on the Clyde.
:40:30. > :40:36.That is why the Strategic Defence Review last December also announced
:40:37. > :40:40.the construction of two further offshore patrol vessels, in addition
:40:41. > :40:49.to the free that are currently being built on the Clyde. Thank you, Mr
:40:50. > :40:53.Speaker. Could my -- would it be possible for the Ministry of Defence
:40:54. > :40:59.to consider positioning as a home port some of the Type 26 offshore
:41:00. > :41:03.patrol vessels in Gibraltar, where the facilities are superb for them,
:41:04. > :41:08.and they are in a very good position to operate?
:41:09. > :41:19.Gibraltar is a key base for the Royal Navy. We had to three ships
:41:20. > :41:24.from their only the calling in Gibraltar and Gibraltar retains its
:41:25. > :41:32.affiliation to the Crown despite the recent referendum. Number 14. The
:41:33. > :41:37.MoD is proud to be one of the largest providers of quality
:41:38. > :41:40.apprenticeships in the UK and the largest in government having
:41:41. > :41:43.delivered over 150,000 apprenticeships. We work closely
:41:44. > :41:48.across both government and industry to develop apprenticeship standards
:41:49. > :41:56.to maintain key defence skills across the country. With major
:41:57. > :41:59.defence and infrastructure projects on the horizon now is the wrong time
:42:00. > :42:03.for the government to be cutting funding. What guarantees can the
:42:04. > :42:10.Minister give that quality apprenticeships will be protected? I
:42:11. > :42:17.think we stand by our record. We have delivered over 150,000. Any new
:42:18. > :42:24.recruits joining the Armed Forces is on an apprentice scheme and will
:42:25. > :42:30.continue. The Minister knows that logistics is an incredibly important
:42:31. > :42:34.area for the military and it's also vital for other parts of the
:42:35. > :42:39.economy. It's essential in refugee work. Can the Minister tell me if he
:42:40. > :42:43.will increase apprenticeships on logistics and if he can ensure the
:42:44. > :42:49.quality of those logistics apprenticeships? The MOD offers a
:42:50. > :42:54.number of apprenticeships in the logistics field including driving
:42:55. > :43:01.goods vehicles, an international trade and logistics. I recognise the
:43:02. > :43:05.portents of logistics and efforts to address skills shortages needs to be
:43:06. > :43:14.balanced with other areas but I will look at it. Participation in one of
:43:15. > :43:19.our cadet forces to lure of our best apprenticeships. We have wonderful
:43:20. > :43:24.sea cadet group in the Rhondda. Why on earth now that the MOD is the
:43:25. > :43:28.catering pensioner barracks in the Rhondda are they putting it up for
:43:29. > :43:41.auction on the open market rather than giving it to the Sea Cadets? We
:43:42. > :43:48.will extend cadet forces by 500 by 20 20. We have very strict rules and
:43:49. > :43:54.it comes to the disposal of defence property but I am happy to look into
:43:55. > :44:03.what he says. Topical questions. Topical question number one. My
:44:04. > :44:05.immediate priorities remain implementing our security review.
:44:06. > :44:15.Last week I hosted the first-ever United Nations peacekeeping
:44:16. > :44:20.ministerial where I underlined the UK is stepping up its global commit
:44:21. > :44:23.and is backed by a rising defence budget and including additional
:44:24. > :44:34.troops to peace keep -- peacekeeping in South Sudan. Can he confirm that
:44:35. > :44:37.contrary to what he told the today programme last week it does matter
:44:38. > :44:43.which budget conflict and security spending comes from and if he is so
:44:44. > :44:55.strapped for cash maybe he should be scrapping Trident. I met the French
:44:56. > :45:00.defence minister last Thursday and the president of South Korea is
:45:01. > :45:04.Madame part who I met during our most recent visit. The difficulty of
:45:05. > :45:14.the Shadow Defence Secretary has now got is that all my defence ministers
:45:15. > :45:18.don't actually know who he is! So far as the budget is concerned this
:45:19. > :45:23.is an increasing defence budget and we are committed to meeting the 2%
:45:24. > :45:29.target and the defence budget will also rise in real terms for every
:45:30. > :45:39.year of this Parliament. What steps is my friend taking to address the
:45:40. > :45:44.concerns about the antimalarial tablets deployed overseas? The MoD
:45:45. > :45:48.takes the health and well-being of its personnel seriously and
:45:49. > :45:52.acknowledges its duty of care to provide the best possible support to
:45:53. > :45:58.them. As part of this kid I am delighted to confirm today that we
:45:59. > :46:03.have introduced a single point of contact providing information to a
:46:04. > :46:06.range of services to help those with concerns. Further details are
:46:07. > :46:22.available on the website. Last week the MoD was accused of a
:46:23. > :46:26.terrifying error after accidentally publishing the details of 20,000
:46:27. > :46:34.people online. Following a number of recent high-profile security
:46:35. > :46:37.breaches many servicemembers will understandably be concerned about
:46:38. > :46:40.their personal safety. What reassurances can the Secretary of
:46:41. > :46:47.State provide to these men and women with regards to the security of any
:46:48. > :46:51.personal information about them? We're doing everything we can to
:46:52. > :46:59.protect people's personal details online. I went to Marham myself to
:47:00. > :47:04.days after the incident to give the ashore and says to the serving
:47:05. > :47:10.personnel and their families that we were doing everything we could to
:47:11. > :47:14.protect them. British military personnel in Saudi Arabia include a
:47:15. > :47:20.number of liaison officers stationed in military headquarters in Yemen.
:47:21. > :47:24.These officers are deployed to gain insight into these operations and
:47:25. > :47:29.advise people how to comply with international humanitarian law. Will
:47:30. > :47:34.the Secretary of State tell the House whether any comedic nation
:47:35. > :47:39.from these British officers have indicated any concerns about the
:47:40. > :47:45.conduct of operations in Yemen including the possibility that
:47:46. > :47:51.humanitarian law has been violated. Let me make it there that the UK is
:47:52. > :47:55.not a member of the Saudi led commission and UK personnel are not
:47:56. > :48:03.involved in directing or conducting operations in Yemen or in the target
:48:04. > :48:05.selection process. We have not assessed that the Saudi led
:48:06. > :48:13.coalition is targeting civilians what is in breach of humanitarian
:48:14. > :48:16.law. During the EU referendum of the government said if we voted to leave
:48:17. > :48:24.it would put the security of the UK and Western Europe at risk so can I
:48:25. > :48:28.ask by how much are they increasing the defence budget as a result of
:48:29. > :48:39.this outcome all was that particular scaremongering something we can add
:48:40. > :48:42.to the ever-growing file? My honourable friend will know that the
:48:43. > :48:46.defence budget is increasing and will go on increasing each year of
:48:47. > :48:54.this Parliament because of our commit to meet the 2% target. I know
:48:55. > :48:58.he will join with me in reminding our allies that although we are
:48:59. > :49:03.Exeter in the European Union we are not abandoning our commitment to
:49:04. > :49:07.European security which is why we are leading a battalion in Estonia
:49:08. > :49:18.next year, we have committed extra troops to Poland, we have typhoons
:49:19. > :49:27.policing the Baltic airspace. Radar systems installed is a cutting-edge
:49:28. > :49:30.business and exporting around the world as Russia continues to test
:49:31. > :49:37.our defences and security concerns about breaches grow. This is the
:49:38. > :49:41.kind of manufacturing weenies. The Minister is already coming to
:49:42. > :49:50.Stafford but after that can invite him to Stoke-on-Trent? The
:49:51. > :49:54.honourable gentleman is a champion of the businesses in Stoke-on-Trent
:49:55. > :49:57.and I know the Secretary of State has already offered a meeting with
:49:58. > :50:02.businesses from his constituency and I will look forward to hearing more
:50:03. > :50:08.about the he mentioned in his question. Would the Minister support
:50:09. > :50:12.the recent application by the Magna School in Newark for a new cadet
:50:13. > :50:18.force and agreed that it is the site kind of school in a deprived area
:50:19. > :50:24.with a real problem of white working class boys with his new cadet units
:50:25. > :50:27.will make a difference. The government has committed ?50 million
:50:28. > :50:31.in funding to increase the number of cadet units and schools to 500 by 20
:50:32. > :50:39.20. This manifesto commitment will establish around 100 new units
:50:40. > :50:53.across the UK. It is a priority to focus in areas of high deprivation.
:50:54. > :50:59.People in my constituency are very worried about the UK Government's
:51:00. > :51:04.plans for the Army base at historic Fort George which supports around
:51:05. > :51:07.750 jobs. Speculation not helped by unhelpful comments made by the
:51:08. > :51:11.Secretary of State in Scotland this weekend about the condition of the
:51:12. > :51:19.base. Will the Minister to the right thing and back Fort George and end
:51:20. > :51:23.this unhelpful speculation? The MoD is continuing to view our estate to
:51:24. > :51:35.ensure it is smaller and more sustainable. It has enabled the
:51:36. > :51:39.investment insights. No decision has been made on the future of Fort
:51:40. > :51:43.George but Scotland will continue to be a vital home to our Armed Forces.
:51:44. > :51:56.But Scotland must expect some sites to close. Research from the phrase
:51:57. > :51:59.Alen Institute found that despite promises to the contrary in 2014
:52:00. > :52:11.defence jobs in Scotland are plummeting.
:52:12. > :52:19.Can the Secretary of State tell us how Scotland is better off in the
:52:20. > :52:23.union given this reality? Scotland is getting additional investment in
:52:24. > :52:46.Faslane. It is playing a key part in the
:52:47. > :52:55.construction of our new Navy. All of these contribute to more jobs in
:52:56. > :52:59.Scotland. Kurdish fighters in parts supplied by this country have been
:53:00. > :53:01.the most effective ground forces against Irish yet they find
:53:02. > :53:08.themselves under attack from our Nato ally Turkey. How can this
:53:09. > :53:14.circle be squared? My honourable friend is right that the situation
:53:15. > :53:22.in North Syria is compensated and we urge the opposition groups in Syria
:53:23. > :53:28.to combat -- although they are under pressure also from the regime. I
:53:29. > :53:35.hope as a result of the ceasefire tonight that all those armed groups
:53:36. > :53:41.in Syria can now concentrate their fire against the murderous ideology
:53:42. > :53:49.that is -- and allow humanitarian aid into those towns and cities that
:53:50. > :53:54.have been so long denied it. Our military charities do phenomenal
:53:55. > :54:00.good but one of them combats stress has just received 400,000 to help
:54:01. > :54:06.carry out its vital work. However its plan to move to using triage
:54:07. > :54:12.nurses to handle calls rather than using the admin staff experienced in
:54:13. > :54:16.handling such mental health cases is what really concerns me. These
:54:17. > :54:20.callers need sensitive hands. Will the Minister meet with
:54:21. > :54:25.representatives to discuss how we can do this better in the future? I
:54:26. > :54:33.am grateful to the honourable gentleman for highlighting this. Of
:54:34. > :54:37.course he raises a very important issue and I would be delighted to
:54:38. > :54:43.meet him to discuss it. The royal air force has a long history in
:54:44. > :54:57.Wales and the connection has been maintained by schools. What steps
:54:58. > :55:04.are being taken to return skills to Wales? I commend my honourable
:55:05. > :55:07.friend on his tenacity in pursuing this issue. He knows there are
:55:08. > :55:16.significant challenges surrounding the viability of aerodromes in South
:55:17. > :55:28.Wales. But following his persistence I am looking to see whether other
:55:29. > :55:31.sites are financially viable. I welcome the establishment of
:55:32. > :55:41.veterans breakfast clubs as a way of supporting veterans. Why are they
:55:42. > :55:49.being denied the right to use official veterans logos on their
:55:50. > :55:52.clubs? I visited several veterans clubs. They had a fantastic thing
:55:53. > :56:07.which I am keen to encourage. Last week, it was announced the MoD
:56:08. > :56:13.was going to be disposing of a barracks in my constituency. Can he
:56:14. > :56:21.clarified the criteria to keep three commando Brigade within my .Mac the
:56:22. > :56:25.decision to close up to 30% of the estate is based on military
:56:26. > :56:28.capability. It is a military decision but I'm happy to meet my
:56:29. > :56:36.honourable friend to discuss it with him. Can I thank the veterans
:56:37. > :56:39.Minister for meeting with Eric Cartman, who set up the veterans
:56:40. > :56:42.breakfast club and asking what progress has been made in rolling
:56:43. > :56:45.out the breakfast clubs across the country, because they meet such a
:56:46. > :56:50.real need in the community. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with her
:56:51. > :56:55.constituent, I thought it was an excellent breakfast club. I also met
:56:56. > :56:57.with the national Chairman and we are in discussion about how the
:56:58. > :57:08.department can support this excellent initiative. Well the
:57:09. > :57:16.Secretary of State confirm that the service provided by BBC monitoring
:57:17. > :57:22.to open source intelligence is of vital interest to the Ministry of
:57:23. > :57:26.Defence, and does he agree with me that it would be totally
:57:27. > :57:30.unacceptable if the BBC inflicted swingeing cuts in the monitoring
:57:31. > :57:37.service, as is proposed, including the closure of Caversham Park? It is
:57:38. > :57:42.always good to be able to find common ground with my honourable
:57:43. > :57:47.friend on a defence matter and I certainly confirm the first part of
:57:48. > :57:52.his question, and I will do what I can to convey the gist of the second
:57:53. > :57:59.part to the BBC. Very prudent and whys of the Secretary of State, I'm
:58:00. > :58:03.sure. An article in the Times newspaper on the ceasefire in Syria
:58:04. > :58:07.mentions the fact that the USA in -- and Russia have been working
:58:08. > :58:10.together. Could the Secretary of State provide more details on how
:58:11. > :58:13.this would work in practice, how the UK will be involved and how we can
:58:14. > :58:26.ensure that such coordination ensures no civilian death --
:58:27. > :58:30.casualties. It is a very complex situation, and we have continued to
:58:31. > :58:35.urge Russia to use all its influence on the Syrian regime to get
:58:36. > :58:40.humanitarian aid in and stop the regime targeting particular
:58:41. > :58:47.opposition groups. We do not have combat troops deployed in Syria, as
:58:48. > :58:52.he knows, but obviously, the strikes we carry out on behalf of the
:58:53. > :58:57.coalition will also now have to reflect the new reality on the
:58:58. > :59:04.ground. The British Royal Navy is now smaller than the flotilla that
:59:05. > :59:11.we tend to take back the Falklands. When will we have a date for the
:59:12. > :59:17.type 45 destroyer replacement that is desperately needed, so that we
:59:18. > :59:24.can at least maintain the 19 ships we currently have? I hope she is not
:59:25. > :59:30.confusing number with quality or power. The ships that we are now
:59:31. > :59:34.deploying, the aircraft carriers, the type 45 destroyers, the
:59:35. > :59:39.forthcoming Type 26 frigates, of course much more powerful than the
:59:40. > :59:44.ships that sailed to liberate the Falkland Islands. I know she will
:59:45. > :59:50.join with me in welcoming the new missions of the two type 25s, HMS
:59:51. > :59:59.Diamond and HMS Daring, who sailed in the last few weeks. A serious
:00:00. > :00:02.issue for recruitment policy for service family accommodation, I'm
:00:03. > :00:07.sure the Secretary of State agrees with the recommendation for the
:00:08. > :00:13.committee for public audit service family accommodation. The Secretary
:00:14. > :00:18.of State update the hose-mac are dealing -- the hose-mac with this
:00:19. > :00:25.and how we will make it does not happen again? As a result of the
:00:26. > :00:29.recent get well-planned, there are no meeting all but two of the key
:00:30. > :00:33.performance indicators. But let me reassure the House that I for one do
:00:34. > :00:37.not take this recent improvement for granted. I am utterly determined
:00:38. > :00:41.that the poor standard of service personnel received in recent years
:00:42. > :00:46.will not be repeated. I do not want the honourable gentleman to be sad
:00:47. > :00:50.or to be isolated, let him have a go. Mr Perkins. A few moments ago,
:00:51. > :00:56.the honourable lady from West Worcestershire said that we were
:00:57. > :01:01.procuring more warships and aircraft than ever before. This is so far
:01:02. > :01:04.removed from reality. In setting the record straight, and she confirm if
:01:05. > :01:08.this sort of information is part of the induction in them Ministry of
:01:09. > :01:14.Defence team or did she do it by herself? Can I recommend to him that
:01:15. > :01:17.he reads the SDSR and you can see that we are increasing defence
:01:18. > :01:20.spending every year, investing in more ships and planes, more troops
:01:21. > :01:27.that are ready to act, better equipment and more for cyber. In
:01:28. > :01:32.contrast to the Labour Party, which wants to scrap our nuclear
:01:33. > :01:41.deterrent, withdraw from Nato and abolish our army. They cannot be
:01:42. > :01:49.trusted with our security. Order! Statement, the Secretary of State
:01:50. > :01:58.for Education. Secretary Justine Greening. With permission, Mr
:01:59. > :02:03.Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the Government's
:02:04. > :02:08.consultation published today, Schools That Work For Everyone,
:02:09. > :02:11.copies of which I have placed in the libraries of both houses. As the
:02:12. > :02:13.Prime Minister has said, this Government is putting the interests
:02:14. > :02:21.of ordinary working class people first. We want this country to be a
:02:22. > :02:26.truly meritocratic country, where what matters most is a person's
:02:27. > :02:30.individual talent and their capacity for hard work. So we need to build a
:02:31. > :02:34.school system that works for everyone, not just for the
:02:35. > :02:36.privileged few. The various proposals set out today in this