Defence Questions

:00:00. > :00:17.Order, order! Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence. Mr

:00:18. > :00:24.Jonathan Reynolds. With permission, I should like to ask this question

:00:25. > :00:27.together with numbers five, eight and nine. -- to answer.

:00:28. > :00:32.President-elect Trump has confirmed the importance of Nato during

:00:33. > :00:35.telephone calls with the Prime Minister and with the Nato Secretary

:00:36. > :00:41.General. I have written to General James Mattis to congratulate him on

:00:42. > :00:43.his nomination as secretary of defence and I look forward to

:00:44. > :00:51.meeting him after his confirmation hearing. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

:00:52. > :00:59.General James Mattis has himself warned against appeasing the Russian

:01:00. > :01:03.regime and it has been stated as President Putin's intention to break

:01:04. > :01:09.apart and it. Does the Minister agree we would do well to listen to

:01:10. > :01:14.this general? General matters is not only an experienced combatant in

:01:15. > :01:21.Iraq and Afghanistan but has since served as a Nato commander and is

:01:22. > :01:26.well aware of the importance of the Alliance, but also the importance of

:01:27. > :01:31.the Alliance to the United States itself, and it is the unity of the

:01:32. > :01:37.alliance that sends the most powerful message to President Putin.

:01:38. > :01:41.At the recent Warsaw Summit, Nato leaders made a commitment to step up

:01:42. > :01:44.collective action against Daesh. What assurances has he had from the

:01:45. > :01:49.incoming administration that it remains committed to that and to the

:01:50. > :01:54.principle of collective defence in the work with allies in the fight

:01:55. > :01:59.against Daesh? I shall be hosting the counter Daesh coalition, a

:02:00. > :02:06.meeting in London on Thursday, but I have seen nothing from the incoming

:02:07. > :02:11.administration's plans to indicate that they would take any different

:02:12. > :02:13.approach. The United States is leading the coalition work against

:02:14. > :02:19.Daesh, considerable progress has been made in Iraq, and starting to

:02:20. > :02:25.be made in Syria, and Nato also has now a contribution to make to that.

:02:26. > :02:30.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Given the US and Nato's precision air drop

:02:31. > :02:32.capability, can I ask what conversations he has had the

:02:33. > :02:38.incoming US administration and whether other allies on the

:02:39. > :02:41.feasibility of using this specific capability to alleviate the

:02:42. > :02:47.suffering in Aleppo? We have continually examined options for

:02:48. > :02:51.getting aid into Aleppo, which is now where people are in the most

:02:52. > :02:59.appalling situation. It is very, it is most impossible to get food or

:03:00. > :03:05.medicines in by air drop, and air defence is now controlled by Russia

:03:06. > :03:08.and the Syrian regime and no permissions are forthcoming. We have

:03:09. > :03:14.looked at other options such as using the airfield that is outside

:03:15. > :03:18.the control of the moderate opposition, and we will continue to

:03:19. > :03:31.look at all kinds of options, but it is already very, very late for

:03:32. > :03:36.people in eastern Aleppo. Thank you, Mr Speaker. When I was a young

:03:37. > :03:44.officer serving in the Rhine and in West Berlin, I made the assumption

:03:45. > :03:49.that article five was a trigger. If anyone attacked a Nato nation,

:03:50. > :03:53.automatically every state, member would go to war. I am wondering

:03:54. > :03:58.whether that is exactly right now and whether we just have a

:03:59. > :04:07.commitment to consult which will take much longer than an automatic

:04:08. > :04:12.reversion to war. Article five was last invoked after 9/11, when the

:04:13. > :04:16.rest of the Alliance pledged to do everything possible to help the

:04:17. > :04:25.United States, then under the most appalling attack on the Twin Towers.

:04:26. > :04:29.The answer to his question, of course, is that once article five is

:04:30. > :04:34.triggered, each member state has to examine its obligations to the

:04:35. > :04:38.Alliance as a whole. Before that stage, as tensions escalate, I would

:04:39. > :04:45.expect the deployments that we have prepared, including the high

:04:46. > :04:49.readiness task force, to be enacted. Would my right honourable friend

:04:50. > :04:56.agree that the new administration will be much more interested indeed

:04:57. > :04:59.-- in deeds than words when it comes to it and article five and the

:05:00. > :05:04.button is setting an example for the rest of Europe, not just for the 2%,

:05:05. > :05:05.but also by deployment of the troops we plan for both Poland and the

:05:06. > :05:14.Baltic states? On and on my friend and also

:05:15. > :05:17.president wrong's call for other European countries and do more. It

:05:18. > :05:24.is true the date of the 28 members have now set in place firm plans to

:05:25. > :05:28.reach the 2%. We reach the 2%, but some 19 members of Nato don't even

:05:29. > :05:33.do one and a half percent. Four or five of them don't even do 1%.

:05:34. > :05:36.European country members in particular of Nato have still a long

:05:37. > :05:43.way to go to fulfil the pledges on which we all agreed at the summit.

:05:44. > :05:49.Thank you Mr Speaker. A pleasant to read recently the work being done to

:05:50. > :05:55.secure maritime security of our allies. Is it vital that the US

:05:56. > :05:59.administration coming in in January that there is no such thing as a

:06:00. > :06:04.periphery state in attack on one as an attack on all? Absolutely. That

:06:05. > :06:07.is the principle of collective defence and that is the best

:06:08. > :06:14.possible message to any further aggression from Russia. We have seen

:06:15. > :06:17.a huge increase of Russian submarine activity in recent years. Indeed,

:06:18. > :06:25.the threat of terrorism. We stand together. The head of MI6 warned on

:06:26. > :06:29.Friday about Russian meddling on UK domestic politics. Given the

:06:30. > :06:37.revelations from the CIA about the Kremlin's involvement in influencing

:06:38. > :06:41.the US election, I wondered whether the Secretary of State Cattell is

:06:42. > :06:47.what discussion he has had to tackle this type of hybrid warfare

:06:48. > :06:50.interfering with other country's democratic processes? Yes, we have

:06:51. > :06:55.seen a disturbing pattern of these allegations now direct Russian

:06:56. > :07:00.interference in countries as far apart as Bulgaria, the referendum in

:07:01. > :07:05.the Netherlands, continuing pressure on the Baltic states. We agreed in

:07:06. > :07:12.Warsaw that both the European Union and Nato would come together to

:07:13. > :07:17.cooperate on hybrid warfare and look at the techniques necessary to help

:07:18. > :07:23.is all resist that pressure. From many years in this chamber people

:07:24. > :07:26.have been asking why European countries who are members of Nato

:07:27. > :07:30.are not spending 2% and we are always told that it is going to

:07:31. > :07:34.happen, it will happen. It just doesn't seem to happen. What

:07:35. > :07:41.pressure can be put on other members of Nato to fulfil their commitment?

:07:42. > :07:46.We agreed this commitment back in the Wales summit back in the autumn

:07:47. > :07:53.of 2014. That at least has halted the decline of defence spending

:07:54. > :07:58.across the Alliance. We now seek members of the member states

:07:59. > :08:04.committed to increasing it. As I said, age of the 28 actually firmly

:08:05. > :08:09.planning to get up to the 2%. The transparency involved in publishing

:08:10. > :08:13.the total every year in itself stiffens the arm of defence

:08:14. > :08:19.ministers when they are tackling their own finance ministers. It is

:08:20. > :08:24.certainly encouraging to see the increase in defence spending for the

:08:25. > :08:31.countries that feel the most vulnerable. Baltic states, Bulgaria,

:08:32. > :08:36.remain you. The question was what discussions has he had with

:08:37. > :08:44.President elect? His answer was that the importance of Nato. The question

:08:45. > :08:48.that the secretary is being asked is what does that mean? What does it

:08:49. > :08:55.mean to article five? What's it mean for the principles that resident

:08:56. > :08:58.ramp I going to pursue when he becomes president? -- President

:08:59. > :09:04.Trump. What is the Government actually seen to president elect

:09:05. > :09:09.Trump about what policies he should pursue and what are the answers that

:09:10. > :09:15.the secretary of the is getting? We need a bit more than confirming the

:09:16. > :09:20.importance of Nato. As a question, which I am sure a dextrous and pithy

:09:21. > :09:24.reply will trot forth from the tongue of the Secretary of State.

:09:25. > :09:31.Terrapin to phone calls. The president has not taken to office

:09:32. > :09:35.yet. -- there have been. There is a clear understanding between art and

:09:36. > :09:40.the United States administration of the importance of Nato and the

:09:41. > :09:45.here and the importance of it the here and the importance of it the

:09:46. > :09:50.United States itself. My colleagues and I on Labour's defence team

:09:51. > :09:59.recently returned from a briefing in Brussels. We were told about plans

:10:00. > :10:03.to ensure the security of the Baltic states and our Armed Forces role in

:10:04. > :10:08.helping to defend Estonia. Can I pressed him further in what

:10:09. > :10:16.assessment has been made of the impact of President elect Trump's

:10:17. > :10:20.policies may have on the ability to trigger Article five if necessary.

:10:21. > :10:26.The United States itself will be leading one of the four battalions.

:10:27. > :10:32.Leaving the battalion in Poland and we will be adding a company of our

:10:33. > :10:35.own troops to that battalion. We will be leading in Estonia and

:10:36. > :10:40.Canada and Germany will be leading in the other two countries. We have

:10:41. > :10:46.absolutely no evidence that the United States is going to alter its

:10:47. > :10:50.position on that. On the contrary, in my discussions about have been

:10:51. > :10:55.over the Atlantic twice in the last three weeks, in my discussions with

:10:56. > :10:59.the US military and senators and congressmen who take an interest in

:11:00. > :11:03.defence, they have it every reason to believe that the United States

:11:04. > :11:11.will confirm its commitment to the Alliance. Question number two. We

:11:12. > :11:22.have made significant progress in recent months. We're now looking at

:11:23. > :11:30.the conventions of human rights. Hearts for injured and... So they do

:11:31. > :11:35.not have to spend years waiting to pursue claims. We will be unable to

:11:36. > :11:44.announce further measures shortly. My constituents and 87 Arnold

:11:45. > :11:48.horsewhipped, a former solder, will welcome that news. If it was not for

:11:49. > :11:56.the MoD submitting evidence of malpractice, and the ML today

:11:57. > :12:01.casting legal aid contract, this man will still be hounding our soldier?

:12:02. > :12:10.Mr Speaker, I was at the Ministry of Justice when we were revoked the

:12:11. > :12:11.legal aid. It was not for this... Rigoletto authority, Mr Shiner would

:12:12. > :12:19.still be probably pursuing soldiers still be probably pursuing soldiers

:12:20. > :12:25.and servicemen. Probably, Mr Shiner should probably do what the

:12:26. > :12:29.Secretary of State should said he should do before which was

:12:30. > :12:35.apologise. As someone who has served with distinction in Northern

:12:36. > :12:39.Ireland, the Secretary of State must be disgusted by the abuse of the

:12:40. > :12:43.legal process against former soldiers which has impugned the

:12:44. > :12:48.reputation of every single soldier that has served in Ulster over the

:12:49. > :12:55.last 40 years. Will he undertake and will his apartment undertake to be

:12:56. > :12:58.the person against that abuse and witchhunt and will he stand up and

:12:59. > :13:05.make sure that it is stopped forthwith? I had the honour of

:13:06. > :13:12.serving in the Providence and was part of the peace process that we

:13:13. > :13:20.have now. Fast majority supports please forth. That is what they said

:13:21. > :13:24.on the radio at the weekend. That is not new investigations, they are

:13:25. > :13:29.tribute to the honourable gentleman tribute to the honourable gentleman

:13:30. > :13:35.and wishing happy birthday today. I have thought that the honourable

:13:36. > :13:43.member was staring in his seat. If he is sorry I will call? He is not.

:13:44. > :13:48.In the last few years, some three and half soldiers have had their

:13:49. > :13:54.lives wrecked by the investigations of the Iraq historic team

:13:55. > :14:04.allegations team. This has been the cost of some 90 million pounds.

:14:05. > :14:10.Surely now is the time we have seen deep backlist of China. Surely we

:14:11. > :14:16.now bring it back? We are doing everything we can to get people to

:14:17. > :14:19.come to conclusions. The vast majority of those investigations

:14:20. > :14:22.will be concluded and we hope and expect the vast majority will feel

:14:23. > :14:27.that there is no action to be taken. We must make sure that the

:14:28. > :14:31.investigations are taking place quickly so it does not end up in

:14:32. > :14:40.some European court somewhere. It is not a stick question of the enquiry

:14:41. > :14:44.and the disgraceful behaviour that disreputable solicitor Phil Shiner,

:14:45. > :14:48.we now are faced with the prospect of hundreds of British soldiers who

:14:49. > :14:53.served in Northern Ireland again being brought before the court as

:14:54. > :14:57.the honourable member said. This is really wholly unacceptable. We're

:14:58. > :15:00.nearly half a century on. Men who have served their country to the

:15:01. > :15:09.best of their ability should still face possible prosecution. It is not

:15:10. > :15:10.good enough, it is a matter of public policy which ministers should

:15:11. > :15:18.be personally accountable. I think be personally accountable. I think

:15:19. > :15:24.we must make sure that the police, the police repeat, decide whether to

:15:25. > :15:40.investigate something. We will help the police. We will also protect

:15:41. > :15:45.them as much as possible. With a rising defence budget and an

:15:46. > :15:50.equipment landmark ?178 billion over the next ten years, we are renewing

:15:51. > :15:59.our capabilities. We spend up to 20% of our science and technology budget

:16:00. > :16:02.on research and we have launched an big fund. The Minister will be aware

:16:03. > :16:06.that the ministry had a reputation among some supplies is being

:16:07. > :16:19.challenging to work with. What has the Minister done to do with SMEs in

:16:20. > :16:23.Worcestershire? He is right that it can be challenging to work with the

:16:24. > :16:29.Ministry of Defence procurement processes and we are particularly

:16:30. > :16:33.medium-size businesses to apply for medium-size businesses to apply for

:16:34. > :16:39.business with us. We want is to procure an increase from 19% of our

:16:40. > :16:43.spending up to 25% of our spending from small businesses. Acting on

:16:44. > :16:45.direct feedback from small businesses we've introduced a

:16:46. > :16:57.network of supply chain advocates to help supply chains and their contact

:16:58. > :17:01.The Minister referred to renewing The Minister referred to renewing

:17:02. > :17:10.our capabilities. I asked previously about the programme to renew the

:17:11. > :17:13.type 245 purple than systems. Can she tell us is there actually a

:17:14. > :17:21.budget for the programme of improvement to the type 40 type

:17:22. > :17:25.systems and wind as she expect all six systems to be improved? I am

:17:26. > :17:28.pleased to be able to confirm that there is a budget and that there is

:17:29. > :17:37.progress and that these incredibly capable ships are performing a wide

:17:38. > :17:43.range of tasks and are seen to day for example, HMS daring, in the

:17:44. > :17:50.Gulf. Acting as part of our deployment out there. Small firms in

:17:51. > :17:55.my constituency like GSI, XO tech precision which specialise in

:17:56. > :18:05.producing brilliant based about have the technology and ideas that could

:18:06. > :18:11.maintain are defence advantage. When will the first competition stage

:18:12. > :18:16.start? I am delighted to tell my honourable friend that I was able to

:18:17. > :18:20.launch the first competition last Thursday at the University of

:18:21. > :18:25.Strathclyde in Glasgow. First competition for up to ?3 million, we

:18:26. > :18:29.are looking for new ways of exploring data to inform decisions.

:18:30. > :18:34.Does not sound like exactly this area of specialisation as that

:18:35. > :18:40.business, but there will of course be further competitions and of

:18:41. > :18:47.course open application for a wide range of different ideas to be fed

:18:48. > :18:51.indirectly. No one would neither does is vitally important that we do

:18:52. > :18:58.what we can encourage innovation in the defence sector, but in order to

:18:59. > :19:01.foster that environment, business and industry has two trust what it

:19:02. > :19:05.is told by the Government. Given that, would she take the opportunity

:19:06. > :19:07.to explain to the shipbuilding industry exactly why the copper

:19:08. > :19:11.bottom assurances that she gave on bottom assurances that she gave on

:19:12. > :19:13.four occasions that the national shipbuilding strategy will be

:19:14. > :19:22.published before the Autumn Statement, didn't deliver? Mr

:19:23. > :19:25.Speaker, did you pick up in that question any congratulations and a

:19:26. > :19:32.light from the fact that I was at the shipyards in on the Clyde last

:19:33. > :19:38.Thursday cutting steel for two new offshore patrol vessels? Mr Speaker,

:19:39. > :19:42.I remain astonished at the very grudging way in which the Scottish

:19:43. > :19:45.National Party fails to recognise the billions of pounds of work that

:19:46. > :19:54.is being sent to shipyards in the Clyde. For the record, I absolutely

:19:55. > :19:59.delighted that they are being built on the Clyde. Now, will she take

:20:00. > :20:05.this opportunity to apologise to the workers and management across the UK

:20:06. > :20:08.shipbuilding industry for the misleading and contradictory

:20:09. > :20:11.statement that have come from the Ministry of Defence over the last

:20:12. > :20:15.few months? And would she take this opportunity to explain why the ship

:20:16. > :20:22.building strategy did not appear when you promised it would appear?

:20:23. > :20:30.It is lucky he gets a supplementary, isn't it? Some very grudging words

:20:31. > :20:36.of welcome for the fact we have just announced two decades worth of work

:20:37. > :20:40.on the Type 26 frigates in Scotland and he is complaining about the lack

:20:41. > :20:45.of publication of a report which was published, Mr Speaker, and the

:20:46. > :20:49.Government is going to provide its respond next year. -- its response.

:20:50. > :20:52.The report on Shipperley was published on the 29th of November. I

:20:53. > :21:01.shall send him a personally signed copy! He is a very excitable person

:21:02. > :21:04.in this hass-mac and I am not sure he has quite attained the apogee of

:21:05. > :21:17.statesmanship to which he aspires. -- in this House. Let us hear from a

:21:18. > :21:20.calm person. Maria Miller. The Minister's focus on innovation is

:21:21. > :21:27.absolutely right. Wilshere look at the excellent work of the National

:21:28. > :21:31.Aerospace Exploitation Programme, who are all ready running

:21:32. > :21:37.infrastructure projects and how she can help finish this work? You are

:21:38. > :21:43.right call the honourable member for Basingstoke, who is such -- who has

:21:44. > :21:47.asked such a calm and helpful question. She will also be familiar

:21:48. > :21:51.with the work done by the defence growth partnership at Farnborough,

:21:52. > :21:55.and a fantastic way in which they also work to promote the excellence

:21:56. > :22:04.of the UK aerospace industry to people all around the world. Number

:22:05. > :22:10.four Mac Mr Speaker. The Royal air made a vital contribution to counter

:22:11. > :22:16.Daesh coalition, carrying out 192 strikes in Iraq and 75 strikes in

:22:17. > :22:21.Syria and providing intelligence, surveillance and respondents. The

:22:22. > :22:26.RAF has helped Iraqi forces reclaimed significant territory,

:22:27. > :22:29.including British to liberate Mosul. In Syria, the RAF has already

:22:30. > :22:34.attacked Daesh's capitol in Raqqa while supporting opposition groups

:22:35. > :22:38.pushing back Daesh on the ground. The RAF is making real progress in

:22:39. > :22:43.tackling Daesh in Iraq and Syria and our thoughts at this time must be

:22:44. > :22:48.with our brave servicemen and women. Once Mosul has been liberated by the

:22:49. > :22:53.Iraqi Government, what role does the Secretary of State and dissipate for

:22:54. > :22:57.the RAF in Iraq? Well, we shall be reviewing that the military

:22:58. > :23:03.commanders progress in Iraq and Syria at the counter Daesh coalition

:23:04. > :23:08.meeting in London on Thursday. And mapping out a road to longer term

:23:09. > :23:13.peace in Iraq, including potential future deployments in different

:23:14. > :23:20.parts of Iraq that may help to continue the training that we have

:23:21. > :23:25.been offering Iraqi forces, and further work on counterterrorism. We

:23:26. > :23:31.will also be discussing the need to control the spread of the return of

:23:32. > :23:39.foreign fighters from Iraq and indeed from Syria to the different

:23:40. > :23:42.countries that they came from. At a time when the RAF is at full stretch

:23:43. > :23:46.on operations, the Secretary of State will be as concerned as I was

:23:47. > :23:53.to hear the announcement that RAF Halton is to be closed, because it

:23:54. > :23:59.seems to have been sprung on the civilian military personnel in order

:24:00. > :24:01.to meet the local council deadline. Can he reassure personnel on Tyne

:24:02. > :24:15.skill and staff support so this decision does not create a serious

:24:16. > :24:18.retention risk? At causing some of the bases in their fields we no

:24:19. > :24:22.longer need, they have been taken on the basis of military capability and

:24:23. > :24:27.on the advice of the service chiefs. I'm sure the whole House will join

:24:28. > :24:32.with my honourable friend and with the honourable lady in paying

:24:33. > :24:36.tribute to the work of the RAF, a sustained tempo of operations,

:24:37. > :24:40.probably at the highest for over 25 years and the enormous job they are

:24:41. > :24:47.doing to help keep our country safe. Can I not press the Defence

:24:48. > :24:51.Secretary on the level of defeatism in the statement that it is nearly

:24:52. > :24:56.impossible to bridges successful airdrops of Russia does not allow

:24:57. > :25:04.it? -- to envisage. Russia does not want to trigger a conflict with the

:25:05. > :25:10.UK and our Nato allies. The longer that this essentially Howedes goes

:25:11. > :25:15.on, in the face of the posturing, the more they will push --

:25:16. > :25:19.cowardice, and the harder it will be for any result to come to the

:25:20. > :25:23.dreadful tragedy that is happening in that country. We continue to look

:25:24. > :25:26.at every possibility of getting either food or medicine into Aleppo

:25:27. > :25:30.or into some of the other besieged areas. But it is not simply a

:25:31. > :25:36.question of Russian permission, we also have two make sure that any

:25:37. > :25:43.drops are feasible, considering the vulnerability of aircraft to ground

:25:44. > :25:48.to air defence systems as well. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Secretary

:25:49. > :25:53.of State said it was very late for the people of eastern Aleppo, but it

:25:54. > :25:57.is not. Those RAF planes could be providing humanitarian airdrops.

:25:58. > :26:02.There are 200 members in this House who have signed a letter calling for

:26:03. > :26:06.this leading humanitarian organisations, will he look at it

:26:07. > :26:09.again? We have continued to look almost daily at the various ways in

:26:10. > :26:14.which we might be able to get food and aid in. It is not possible in a

:26:15. > :26:18.contested aerospace with ground to air missile systems and Russian

:26:19. > :26:22.aircraft flying overhead denying position -- promotion. It is not

:26:23. > :26:27.possible to fly coalition aircraft over Aleppo and without that

:26:28. > :26:33.security, we are unable to drop food where it is most needed, but we

:26:34. > :26:37.continue to look at all the options. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like

:26:38. > :26:43.to thank the Secretary of State or his answer on Aleppo to the member

:26:44. > :26:46.for Barnsley Central and reference the RF capabilities that my

:26:47. > :26:51.honourable friend mentioned, but I do share the concerns raised by my

:26:52. > :26:56.honourable friends from Barrow and Cardiff South, that we really do

:26:57. > :27:00.need to look at this one again. Can I ask the Secretary of State if he

:27:01. > :27:05.will continue and will not at any stage give up on looking at any way

:27:06. > :27:11.that we can alleviate the terrible suffering that is going on in East

:27:12. > :27:16.Aleppo? I can give her that assurance and we continue to look at

:27:17. > :27:21.these options, to talk to the NGOs who are willing to help us provide

:27:22. > :27:25.food and medicine, and some food and medicine is going into other cities

:27:26. > :27:30.in Syria, but not into Aleppo itself. Simply because of the

:27:31. > :27:35.impossibility of flying aircraft in that airspace over Aleppo and a very

:27:36. > :27:46.real risk of aircraft being shot down. Question number six. The Armed

:27:47. > :27:50.Forces are Britain's biggest provider of apprenticeships. We have

:27:51. > :27:53.around 20,000 apprentices on programmes at any one time ranging

:27:54. > :27:57.from engineering and IT to construction and driving. Defence

:27:58. > :28:01.has pledged to stop 50 dozen apprenticeships during this

:28:02. > :28:03.Parliament and will seize the new opportunity to work with the

:28:04. > :28:08.Department for Education, expanding and improving the current ranges of

:28:09. > :28:18.apprenticeships we offer. I think the Minister for his reply. What

:28:19. > :28:22.assurance can he give my residents who may want to take up the

:28:23. > :28:26.opportunity at the Minister defence that they offer a quality as well as

:28:27. > :28:30.quantity? She is right to focus on quality and I'm delighted to say

:28:31. > :28:35.that at the last Ofsted inspections, both the Army and the Naval Service

:28:36. > :28:38.were graded as being good with some individual programmes being

:28:39. > :28:46.outstanding and the Royal Forest's programme was graded as outstanding.

:28:47. > :28:49.Fashion at the force's. The Minister mentioned the Department for

:28:50. > :28:52.Education and if I look at the Government website, it refers to

:28:53. > :28:54.England. Could he ushered me that a printer ships are available

:28:55. > :28:58.throughout the United Kingdom for people who are in default

:28:59. > :29:02.Administration is worth apprenticeships are devolved to the

:29:03. > :29:06.Scottish Robert, the Northern Ireland Assembly, or the Welsh

:29:07. > :29:10.Assembly? We are always happy to work with double December I can

:29:11. > :29:14.reassure the honourable gentleman that apprenticeships are available

:29:15. > :29:17.to all Armed Forces personnel. Mr Speaker, can that can thank the

:29:18. > :29:24.Secretary of State for coming to my constituency on Friday to open the

:29:25. > :29:28.Type 26 facility, where he met and spoke to some of the many young

:29:29. > :29:33.apprentices at our working on that, and well he and his ministers

:29:34. > :29:38.continue to make sure that quality apprenticeships are a key part of

:29:39. > :29:42.the defence Supply chain? My honourable friend makes a very good

:29:43. > :29:47.point indeed, I understand the visit was a great success. Absolutely, as

:29:48. > :29:50.we begin to look forward, I think it is not just about having

:29:51. > :29:53.apprenticeships within the Armed Forces, but also part of that

:29:54. > :29:56.transition when our service personnel leave that we have a duty

:29:57. > :30:01.to prepare them for potentially going to work in the supply chain

:30:02. > :30:08.after the service, because this is a partnership with the industry. This

:30:09. > :30:11.time last week, our defence team were at BAE Systems on the Clyde and

:30:12. > :30:15.talking to apprentices on the future, what reassurances can he

:30:16. > :30:20.give to be skilled young men and women who are waiting to hear if the

:30:21. > :30:26.promised type 31s will be built on the Clyde in their entirety? I think

:30:27. > :30:30.it is worth remembering that probably be apprentices -- the

:30:31. > :30:33.apprentice who will work in the last 26 is yet to be born but we continue

:30:34. > :30:39.to work closely with the industry and I think as my honourable friend

:30:40. > :30:42.said a few months ago, investment has been made in Scotland over many

:30:43. > :30:51.years to come, and it should be celebrated. Number seven, Mr

:30:52. > :30:58.Speaker. The security review of 2015 committed to us -- committed us to

:30:59. > :31:01.the force meeting future threats. By having the best mix of challengers

:31:02. > :31:05.to tax and multipurpose armoured vehicles to deliver the army's

:31:06. > :31:13.contribution for future threats. We are planning to spend ?700 million

:31:14. > :31:19.to expand the capability to 2035. I thank him for that answer while we

:31:20. > :31:22.should warmly welcome the very large order for the Ajax fighting vehicles

:31:23. > :31:27.does he accept that these will be no match for the armour and the

:31:28. > :31:35.armament of enemy main battle tanks? Will he therefore confirm how many

:31:36. > :31:40.of our existing 227 tanks will go forward to the challenge to life

:31:41. > :31:44.extension programme, bearing in mind the need to have capacity for

:31:45. > :31:51.regeneration in the event of a crisis? My honourable friend knows

:31:52. > :31:56.very well, because he is chair for the Defence Select Committee, it

:31:57. > :32:02.would be for the military to decide exactly what the capabilities are in

:32:03. > :32:08.each way. By having ?700 million available going for a Challenger,

:32:09. > :32:14.that shows a clear commitment. While I support having a diversity of

:32:15. > :32:18.vehicles available, there are reports the Army planning to reduce

:32:19. > :32:22.the number of tanks by a third at a time when Russia has announced new

:32:23. > :32:26.generation of vehicles, and ours will reduce to 170. Does the

:32:27. > :32:32.Minister not agree that this is not the right time to be putting this

:32:33. > :32:38.announcement for it and it sends completely the wrong message? The

:32:39. > :32:41.interesting thing is, we should not believe everything we read in the

:32:42. > :32:48.press, not least as a former journalist. But what I would say is

:32:49. > :32:52.that we need to trust the Armed Forces in terms of what they want,

:32:53. > :32:57.and a Russian tank, which I think is what he is alluding too, is an

:32:58. > :33:00.unmanned vehicle. We need to make sure that the innovation adoption is

:33:01. > :33:05.there. I would have thought there would have been more cheer from the

:33:06. > :33:16.Labour benches because the Ajax vehicle is being built in Wales. The

:33:17. > :33:22.Minister has mentioned the Ajax vehicle. When he was a minister,

:33:23. > :33:26.David Cameron announced that the Ajax fighting vehicle would be a

:33:27. > :33:31.boost for British manufacturing. Many of the vehicles will be

:33:32. > :33:38.assembled in Merthyr Tydfil. The vehicles are being built using

:33:39. > :33:40.Swedish deal and will have the hull is built in Spain. Some will be

:33:41. > :33:45.completely built in Spain. Therefore, does he think that David

:33:46. > :33:53.Cameron was somewhat inaccurate in his statement? I do not think so, Mr

:33:54. > :33:57.Speaker. The issue here is about jobs in Wales, which are going to

:33:58. > :34:01.come to Merthyr Tydfil, and making sure the Army had the vehicle they

:34:02. > :34:07.wanted, that is what this government will guarantee. Unless the Liberal

:34:08. > :34:15.Party can committed 2% of GDP, they will never get that expenditure,

:34:16. > :34:21.ever. -- the Labour Party. Mr Speaker, next year we will be

:34:22. > :34:26.sending nearly 800 troops to list on, 150 personnel of the Light

:34:27. > :34:30.Dragoons to:, leading to the high readiness task force. -- to Poland.

:34:31. > :34:36.Undertaking air policing based in Romania with the typhoons we are

:34:37. > :34:39.committing to Nato. Can I welcome the Government's commitment in

:34:40. > :34:44.particular to the polished Prime Minister last month of additional UK

:34:45. > :34:46.troops and armoured vehicles -- Polish Prime Minister, in the face

:34:47. > :34:49.of concerns around the Russian threat and does he agree that we

:34:50. > :34:53.should stand shoulder to shoulder with our Polish friends and this

:34:54. > :34:54.shows how Britain can be even stronger European high irrespective

:34:55. > :35:03.of Brexit? I had extensive talks of the Polish

:35:04. > :35:06.defence Minister and its colleagues and they were absolutely thrilled

:35:07. > :35:13.that we were committed to being with which is what came out of the

:35:14. > :35:22.statement. I can say that many people are looking forward to it. On

:35:23. > :35:25.the day that we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ending of the

:35:26. > :35:28.USSR, and we do more to educate our USSR, and we do more to educate

:35:29. > :35:32.people about the importance of people about the importance of

:35:33. > :35:39.defending the security of those states that reading their

:35:40. > :35:45.independence, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and were able to make a

:35:46. > :36:01.free democratic decision to join with Nato. In end the nonsense that

:36:02. > :36:10.it prevails that Nato was not bad. He is as keen to listen to other

:36:11. > :36:12.people as themselves. The whole success of Nato is it is free for

:36:13. > :36:16.countries to join. He is right to countries to join. He is right to

:36:17. > :36:19.say that the countries that he alluded to, particularly Latvia and

:36:20. > :36:22.Estonia are particularly worried about their protection. It is not

:36:23. > :36:25.like the British Army in the Rhine which I have the privilege of

:36:26. > :36:36.serving with Bowie sat very static over long periods of time. We're.

:36:37. > :36:44.Delete Mac... -- serving with who are very static. With other members

:36:45. > :36:47.of the alliance. Will the Minister on the half of the Secretary of

:36:48. > :36:53.State assure me that the next time that usually to the fruit next

:36:54. > :37:01.leader of the free world that they might start reading their briefings

:37:02. > :37:04.daily and do us all a favour? I am sure that the future president of

:37:05. > :37:10.the United States will read this CIA briefings when he becomes the

:37:11. > :37:13.president of the United States. I am sure you have seen the press

:37:14. > :37:16.future President of the United future President of the United

:37:17. > :37:23.States doesn't necessarily believe everything that he has been told in

:37:24. > :37:30.the press. The additional support is very welcome, but for our land

:37:31. > :37:38.forces this requires more money. Will it be made available to train

:37:39. > :37:43.with the capability? They have the money required. Take a leap when I

:37:44. > :37:51.visited them and the Rifleman that we will to be deploying to Poland.

:37:52. > :37:55.We will review the equivalent that they have particularly with the

:37:56. > :38:06.clement weather in Poland that that is fit for purpose. I am proud to

:38:07. > :38:14.say the first time in a generation that Royal Navy is growing and this

:38:15. > :38:19.Government is going to promote our prosperity around the world. It can

:38:20. > :38:29.be seen for the personnel numbers. Elizabeth aircraft carriers and

:38:30. > :38:35.freedom destroyers and new ships by 2030. Do you agree that to fulfil

:38:36. > :38:47.the Government's commitment to increase the size of the fleet 's

:38:48. > :38:53.persistent elite Mac -- won the year do you agree to the? Having been on

:38:54. > :38:57.a type 23 only in the last couple of weeks when we were shadowing a

:38:58. > :39:09.Russian aircraft character in the channel, it is hard to underestimate

:39:10. > :39:17.the abilities of the ships. We'll make sure the new frigates do just

:39:18. > :39:23.as well. Can the Minister say if the new R F a ships will be built in the

:39:24. > :39:29.UK and if so, will he give a further commitment to buying British and

:39:30. > :39:34.guarantee the use of British steel to build these ships? In a report

:39:35. > :39:37.last week, it is importantly stated that the best value for the Navy is

:39:38. > :39:44.what we need to do. Also that the best shipyards bid for the work and

:39:45. > :39:53.bidded. Let's see who wins. Will you bidded. Let's see who wins. Will you

:39:54. > :39:57.expect to be able to publish the maintenance options for these ships?

:39:58. > :40:02.Also is Portsmouth being considered some of these welcome new ships? We

:40:03. > :40:08.welcome the bids and the bids that are coming forward. As soon as we

:40:09. > :40:13.can announce it short we will. We are looking forward to the new

:40:14. > :40:20.frigates. Other countries what are old ones. Today I received my first

:40:21. > :40:29.camera. January featured HMS Ocean. camera. January featured HMS Ocean.

:40:30. > :40:36.-- calendar. After years of -- calendar. After years of

:40:37. > :40:47.impressive service over the last 18 months, how does add to the strength

:40:48. > :40:50.to our Navy? Document is not my area, I am reliably informed that

:40:51. > :40:56.she was always due to go out of service. She has done fantastic

:40:57. > :41:01.work, she has done great work and so has the crew. Her time will come to

:41:02. > :41:16.an end and she will go into thousand and 18. -- 2018. The publication of

:41:17. > :41:20.the National ship building strategy answer was simply not good enough.

:41:21. > :41:25.Not good enough for our Royal Navy or workers in the shipbuilding area.

:41:26. > :41:31.The fact is that on the 29th of November Government only published

:41:32. > :41:35.John Parker's independent review to inform the strategy. When just last

:41:36. > :41:41.year, the Government promised to publish a new shipbuilding strategy

:41:42. > :41:44.in 2016. With just six Parliamentary days to go to the end of the year,

:41:45. > :41:51.can the Minister explain exactly can the Minister explain exactly

:41:52. > :41:54.when we going to see that strategy? I do find it slightly difficult

:41:55. > :41:59.being lectured on defence procurement by a party that won't

:42:00. > :42:04.even commit themselves to 2% GDP. The key to this is making sure we've

:42:05. > :42:07.got these ships built in the shipyards, the present is we need

:42:08. > :42:11.and that the whole community benefits from it. I don't know where

:42:12. > :42:15.the minister gets his information from. I don't know if he reads the

:42:16. > :42:18.whole debate or listens to what we have been saying very clearly from

:42:19. > :42:24.the dispatch box that we are fully committed to a 2% spend on GDP to

:42:25. > :42:30.meet our Nato commitments and spend it on defence as is required. Can we

:42:31. > :42:36.now perhaps turn to add more specific issue about the naval fleet

:42:37. > :42:41.and the particular those type 26 frigates which have faced very long

:42:42. > :42:47.delays and with all the attendant risks and capabilities. Our defence

:42:48. > :42:50.recently said that our ship building strategy must include strict

:42:51. > :42:55.timelines for the delivery of the new frigates and the general-purpose

:42:56. > :43:02.frigates. Can the Minister confirm that it really will include those

:43:03. > :43:10.details? I did some research and it appears the Labour Government

:43:11. > :43:18.started looking at type 26 ships in 19 97. The seniors in Government and

:43:19. > :43:21.Speaker, with increasing demands for Speaker, with increasing demands for

:43:22. > :43:27.frigates worldwide, does my honourable friend agree with Sir

:43:28. > :43:33.John Parker that we should focus on building ships that other countries

:43:34. > :43:41.likely want to buy, something that the Royal Navy has refused to do in

:43:42. > :43:43.the past. Yes. Type 26 is not just for our Navy, but for one around the

:43:44. > :43:47.world. It will be exactly the kind world. It will be exactly the kind

:43:48. > :43:51.of chip that will replace the 26 around the world we get the build

:43:52. > :43:56.right and get out there. Which is right and get out there. Which is

:43:57. > :44:14.In a in a rather -- Iraq, more than In a in a rather -- Iraq, more than

:44:15. > :44:20.31,000 Iraqi troops trained by the UK encounter IDE engineering and

:44:21. > :44:24.medical skills. Interior, coalition security helped push Daesh back and

:44:25. > :44:29.is now taking the fight to Daesh's heartland. When my right honourable

:44:30. > :44:33.friend meets many of his friend meets many of his

:44:34. > :44:36.counterparts later this week, these confirmed that he will focus this

:44:37. > :44:43.discussion on how the threat of Daesh can be defeated in Iraq. Yes.

:44:44. > :44:48.We will be reviewing the military progress which is being made which

:44:49. > :44:53.is substantial in a ruck. Daesh have less than 10% of right now. We will

:44:54. > :44:58.also be mapping out the long-term plan to bring decent stability to

:44:59. > :45:04.western Iraq and we will also be working as a coalition to monitor

:45:05. > :45:13.the dispersal of Daesh fighters from Iraq who may be moving to other

:45:14. > :45:19.theatres. We have seen Daesh move into Palmyra this week. Does that

:45:20. > :45:23.show a lack of a cohesive strategy? We had a debate about air strikes

:45:24. > :45:27.and more boots on the ground. The Secretary of State 's and the

:45:28. > :45:33.Minister were arguing strongly filler. We will see the countless

:45:34. > :45:38.slaughter of individuals carry on, otherwise. There is not any support

:45:39. > :45:42.at the United Nations for the deployment of UN troops in Syria.

:45:43. > :45:47.There may not be support in this house for the deployment of British

:45:48. > :45:50.troops on the ground in combat in Syria. Our onus is to provide

:45:51. > :45:55.intelligence gathering from the air and the air strikes on the ground. I

:45:56. > :46:02.can tell that the second front has begun to be opened up now with a

:46:03. > :46:09.move by the Syrian democratic forces onto the city which is in effect the

:46:10. > :46:16.capital which began last week. How many fighters have originated from

:46:17. > :46:18.the United Kingdom been killed in the various regions? Hammer your

:46:19. > :46:28.main? And how many have returned to the United Kingdom? -- how many

:46:29. > :46:35.British fighters still remain in British fighters still remain in

:46:36. > :46:37.either Iraq or Syria. There are many thousand foreign fighters altogether

:46:38. > :46:41.from Western Europe and further afield. One of the issues we will be

:46:42. > :46:48.considering this week is how we properly monitor their dispersal

:46:49. > :46:50.either to other theatres or back to our respective countries. Those who

:46:51. > :46:54.have fought for a prescribed have fought for a prescribed

:46:55. > :47:06.organisation like Daesh can be finally brought to justice.

:47:07. > :47:12.This Government is committed to increasing the defence budget by

:47:13. > :47:20.0.5% a year in real terms as well as increasing our equipment budget by

:47:21. > :47:27.1% above 2020. This means more ships, planes and cutting edge

:47:28. > :47:37.clerk is I'm on the receiving end of clerk is I'm on the receiving end of

:47:38. > :47:42.his advice. Can I just say that the letter to which reference was made

:47:43. > :47:46.is strictly speaking a letter to the house and for its benefit. So,

:47:47. > :47:51.notwithstanding the motivation of the right honourable gentleman

:47:52. > :47:57.saying you needn't write, if I may say with a very greatest of respect

:47:58. > :48:02.that is not for the right honourable member to judge. The letter is for

:48:03. > :48:06.the house's anything. If the right honourable gentleman is

:48:07. > :48:20.disinterested, others might be interested. We will leave it there.

:48:21. > :48:27.The Oracle member says where will we find it. Go along to the library,

:48:28. > :48:31.man! We will be providing the best possible equipment and that standard

:48:32. > :48:36.will net that will be equipment developed and manufactured in the

:48:37. > :48:43.United Kingdom? My honourable friend is right that we do need to focus on

:48:44. > :48:45.the best equipment. Getting the best capability for our Armed Forces. We

:48:46. > :48:52.will also seek the best value for money for the taxpayer. We will also

:48:53. > :48:55.seek to get the UK content as strong as possible. For example, with the

:48:56. > :49:02.35, 15% of the 3000 planes in the 35, 15% of the 3000 planes in the

:49:03. > :49:06.global programme I made in the north-west and the UK has been

:49:07. > :49:08.selected as the global repair hub for a large number of elements for

:49:09. > :49:22.the maintenance repair overhaul and upgrade for these fantastic

:49:23. > :49:28.vehicles. There is an success in our operations against Daesh. As I told

:49:29. > :49:37.the house on Thursday, I will chair the house from across the coalition

:49:38. > :49:42.against Daesh. In Iraq, Syria, and mapping out plans for peace and

:49:43. > :49:46.stability in the region. On Saturday, I visited my constituent,

:49:47. > :49:56.27-year-old father of two, a brave RAF serviceman who is -- who has

:49:57. > :49:59.given service but now was dying of bowel cancer. He has now taken on

:50:00. > :50:03.another challenge, taking on this team doesn't pound is for the

:50:04. > :50:09.hospice. Will the Secretary of State join with me to paying tribute to

:50:10. > :50:15.him for pain service for us and raises much money?

:50:16. > :50:20.He is an airman of the highest calibre who has supported our

:50:21. > :50:24.operations in Afghanistan and indeed in Libya. His wife and young

:50:25. > :50:28.daughter should be in no doubt about the highest regard that the Royal

:50:29. > :50:31.Air Force holds him and I think we all impressed and inspired by the

:50:32. > :50:40.courage he has shown from his sick in losing so much money for the

:50:41. > :50:45.hospice. Following the Government's announcement of base closures, what

:50:46. > :50:50.guarantees does the Ministry of Defence give to civilian staff

:50:51. > :50:55.regarding their future employment? As he knows, and I think supported

:50:56. > :51:00.at the time, we have had to reduce the number of bases to ensure that

:51:01. > :51:04.our service men and women are in better accommodation, in fewer

:51:05. > :51:12.remote areas and in places where they have more chance of their

:51:13. > :51:16.spouses getting into, or partners getting into employment. Obviously

:51:17. > :51:20.the civilian jobs that may be affected, we have set out the quite

:51:21. > :51:24.generous timescales for discussion and these moves are not immediate

:51:25. > :51:31.and we will certainly do everything we can to ensure those civilians are

:51:32. > :51:35.properly looked after. What steps is he taking to increase Britain's

:51:36. > :51:39.defence representation around the world, to promote our security and

:51:40. > :51:45.prosperity? I can tell him that we have this yet established regional

:51:46. > :51:50.defence staff in the Gulf, based in Dubai, in Asia Pacific based in

:51:51. > :51:54.Singapore, and in Africa based in Abuja. That fulfils the defence

:51:55. > :51:58.engagement commitment we made in the Strategic Defence Review last year

:51:59. > :52:02.and these new regional defence staffs will work with our

:52:03. > :52:05.international partners to protect and advance our interests by

:52:06. > :52:11.reinforcing bilateral and multilateral defence relationships.

:52:12. > :52:14.I welcome the role that UK forces will play in Estonia as part of

:52:15. > :52:18.Nato's forward presence. It is vitally important we provide

:52:19. > :52:21.reassurance in facing the threat from Russia. Can the Minister

:52:22. > :52:25.outline further what more steps we will be taking to bulls to security

:52:26. > :52:31.in the Baltic states and in Poland? -- to bolster. Our allies in Nato

:52:32. > :52:35.look very carefully at what we can do and where we can do it. Other

:52:36. > :52:40.nations are also guiding us, the French are coming with us to

:52:41. > :52:47.Estonia, 200 troops in the first six months, but as I said earlier, we

:52:48. > :52:51.will look carefully as a coalition, as to what capabilities we need and

:52:52. > :52:58.where we need them and we will step up to the mark, like we always do.

:52:59. > :53:02.Is he able to offer any hope that 2017 will be a better year for

:53:03. > :53:06.soldiers who either have been or are being investigated for decisions

:53:07. > :53:08.taken in the heat of battle, particularly Marine Sergeant

:53:09. > :53:12.Blackman, who faces another Christmas in jail? The MoD has and

:53:13. > :53:16.will continue to cooperate with the legal process now this case has

:53:17. > :53:22.moved to the court Martial appeal Court. I think it would be

:53:23. > :53:25.inappropriate to comment. What assessment has the Government made

:53:26. > :53:30.to the threat of the use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia, and what

:53:31. > :53:39.action is Britain taking with Nato allies to resist this? Russia has

:53:40. > :53:45.chosen to deploy missiles in the Kaliningrad area that it controls.

:53:46. > :53:49.Part of the purpose of our deployment next year of troops in

:53:50. > :53:57.Estonia and in Poland and our deployment of the REF Typhoons down

:53:58. > :54:01.to Romania is to reassure our allies -- Rafah, that we all in Nato

:54:02. > :54:05.absolutely stand by the right to collective defence and we will

:54:06. > :54:10.continue, it only to reassure but also make it very clear to Russia

:54:11. > :54:14.that we will come to the end of any -- to the aid of any member state

:54:15. > :54:17.who is attacked. As we approach Christmas, a time which many members

:54:18. > :54:23.of our Armed Forces will spend away from their families, will he join

:54:24. > :54:27.with me in thanking them and their families all they do to protect us

:54:28. > :54:34.in this country and for the sacrifices they all make? It is very

:54:35. > :54:39.appropriate as the Armed Forces Minister to ask the House to join me

:54:40. > :54:42.in wishing all of our Armed Forces a very Merry Christmas, and their

:54:43. > :54:49.families and loved ones as well, and that they all come home safe. This

:54:50. > :54:52.is what all our intentions must be. Does the Minister support the

:54:53. > :54:57.recommendation that the construction of the type 31 frigate being opened

:54:58. > :55:01.up to a much wider range of defence contractors, rather than just BAA

:55:02. > :55:06.systems and that in doing so we can and the defence cartel and raise

:55:07. > :55:12.more competition? I would like to thank the honourable member for

:55:13. > :55:16.having read that report, I think it is an excellent report, with thanks

:55:17. > :55:20.John Parker for that report and his 34 recommendations the government

:55:21. > :55:29.will be replying to those in the spring of 2017. In my constituency,

:55:30. > :55:34.97% of the outdated junior rank accommodation has the worst grading

:55:35. > :55:38.has been condemned. Will my honourable friend meet me to discuss

:55:39. > :55:43.meeting the approved requirement as has already been determined? I will

:55:44. > :55:47.be delighted to meet, I can however tell my honourable friend I am

:55:48. > :55:52.pleased to report that a funded programme to rebuild and repair the

:55:53. > :55:59.five worst accommodation blocks will start next year and be completed by

:56:00. > :56:03.2023. We have already heard how a Russian military activity in support

:56:04. > :56:08.of the Assad regime is preventing aid getting into Aleppo, but it is

:56:09. > :56:13.also preventing civilians who wish to leave and medics getting out

:56:14. > :56:18.safely. What steps are we taking with our allies and what discussions

:56:19. > :56:23.are we having to ensure safe passage in this intolerable situation? It is

:56:24. > :56:26.an intolerable situation for hospitals are being bombed,

:56:27. > :56:32.humanitarian aid convoys are being attacked and it is very clear that

:56:33. > :56:39.Russia and the Syrian regime are not prepared to allow the aid that

:56:40. > :56:42.should get in to get in. Further discussions about this have been

:56:43. > :56:45.taking this in Paris and the Foreign Ministers met on Saturday and there

:56:46. > :56:51.will be further discussions in the days ahead, but until Russia lifts

:56:52. > :56:57.its bar on getting aid into those parts of eastern Aleppo, my fear is

:56:58. > :57:14.that a large number of people are going to die. Will the Secretary of

:57:15. > :57:20.State join me... Will the Secretary of State join me in condemning those

:57:21. > :57:24.people who have condemned, in our time, our deployment of troops in

:57:25. > :57:29.Estonia as being provocative, and agree with me that the Baltic states

:57:30. > :57:35.themselves and welcomed it in the face of aggression from Russia? A

:57:36. > :57:41.very good crook indeed in the circumstances. You will have noticed

:57:42. > :57:47.the leader of the Labour Party's for a demilitarised zone. It would be

:57:48. > :57:49.interesting to see whether the rest of the Labour Party agrees with that

:57:50. > :58:00.because certainly President Putin would. The unit cost of the aircraft

:58:01. > :58:09.Norway is buying including the data uplink is $300 million. The unit

:58:10. > :58:16.cost of the 98 is the UK is mine is nearer to $400 million. Thus the

:58:17. > :58:21.Secretary of State, value for money? -- does the. I'm not sure at the

:58:22. > :58:25.exact point he is making because if it were up to him and his party, we

:58:26. > :58:35.would not be buying these or placing them in Scotland. Will my right

:58:36. > :58:38.honourable friend support me in obtaining sponsorship for the lions

:58:39. > :58:44.share of funding to bring the innovation hub for in Yeovil that

:58:45. > :58:47.can help with rapid innovation and unmanned aerial, which can help the

:58:48. > :58:53.MoD deliver aid and support our military? Well, I would like to

:58:54. > :58:58.thank him for his tireless campaigning on behalf of the

:58:59. > :59:01.excellent work done in his constituency on interesting and

:59:02. > :59:06.innovative projects, for example the unmanned helicopter system, and as

:59:07. > :59:11.he knows, we have committed over the next ten years to be spending

:59:12. > :59:17.something like ?3 billion with Leonardo as part of our long-term

:59:18. > :59:21.partnering arrangement. The Israeli and US Navy have recently been

:59:22. > :59:26.attacked by anti-ship missiles by Hezbollah. Is it not time that we

:59:27. > :59:35.looked again at the river class OPV at the type 31 frigate and made sure

:59:36. > :59:40.they have the right capability? In terms of the important question that

:59:41. > :59:43.she asks, of course, it is very important that the Royal Navy

:59:44. > :59:47.continually assesses the capabilities with which ships are

:59:48. > :59:53.fitted, and of course, there will be details that I cannot go into detail

:59:54. > :59:59.on at the dispatch box, because they are sensitive, due to operational

:00:00. > :00:01.requirements. The UK's frigates and destroyers are currently protected

:00:02. > :00:07.with heart pump -- harpoon missiles. Those are coming out of service in

:00:08. > :00:11.2018, weaving frigates and destroyers -- weaving frigates and

:00:12. > :00:15.destroyers defended with missiles with only a range of 11 miles. Will

:00:16. > :00:18.the Minister consider looking again at extending the service life of the

:00:19. > :00:25.harpoon missiles to properly defend our ships? Of course, the Royal Navy

:00:26. > :00:28.is continuously assessing the capabilities that it requires an

:00:29. > :00:35.work is ongoing across the MoD to consider the options for the harpoon

:00:36. > :00:39.replacement. Thanks to the act brought in by the Labour Government

:00:40. > :00:43.in 2010, we do not use or sell cluster munitions any more but the

:00:44. > :00:47.Government has also been required under the act to persuade its allies

:00:48. > :00:52.not to use cluster munitions either. So, what is the Government doing to

:00:53. > :00:57.try and stop the Saudis from using cluster munitions -- cluster

:00:58. > :01:01.munitions? In line with our obligations under the Convention of

:01:02. > :01:06.cluster munitions, we continue to actively discouraged all states who

:01:07. > :01:10.are not party to the Convention from using cluster munitions, and we

:01:11. > :01:13.encourage them to accede to it without delay. We have raised the

:01:14. > :01:22.ratification of the convention at ministerial level with Saudi Arabia.

:01:23. > :01:25.I was disappointed alone of staff reductions at BAE Systems, including

:01:26. > :01:30.at the sight of my constituency in Rochester and Skype. Could he

:01:31. > :01:34.underwent what support he could offer to a local suppliers to ensure

:01:35. > :01:41.that skills behind the innovation are gets cheered in my constituency?

:01:42. > :01:44.Bashar are secure. I share her disappointment in the news that they

:01:45. > :01:48.are reducing employment at the site in Rochester because after all, I

:01:49. > :01:52.feel we are spending quite a lot of money with them at the moment. But

:01:53. > :01:56.I'm sure that the people that she mentions have exemplary skills and I

:01:57. > :01:59.can certainly say on behalf of the Government we will do everything we

:02:00. > :02:02.can to make sure those valuable skills are redeployed in other areas

:02:03. > :02:10.of this particular avionic specialty. Further to the honourable

:02:11. > :02:14.Lady's answer to me earlier, when she confirmed about the budget, can

:02:15. > :02:21.she tell us when will the last of the six type 45 destroyers at the

:02:22. > :02:24.new propulsion system fitted? I cannot give you an exact timetable

:02:25. > :02:31.because that has not been finalised, but I can tell him that the budget

:02:32. > :02:34.is in place and the contract will be completed in the normal way, and

:02:35. > :02:37.that ongoing improvements are being made actually all the time and have

:02:38. > :02:42.been made to that power and propulsion system. The chair of the

:02:43. > :02:50.Select Committee, Doctor Julie Lewis. Do ministers accept --

:02:51. > :02:53.Julian. That the type 31 general-purpose frigates are the

:02:54. > :02:58.only chance we will have for a generation to raise up the total of

:02:59. > :03:03.escorts from the pathetic total of 19 back to the sort of figures we

:03:04. > :03:07.used to have when we really had an oceangoing Navy with enough escorts

:03:08. > :03:12.to protect it, and will she therefore ensure that the design of

:03:13. > :03:16.these frigates is chosen to be of the most economical nature and that

:03:17. > :03:19.all the bells and whistles can be added on later, but the maximum

:03:20. > :03:29.number of holes must be commissioned? We have some 29 ships

:03:30. > :03:35.serving on the seven seas around the world at the moment and I am sure

:03:36. > :03:39.that he makes a good point about the export ability of the type 31

:03:40. > :03:43.frigate and our ambition to raise the number of frigates and

:03:44. > :03:48.destroyers beyond and above the current 19.