:00:00. > :00:09.blood products in the NHS. There will be a round-up at this evening.
:00:10. > :00:16.The Minister for the Armed Forces. Thank you. At this, the first
:00:17. > :00:19.question to his new parliament, may I take the opportunity to remind the
:00:20. > :00:26.house of my interests, namely I am now in my 29th year of service in
:00:27. > :00:29.the Army reserves. The MoD regularly holds discussions with local
:00:30. > :00:32.authorities and the devolved administrations on reserves. This
:00:33. > :00:35.includes engagement with all stakeholders on sites that are
:00:36. > :00:40.earmarked for closure. Over the establishment of new research units.
:00:41. > :00:43.The use of size no longer required will free up land for new housing
:00:44. > :00:53.and raise money to reinvest in the Armed Forces. Thank you. My father
:00:54. > :00:57.like himself was a Territorial Army reservist. I know the importance of
:00:58. > :01:03.it. Would it not make more sense rather than jumping to a closure and
:01:04. > :01:06.then contacting devolved administrations to have a
:01:07. > :01:13.pre-consultation to make sure we are facilities are being reviewed that
:01:14. > :01:20.we have a proper strategy for public sister assets? Of course we try to
:01:21. > :01:24.engage the local authorities to the rest of our ability but when it
:01:25. > :01:29.comes to the Army reserve refine programme no final decisions have
:01:30. > :01:33.been made. It would therefore be premature to engage with local
:01:34. > :01:38.authorities to say which if any Army reserve centres are closing.
:01:39. > :01:42.However, that reserve piece is good news as well so I am delighted to be
:01:43. > :01:49.able to take this opportunity to announce the creation of two new
:01:50. > :01:54.infantry battalions. The 4th Battalion, Princess of Wales Royal
:01:55. > :02:00.Regiment and the eight rifles Battalion whose headquarters will be
:02:01. > :02:04.at Bishop Auckland. May I offer my honourable friend very warm
:02:05. > :02:11.congratulations on his promotion to be Minister of the Armed Forces? And
:02:12. > :02:15.as he is a distinguished and senior officer in the reserve, is he not
:02:16. > :02:22.perfectly placed to make decisions in respect of this question on
:02:23. > :02:30.reserve centre closures? I am very grateful for his war words. Indeed,
:02:31. > :02:33.as his former PPS I know only too well of his contribution during his
:02:34. > :02:39.tenure there, when it came to the comrades of approach. What I would
:02:40. > :02:43.say, it is rare as a minister to be appointed to a department you know
:02:44. > :02:50.something about, so on that basis I am dilated to be here but I think it
:02:51. > :02:57.is great to be in this position and I hope to use any experience I have.
:02:58. > :03:08.May I also congratulate the Minister on what he's talking about. In
:03:09. > :03:13.recent days I became aware that the promised of West Dunbartonshire had
:03:14. > :03:17.been informed that the Armed Forces veteran days would not take place
:03:18. > :03:22.due to no capacity from the Armed Forces to deliver it. As a member of
:03:23. > :03:27.Parliament for West Dunbartonshire, that gives me cause for concern. The
:03:28. > :03:32.Armed Forces veterans Day to local families and also those veterans
:03:33. > :03:36.including my own family are not given the appropriate thanks from
:03:37. > :03:40.their local community. Can the Minister advise me and perhaps other
:03:41. > :03:45.members whose own local communities have not been able to have Veterans'
:03:46. > :03:49.Day, that it will not happen again? I must say I think Armed Forces days
:03:50. > :03:58.have become quite a success so I am disappointed to hear what the
:03:59. > :04:00.honourable gentleman says. I myself visited Northern Ireland and I think
:04:01. > :04:04.Armed Forces Day centring on Liverpool this year was a particular
:04:05. > :04:10.success. But I am concerned by what he says. I would like to think that
:04:11. > :04:13.all of our units will do whatever they can to support Armed Forces
:04:14. > :04:21.days and I will look into what he has to say. Would the Minister agree
:04:22. > :04:27.with me that it is crucially important that when considering
:04:28. > :04:35.dismissing or abandoning reserve centres a major criteria in that
:04:36. > :04:40.decision is ensuring that our reserve centres are as close as
:04:41. > :04:46.possible to the reserve soldiers who actually will man them so they don't
:04:47. > :04:53.have to travel far? Of course, our reserves in recent years have become
:04:54. > :05:00.a success. We have increased some extra 5000 reserves were written
:05:01. > :05:03.recruited, one of the great challenges we face is to make sure
:05:04. > :05:08.the footprint is equal across the country. That is why this Army
:05:09. > :05:12.reserves refine piece of work is so important. One of the principal aims
:05:13. > :05:20.to ensure is that that footprint is even across the country. In Mikan
:05:21. > :05:26.tips truancy there is the home of the 211 battery. They are the
:05:27. > :05:32.reserves battery unmanned operators. I understand the Department are
:05:33. > :05:37.scrapping the black Hornet but using the Desert Hawk model. Will this
:05:38. > :05:45.have an impact on this successful and popular units. As I think I have
:05:46. > :05:48.mentioned, the reserves re-signed piece is an overwhelming success
:05:49. > :05:51.story. I'm sorry I am not in a position to give honourable members
:05:52. > :05:55.the final detail but I will go out of my way to ensure that all members
:05:56. > :06:02.are informed in advance of any changes to their local units. He
:06:03. > :06:06.talks about a footprint for the reserve force. It's very important
:06:07. > :06:16.because we have to live forswear the base is. But they are also very
:06:17. > :06:24.useful in being the outward face of the British Army weather is no other
:06:25. > :06:32.military presence. And they have a huge usefulness apart from that
:06:33. > :06:38.military one. I am quite confident that at the end of this reserves
:06:39. > :06:42.refine to process the footprint will still be substantial across the
:06:43. > :06:46.United Kingdom. We are not looking at major closures across the UK and
:06:47. > :06:50.I would hate to imply that is the impression. Today I have already
:06:51. > :06:55.announced the creation of two new reserve units. I think the story as
:06:56. > :07:04.we intend you to increase is a positive one. With your permission,
:07:05. > :07:08.I would like to answer the question with question six. The latest
:07:09. > :07:13.kingdom is supporting Nato's enhanced forward presence designed
:07:14. > :07:23.to defend our allies and deter our enemies. Personnel form our core of
:07:24. > :07:28.our battle in Estonia. A British reconnaissance Squadron in
:07:29. > :07:34.Parliament. Both are defensive but combat capable. I am sure he will
:07:35. > :07:37.have welcomed as I did the congressional vote that saw the
:07:38. > :07:42.renewal of the US commitment to article five and I was wondering if
:07:43. > :07:45.he could talk a little about Britain's commitment to article five
:07:46. > :07:55.and particularly units like the Estonian Armed Forces? It is good
:07:56. > :08:00.that both Congress and now the president have committed to Article
:08:01. > :08:07.five, the most important principle of Nato. The secretary and I agreed
:08:08. > :08:11.in Washington and to create our work together to modernise Nato and give
:08:12. > :08:16.it more focus on counterterrorism and hybrid warfare. One of the
:08:17. > :08:19.reasons as he has said, that our contribution to enhanced forward
:08:20. > :08:24.presence is based in Estonia is indeed our good mixed periods of
:08:25. > :08:35.working with the forces there in Helmand Afghanistan. Joint military
:08:36. > :08:41.exercises are very welcome. As our rotational deployment of troops in
:08:42. > :08:44.Poland. But when will the UK use its senior position within Nato to press
:08:45. > :08:50.that organisation for a permanent Nato base in eastern Poland? I can
:08:51. > :08:55.tell him that our defence relationship with Poland is close
:08:56. > :09:03.since the beginning of 2016I have met the Minister at least five times
:09:04. > :09:08.and we aim to sign a defence treaty with Poland later this year. Nato
:09:09. > :09:17.already has a small permanent base in Poland, based in Stettin, to
:09:18. > :09:22.which the UK does contribute personnel. I very much support what
:09:23. > :09:25.the Defence Secretary has said about the contribution we are making with
:09:26. > :09:32.respect to Nato in Estonia and Poland but can I ask after speaking
:09:33. > :09:36.to a couple of constituents at the weekend, the Government and all of
:09:37. > :09:39.us have a job of work to explain to the British public the importance of
:09:40. > :09:45.Nato and the continuing need for us to be vigilant and Eastern Europe? I
:09:46. > :09:50.agree with. We need to keep restating the case for Nato and it
:09:51. > :09:53.is sad sometimes to see that case being questioned. We need to restate
:09:54. > :09:59.the importance of Nato and it was good to hear the president reinforce
:10:00. > :10:04.that in his speech in Warsaw on Friday. I think all of us in the
:10:05. > :10:09.house have a responsibility to explain why our troops are being
:10:10. > :10:13.deployed to Poland and Estonia, our typhoons are based in Romania this
:10:14. > :10:19.summer and why we are committing ships to the standing maritime
:10:20. > :10:22.groups this year. One of the biggest threats facing all Nato member
:10:23. > :10:26.states is the growing sophistication and volume of cyber attacks. Can the
:10:27. > :10:28.secretary of state set out for collective action his he and his
:10:29. > :10:35.colleagues are taking to counter this threat? As I said, the
:10:36. > :10:39.secretary and I have agreed that Nato needs to prioritise its work on
:10:40. > :10:46.cyber and other forms of hybrid warfare just as important as its
:10:47. > :10:50.conventional deployments. We are now doing that, the work was agreed in
:10:51. > :10:54.principle at the Warsaw summit a year ago, and we continue to urge
:10:55. > :10:59.other members to do that. In addition, we have offered to put
:11:00. > :11:05.Britain's offensive cyber capabilities at the service of Nato
:11:06. > :11:10.if required. These deployments are certainly defensive as the secretary
:11:11. > :11:14.of state stated, but they will be represented as being offensive by
:11:15. > :11:18.the Russians. What measures is the Government taking to keep open a
:11:19. > :11:23.line of communication with the Russians to make it clear to them
:11:24. > :11:32.this would not be happening but for their own conduct in the Ukraine and
:11:33. > :11:35.elsewhere? As he knows, Nato is a defensive alliance and these
:11:36. > :11:41.deployments are defensive in nature. It is important in respect of Russia
:11:42. > :11:45.that we explain these deployments and we are transparent about the
:11:46. > :11:55.number of personnel and the units involved. And to that extent we have
:11:56. > :12:01.machinery already in place whereby our vice Chief of defence staff has
:12:02. > :12:05.regular discussions with his opposite number to explain these
:12:06. > :12:22.deployments and to ensure there is no Can I begin by putting on record,
:12:23. > :12:31.the Wellcome from the SNP from Scotland about the building of
:12:32. > :12:40.ships. Can you outline the assessment from the President of
:12:41. > :12:47.America about the CID security -- cyber security regarding this ships?
:12:48. > :12:53.There is a question later on the order paper but I'll take this for
:12:54. > :12:56.what this is. If the SNP had had their way regarding nuclear
:12:57. > :13:11.deterrence then we wouldn't have needed these ships at all. We have a
:13:12. > :13:18.cyber expertise in this country. So do other countries within the
:13:19. > :13:27.alliance. We need these in order to deal with any counter attacks will
:13:28. > :13:31.stop we ask much of our brave service personnel and we are aware
:13:32. > :13:35.that service life can cause stress how we are committed to providing
:13:36. > :13:42.the necessary mental and welfare health. Both during the time of
:13:43. > :13:48.service and during retirement. I thank you for you reply, but can you
:13:49. > :13:53.callous more about the veterans Gateway and how it will work
:13:54. > :14:03.alongside Heads Together charity which helps veterans with their
:14:04. > :14:10.mental health problems? The majority of veterans make a good transition
:14:11. > :14:15.into civilian life but others don't. There are many charities providing
:14:16. > :14:20.support and the veterans' Gateway is a poor told to avoid confusion about
:14:21. > :14:24.where to turn to. I would love to take credit for it, but it was down
:14:25. > :14:37.to my predecessor who is now the Armed Forces Minister. Berry get
:14:38. > :14:45.interoffice and arrangements. We owe a debt of gratitude to those
:14:46. > :14:54.charities who work so hard, but why would the Government just commit to
:14:55. > :15:08.the Royal British legions -- won't have the Government just commit.
:15:09. > :15:13.This is down to a data issue. There is a veterans board to make sure we
:15:14. > :15:23.are meeting the needs of our veterans. In Plymouth, we recently
:15:24. > :15:32.secured ?80,000 for a better and scarcer service. Beyond 2018, did
:15:33. > :15:39.drive up, so I want to know what we can do to sustain the model to help
:15:40. > :15:44.those who serve? Attributed a huge work my honourable friend has done
:15:45. > :15:49.and he is right to say that the funding has been useful for a number
:15:50. > :15:53.of key projects and we need to make sure these continue afterwards. I
:15:54. > :16:05.would highlight one which is Combat Stress. This has been paid for
:16:06. > :16:15.through funds. I have two wonderful voluntary groups will stop veterans
:16:16. > :16:20.UK and veterans In The Community, which do wonderful work. What
:16:21. > :16:26.guarantee with the Government gave to support these organisations going
:16:27. > :16:29.forward? These play an important part not just in transition but
:16:30. > :16:35.veterans who given so much their service life. I'm grateful that my
:16:36. > :16:43.honourable friend raises these questions. All our commitments or
:16:44. > :16:48.important, but the veterans' Gateway programme will make sure that small
:16:49. > :16:55.charities will get the publicity that they deserve. The role of the
:16:56. > :17:03.Armed Forces from all three services in the liberation of Moses or must
:17:04. > :17:07.we commended. What plans do we have for any further involvement in Iraq
:17:08. > :17:16.or if there are any crucial roles in training the Iraqi forces who are
:17:17. > :17:20.unimportant ally? I'm the Minister rather than the Secretary of State
:17:21. > :17:27.but I'm glad you have such confidence in me. It was a pleasure
:17:28. > :17:38.to join my honourable friend on the 35th anniversary of the Falklands
:17:39. > :17:47.conflict. I know it is something the Secretary of State is involved in.
:17:48. > :17:56.While we are still a member of the EU, we will maintain our
:17:57. > :17:59.relationship with various countries, but the Prime Minister has made it
:18:00. > :18:04.clear that once we leave we will deepen these relationships. We will
:18:05. > :18:14.continue to play our part in Europe is Matt security through bilateral
:18:15. > :18:22.relationships. Last week, giving evidence in the Lord's, there were
:18:23. > :18:30.concerns from various Lord's about our impact in the world after
:18:31. > :18:37.Brexit. Do you agree we need to seek a place in the common committee that
:18:38. > :18:46.the EU security, as was the view of law Hague? -- Lord William Hague? We
:18:47. > :18:52.have the largest defence budget in Europe, the largest navy and a range
:18:53. > :18:57.of assets and capabilities which other countries will want to
:18:58. > :19:02.continue working on, with us. We have got to that point in the
:19:03. > :19:05.negotiations, sorting out exactly what the relationship will be, but I
:19:06. > :19:11.expect to continue with the core operation we have with my fellow
:19:12. > :19:16.defence ministers. With my honourable friend agreed that it
:19:17. > :19:20.would be far better for our European friends to Vegas and then Nato
:19:21. > :19:28.membership and paid their commitment rather than trying to create some
:19:29. > :19:34.pound- EU defence force which is bogus? We all agreed. Not simply
:19:35. > :19:40.Britain, at the time of the Warsaw Summit, that the European Union and
:19:41. > :19:45.Nato needed to work together to avoid unnecessary duplication, where
:19:46. > :19:58.both can add value, but to avoid the need for Fancy, new headquarters.
:19:59. > :20:04.The European defence agency supports the improvement of defence
:20:05. > :20:10.capabilities and provides a Forum on development. Can the Secretary of
:20:11. > :20:13.State tell us whether we will beam remaining a member of this and if
:20:14. > :20:21.not, what will our relationship be with it post exit? The European
:20:22. > :20:30.defence agency is an important forum, but it's not the only one.
:20:31. > :20:35.Some are outside the treaty. There were various works done on the
:20:36. > :20:40.typhoon, and major equipment projects, but obviously, after
:20:41. > :20:43.Brexit, we expect to have some sort of relationship with them and that
:20:44. > :20:52.awaits us in the negotiation process. I am pleased to hear my
:20:53. > :20:56.honourable friend state that Nato is the cornerstone of our defence
:20:57. > :21:02.alliance. But with regards to contract is such as Tallis, in my
:21:03. > :21:11.constituency, can I have assurance that that relationship will
:21:12. > :21:17.continue? Yes. There are a number of important companies based both in
:21:18. > :21:25.Europe and the knighted kingdom, Tallis, Leonardo, air bus. We look
:21:26. > :21:37.to insure their employment here is fully taken into account. Question
:21:38. > :21:47.five. The MID national housing contractor is Carilion. The service
:21:48. > :21:53.levels have been met and sustained, the department will penalised for
:21:54. > :22:01.performance when necessary. Thank you. I thank the Secretary of State
:22:02. > :22:08.for his response. Can he tell me what estimate he has made on
:22:09. > :22:18.renegotiating the lease in 2021, and whether the cost will fall on
:22:19. > :22:27.service Amirli 's? I'm grateful she called me the Secretary of State...
:22:28. > :22:34.LAUGHTER It's important to make sure that
:22:35. > :22:40.accommodation is up to scratch. It's important to our service families. I
:22:41. > :22:46.do hope we will have an opportunity to review the contract in 2021, but
:22:47. > :22:50.I hope she understands that negotiations will take place and we
:22:51. > :22:58.will keep the House updated. Well my honourable friend assure the House
:22:59. > :23:05.that there will be single living accommodation for service personnel,
:23:06. > :23:13.going forward. There are no plans to remove this. There is no complex
:23:14. > :23:19.offering. There is a necessity as we have heard before, to rationalise
:23:20. > :23:24.the defence estate across the country, and we are all so returning
:23:25. > :23:33.officers and personnel from the Rhine, which will involve building
:23:34. > :23:41.projects for families. The Armed Forces bodies 46 report found that
:23:42. > :23:49.services from Carilion were falling well short of service personnel and
:23:50. > :23:53.their families. They are tired of Government platitudes, so can I ask,
:23:54. > :24:03.how bad do they have to get before they will be dealt with? I go to the
:24:04. > :24:09.dispatch box. He is right to raise this issue. I inherited this brief.
:24:10. > :24:12.There has been concern about the standards we have seen. The
:24:13. > :24:17.Secretary of State has taken a personal interest. We are taking
:24:18. > :24:29.opportunity to make sure that service is up to par. Ministers are
:24:30. > :24:36.in regular contact with the pay review body as part of the annual
:24:37. > :24:40.process. I gave oral evidence to the review body prior to the 2017 report
:24:41. > :24:48.and I expect to meet them again, prior to the 2018 report. Mr
:24:49. > :24:53.Speaker, given that every Minister, including the Defence Secretary
:24:54. > :25:09.hence tell I did against the lifting of the paper, doesn't disprove -- --
:25:10. > :25:17.doesn't this prove... We want to see the Armed Forces properly paid. Any
:25:18. > :25:22.pay settlement has to take into account the interest of the
:25:23. > :25:28.taxpayers and has to be fair too to get our deficit under control. We
:25:29. > :25:35.are advised by an independent pay review body, which, unlike the pay
:25:36. > :25:48.review bodies for other services, is compelled to look at accountability,
:25:49. > :25:53.recruitment and retention. When unemployment levels fall, with the
:25:54. > :25:58.strength of our economy, it gets more difficult to recruit and retain
:25:59. > :26:06.and personnel. Will these be key factors in this issue? We are
:26:07. > :26:12.competing with other sectors of the economy which have grown. The Armed
:26:13. > :26:18.Forces review body and its recommendation of 1% at a rise said
:26:19. > :26:22.in their report, we believe that a 1% pay rise will maintain pay
:26:23. > :26:34.comparability. Further to that last question it is
:26:35. > :26:38.shown that recruitment of the infantry fell by 18% in the last
:26:39. > :26:41.year alone does he not accept that not giving a fair pay raise is
:26:42. > :26:47.having a direct impact on recruitment? That is not the view of
:26:48. > :26:51.the Armed Forces pay review body as I have just indicated to the house.
:26:52. > :26:55.They believe their settlement recommended last year does maintain
:26:56. > :27:00.paid comp ability with the civilian sector. Some 8000 people joined the
:27:01. > :27:05.Armed Forces in the last 12 months. But when the pay review body comes
:27:06. > :27:09.to look at its recommendation for next year, they will of course look
:27:10. > :27:13.specifically at the evidence about recruitment and retention and they
:27:14. > :27:20.do that in a way that some of the other review bodies are not able to.
:27:21. > :27:25.After losing her majority at the general election, the Prime Minister
:27:26. > :27:28.has now signalled she is prepared to work across the house with other
:27:29. > :27:33.parties in areas of agreement. So in that spirit, I would like to make a
:27:34. > :27:37.constructive offer. The Government has just introduced an Armed Forces
:27:38. > :27:41.Bill in the other place. If they agreed to amend that Bill to include
:27:42. > :27:45.real terms pay rise for our personnel, they can count on Labour
:27:46. > :27:51.support. So will the Government agreed to work with us to give our
:27:52. > :27:56.Armed Forces pay award they deserve? We all want to see the Armed Forces
:27:57. > :28:02.proper Lee remunerated for the service they give us. But it is also
:28:03. > :28:05.incumbent on the Honourable lady to make it clear how any increase she
:28:06. > :28:10.is favouring would be properly paid for. That is something she has not
:28:11. > :28:15.done, her party has not done and they certainly did not in the last
:28:16. > :28:20.election. The pay review body system we have is beyond party politics in
:28:21. > :28:23.this house, it is an independent pay review body that looks at comp
:28:24. > :28:27.ability with the civilian sector, looks at the issue of retention and
:28:28. > :28:35.recruitment and makes its recommendation. Last year we
:28:36. > :28:39.accepted in full. On the contrary, we had our manifesto fully funded
:28:40. > :28:46.and they know that. They know how to raise taxes if they need them. The
:28:47. > :28:52.fact of the matter is that the Armed Forces pay review body is severely
:28:53. > :28:56.constrained by the overall cap of a 1% on public sector pay that the
:28:57. > :29:00.Government has imposed. So of the Government won't legislate for a pay
:29:01. > :29:05.rise, will the secretary of state at least allow the pay review body to
:29:06. > :29:08.carry out a mid year review and report on what our Armed Forces
:29:09. > :29:16.should be receiving if the cap were not in place? Firstly, I am
:29:17. > :29:21.staggered to hear that she thinks her manifesto was fully costed or
:29:22. > :29:25.funded. There were billions in that manifesto that were due to be
:29:26. > :29:30.borrowed and paid for by future generations. So far as we have
:29:31. > :29:36.implemented the recommendation in full by the review body thought this
:29:37. > :29:41.financial year. So far as next year is concerned, evidence is already
:29:42. > :29:44.being acquired by the pay review body and I will give my own evidence
:29:45. > :29:54.later in the year. And we will see what recommendation they come up
:29:55. > :29:59.with. The Royal Navy is growing with 400 more personnel, more ships and
:30:00. > :30:03.new submarines. It remains on track to achieve its mind levels were 2020
:30:04. > :30:08.and will have is sufficient manpower to continue to meet all its
:30:09. > :30:10.requirements. This includes ensuring the Queen Elizabeth aircraft
:30:11. > :30:17.carriers can always operate safely and effectively. Given concerns that
:30:18. > :30:23.we are hollowing out our Armed Forces manpower in favour of big
:30:24. > :30:26.ticket items, what does the Minister added to the Government doing to
:30:27. > :30:29.ensure we not only have the manpower to operate these big-ticket items
:30:30. > :30:36.but also the ships to protect them when at sea given global
:30:37. > :30:42.uncertainties abound and over 90% of trade is maritime border? He
:30:43. > :30:47.highlights the challenges we face in recruiting in our economy. I am
:30:48. > :30:50.pleased the Navy's efforts in addressing shortages in engineers
:30:51. > :30:54.are bidding to show dividends through the personal recovery
:30:55. > :30:59.programme. He will be aware of our investment in offshore patrol
:31:00. > :31:07.vessels, and a new type 20 sixes of which we will cut steel later this
:31:08. > :31:12.month. In March 2017 total Royal Navy numbers were 710 belie the low
:31:13. > :31:20.liability. Currently it is reported that only six platforms are fully
:31:21. > :31:23.operational. Last year we have net loss of 750 and manpower. How can we
:31:24. > :31:27.be assured we have the right retention policies to operate all of
:31:28. > :31:32.our platforms when they are so desperately needed? The Royal Navy
:31:33. > :31:38.is growing. I am pleased that the first time in a generation it will
:31:39. > :31:42.grow by 400 I said. Equally, I mentioned the personnel recovery
:31:43. > :31:44.programme. This has been an excellent programme which has ought
:31:45. > :31:48.to address the shortages in engineers through apprenticeships
:31:49. > :31:56.and affiliation with universities and technical colleges. The truth is
:31:57. > :32:03.the Royal Navy is has experienced catastrophic cuts and personnel over
:32:04. > :32:08.the past seven years. The Navy is asking 55 and 60 olds to rejoin on
:32:09. > :32:11.short-term contracts. Will the Government recognise the error of
:32:12. > :32:17.its ways and recruit on good wages the personnel we need? The Prime
:32:18. > :32:23.Minister has asked for ideas from the opposition. Will he pass my
:32:24. > :32:27.suggestion on? With the greatest respect, it seems to be a common
:32:28. > :32:33.theme when we come to this dispatch box, he is always terribly negative.
:32:34. > :32:36.I am determined to try to support our serving personnel, as I have
:32:37. > :32:42.tried to explain there is a lot of effort going in at the moment. This
:32:43. > :32:47.is the year of the Navy. With over ?3 billion invested in the Royal
:32:48. > :32:54.Navy, we are seeing two new carriers, the contract lawns for
:32:55. > :32:59.three type 26 destroyers, the future is bright for the Royal Navy and I
:33:00. > :33:02.wish he would stop talking it down. There is no doubting the
:33:03. > :33:06.comprehensiveness of the replies, but if we could make slightly more
:33:07. > :33:15.timely progress, that would be appreciated by backbenchers. The
:33:16. > :33:19.Government is committed to ensuring service personnel and veterans and
:33:20. > :33:22.their families are not disadvantaged. That special
:33:23. > :33:27.provision is made for those who have sacrificed the most. We will
:33:28. > :33:34.continue to use the Government fund to build including the recently
:33:35. > :33:41.launched veterans gateway that was mentioned earlier. Thank you. Some
:33:42. > :33:44.councils are much more proactive than others in supporting the Armed
:33:45. > :33:55.Forces covenant and marking Armed Forces Day. The Labour run council
:33:56. > :33:59.in Telford has more work to do ensuring action. What does the
:34:00. > :34:05.Minister suggest should be done to ring increase participation in
:34:06. > :34:09.future? Can I say I am upset to hear that Telford did not join all the
:34:10. > :34:15.local authorities on the 24th of June paying tribute to our Armed
:34:16. > :34:20.Forces. I was in Plymouth. The secretary of state was with the
:34:21. > :34:23.Prime Minister in Liverpool. I'm not sure whether the Leader of the
:34:24. > :34:26.Opposition was on Monday. We are putting a package of measures
:34:27. > :34:30.together to be given to all honourable members so they can talk
:34:31. > :34:33.to their local authorities next year Telford I hope will join others
:34:34. > :34:40.around the country in paying tribute to our Armed Forces. The Armed
:34:41. > :34:44.Forces covenant is a covenant between those who serve on the front
:34:45. > :34:47.line and the Government. But with those serving on the front line
:34:48. > :34:52.experiencing over the last six years in real terms pay cut of around 10%,
:34:53. > :34:58.wouldn't the Minister agree with me that that bond of trust is wearing a
:34:59. > :35:02.little thin? I think the Secretary of State has already answered the
:35:03. > :35:06.question on pay. But she is writing what she implies. We have to look
:35:07. > :35:11.after our service personnel. We put them in danger, in harms way, and we
:35:12. > :35:13.must look after them. One of the opportunities for the nation to show
:35:14. > :35:19.their appreciation is on Armed Forces Day. The Armed Forces
:35:20. > :35:22.covenant covers equal access to health care whilst on the
:35:23. > :35:25.Parliamentary scheme I met with May veterans and serving personnel who
:35:26. > :35:31.have issues around stigma and mental health. What more is being done for
:35:32. > :35:34.this? I'm pleased to say I will be launching the new mental health
:35:35. > :35:42.strategy at the end of this month. We are bringing together the five
:35:43. > :35:46.guys to make sure we can share best practice to how we best look after
:35:47. > :35:53.our Armed Forces when they become veterans. I have a proud patron of
:35:54. > :35:58.forward assist veterans charity. Back in March there were promised
:35:59. > :36:02.just under ?200,000 from the tampon tax fund to help their work with
:36:03. > :36:05.female veterans. That money has yet to materialise. Can he say why there
:36:06. > :36:12.is a delay and when it will be released? I hope she understands
:36:13. > :36:14.that whilst I am not armed with that information I will be delighted to
:36:15. > :36:18.meet with her and discuss the matter. Can I pay tribute to her for
:36:19. > :36:29.the work she is doing in supporting that important charity? Mr Speaker,
:36:30. > :36:33.the experience and morale of service personnel are central to defence.
:36:34. > :36:36.Both the Department and the new signal services placed the
:36:37. > :36:40.management of this as a high priority. As such we are putting in
:36:41. > :36:46.place a number of significant programmes namely the flexible
:36:47. > :36:49.engagement system, the future accommodation model, the new joiners
:36:50. > :36:58.offer, and the Armed Forces family strategy. Currently the forces
:36:59. > :37:02.families upon leaving the Army are given special assistance by local
:37:03. > :37:06.authorities but is he aware that upon divorce or separation and Army
:37:07. > :37:11.spouse is instantly no longer classed as Army family and receives
:37:12. > :37:15.no support? Would he consider amending the advice to local
:37:16. > :37:18.authorities? I am happy to look at it and I'm grateful she has taken
:37:19. > :37:26.the matter. It is important we get a package of measures right. So we can
:37:27. > :37:30.support the Armed Forces personnel and their fast trees. A key part of
:37:31. > :37:33.improving service life satisfaction is ensuring soldiers can indeed get
:37:34. > :37:38.their children into a good school that understands military life. Will
:37:39. > :37:44.the Minister join me in congratulating Montgomery schools
:37:45. > :37:48.who are celebrating serving the military community and Colchester
:37:49. > :37:53.further many years? I welcome to Ma'u to his place and say it is one
:37:54. > :37:57.school of almost 500 around the country that are located near our
:37:58. > :38:02.garrisons that provides support for Armed Forces personnel and their
:38:03. > :38:07.children, and it is important that continues. The service pupil premium
:38:08. > :38:11.is very important to make sure we look after those pupils particularly
:38:12. > :38:17.as they end up moving around because of their parental careers. Would
:38:18. > :38:21.service life satisfaction rates be improved by job security and on that
:38:22. > :38:24.basis can the minister assure the house today the size of the Army at
:38:25. > :38:29.the end of this parliament will be no smaller than it is now? That is
:38:30. > :38:33.absolutely the intention and he is right to look at it. It is one of
:38:34. > :38:38.the reasons why we have taken some of the initiatives I have mentioned.
:38:39. > :38:49.Including the various reviews that are taking place. Question 11. Our
:38:50. > :38:54.defence budget for Scotland's 718, is 37. We are committed to
:38:55. > :38:58.increasing its by at least half a percent above implication every
:38:59. > :39:06.year. In addition we continue to plan to meet the Nato guideline.
:39:07. > :39:10.This two commitments will ensure our Armed Forces can keep Britain safe.
:39:11. > :39:15.The United Kingdom leads the way with the biggest defence budget in
:39:16. > :39:19.Europe. But what more can be done to encourage other nations to play
:39:20. > :39:26.their part and increase their own spending to protect our collective
:39:27. > :39:31.security? Since the Wales Summit in 2014, dispense is spending by our
:39:32. > :39:35.allies has been increasing. Three more countries now meet the 2%. Over
:39:36. > :39:40.20 are now committed to meeting that 2% target at a particular date. We
:39:41. > :39:48.continue to press those allies that have not met it or plan to to do so.
:39:49. > :39:53.The secretary of state will no the recent statement from his department
:39:54. > :40:00.is that the trained strength of our forces is down below 140,000. Will
:40:01. > :40:04.it keep people satisfied to keep what they are proud of, taking
:40:05. > :40:09.trainees in, being one of the best trainers in the world, could we go
:40:10. > :40:12.back to that? We are one of the best trainers in the world. Our Armed
:40:13. > :40:21.Forces training is highly respected the world over. Other countries are
:40:22. > :40:26.constantly telling me they want more places, they want our Armed Forces
:40:27. > :40:36.to go out and train as we are doing in the Ukraine and Nigeria. With the
:40:37. > :40:41.mission I would like to group this question with question 16. Thanks to
:40:42. > :40:43.the vote a year ago the Dreadnought programme to replace the four
:40:44. > :40:50.Vanguard class nuclear armed submarines is on schedule.
:40:51. > :40:59.Construction on Dreadnought commenced on target. The handover
:41:00. > :41:09.from Vanguard to Dreadnought be seamless? Certainly if I am the 80%
:41:10. > :41:14.of the people who voted in the vote a year ago have anything to do with
:41:15. > :41:18.it, it will be. I want to just gently bring the house's attention
:41:19. > :41:21.to the fact that both the Shadow Defence Secretary and the Leader of
:41:22. > :41:29.the Opposition voted in the opposite lobby on that day. Perhaps the Right
:41:30. > :41:31.Honourable gentleman would be good enough to circulate his textbook on
:41:32. > :41:42.succinct questions to all colleagues? The Dreadnought gram is
:41:43. > :41:44.important to my constituents. It is building the pressurised water
:41:45. > :41:51.reactors that would go into the submarines. They have been investing
:41:52. > :41:54.heavily in new facilities, when will the Government make a decision?
:41:55. > :42:01.My honourable friend is right to highlight that it's not just in
:42:02. > :42:06.Barrow in Furness but up and down this country where companies and
:42:07. > :42:12.highly skilled workers are involved in this incredibly elaborate
:42:13. > :42:17.programme. I had the pleasure of visiting rains way and I know how
:42:18. > :42:22.many people in Derbyshire depend on this programme, and I can assure her
:42:23. > :42:28.that we are making substantial investment in the site. We were
:42:29. > :42:33.looking forward to discussing this very issue with the Minister
:42:34. > :42:37.chairing the election campaign, but maybe next time she can come and see
:42:38. > :42:43.us. Will she put the Government's full support behind raising
:42:44. > :42:51.education standards in the Barrow in Furness area, where there is below
:42:52. > :42:56.average English and maths results, which won't be good enough if we are
:42:57. > :43:04.going to remain on track for the dreadnought programme. He is very
:43:05. > :43:09.kind invite me to another visit to his constituency. He rightly reminds
:43:10. > :43:14.us of the important skills we need the these important jobs. I know my
:43:15. > :43:23.honourable friend will be happy to meet with me to discuss what we are
:43:24. > :43:28.doing regarding these skills. The investment this will bring to the
:43:29. > :43:32.Devonport dockyard is important, but what will happen with the
:43:33. > :43:42.acceleration of the submarine dismantling programme? Can I
:43:43. > :43:45.congratulate the honourable gentleman on his close interest as
:43:46. > :44:06.the sun other sub Mariner. We will keep him informed. I would
:44:07. > :44:16.like to ask this question. The Government has committed to spending
:44:17. > :44:24.2% of GDP on spending, half a percent ahead of inflation, every
:44:25. > :44:29.Parliament. Isn't it true that you only need to spend this much while
:44:30. > :44:39.we are a member of Nato, and isn't it the case that this party are
:44:40. > :44:50.committed to all three. One of only six members spending 6 billion
:44:51. > :45:02.between 2014-2016. More planes, more cutting edge equipment stop will he
:45:03. > :45:09.join with me in congratulating the 42 million Apache tower package, and
:45:10. > :45:18.will he agree that this will keep our Armed Forces say regarding this
:45:19. > :45:27.48 million budget? Yes. This will provide world-class Apache training.
:45:28. > :45:36.It's a vital part of the Army's force and is only possible thanks to
:45:37. > :45:45.rising defence budget. The UK was central in the, so does this mean
:45:46. > :45:50.the Government will be committed to remaining with European forces after
:45:51. > :45:56.we have left the European Union? That will become clearer after we
:45:57. > :46:11.leave, what we play and important part in those three defence
:46:12. > :46:16.committees. We are quiet to curb piracy and stabilise the Western
:46:17. > :46:24.Balkans. The millions spent on technical innovation around bases
:46:25. > :46:30.around the UK, it is crucial, particularly at my own base, Benson.
:46:31. > :46:37.What will they be doing to continue this? I do believe that and that is
:46:38. > :46:41.why we have set aside a fund to encourage innovation in defence and
:46:42. > :46:46.get a smaller, medium-sized businesses, in and around this
:46:47. > :46:56.constituency, to help us find this cutting-edge solutions. With and
:46:57. > :47:05.equipment plan worth 117 billion and a rising defence budget, there is an
:47:06. > :47:12.important focus on suppliers. This will be done in an open, competitive
:47:13. > :47:19.process. Can she ensure greater risk appetites, so that our Armed Forces
:47:20. > :47:24.have the greatest technology available to them? He is right to
:47:25. > :47:29.highlight this issue and it is something we look at when we look at
:47:30. > :47:35.the awards in the innovation fund to make sure that things with the
:47:36. > :47:43.highest risk with the biggest payoff are available. It is an honour to be
:47:44. > :47:50.reappointed Defence Secretary again. Our party has a proud record of
:47:51. > :47:55.supporting our Armed Forces to make sure they have the capabilities they
:47:56. > :48:02.need. Since the election, our new carrier, HMS Elizabeth has sailed,
:48:03. > :48:09.IS have been defeated in strikes in Syria and Iraq, and we've hired
:48:10. > :48:19.Sweden and Finland to join our joint expeditionary Force. Could be
:48:20. > :48:24.Secretary of State give us an update on the Empire favourability in
:48:25. > :48:34.training for the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier? It operates
:48:35. > :48:38.various aircrafts. They will be training on the first ten of these
:48:39. > :48:44.in the United States ahead of their arrival in the UK next year. It will
:48:45. > :48:51.also operate Navy Merlin helicopters, based in my honourable
:48:52. > :49:05.friend's constituency at Royal Naval air Station called Ras. We welcome
:49:06. > :49:09.the news that Meisel has been retaken. This has been challenging
:49:10. > :49:13.and complex and we paid tribute to those personnel who have played a
:49:14. > :49:23.part in it, including those of our own forces. We know the battle
:49:24. > :49:27.against Daesh and it's evil ideology has been complex. What further
:49:28. > :49:35.support will we be providing as Iraq's ground troops march further.
:49:36. > :49:41.It's good to agree with the Honourable Lady today and I join her
:49:42. > :49:48.in banking our service men who carried out 1400 strikes and have
:49:49. > :49:57.trained over 50,000 Iraqi and Peshmerga troops. The military
:49:58. > :50:06.campaign is not over with the fall of Mosul. They remain at the towns
:50:07. > :50:15.in various provinces and there are remnants of Daesh com blessing
:50:16. > :50:23.around certain parts of Syria. But now they are several million people
:50:24. > :50:31.no longer living under Daesh rule. Further to that update against
:50:32. > :50:37.Daesh, I know the Secretary of State will be as concerned as I am as as
:50:38. > :50:42.they lose ground, they attack in other places using other means. What
:50:43. > :50:51.will be done to counter these emerging threats? My honourable
:50:52. > :50:55.friend is right that we need to continue disrupting their online
:50:56. > :51:01.propaganda, targeting their senior leadership, undermine their
:51:02. > :51:06.finances. It needs to be combined and seen as part of a broader
:51:07. > :51:12.coalition campaign to undermine this evil organisation and make sure it
:51:13. > :51:18.never comes back stop the defence and Foreign Secretary seemed to have
:51:19. > :51:24.suggested that others may be targeted beyond the mandate from
:51:25. > :51:31.December. Will that confirm whether that is to happen and if he is to
:51:32. > :51:38.deviate it will only happen through a full debate in this House? I can
:51:39. > :51:48.confirm our target is Daesh, and our strikes are in and around Raqqa,
:51:49. > :51:53.other Daesh areas and it is not our aim to collaborate with either the
:51:54. > :52:04.regime or indeed its principal sponsor, Russia. Hundreds of
:52:05. > :52:14.migrants have been rescued and sent to Italy, but what will happen
:52:15. > :52:22.regarding taking them to Africa to avoid moneymaking by people
:52:23. > :52:27.traffickers? We have apprehended smugglers and we are the only
:52:28. > :52:32.country to provide one ship at all times. It is our policy to tackle
:52:33. > :52:36.migration at its source, including training coastguards, disrupting
:52:37. > :52:51.criminal gangs and managing migrations. Given the order for
:52:52. > :52:56.securing type 21 frigates, and given staffing shortages, just how does
:52:57. > :53:03.the Secretary of State envisaged how the Royal Navy will be able to deal
:53:04. > :53:12.with its duties in protecting us abroad? These frigates will be ready
:53:13. > :53:20.for the out of servlets - replacement dates for the 23 is, but
:53:21. > :53:25.specifically with regards to HMS Ocean, it was due to come out of
:53:26. > :53:36.service this year and there would be other amphibious vehicles available.
:53:37. > :53:45.Housing is a problem for Armed Forces, so what is being done about
:53:46. > :53:50.prioritising veterans on waiting lists? We touched on the veterans
:53:51. > :53:53.Gateway programme which wishes to provide a connection between the
:53:54. > :54:00.charities and those seeking. I'm courage honourable members to ask
:54:01. > :54:10.local authorities as to what can be done to provide support to our
:54:11. > :54:19.veterans. The Secretary of State will have seen the stories in the
:54:20. > :54:24.Sunday Times about the subsequent enquiries. I wish to know who took
:54:25. > :54:36.the decision to shut down Operation North More. When did it happen and
:54:37. > :54:48.was that Prime Minister informed? Our Armed Forces are held to high
:54:49. > :54:54.standards. North Moore has discontinued because there has been
:54:55. > :55:10.no case referred to the prosecuting authority investigations continue.
:55:11. > :55:17.There was a referral to a paper on European defence arrangements after
:55:18. > :55:21.Brexit. It was referred to in that evidence, up eight per written by
:55:22. > :55:26.the former chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee. As my friends in
:55:27. > :55:30.the paper and would he like to? I haven't seen that pain he yet but I
:55:31. > :55:34.am happy to procure a copy and read it. I made my position clear about
:55:35. > :55:39.Warren defence policy. We participate in those missions and
:55:40. > :55:47.operations at the moment and we continue to press for a partnership
:55:48. > :55:56.within the EU and can security cooperation. I have been informed
:55:57. > :56:11.about problems accessing mental health facilities by former service
:56:12. > :56:17.personnel. I would be delighted to learn more about what she learned,
:56:18. > :56:20.and I will say there are meetings that take place between the
:56:21. > :56:26.Secretary of State and the secretary of health.
:56:27. > :56:33.One of the major concerns of servicemen is around housing. Could
:56:34. > :56:40.he tell us what steps is taken to provide high quality certainly
:56:41. > :56:47.harassing? I will be delighted to provide him with more details. At
:56:48. > :56:55.least 603 civilians have been killed by coalition air strikes. The UK has
:56:56. > :57:04.taken responsibility for none of these. Will he commit to greater
:57:05. > :57:10.scrutiny of civilian casualties in Syria? We carry out an assessment
:57:11. > :57:14.after each of the RAF strikes, we in Westgate any allegation that
:57:15. > :57:19.civilians may have been caught up in these strikes, and so far we have
:57:20. > :57:25.not seen any evidence that civilians have been killed by an RAF strike
:57:26. > :57:29.but every single allegation is carefully investigated. I hope the
:57:30. > :57:36.point about a sentence has been captured by colleagues, preferably a
:57:37. > :57:44.short one. Will he joined me in welcoming the new Combined Cadet
:57:45. > :57:48.Force and agree to continue the roll out of Cadet forces in particular in
:57:49. > :57:55.schools that suffer from poor educational performance? Yes, and
:57:56. > :58:00.yes. Splendid. Given that the Royal British Legion has set out in the
:58:01. > :58:05.Armed Forces covenant annual report. Its concerns about the mental health
:58:06. > :58:08.needs of veterans not being met, does he agree we need a
:58:09. > :58:15.comprehensive approach to veterans mental health throughout their
:58:16. > :58:20.lives? We are providing a comprehensive approach. There is
:58:21. > :58:24.work that takes place between those who are serving to provide that
:58:25. > :58:27.umbrella of support and then as they make the transition and when they
:58:28. > :58:30.become veterans as well. We will be lurching that new strategy in two
:58:31. > :58:39.weeks' time. I look forward to making announcements of the house.
:58:40. > :58:45.Will he confirm that the RAF will retain their existing surveillance
:58:46. > :58:50.capabilities which and the existing fleet will be maintained and
:58:51. > :58:54.continued? I can confirm I had the pleasure of going to North Wales
:58:55. > :59:02.recently to extend the centre Nel contract to 2021. Will the Minister
:59:03. > :59:07.reverse the decision to shut down operations north more given the
:59:08. > :59:14.Sunday Times recent report of possible criminal behaviour in
:59:15. > :59:19.Afghanistan? It would be wrong for there to beat ministerial
:59:20. > :59:26.interference in that operation. I am confident that it is properly
:59:27. > :59:34.resourced through personnel and finances and I can only refer him to
:59:35. > :59:37.the answer I gave a few moments ago. Will the Government consider
:59:38. > :59:43.reinstating ring fenced funding for the BBC monitoring service given
:59:44. > :59:47.that its absence is leading to the closure of Caversham Park and a
:59:48. > :59:58.considerable reduction in its defensive potential? I am more than
:59:59. > :00:02.happy to look at the matter. Given that the UK claims to support
:00:03. > :00:07.multilateral nuclear disarmament, can secretary of state tell the
:00:08. > :00:15.house why the UK boycotted the UN nuclear ban treaty negotiations, how
:00:16. > :00:19.it will respond the ban treaty and can he understand the disappointment
:00:20. > :00:23.of so many constituents at the boycott? I think she is in pursuit
:00:24. > :00:27.of an essay, but time only allows for a short answer. We do not
:00:28. > :00:32.support this treaty. We do not think it should apply to the United
:00:33. > :00:40.Kingdom. And if it is voted on we will not accept it. What
:00:41. > :00:45.conversations has he had with British steel producers to maximise
:00:46. > :00:48.the use of British Steel in the new type 26 frigates and what percentage
:00:49. > :00:56.of the steel used to build them will be British? Again, I am glad he
:00:57. > :01:02.welcomes the news on the type 26 frigates. He will be aware that we
:01:03. > :01:06.publish the full pipeline in terms of steel requirements and we
:01:07. > :01:10.encourage our prime contractors to see where they can use British Steel
:01:11. > :01:19.and I am sure in due course he will be pleased to see progress.
:01:20. > :01:24.Statement, the Prime Minister. With permission, I would like to make a
:01:25. > :01:28.statement on the G20 in Hamburg. At this summit we showed how a global
:01:29. > :01:31.Britain can play a key role in shaping international responses to
:01:32. > :01:36.some of the biggest challenges of our time. On terrorism, trade,
:01:37. > :01:39.climate change, international develop and, migration, modern
:01:40. > :01:41.slavery and women's economic empowerment, we made leading
:01:42. > :01:42.contributions on