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