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Question
He criticises the Government for not providing advance copies or briefings on the SDR, and mentions that opposition parties were denied early access to the document while major defence companies received it. He questions the feasibility of reaching 3% GDP target without a clear funding plan and demands details about necessary cuts to existing MOD programmes.
Minister reply
The Minister does not directly respond but continues his statement on the strategic importance of the SDR, emphasising its focus on strengthening NATO and improving homeland defence readiness.
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Question
How confident is my right hon. Friend that his and the Prime Minister’s ambitions will be fully matched with a correspondingly ambitious spending review?
Minister reply
The spending review next week is an important moment for the Government, but the Prime Minister settled the funding for defence in February. The Chancellor has already put £5 billion into the defence budget this year. We are committed to hitting 2.5% of GDP three years before expected and aim to hit 3% in the next Parliament.
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Question
Where is the money coming from to fund these ambitions? Will the Secretary of State commit to holding cross-party talks on how to reach 3%?
Minister reply
The SDR can be delivered within existing spending commitments. The Prime Minister has confirmed we will spend what is needed for this review, and I am confident we will meet the ambition of 3% in the next Parliament. On military homes, we have acted by buying back family military homes and setting out a consumer charter with £1.5 billion over this Parliament to deal with worst-case scenarios.
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Question
Given the current European crisis and unprecedented Russian rearmament, will the Secretary of State commit to increasing defence spending to 3.5% by a set date?
Minister reply
The Government has committed to a historic increase in defence spending with £5 billion added in our first year alone since coming into power. We also have a commitment and plan to increase spending to 2.5% of GDP within two years and to 3% by the next Parliament, which is an ambition we are confident to fulfill.
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Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that defence spending under this Labour Government means investment in British companies, local supply chains, and the very fabric of our communities?
Minister reply
Absolutely, my hon. Friend is correct. The investment programme will increase the ability to produce more submarines more rapidly, reaching a point where we can design, build and launch a new attack submarine every 18 months, which will allow us to meet NATO commitments.
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Question
From what I have read of this defence review, there seem to be many up arrows and only one down arrow regarding not extending the Dreadnoughts’ out-of-service date beyond 2050. Does the Secretary of State want to indicate where capabilities might be de-emphasised or lost?
Minister reply
The strategic defence review sets out a vision for decisions over the next 10 years and beyond, delivered only because of the historic increase in defence spending—the largest since the end of the cold war—that this Government has made.
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Question
Can the Secretary of State support my campaign for a multilateral defence, security and resilience bank to help power more investment, jobs and opportunities in Aldershot, Farnborough, and right across the country?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is doing valuable work on how we match taxpayers’ investment in our defence with private sources of investment. I have been following her ideas closely, and so has my right hon. Friend the Chancellor.
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Question
If the era demands a quicker pace towards committing to 3% within a meaningful timescale, why not move with that pace?
Minister reply
I reject the characterisation completely. The SDR is a complete break from what the previous Government presided over—14 years of hollowing out and underfunding our armed forces. This review will deliver significant technological innovation to reinforce the strength of our armed forces.
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Question
Can my right hon. Friend provide an understanding of what measures are being put in place to ensure that we deliver the SDR?
Minister reply
From day one, reform was a top priority for me as Defence Secretary. We have set up a military strategic headquarters, established new national armaments director roles, and created a single investment budget with budgetary control. These reforms will help us deliver the vision of the reviewers.
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Question
What is the difference between accepting 62 recommendations from the SDR without committing funds to pay for them?
Minister reply
The Prime Minister and the Government have committed the necessary funds, built into the terms of reference that will allow this strategic defence review to be delivered over the next 10 years and beyond.
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Question
Do we need to change commercial competition laws within the civil service to allow for rapid commercial exploitation, or can it already happen?
Minister reply
The review mentions the need to 'pull latest technology into operations' and 'unlock private equity and venture capital'. The government is looking closely at how these aims can be achieved.
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Question
Why did the government backtrack on its commitment to reach 3% of GDP on defence spending by 2034?
Minister reply
The Prime Minister has made a commitment in the House that we will spend what is needed to deliver this review. The Government wants to achieve and commit to at least 3%, if not more, for defence spending.
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Question
What immediate actions are being taken to recruit the necessary personnel required by long-term plans?
Minister reply
We have removed over 100 rules that prevented some people from joining the forces, introduced direct entry for cyber talent and look to retain valuable staff through better pay, housing upgrades, and special retention payments.
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Question
Will the new hybrid Navy see an increase in capability for operating in polar ice?
Minister reply
Yes, we are determined to have Britain at the leading edge of innovation in NATO and will be better equipped in the future with a capability scaled up for surface fleet operations in the High North.
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Question
What decisions is the government prepared to make to secure additional funding through Defence Investment Plan?
Minister reply
The defence investment plan will be a new framework and programme developed in the context of this SDR vision, with work on it completed and published in the autumn.
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Question
Does the report confirm references to AI as a sovereign capability?
Minister reply
The approach at the heart of this strategic defence review is NATO first but not only. We need an industrial readiness for preventing adversaries from considering attacks against us, and our companies must be able to innovate and scale up production if faced with future conflicts.
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Question
Is the lesson of Ukraine being heeded in this review regarding a mass of force?
Minister reply
Yes, the lesson is heeded. We are a leading member of NATO and will strengthen collective deterrence and avoid wars that we do not want to fight.
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Question
Is there now a need for stronger offensive cyber-work by our forces?
Minister reply
Yes, the establishment of a cyber and electromagnetic command is recommended in the SDR to reinforce our capacity and expertise for defensive and offensive cyber.
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Question
Will great institutions such as Dartmouth be closed under this review?
Minister reply
This SDR will only build further on the proud professional tradition of our Navy, RAF and Army training, without closing great institutions like Dartmouth.
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Question
Will clear targets be set for each objective when bringing forward the defence industrial strategy?
Minister reply
The attention to this review and the observations of his Select Committee will be taken into account as we develop our thinking for the defence industrial strategy.
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Question
Given that 70% of veterans have a clinical mental health condition, will my right hon. Friend explain how the interface with NHS mental health services will be managed?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes an important point. The synergy between our armed forces and the NHS needs to be built on further. I will work closely with the Health Secretary to advance recommendations for reinforcing the readiness of our armed medical services.
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Question
If NATO is recommending 3.5% as a credible defence commitment, will the Defence Secretary commit to this?
Minister reply
We are committed to increasing our spending to reach 2.2% by 2024 and aim for 3% in the next Parliament, making us one of the few NATO nations to increase its spending significantly.
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Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is important that additional money delivers frontline capabilities and jobs?
Minister reply
It is crucial that public money is well spent, and we are working on reforming the defence procurement system to ensure better value for the British taxpayer.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State ensure that there is a process of engagement with operators at SaxaVord spaceport?
Minister reply
The principle of engaging industry in solving challenges will be applied to space policy, allowing for innovation and collaboration.
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Question
What is my right hon. Friend doing to address the chaos in the defence procurement system?
Minister reply
We are committed to overhauling the broken defence procurement system and have begun significant reforms.
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Question
Will the Defence Secretary work with the Department for Education to reinstate school staff instructor grants?
Minister reply
We will indeed work with the Department for Education to deliver the SDR’s ambition of increasing cadets by 30% by 2030.
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Question
Does the Secretary of State agree that investing in domestic critical minerals is essential?
Minister reply
He makes a powerful case, and natural reserves such as those in Cornwall could play a significant role in reducing dependency on foreign sources.
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Question
Can the Secretary of State confirm that Northern Ireland will benefit from strategic investment?
Minister reply
Northern Ireland is already benefiting, with companies producing lightweight multirole missiles and munitions for Ukraine. We plan to increase production at six additional sites.
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Question
How does the Government plan to get more young people into cyber-security roles?
Minister reply
We are encouraging direct entry routes for young people with gaming, coding, and computer skills through our new cyber-force recruitment.
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Question
Does the Secretary of State endorse Admiral Lord West's view that the Chagos deal is a disgraceful decision?
Minister reply
The deal is essential for safeguarding operational sovereignty and protecting intelligence operations, maintaining our special relationship with the US.
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Question
The strategic defence review recommendations will have a direct impact on military communities across the UK. When will these communities be able to read the report and understand its implications?
Minister reply
From today, armed forces communities will be able to read the report for themselves and draw out the implications for them and their families.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State say more about why elements such as electronic warfare tactics and cyber-defence are so critical to our defence?
Minister reply
The facility in my hon. Friend’s constituency plays an essential role in our national security, and I welcome her support. She will recognise that the decision to set up a cyber and electromagnetic command is part of what the SDR does.
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Question
How can the Government fund this increase in defence spending without significant cuts to other budgets?
Minister reply
Our investment is in production capacity, so that we can build at a faster rate and have a double production line in Barrow, which will allow us to build the number of new subs that we will need to deter future threats and meet our NATO commitments.
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Question
If the SNP continues to block funding for a specialist welding centre in Glasgow, will the Secretary of State confirm that this Labour Government will step in?
Minister reply
I can confirm to my hon. Friend that if the SNP will not change its view and will not step in to make the skills centre possible, then we will.
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Question
Will he clarify two points: first, confirm that outstanding training establishments at HMS Sultan and HMS Collingwood are not under threat; secondly, when will the promised funds for accommodation come through?
Minister reply
We are doing further work on the nature and needs of our defence estate. It is right that we do that; because we now have a long-term view, we will be able to take better long-term decisions on that estate.
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Question
Does the Secretary of State agree that while the Conservatives left us in this mess and Reform Members could not even be bothered to turn up to the debate, this review shows that Labour is the party for our armed forces personnel?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right: Labour is the party of defence and Labour will put defence people at the heart of our plans for the future.
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Question
Why not spend money on real security that must involve defence, diplomacy, and development rather than wasting £15 billion on nuclear warheads?
Minister reply
We are strengthening our armed forces to secure the peace, not to fight the war. We deter the attacks that we fear by being strong enough to defeat our enemy.
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Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that this important partnership would be further strengthened if Norway decided to purchase Type 26 frigates built in Govan and Scotstoun?
Minister reply
They are indeed the best frigates in the world, and I have been working hard to persuade the Norwegians that joining the UK, with our Type 26 frigates, is about reenforcing the deep partnership that we already have.
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Question
Will he set out a defence investment plan in some detail so that the Public Accounts Committee can examine whether the funds match the equipment?
Minister reply
As Chair of the PAC, the hon. Gentleman knows the problem with the previous Government’s defence equipment plan. As I said in my statement, the work on a new defence investment plan will be completed and published in the autumn.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State confirm that he is committed to shipbuilding in Scotland, including in my constituency, in contrast to the SNP?
Minister reply
We are totally committed to shipbuilding in Scotland. I pay tribute to the workers in his constituency in Rosyth for their pride, professionalism and sense of purpose.
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Question
The service personnel and their families at Bicester garrison, in my constituency, are victims of the scandal of military family housing. Will the Secretary of State commit that military housing will reach the decent homes standard? Will he give the date by which the defence housing strategy will be published?
Minister reply
We cannot turn this round overnight, but we have taken significant steps already this year with 36,000 military homes being brought back into public control. The plans for the future aim to put an end to substandard accommodation faced by military families.
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Question
I warmly welcome the Secretary of State’s confirmation that the Government will invest £15 billion in the nuclear warhead programme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in my constituency. Will he set out in greater detail the plans for that investment and the expected benefits to my constituents? When will he come with me to Aldermaston, Burghfield or Brimpton to meet some of the brilliant staff who work there?
Minister reply
I look forward to visiting Aldermaston, Burghfield, and Brimpton with the hon. Lady to see the essential work being done at AWE, which supports over 9,500 jobs in Reading West and Mid Berkshire.
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Question
While it is welcome that the SDR refers to the need for more routine protection of subsea cables and pipelines and of maritime traffic, there is no specific mention of the same commitment to the protection of North sea oil and gas platforms. Will the Secretary of State confirm that those structures will be included in any plan for the routine securing and protecting of critical national infrastructure?
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Question
How can we be involved in the recommended “national endeavour” public communications campaign to make it absolutely clear how fundamental our at-sea deterrent is to our national security?
Minister reply
In many ways, my hon. Friend is already doing that by reinforcing the importance of the deterrent and its significance to jobs, technology, businesses, the supply chain, and economic growth.
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Question
Can I push the Secretary of State on the answer he gave about HMS Collingwood? My constituents will look for reassurance that it will have a long-term place in the defence estate. Will he give a commitment to the expansion of RAF Digby and support the Greater Lincolnshire regional defence and security cluster?
Minister reply
I cannot give a commitment at the Dispatch Box today, but I take those arguments seriously and hear what she has to say.
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Question
The 12 new nuclear-powered AUKUS submarines will almost double the UK’s fleet of such submarines. Given that these submarines are to be shared with non-nuclear Australia, does this not go against the UK’s obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty?
Minister reply
No and no. The AUKUS partnership is entirely consistent with our obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and reinforces regional stability and security.
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Question
Can the Secretary of State confirm the timeline for decision making on the procurement of the new medium helicopter?
Minister reply
The process is under way, and we are giving it our full attention. We will make any decisions as soon as we can.
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Question
Air and missile defence is a key focus in the Strategic Defence Review to make the UK secure at home and strong abroad. Can the Secretary of State give us more detail on what conclusions the SDR drew on this vital aspect of national defence?
Minister reply
The SDR concluded that we need to take potential threats to our homeland more seriously than we have needed to do in the past, committing to invest £1 billion in strengthening radar, communications and missile and air defence.
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Question
Will this review reverse the rundown in armed forces personnel in Northern Ireland?
Minister reply
This is the first Government for a generation who want to see an increase in the size of the full-time British Army, and that is what we will work to deliver.
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Question
Can I ask the Secretary of State to do everything he can to encourage our Norwegian friends to order the frigate?
Minister reply
I am, and I will.
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Question
Will the review reverse plans for reducing the number of RAF Chinooks? Are there any plans to reduce the number of Chinooks?
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Question
Welcomes the review’s partnership with industry for growth but asks about effective personnel management and championing the armed forces.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the importance of high-skilled workers and emphasises that the strategic defence review challenges us to think afresh, recognising new threats and ensuring strengthened armed forces. Promises to champion the armed forces and pass appreciation to workers at MBDA.
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Question
Highlights China's military expansion and urges immediate action, suggesting a 3% defence spend increase now.
Minister reply
Announces plans to reach 2.5% in the year after next and aims for 3% in the following Parliament, describing it as a record increase unmatched since the end of the cold war.
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Question
Asks about recommendation 17 linking retention to accommodation, especially for service children.
Minister reply
Commits to involving voices of forces families in defence plans and working with groups like Forces Children Scotland.
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Question
Asks about the F-35B orders reduction by US Marine Corps and its implications for UK’s current queue for the F-35A.
Minister reply
States that SDR recommends commencing discussions with the US and NATO on enhancing UK's participation in NATO’s nuclear mission, and confirms acceptance of all 61 recommendations.
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Question
Asks whether to use SDR focus on British industry to choose AERALIS as the replacement for the Hawk jet.
Minister reply
Commits to ensuring that defence investments lead to British jobs, businesses and innovation.
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Question
Asks about making a career in armed forces more attractive and addressing issues for those leaving service.
Minister reply
Emphasises the importance of recognising service personnel's sacrifices and encourages society to understand their contributions.
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Question
Asks about creating growth cluster zones to provide certainty for local communities.
Minister reply
Agrees that defence investment drives future economic growth, citing a new gun barrel factory in Telford as an example.
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Question
Critiques the focus on arms spending and lack of analysis for reducing global tensions.
Minister reply
Points out that SDR draws from over 8,000 submissions and argues that deterrence is crucial to avoid conflicts with massive human and economic costs.
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Question
Stresses the importance of job creation alongside defence spending.
Minister reply
Highlights how strategic investments will not just strengthen armed forces but also drive growth in UK's economy and create jobs.
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Question
The Minister for Housing recently stated that local elections should proceed as planned. Can the Minister explain why there is now a change of heart and what this means for the upcoming elections?
Minister reply
While the decision to postpone certain local elections may seem abrupt, it has been made after careful consideration of health and safety guidelines... (Rebuttal or additional details)