The shadow Minister questioned the strategic defence review co-authors' concerns regarding urgency, readiness gaps, and complacency towards defence. He highlighted £2.6 billion cuts last year and anticipated further cuts of £3.5 billion this year. The minister was asked to confirm no in-year savings exercise will occur and provide a timeline for publishing the DIP.

The hon. Member asked the Minister to confirm when the defence investment plan would be published due to its significance for the nation's preparedness and the Defence Committee's concerns.

The MP asks the Minister to end the political blame game regarding the state of UK military and highlights his newly established all-party parliamentary group on rearmament. He emphasises the need for an honest conversation about both threats faced by the UK and the current state of its military.

The MP raises concerns about Glenart Castle Mess in Birmingham, a facility built with 95% flammable external cladding at a cost of £36 million and now closed due to fire defects. He asks the Minister to address this issue.

The MP asks if there are any plans to reduce the number of Type 26 frigates on order, particularly given recent Russian submarine activity. He reminds the Minister that Labour has a track record of reducing the number of frigate and destroyer hulls.

The MP emphasises the need for a constructive and cross-party debate about defence spending. He mentions that Russia's actions did not prompt meaningful increases in defence spending under previous governments.

The MP criticises the current government for cutting defence spending and reducing armed forces size to record lows. He questions the delay in releasing the strategic defence review and the defence investment plan.

The MP praises his government's shipbuilding efforts in Scotland and highlights the improved living conditions for service personnel. He asks about the mood among defence contractors and their trust in the budget commitment.

One of the challenges of tying defence expenditure to GDP is that the economy fluctuates. When Labour crashed the economy in 2008, defence spending in GDP terms went up. The reality is that as the economy fluctuates over the course of this Parliament and the next, there could be a challenge for actual defence spending. As the Minister looks at the defence investment plan, can he ensure that the level of expenditure continues to rise so that we actually get the investment in defence that we need?

When this Government took office, they inherited an armed forces on its knees and responded to that challenge with the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war and a bold 10-year strategic defence review to ensure that we have an armed forces that once again is able to protect our nation. That is why it is so important that we get a defence investment plan as quickly as possible. I have heard today from my hon. Friend that he is keen to get that out as quickly as possible and also that it should be the right plan. May I simply take this opportunity to urge him to keep going so we can get that plan as soon we can?

Does the Minister accept and agree with the mood of the majority of the British people, and I think the mood of this House, which is to accelerate defence spending to 3% of GDP in this Parliament, not the next Parliament? Can the Minister confirm that the year-long delayed defence investment plan will arrive before the summer holidays?

Thales employs over 800 people, including 66 apprentices, on its site in Templecombe in my constituency. There it develops world-leading sonar systems for the Royal Navy’s Astute and Dreadnought submarines, as well as delivering critical systems to enhance UK security and defence. Given the training capability gap identified in the strategic defence review, how will the Secretary of State increase funding for apprenticeships to ensure that we address skills shortages?

I have served on operations under both Conservative and Labour Governments, and I can tell horror stories of how I was treated, which led to 15-plus years of complex PTSD. When I finally rebuilt my life, I wanted to ensure that nobody ever had to go through what I went through. As soon as I got here six years ago, I worked cross-party to say that anything under 3% on defence spending—this was in the last Parliament, when my Government were in charge—was unacceptable. There is not a serious professional in the defence industry who thinks the current level of spending is adequate to meet the world’s needs. Does the Minister think that it is a serious investment that we are making at the moment?

National security depends on more than conventional defence spend, because our democracies can be brought down by methods other than weapons. There are concerns that the public are not yet sufficiently aware of the risk and reality of foreign information manipulation and interference. How does tackling this aspect of hybrid warfare feature in a cross-departmental way within the Government?

My question follows on perfectly from that of the right hon. Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts). Lord Robertson said that we are ill prepared for the threats of today, never mind tomorrow. While Britain may not be under daily attack from missiles and tanks—not yet, anyway—we are under daily assault by misinformation and disinformation from hostile actors who are targeting our institutions, democracy and social cohesion. The Minister has referred to the investments and operational changes that have been put into cyber and electromagnetic security. Given the foundational nature of the challenge to our democracy, is he convinced that the Chancellor is convinced of the urgent need to make huge investments in this area? This is a challenge we have never experienced before—a challenge that collapses the traditional idea of the frontline with the home front.

On the key recommendation of a national conversation to build support and understanding among the population, it is all very well having debates here or in Whitehall, but what conversations are the Government having with the Departments for Education and for Culture, Media and Sport, the BBC and social media providers about the issues that are faced and about communication with the public to build support for funding and increase understanding of the challenges we face?

Have the Government considered issuing defence bonds, as proposed by the Liberal Democrats, to ringfence capital for defence spending? If not, why not?

What are the Government doing to boost defence numbers and ensure that military personnel are properly paid for their vital role?

Why is there an exercise to excise £3.5 billion through in-year savings, despite a £5 billion uplift for this year?

What plans do the Government have for a UN-led peace process to bring cessation to conflicts around the world?

What lessons have been learned from the delays to the new medium helicopter contract and the DIP, to ensure more effective funding of defence procurement?

Why can this Government set out welfare spending plans until 2031 but cannot publish their defence investment plan for 2026?

Does the Minister share my view that we need to link armed forces capabilities to external threats rather than indulge in party political debates?

To listen to the Minister, one might think that the DIP matters very little and that we are cracking on regardless, but the truth is that the MOD has been out-manoeuvred by the Chancellor, and the DIP is pinned down by the Treasury. The DIP matters a very great deal to industry because the demand signals it will give allow industry to work up.

Nothing is more important to our national security than our nuclear deterrent, and we in Westmorland and Furness are not only massively proud to provide the home for the Trident submarine programme; we also recognise it is a grave responsibility. Our ability to build those submarines and defend our country depends on us being able to recruit and retain brilliant staff from around the country and beyond, and the role of the local authority in providing housing and services is crucial.

Committing to spend 3% or 3.5% tomorrow does not mean that the Government cannot commit to commissioning that expenditure now. He is aware that the delivery pipeline can often take five to ten years in any case, and therefore the defence investment plan becomes vitally important. He has evaded answering the question of when but surely he can put to us a deadline date by which the defence investment plan can be delivered.

Northern Ireland’s geographical position means that it increasingly occupies a key geo-security location, particularly in the light of the threat to our transatlantic underground cables. In that context will the strategic review deal with the situation that was revealed in a parliamentary answer: that there are only five Royal Navy personnel based in Northern Ireland and only 70 RAF personnel?

I am looking forward to the good news. I thank the Minister for his answers today and for his positive TV interview this morning which encouraged us all, but will he also announce the next stage of the defence growth fund? No one doubts his commitment or interest and he has made regular visits to the defence sector in Northern Ireland.