Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Global Combat Air Programme

Monday 14 October 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial grip on strategy is questioned regarding the Global Combat Air Programme.
  • GCAP remains an important programme with updates expected as the SDR reports.
  • Concerns over potential economic impact due to press speculation about GCAP cancellation.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jesse Norman Con Hereford and South Herefordshire
Defence
Context

The question arises from concerns about the progress of GCAP and its inclusion within the Strategic Defence Review.

Question

I worry about the Government's grip on strategy all together. First, they have given away the Chagos islands before the strategic defence review. Now they are putting at risk the global combat air programme by including it within the SDR. Is the Minister aware of the extreme efforts that our partners in Italy and Japan have made to discharge their side of the bargain? What measures is he taking to reassure them about the centrality and importance of the programme?

Answer from Luke Pollard

The Defence Secretary has clear instructions from the manifesto that Britain is to be better defended with a Labour Government. That is why within two weeks of taking office the Prime Minister had commissioned Lord Robertson to conduct the strategic defence review. The Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary and I have all made it clear that GCAP is an important programme. Not only do we have an amazing workforce working on it but I am pleased to tell the House that last month the UK ratified the GCAP convention, the international treaty that sets up the GCAP International Government Organisation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific measures to reassure partners about GCAP's centrality and importance beyond affirming its importance.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Jesse Norman Con Hereford and South Herefordshire
Defence
Context

Concerns have been raised about the Government's grip on strategy, particularly regarding the inclusion of GCAP within the Strategic Defence Review.

Question

I worry about the Government's grip on strategy all together. First, they have given away the Chagos islands before the strategic defence review. Now they are putting at risk the global combat air programme by including it within the SDR. Is the Minister aware of the extreme efforts that our partners in Italy and Japan have made to discharge their side of the bargain? What measures is he taking to reassure them about the centrality and importance of the programme?

Answer from Luke Pollard

GCAP is an important programme, and there will be further updates in relation to it as the SDR reports in the first half of next year. In the meantime, we continue to progress the project; indeed, work is continuing across a range of necessary and important defence projects.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific measures to reassure partners about GCAP's centrality and importance beyond affirming its progress will be reported in future updates.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Chris Evans Labour (Co-op) Caerphilly
Defence
Context

Concerns have been raised about potential impacts on the economy due to press reports suggesting that GCAP could be cancelled or delayed as part of the Strategic Defence Review.

Question

GCAP will contribute £37 billion to the economy, but the Minister will know that the SDR being under review has led to a number of stories appearing in the press that the programme is about to cancel. A belief that something will not happen tends to cause problems within the local and national economies. As the SDR goes ahead, will the Minister ensure that this House and the press will be kept up to date on how GCAP is developing?

Answer from Luke Pollard

GCAP is an important programme, and there will be further updates in relation to it as the SDR reports in the first half of next year. In the meantime, we continue to progress the project; indeed, work is continuing across a range of necessary and important defence projects.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not provide specific commitments on providing updates but stated that further updates will be provided as part of SDR reports in the first half of next year.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)