May I say what a pleasure it is to see you, Hugh Bayley, sitting in the Chair as Deputy Speaker? My only regret is that you will not be one of the candidates who will occupy it on a long-term basis; that is the House's loss. I point out to...

May I say what a pleasure it is to see you, Hugh Bayley, sitting in the Chair as Deputy Speaker? My only regret is that you will not be one of the candidates who will occupy it on a long-term basis; that is the House's loss. I point out to...

It is, and the European Parliament would grasp the opportunity willingly, but we have to have a proper way of ensuring that there is national parliamentary scrutiny of what is happening in Europe when it comes to defence and security. If we do not, we will be badly letting down...

It is, and the European Parliament would grasp the opportunity willingly, but we have to have a proper way of ensuring that there is national parliamentary scrutiny of what is happening in Europe when it comes to defence and security. If we do not, we will be badly letting down...

I am interested in the right hon. Lady's comments on the Kurds. If everything is so good now in Kurdistan, why do so many of the Kurds who have settled in Britain totally refuse even to consider going back?

I am interested in the right hon. Lady's comments on the Kurds. If everything is so good now in Kurdistan, why do so many of the Kurds who have settled in Britain totally refuse even to consider going back?

When will the Secretary of State be in a position to make a statement to the House about the future of HMS Endurance? Is he aware of the debilitating effect that the continuous drift of the carrier programme is having on the work force in Portsmouth dockyard? They were led...

When will the Secretary of State be in a position to make a statement to the House about the future of HMS Endurance? Is he aware of the debilitating effect that the continuous drift of the carrier programme is having on the work force in Portsmouth dockyard? They were led...

First, on behalf of myself and my colleagues, I would like to give my condolences to the families of the three paratroopers. As hon. Members have said and as I am sure the Minister will repeat, all of our thoughts and prayers go to the families and friends of the...

First, on behalf of myself and my colleagues, I would like to give my condolences to the families of the three paratroopers. As hon. Members have said and as I am sure the Minister will repeat, all of our thoughts and prayers go to the families and friends of the...

No. He knows, as well as I do, that the Defence Committee has never shirked from its responsibility of taking on the military in relation to equipment. We do not have in-service dates now because the MOD learned through Eurofighter, which had more in–service dates than Frank Sinatra had retirement...

No. He knows, as well as I do, that the Defence Committee has never shirked from its responsibility of taking on the military in relation to equipment. We do not have in-service dates now because the MOD learned through Eurofighter, which had more in–service dates than Frank Sinatra had retirement...

The Minister shakes his head. The hon. Member for North Durham who spoke earlier said that there has been a change. That change has been a long time coming. In the past, predecessors of the Minister have repeatedly spoken to the Committee and the House and have flatly refused to...

The Minister shakes his head. The hon. Member for North Durham who spoke earlier said that there has been a change. That change has been a long time coming. In the past, predecessors of the Minister have repeatedly spoken to the Committee and the House and have flatly refused to...

I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will agree with me about this. When looking at FRES, the Defence Committee learned that the military could not make up their minds about their requirements. They continuously changed their minds, and pressure was created because nobody had a clear indication of what...

I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will agree with me about this. When looking at FRES, the Defence Committee learned that the military could not make up their minds about their requirements. They continuously changed their minds, and pressure was created because nobody had a clear indication of what...

They do not.

They do not.

I welcome the Minister's intervention. Of course, he cannot take responsibility for the past, but he shook his head too quickly because I was going to give the Government credit for the changes. Perhaps that is part of the problem.

I welcome the Minister's intervention. Of course, he cannot take responsibility for the past, but he shook his head too quickly because I was going to give the Government credit for the changes. Perhaps that is part of the problem.

And the gun was nearly rejected. In the end, it had been dismantled and put it together so many times it seemed the Government were trying to find fault with it. Because it had been used in operation we knew that it was the weapon required, yet every obstacle possible...

And the gun was nearly rejected. In the end, it had been dismantled and put it together so many times it seemed the Government were trying to find fault with it. Because it had been used in operation we knew that it was the weapon required, yet every obstacle possible...

Like the right hon. Gentleman, I hope that the lessons from Deepcut and in respect of the duty of care have been learned, but one of the issues that was raised time and again was the way in which potential recruits were judged before they joined the forces. Is the...

Like the right hon. Gentleman, I hope that the lessons from Deepcut and in respect of the duty of care have been learned, but one of the issues that was raised time and again was the way in which potential recruits were judged before they joined the forces. Is the...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I wish that some of the Members who spoke earlier had borne that advice in mind, particularly as those of us waiting to speak have been here since the beginning of the debate. Some of them had not been in the Chamber for very long...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I wish that some of the Members who spoke earlier had borne that advice in mind, particularly as those of us waiting to speak have been here since the beginning of the debate. Some of them had not been in the Chamber for very long...

Yes.

Yes.

I went there with you!

I went there with you!

It was on the training of the trainers.

It was on the training of the trainers.

Does my hon. Friend agree that it is a bizarre contradiction of what we are trying to do with married quarters for Annington Homes to sell off homes that they bought on the cheap from the MOD while, not half a mile away, the MOD is building at great expense...

Does my hon. Friend agree that it is a bizarre contradiction of what we are trying to do with married quarters for Annington Homes to sell off homes that they bought on the cheap from the MOD while, not half a mile away, the MOD is building at great expense...

Is the Secretary of State satisfied that the confidence of the Iraqi people in their own defence forces has some longevity, and will remain after United Kingdom forces pull out of Basra? Is he sure that they believe in the integrity and honesty of those forces? Might the only reason...

Is the Secretary of State satisfied that the confidence of the Iraqi people in their own defence forces has some longevity, and will remain after United Kingdom forces pull out of Basra? Is he sure that they believe in the integrity and honesty of those forces? Might the only reason...

I believed the Secretary of State when he said in Portsmouth that he had no reason to do that and that the commander-in-chief had not asked for that to be done or even discussed it with him.

I believed the Secretary of State when he said in Portsmouth that he had no reason to do that and that the commander-in-chief had not asked for that to be done or even discussed it with him.

Some Members might be under the impression that the hon. Member for Vale of Glamorgan (John Smith) was lukewarm on the idea of the training centre being sited in St. Athan; I have surely heard him speak with a lot more enthusiasm on that subject. I want to echo the...

Some Members might be under the impression that the hon. Member for Vale of Glamorgan (John Smith) was lukewarm on the idea of the training centre being sited in St. Athan; I have surely heard him speak with a lot more enthusiasm on that subject. I want to echo the...