I warmly welcome my right hon. Friend’s statement, which I hope will leave the Argentine Government in absolutely no doubt whatsoever of the determination of the United Kingdom, represented by Members throughout this House, to defend the Falkland Islands from any aggression from Argentina or anywhere else. Does my right...

I warmly welcome my right hon. Friend’s statement, which I hope will leave the Argentine Government in absolutely no doubt whatsoever of the determination of the United Kingdom, represented by Members throughout this House, to defend the Falkland Islands from any aggression from Argentina or anywhere else. Does my right...

Debate on a motion to consider the matter of defence procurement. (Inc ref to the Defence Select Committee fifth report on Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2006-07, HC 61, and the Government Response, HC 468, and the Tenth Report from the Committee, on Defence Equipment 2008, HC 295, and the Government Response, HC 555.)

Debate on a motion to consider the matter of defence procurement. (Inc ref to the Defence Select Committee fifth report on Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2006-07, HC 61, and the Government Response, HC 468, and the Tenth Report from the Committee, on Defence Equipment 2008, HC 295,...

I think that my right hon. and hon. Friends will be amused to hear that. As the Minister and others have said from the Dispatch Box, there are a lot of programmes on which they cannot tell us that a decision has been made. This would appear to be a...

I think that my right hon. and hon. Friends will be amused to hear that. As the Minister and others have said from the Dispatch Box, there are a lot of programmes on which they cannot tell us that a decision has been made. This would appear to be a...

I will not give way, if the hon. Gentleman will forgive me. The battlefield multi-role helicopter, in the form of the future Lynx, is also critical. That aircraft has little in common with the current Lynx, but it is essential for the British Army. Are we going to have to...

I will not give way, if the hon. Gentleman will forgive me. The battlefield multi-role helicopter, in the form of the future Lynx, is also critical. That aircraft has little in common with the current Lynx, but it is essential for the British Army. Are we going to have to...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that information, which I did not know. I am sure that the whole House will also be grateful to him and that the Under-Secretary will want to respond to that information in his winding-up speech. The Minister referred to further helicopter capability,...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that information, which I did not know. I am sure that the whole House will also be grateful to him and that the Under-Secretary will want to respond to that information in his winding-up speech. The Minister referred to further helicopter capability,...

The hon. Gentleman, who plays such a vigorous role in our debates will be pleased to hear that I shall come to that in a moment. The Minister needs to tell us when we can expect DIS 2. In the other place, his colleague Baroness Bolton told my noble Friend...

The hon. Gentleman, who plays such a vigorous role in our debates will be pleased to hear that I shall come to that in a moment. The Minister needs to tell us when we can expect DIS 2. In the other place, his colleague Baroness Bolton told my noble Friend...

My point is that we must remember that investment decisions are taken at head office. If most of the relevant head offices are outside the UK, we need to bear that in mind. For its part, industry needs to accept that the current economic outlook is pretty bleak. It will...

My point is that we must remember that investment decisions are taken at head office. If most of the relevant head offices are outside the UK, we need to bear that in mind. For its part, industry needs to accept that the current economic outlook is pretty bleak. It will...

I am trying to find information. I have been told that the Ministry of Defence is no longer in command of these matters, as I feared. The responsibility for defence sales has been transferred to another Department, where it sits alongside that Department's responsibility for other areas of British industry....

I am trying to find information. I have been told that the Ministry of Defence is no longer in command of these matters, as I feared. The responsibility for defence sales has been transferred to another Department, where it sits alongside that Department's responsibility for other areas of British industry....

I entirely agree. I think that some of those offices could be closed without huge damage being done to the United Kingdom's defence industry, but the closure of others—I note that the Finland office, for example, is earmarked for closure—strikes me as evidence that the Foreign Office has demanded more...

I entirely agree. I think that some of those offices could be closed without huge damage being done to the United Kingdom's defence industry, but the closure of others—I note that the Finland office, for example, is earmarked for closure—strikes me as evidence that the Foreign Office has demanded more...

We made it very clear that we regarded that as a matter for the Attorney-General, as the Law Officer of the Crown with responsibility, and that we would accept his judgment. The present disastrous state of affairs is the effect of 11 years of stewardship, or lack of it, by...

We made it very clear that we regarded that as a matter for the Attorney-General, as the Law Officer of the Crown with responsibility, and that we would accept his judgment. The present disastrous state of affairs is the effect of 11 years of stewardship, or lack of it, by...

I just wanted to say that the C130J was a success and ordered by us, but I shall not question the list any further because the right hon. Gentleman might find a new alphabet to double the numbers.

I just wanted to say that the C130J was a success and ordered by us, but I shall not question the list any further because the right hon. Gentleman might find a new alphabet to double the numbers.

I can reassure the hon. Gentleman on one point. The WMIKs are not being built by Supacat, which is a company based at Dunkeswell, the managing director of which happens to be the nephew of my former secretary—so I know a bit about it. It is building the Jackal, which,...

I can reassure the hon. Gentleman on one point. The WMIKs are not being built by Supacat, which is a company based at Dunkeswell, the managing director of which happens to be the nephew of my former secretary—so I know a bit about it. It is building the Jackal, which,...

I know all the arguments, and that is entirely true, but the Government have been in office for 10 years, during which they have sat around trying to cope with the problem and decide what to do. The failure to resolve that procurement issue is a failure of ministerial decision...

I know all the arguments, and that is entirely true, but the Government have been in office for 10 years, during which they have sat around trying to cope with the problem and decide what to do. The failure to resolve that procurement issue is a failure of ministerial decision...

The Minister is fortunate that he can rely on the hon. Gentleman to blame the previous Conservative Government, after 11 years, for the failures of this Government. That argument might have worn for a few years, but it does not wear today. The Government have only themselves to blame. I...

The Minister is fortunate that he can rely on the hon. Gentleman to blame the previous Conservative Government, after 11 years, for the failures of this Government. That argument might have worn for a few years, but it does not wear today. The Government have only themselves to blame. I...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, as I am sure the House will be, for making that point. I warmly endorse everything that he has said. Indeed, that is one reason why we have to maintain an integral British defence industrial base, without which we would not have access...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, as I am sure the House will be, for making that point. I warmly endorse everything that he has said. Indeed, that is one reason why we have to maintain an integral British defence industrial base, without which we would not have access...

It is, of course, incumbent on the Ministry to make decisions more swiftly than it is at the moment, but those decisions must be informed. I shall come to explain how I see that happening, so the hon. Gentleman will get my answer in a few moments. Let me continue...

It is, of course, incumbent on the Ministry to make decisions more swiftly than it is at the moment, but those decisions must be informed. I shall come to explain how I see that happening, so the hon. Gentleman will get my answer in a few moments. Let me continue...

The tragic deaths of nine British servicemen and women in the past few days should serve to remind us of the critical importance of this, our annual review of the equipment programme for our armed forces. At the outset, I join the Minister in paying tribute to Corporal Sarah Bryant...

The tragic deaths of nine British servicemen and women in the past few days should serve to remind us of the critical importance of this, our annual review of the equipment programme for our armed forces. At the outset, I join the Minister in paying tribute to Corporal Sarah Bryant...