Motion that this House has considered defence. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered defence. Agreed to on question.

I welcome this defence debate in Government time. The defence and security of Britain is an increasing public concern in this country. You said that 13 Members had put in to speak in this debate, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I look forward to each and every one of those contributions....

I welcome this defence debate in Government time. The defence and security of Britain is an increasing public concern in this country. You said that 13 Members had put in to speak in this debate, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I look forward to each and every one of those contributions....

I will come on to the £75 billion in a bit, but the hon. Gentleman asked about Ukraine. The Government’s increase in military aid for this year and following years has Labour’s full support. Every commitment of UK military aid since Putin invaded has had Labour’s fullest support; that will...

I will come on to the £75 billion in a bit, but the hon. Gentleman asked about Ukraine. The Government’s increase in military aid for this year and following years has Labour’s full support. Every commitment of UK military aid since Putin invaded has had Labour’s fullest support; that will...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman only to a point. In his speech to the House, the Defence Secretary set out the range of increasing threats that this country and our allies now face. Those threats are very different from those of 14 years ago, so it is not simply...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman only to a point. In his speech to the House, the Defence Secretary set out the range of increasing threats that this country and our allies now face. Those threats are very different from those of 14 years ago, so it is not simply...

We share the ambition to hit 2.5%. Our commitment to 2.5% is total. We will do it in our own way and we will do it as soon as we can. I will come on to the flaws in the plan set out by those on the Government Front Bench.

We share the ambition to hit 2.5%. Our commitment to 2.5% is total. We will do it in our own way and we will do it as soon as we can. I will come on to the flaws in the plan set out by those on the Government Front Bench.

I am afraid there is nothing cast-iron about the figures, the plan or, indeed, the proposals for paying for it. I will come to that in a moment.

Before I took the first intervention from the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (James Gray), I wanted to pick up a final point...

I am afraid there is nothing cast-iron about the figures, the plan or, indeed, the proposals for paying for it. I will come to that in a moment.

Before I took the first intervention from the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (James Gray), I wanted to pick up a final point...

I said a moment ago that Governments and Ministers are judged by what they do, not by what they say. My right hon. Friend is absolutely right, and independent Library figures confirm that 18% cut in defence spending over the first five-year Government led by the Conservatives after 2010.

What signal...

I said a moment ago that Governments and Ministers are judged by what they do, not by what they say. My right hon. Friend is absolutely right, and independent Library figures confirm that 18% cut in defence spending over the first five-year Government led by the Conservatives after 2010.

What signal...

I will give way to two of his colleagues who have not yet intervened on me, and then I am sure I will come back to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Bob Seely).

I will give way to two of his colleagues who have not yet intervened on me, and then I am sure I will come back to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Bob Seely).

The right hon. Gentleman knows the difficulty of serving in this House and debating defence issues from the Opposition Benches. He knows we simply will not have access to the classified information on threats, the capabilities we need, the state of the armed forces or even the true state of...

The right hon. Gentleman knows the difficulty of serving in this House and debating defence issues from the Opposition Benches. He knows we simply will not have access to the classified information on threats, the capabilities we need, the state of the armed forces or even the true state of...

I think the hon. Gentleman needs to have a word with those on his own Front Bench, because the Department is at the moment planning a fresh review, whatever the outcome—[Interruption.] Yes, it is, whatever the outcome of the election. The problem for the hon. Gentleman is that the 2030...

I think the hon. Gentleman needs to have a word with those on his own Front Bench, because the Department is at the moment planning a fresh review, whatever the outcome—[Interruption.] Yes, it is, whatever the outcome of the election. The problem for the hon. Gentleman is that the 2030...

I am finishing off now; the hon. Gentleman will have his chance to speak.

Labour’s plan will renew the nation’s contract with those who have served through an independent forces commissioner. It will make allies our strategic strength, with new French, German and EU defence agreements, and renewed UK leadership within...

I am finishing off now; the hon. Gentleman will have his chance to speak.

Labour’s plan will renew the nation’s contract with those who have served through an independent forces commissioner. It will make allies our strategic strength, with new French, German and EU defence agreements, and renewed UK leadership within...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average time was for an applicant to complete the recruitment process for the Reserves in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF in each year since 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average time was for an applicant to complete the recruitment process for the Reserves in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF in each year since 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average time was for an applicant to complete the recruitment process for the regular (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF in each year since 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average time was for an applicant to complete the recruitment process for the regular (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF in each year since 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2023 to Question 4337, how many of the 9,121 unoccupied service family accommodation properties have been graded (a) at grade 1, (b) at grade 2, (c) at grade 3, (d) at grade 4 and (e)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2023 to Question 4337, how many of the 9,121 unoccupied service family accommodation properties have been graded (a) at grade 1, (b) at grade 2, (c) at grade 3, (d) at grade 4 and (e)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and ( b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the Armed Forces Recruiting Programme in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and ( b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the Armed Forces Recruiting Programme in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and (b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the New Style of Information Technology Deployed in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and (b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the New Style of Information Technology Deployed in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and ( b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the Clyde Infrastructure Programme in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and ( b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the Clyde Infrastructure Programme in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and (b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the Joint Crypt Key Programme in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and (b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the Joint Crypt Key Programme in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and (b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of Project Bramley in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and (b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of Project Bramley in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and ( b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the AURORA programme in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) Infrastructure and Projects Authority and ( b) Senior Responsible Owner rating was of the AURORA programme in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.