Astute-class Submarines

Debate between Lord Astor of Hever and Lord Elton

Monday 2nd March 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, my noble friend makes a very good point. We continue to look for ways to optimise manufacturing schedules. For example, we are introducing new technology to support modular build, an innovative means of testing and commissioning different systems.

[Lord Elton (Con)]

My Lords, the stretching out of delivery times affects the cash flow of subcontractors, and those difficulties can be hideously compounded by delays in the settlement of their bills. Is there oversight of the rate of settlement of bills and, if so, is it satisfactory?

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, I cannot answer my noble friend’s question from the Dispatch Box, but I will take it back to my department and undertake to write to him.

Armed Forces: Biofuels

Debate between Lord Astor of Hever and Lord Elton

Monday 31st March 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, the noble Lord is using his imagination to try to tempt me to discuss the number of ships. This Question is about biofuels.

[Lord Elton (Con)]

My Lords, in replying to two supplementary questions, my noble friend relied on the effects of biofuel cultivation on agriculture but surely another major, and possibly longer-term, anxiety is the destruction of forestry, particularly in South America, which is reducing a diminishing resource that is a means of absorbing excess carbon in the atmosphere.

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, I am well aware of the concerns for both agriculture and forests. As I said earlier, the Ministry of Defence is such a small user of biofuels that I would rather not get into this debate.

Defence: Type 26 Global Combat Ship

Debate between Lord Astor of Hever and Lord Elton

Monday 2nd December 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, I disagree with the noble Lord. The First Sea Lord has some very exciting plans for the future of the Royal Navy. The Type 26s we are planning, the three OPVs and, of course, the Type 45s which my noble friend mentioned, are all part of those exciting plans.

[Lord Elton (Con)]

My Lords, what are the criteria by which the Government decide which countries are suitable as export purchasers and which are not?

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, in the context of Scotland, the UK has a number of commercial yards involved in building military warships which have been involved in the building of the carriers. It is recognised that these yards would need additional investment to enable them to participate in the building of the Type 26.

Ministry of Defence: Dogs

Debate between Lord Astor of Hever and Lord Elton

Monday 14th October 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, I can give the noble Lord the commitment that no dogs are put down for financial reasons. The vast majority of dogs had to be put down as the animals’ condition impeded and reduced their quality of life. As noble Lords may know from sad personal experience, everyone will at times have to put animals to sleep when it is the only option. The death or destruction of a military working dog is subject to formal investigation and report, as required. Dogs are not usually retrained during their military service. The role that a dog undertakes is normally one which the dog has a natural inclination to perform as a result of breed characteristics and behavioural traits.

[Lord Elton (Con)]

My Lords, there are occasions when it is impossible to find a successor owner for the dog. Would my noble friend bear in mind the work of the Cinnamon Trust, which has a fascinating remit of supplying bereaved people with dogs which have also been bereaved, and homing other difficult cases in a way which promotes the happiness of both the animal and the human?

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, my noble friend makes a very good point. I will certainly study carefully the excellent work of the Cinnamon Trust.

Defence Equipment and Support

Debate between Lord Astor of Hever and Lord Elton

Tuesday 17th July 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, we will have to decide whether to take the UOR equipment back into the core defence budget. It is much too early to give my noble friend an answer on that. We are looking at it very closely.

[Lord Elton]

My Lords, in mulling over his reply to the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, will my noble friend—

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Elton]

My Lords, if I can start again, can my noble friend tell us whether in any debate that we have he will be prepared to answer questions about how research and development will be continued under the new organisation? It is very important that the budgetary and technical skills of the department, the military and the commercial suppliers are co-ordinated. How is that going to be managed and by whom?

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, my noble friend makes a very good point. If we do have a debate, I undertake to answer as many questions as I possibly can, and I would ensure that I got sufficient briefing to answer my noble friend’s question on this important issue.

Armed Forces: Redundancies

Debate between Lord Astor of Hever and Lord Elton

Tuesday 15th February 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Astor of Hever]

I think that I will write to the noble and gallant Lord about that. I am sure that I have those figures in my briefing, but it would take a bit of time to find them and I do not want to test the patience of the House.

[Lord Elton]

My Lords, there are practical consequences in the short and medium terms. Will my noble friend assure the House that the impact of the redundancies that are now being revealed will not be an increase in the already ferocious number of combat flying hours of personnel in Afghanistan?

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, I can give my noble friend that assurance. The SDSR was designed specifically not to affect operations in Afghanistan.