UK-Norway Defence Agreement: Impact in Scotland
Debate between Lord Bruce of Bennachie and Lord Lemos
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I agree with my noble friend that this deal provides long-term security for shipbuilding in Scotland, and I am proud of the role that our Government have played in helping to secure that. The Type 26 programme is vital to the national security of the UK as well as to the UK and Scottish economy, and to our allies. As such, it draws on a wider supply chain from across Scotland, including the excellent work carried out in the Ferguson shipyard. I agree with my noble friend that investment in apprenticeships and skills development is crucial. As for the SNP, they do not know what they are missing by not being in your Lordships’ House.
Lord Bruce of Bennachie (LD)
My Lords, the order by the Norwegians shows that they value Scotland’s skills in the defence sector rather more, as the noble Baroness has said, than the Scottish Government do. However, at a time when we face Russian aggression, does this not prove that Scotland’s interests lie best in being part of the United Kingdom defence and security pact? Will the Scottish and UK Governments work together to secure and build the skills base that will secure our future, and recognise that these submarines are there to help to defend Scotland’s interests as well as the UK’s?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I entirely agree with the noble Lord’s point. This deal is really important, not just economically but for enhancing our strategic and security priorities in the northern flank of NATO—and noble Lords do not need the most junior member of the Front Bench in the House of Lords to tell them how important that is.
Skills are an important area. Investment is important in defence procurement too, but we have to get the skills right, and the running down of skills in this area has been a real problem. This Government have a £182 million skills package, which was announced in the defence industrial strategy, to develop the necessary skills for the defence sector, including the defence universities alliance, an apprenticeship and graduate clearing programme—I have already made the point about apprenticeships—and Destination Defence, and establishing five defence technical excellence colleges. I hope that shows this Government’s commitment. I should add that we are investing directly alongside the Scottish Government.
El Fasher
Debate between Lord Bruce of Bennachie and Lord Lemos
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I thank the noble Lord for that question. We are very concerned about religious violence in Sudan, and indeed anywhere else in the world, and we certainly have sought to engage with the RSF on this. As the noble Lord knows, this conflict has a long history. I visited Sudan myself many years ago.
Lord Bruce of Bennachie (LD)
My Lords, Darfur has been a horrific conflict for decades and, as the noble Lord rightly said, we have not talked about it enough. However, a massacre based on rape, pillage and ethnic cleansing if El Fasher fell has been widely predicted for months. It is now happening, but all we are doing is passing resolutions and engaging in discussions. What are we actually going to do to protect civilians? What action will the Government take—or what is the point of being the penholder?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I thank the noble Lord for that question. As I said, we too have been urging action for the duration of this conflict, and we are very pleased with the efforts of the Quad. The most important priority, as set out in the Quad statement, is that we must have humanitarian access. The problem is not funds; the problem is access.