Royal Navy: Nuclear Submarines

Debate between Lord Coaker and Lord Walney

Thursday 15th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

I can give some of the information that the noble Baroness has asked me for. The Defence Nuclear Enterprise submarine dismantling project has achieved a major milestone as it completes the fin cut and removal on HMS “Swiftsure”. She will become the first decommissioned Royal Navy submarine to be dismantled by the end of 2026, establishing a unique and world-first methodology for submarine disposal. Over 500 tonnes of conventional waste have already been removed and recycled from HMS “Swiftsure”, and the innovative programme of work will enable around 90% of the submarine structure and components to be reused or recycled. That demonstrates to the noble Baroness that considerable progress is being made, and HMS “Swiftsure” is an exemplar for what will come next.

[Lord Walney (CB)]

My Lords, we rightly talk about the submarine programme as a national endeavour. We know that every corner of the United Kingdom is required to be part of the supply chain to build the submarine programme, which is both an opportunity and a challenge. Will the Minister ask the Ministry of Defence to work with the prime contractors—and with us in the All-Party Group on AUKUS, ably led by my successor in the Commons, Michelle Scrogham—to make available the details of the companies that are, now or in the future, part of the supply chain, so that we can all work together and engage local MPs on that?

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

From his previous incarnation as the MP for Barrow and Furness, the noble Lord knows a significant amount about the nuclear programme. He is right to highlight the important work around not only the major companies and big primes but the smaller companies and the supply chain right across the UK. As my noble friend Lord Spellar often says—quite rightly—we need to make sure that as much of that industrial capability as possible is developed within our own country. I am happy to meet the All-Party Group on AUKUS to discuss how we take this forward.

UK Defence and Aerospace Facilities: Protests

Debate between Lord Coaker and Lord Walney

Thursday 4th September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

The noble Baroness makes a good point and, by asking the question, she starts to raise the conversation that we need to have as politicians about having more confidence to speak to the British public about why, as a country, we do the things that we do—and why it is extremely important that we do them. On a practical level, to make that rhetoric a reality, one thing that we are doing is to talk about the need for national resilience, the importance of protecting our critical national infrastructure and the importance of the reserves as well as the full-time personnel. The noble Baroness, who follows these matters closely, will also have seen the massive expansion that we are bringing to the cadet organisation in this country, which I think will help to make a very real difference.

[Lord Walney (CB)]

My Lords, it is welcome to hear what the Minister has said about the importance of the defence industry. Does he share my view that it is completely unacceptable for anyone who says that they support working people in industrial settings and, most of all, those who claim to represent working people to seek to excuse and underplay the level of intimidation and fear caused to workers in defence factories, who have been terrorised for many years? Those people who defend that should have no place in the Labour movement. Is that not right?

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

I know the point that the noble Lord is making, but the general point is that nobody should face intimidation for going to work. That is a completely unacceptable way of behaving. The noble Lord has done a lot of work in this area and has defended the right to protest and the right for people to make their views known, but to do so in a way that is acceptable and according to the law. It does not matter what hat people have on when they speak about this; we all need to encourage people to behave appropriately and properly when it comes to protest.

Defence Spending: Scotland

Debate between Lord Coaker and Lord Walney

Tuesday 29th April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

My noble friend is probably more able to comment on the SNP and the SNP Government than I am, but his question is serious and important. It gives us an opportunity to say that the base on Faslane—the nuclear deterrent provided there —is fundamental to the defence of our country. I note that even a former leader of the SNP is now talking about the need to maintain that nuclear deterrent, even if it were to be based in England.

Although the SNP has questioned the continuation of the independent nuclear deterrent, that did not stop it changing its policy in 2012 on being a member of NATO. I remind the SNP, as well as this House, all of Scotland and the whole of the UK, that NATO is of course a nuclear alliance. That provides protection for Scotland, and for the rest of the UK and our allies.

[Lord Walney (CB)]

With reference to the last question, the Scottish National Party is not represented in this Chamber so I am sure it will not mind me speaking about it. Whatever the views of the SNP Government or, indeed, any Administration, on a particular conflict, is it not vital that all parts of this United Kingdom get behind our defence sector? You can consider yourself pro-Israel or pro-Palestine, but to be pro-Scotland you have to back defence jobs in all parts of the UK, including north of the border.

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

The noble Lord is absolutely right and makes a very good point. There are some 25,000 to 26,000 defence-related jobs across Scotland and that will increase, I would suggest, with the increased expenditure that we will see. There are RAF, Army and naval bases across Scotland as well, but the important point to make is that the defence of the UK requires the integrated union that we have. That is what people in Scotland and the rest of the country support. The defence of those values is important; it is as important to the people of Scotland, whatever their political persuasion, as it is to the rest of the UK. The noble Lord is right to remind us that the defence of the UK, whether it is Scotland or elsewhere, is of importance to us all.