Scottish Independence: Faslane

Debate between Lord Desai and Lord Astor of Hever

Monday 3rd March 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, the Ministry of Defence spent over £20 billion with UK industry in 2011-12. It would be for the Scottish Government to explain clearly what their armed forces would look like. However, to date, they have failed to provide sufficient clarity. At some £34 billion, the UK’s annual defence budget is one of the largest in the world. As part of the UK, Scotland benefits from the full range of the UK’s defence capabilities that its budget provides.

[Lord Desai (Lab)]

My Lords, would it be charitable to believe that the Government, as a responsible agency, may have scenarios up their sleeve but the noble Lord is not willing to take the House into his confidence?

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, even if I did know that I could not possibly tell him about it.

RAF Northolt: Commercial Flights

Debate between Lord Desai and Lord Astor of Hever

Tuesday 26th April 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, on my noble friend’s first question, I do not have those figures with me but will write to him. As for proximity to Heathrow, both military and civil flights are subject to very strict air traffic control procedures.

[Lord Desai]

My Lords, the noble Lord has talked about an aviation strategy but in an earlier answer he made it clear that high-speed rail also has an important role to play. As there are also objections to high-speed rail on environmental grounds, do the Government have a co-ordinated transport policy which puts aviation together with rail and road transport?

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, that would all be covered in the Department for Transport’s new aviation policy framework, which would look right the way across the board.