Defence Spending Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Defence Spending

Lord Mott Excerpts
Thursday 25th April 2024

(7 months, 1 week ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Mott Portrait Lord Mott (Con)
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My Lords, I welcome the Statement on which my noble friend is responding today. Many important questions have been raised today. Will my noble friend give us an update on, and perhaps not forget, the accommodation that our Armed Forces personnel live in, and make sure that their conditions are not forgotten and that the upgrades and improvements that are required are part of this plan?

Earl of Minto Portrait The Earl of Minto (Con)
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My Lords, that is a very good point. Accommodation is critical in recruitment and retention. Within the plan, there is £4 billion expenditure over the next 10 years to upgrade and build new service accommodation. At the moment, 97% of what we have meets the Government’s decent homes standard, but we continue to work with suppliers to make sustained improvements on the existing portfolio of properties. It is a point extremely well made that we must make certain that not just accommodation but all service pay and conditions are at the highest level.