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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 11 Jun 2019
Defence: Expenditure

"To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Foreign Secretary’s speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet on 13 May represented a change in their policy on defence expenditure...."
Lord Robathan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 11 Jun 2019
Defence: Expenditure

"My Lords, that is a somewhat disappointing response from my noble friend. I will not blame him; I will blame the people who wrote it. The Foreign Secretary is in a position to see the threats and dangers that face world peace in general and the interests of this country …..."
Lord Robathan - View Speech

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Written Question
Defence: Innovation
Tuesday 4th June 2019

Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding has been allocated to each of the Spearhead programmes of (1) land command and control (C2), (2) joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and (3) anti-submarine warfare; and how this will change the way the MoD purchases systems and services.

Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords

Her Majesty's Government has approved a one-year Approved Budgetary Limit of £34.8 million to the Spearhead programmes: £8.9 million for Land Command and Control (C2), £9.6 million for joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), and £16.3 million for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). The total planned spend over the seven-year portfolio is £544.1 million to the Spearhead programmes: £73.9 million for C2, £74.2 million for ISR, and £395.9 million for ASW.

This initiative does not obviate the need for an Equipment Programme of major units, procured in the traditional manner, in order to deliver defence tasks. What it seeks to do is to address known risks and issues with the current force, leveraging emerging technology and innovation in order to enable us to remain ahead of our adversaries.

Written Question
Military Aircraft
Thursday 24th January 2019

Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the Air Support to Defence Operational Training programme.

Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords

Tender submissions for the contracted service provision element of the Air Support to Defence Operational Training programme have been received and are currently being assessed.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Jan 2019
Army: Divisional Manoeuvre and Deployment Training

"My Lords, is there not one issue underlying both this Question and that from the noble Lord, Lord West? There are insufficient funds in the defence budget, and if we wish to live up to our international obligations and our aspirations, and to defend this country and our interests abroad …..."
Lord Robathan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 15 Nov 2018
Veterans Strategy

"My Lords, I am very pleased to speak in this debate. I will take up where my noble friend Lord Attlee left off about the pursuit of former servicemen who may have committed, or are alleged to have committed, some crimes in the past. The veterans strategy does not address …..."
Lord Robathan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 11 Jul 2018
Afghanistan Update

"My Lords, I think that I visited Afghanistan five times while at the Ministry of Defence, and every time I went there I was sure that things were getting better. The House should remember that we first assisted in getting rid of the Taliban Government in Kabul in 2001, nearly …..."
Lord Robathan - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 14 Jun 2018
UK Territorial Seas: Incidents

"My Lords, I too thank my noble friend the Minister for the briefing that he gave yesterday, which I found very helpful. Although I agree with a great deal that the noble Lord, Lord West, said—I think that we need to be very clear about this—it seems that this is …..."
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Written Question
Army: Vehicles
Tuesday 6th February 2018

Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many panel display screens have been purchased for army vehicles in the last five years; and at what cost.

Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 22 Jan 2018
Armed Forces: Investment

"My Lords, my noble friend, for whom I have very great respect, talks about raising defence spending by 0.5% above inflation but the fall in the value of sterling has negated this completely. In addition, the situation has changed so much, particularly with regard to Russia, but we could also …..."
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