Ministry of Defence: Expenditure Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Expenditure

Lord West of Spithead Excerpts
Thursday 25th July 2024

(5 months ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Coaker Portrait Lord Coaker (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

I thank the noble Baroness for her welcome to the post; it is an honour to follow her, as well as the noble Earl, Lord Minto. We have made a clear commitment to 2.5%, and the timetable for that will be announced at a future fiscal event. Alongside that, as the noble Baroness will know, the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, is conducting the review. As we think is important, the noble Lord will come forward with the capabilities needed to meet the threats of the future, and then we will know what we should be spending the money on, rather than just flying blind, without any idea as to the threats we will face and the capabilities needed to meet them.

Lord West of Spithead Portrait Lord West of Spithead (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

On a much narrower point, where do we stand on the order for the fleet solid support ships, bearing in mind the dreadful financial position of Harland & Wolff?

Lord Coaker Portrait Lord Coaker (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

The noble Lord will know that the situation with respect to the Belfast shipyard and Harland & Wolff is a difficult one. Our expectation is that those ships will be able to be built. Clearly, the company is looking for a private sector business to support it, and we will look to do what we can to support it in that.