Defence Spending: Scotland

Baroness Curran Excerpts

Tuesday 29th April 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Curran]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact in Scotland of increased defence spending.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Coaker) (Lab)]

Scotland plays a vital role in the defence of the United Kingdom from strategic Ministry of Defence sites such as His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde and RAF Lossiemouth. The new defence industrial strategy seeks fully to harness the potential of these spending increases across Scotland and the United Kingdom, using defence procurement and investment actively to generate wealth, boost export potential and increase and create high-quality jobs.

[Baroness Curran (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend the Minister for that reply. I know that he is in high standing in the defence sector in Scotland. Will he consider the establishment of a specific, proactive programme of employment within deprived communities to ensure that the benefits of increased investment in the defence industry are shared by all of Scotland?

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for that suggestion, which I will certainly ask the Ministry of Defence to consider. The increase in defence spending gives us a huge opportunity not only to protect our country better but to generate jobs and increase wealth across the regions and nations of this country. The idea of trying to ensure that deprived communities, particularly in Scotland but across the whole of the UK, benefit from that is something any Government should take seriously, and I certainly will take that back to the MoD.