Defence Budget and Transformation

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Sajid Javid

Monday 14th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

We are committed to supporting the role of SMEs in the supply chain. I visited some SMEs involved in defence equipment very recently and they are among the most innovative and flexible parts of the industry. The changes we have already announced will assist them and I have pledged to look at how we can give them greater certainty that when they invest their own money in developing technologies, we can give them the highest possible level of assurance in advance that they will be able to export those technologies and not find that they have developed a white elephant.

[Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove) (Con)]

I warmly welcome the statement by my right hon. Friend and congratulate him and his team on cleaning up the mess left by the Labour party. With respect to that mess, has he received an apology from that party?

[Mr Hammond]

Very far from it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Sajid Javid

Monday 26th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

To be clear, there has not been a recent deployment. The UK has minesweepers deployed in the Gulf—they have been there for some time, and I expect them to remain there. The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. Keeping the strait of Hormuz open is a passive action in the interests of the international community, and should not be regarded as a war-like action by anybody.

[Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove) (Con)]

10. What recent assessment he has made of the level of morale in the armed forces.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hammond of Runnymede and Sajid Javid

Monday 14th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

As the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Peter Luff), just said, UK Ministers have been assiduous over the past few weeks in promoting the case for the Typhoon in India and in other countries that are considering the purchase of new fast jets. We understand that there is likely to be an announcement in the next few weeks on the decision made by the Indian Government.

[Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove) (Con)]

T2. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is deeply irresponsible for certain elements of the press to print untrue scaremongering stories about the future treatment of our armed forces personnel, especially over the Remembrance day weekend?

[Mr Hammond]

I agree with my hon. Friend. The story that has been running this weekend has been deeply unhelpful to morale in our armed forces, and is based on untruths and misconceptions. There has been no change in the Government’s position on the number of Army posts that will go over the remainder of the decade and no change in the procedure for exempting those recovering from injuries incurred on active service from the redundancy process.