Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Angus Robertson Excerpts
Monday 25th February 2013

(11 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Philip Dunne Portrait Mr Dunne
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My hon. Friend is a stalwart defender of this country’s nuclear deterrent. I applaud him for that and for the debate that he called on this subject at the end of last year. It remains to be seen what costings are attached to the alternative plans that our coalition partners may or may not publish in due course.

Angus Robertson Portrait Angus Robertson (Moray) (SNP)
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The majority of Scottish MPs at Westminster have voted against Trident renewal, just as the majority of Members of the Scottish Parliament have voted against Trident renewal, and just as the Scottish trade unions, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, every single faith group and the majority of public opinion are against Trident renewal. Why are the Government ignoring the democratic majority in Scotland and wasting billions of pounds on something that could never be used, rather than investing in conventional defence?

Philip Dunne Portrait Mr Dunne
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The hon. Gentleman should address his remarks to the workers of the Rosyth area and see how they feel about whether we should retain a nuclear deterrent in this country. Decisions about this country’s nuclear deterrent are made in this Parliament, as they were in 2007, and they will continue to be made here.