Ukraine: Small Boats Debate

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Department: Home Office

Ukraine: Small Boats

Baroness Altmann Excerpts
Wednesday 1st May 2024

(6 months, 3 weeks ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Sharpe of Epsom Portrait Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
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As I have just said and will continue to say: because the Ukrainians have not asked for them.

Baroness Altmann Portrait Baroness Altmann (Con)
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My Lords, I commend the Government’s efforts to support the people of Ukraine. Does my noble friend agree that we must do everything we can to try to protect the brave people of Ukraine when in many ways they are fighting on the front line for our own democracy? If there were a request from the Ukrainians for these boats, would his reply be different?

Lord Sharpe of Epsom Portrait Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
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My reply would be that we should look into the appropriate sorts of boats that we should send as part of our aid. Again, to remind noble Lords about the type of aid, since the start of the conflict the UK has sent almost 400 different types of capabilities to Ukraine. If the Ukrainians asked for boats, we would certainly look at providing them, but not these.