Civil Preparedness for War

Baroness Goldie Excerpts

Monday 20th April 2026 Grand Committee

[Baroness Goldie (Con)]

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Harris of Richmond. This is a timely debate. Sadly, the impossibly short speaking time precludes a normal wind-up, so I hope that noble Lords will indulge me.

I want to talk about money, consequences and national conversation. You cannot sensibly discuss civil preparedness for war without also embracing our military readiness for war. If we are militarily on the front foot and prepared with all the necessary technology, assets and personnel, it may be possible to avoid war, shorten any conflict or mitigate the consequences of war, with a beneficial effect on our civil preparedness. Yet, nine months on from the defence review being published, the Chancellor still does not have a funding plan on her desk. There has been a scathing critique by the noble Lord, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, which I shall not repeat it because he has, far more eloquently and authoritatively than I could ever have done, brought us up to date on where we are.

Let me make some suggestions to the Minister. I want to see a much more politically muscular approach adopted towards the Treasury. The Chagos deal, which is moribund for the foreseeable future, allows the Government to free up imminent payments that would have gone to Mauritius now to go to defence. As the MoD struggles to balance the books, with the current £3.5 billion black hole, it has to prioritise. Getting warships out of maintenance seems a glaringly obvious priority.

The lack of clarity on funding and the absence of the defence investment plan have real-time consequences for safety and national security. When the Middle East war was triggered, we had no warships or naval assets in the region. It took weeks to get HMS “Dragon” out there. That is shocking. Defence companies are existing on a wing and a prayer, which is not sustainable. They need to be clear about their own financial planning, investment and retention of a skilled workforce. They need an order book. Who or what is blocking the defence investment plan?

The national conversation proposed in the SDR is sensible. The question being asked this afternoon is: where is it? I hope that the Minister and his colleagues are not facing the Whitehall block of every department under the sun wanting to get its oar in and create stasis and stagnation. We do not have time.

I respectfully disagree with the noble Lord, Lord Harris of Haringey. Defence should lead this, and lead it now. I am prepared to help the Minister. I have ideas about how to structure this and deliver it. Some of it can happen quickly. I make myself available to meet his officials, and I hope that that proposal might appeal to him.

These Benches do not always disagree with the Government, but this debate is another important opportunity to repeat to the Government the anger, frustration and warnings of failing political leadership. We need change. What can the Minister report by way of progress and encouragement?