Baroness Goldie
Main Page: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)Mindanao Earthquake
Baroness Goldie Excerpts(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
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Lord Lemos (Lab)
I am afraid that I do not feel empowered to propose machinery of government changes, tentatively or otherwise. It is important to us that our international development effort, particularly—and the whole House knows this—in tough fiscal circumstances, comes together with our diplomatic and defence efforts in a co-ordinated way. Of course, the Government will consider the right machinery of government to achieve that.
Baroness Goldie (Con)
May I try and come to the aid of the Minister? When I was a Defence Minister and visited the Philippines, I was the first Defence Minister to go there for 40 years, and it was my pleasure to board HMS “Tamar”. “Tamar” and HMS “Spey” are two offshore protection vessels retained out in that region to provide humanitarian and general help, if required. Is the Minister aware of, or will he consult with the MoD on, whether these two ships are in a position to offer any form of support?
Lord Lemos (Lab)
I will be happy to do that. The noble Baroness may have been the first Defence Minister to visit the Philippines, but she was not the last. My noble friend Lord Coaker was there very recently, talking to the Government of the Philippines about increased defence co-operation, and I will be happy to come back to the noble Baroness on the specific question about the ships. It is a strengthening relationship, but I will not steal my noble friend’s thunder.