Royal Marines

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Pickering and Earl Howe

Tuesday 4th April 2017 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I do not accept the picture being painted by the noble Lord. As he knows, the annual budget cycle is our yearly process which allocates resources to defence spending requirements for the next 10 years. It focuses on ensuring that the programme is affordable and balances military and financial risk. The 2017 annual budget cycle is in fact still under way, but the process means that we continually reassess our financial position and prioritise accordingly.

[Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Con)]

My Lords, does my noble friend the Minister not agree that this is precisely the sort of operational matter that should be left to the Joint Chiefs of Staff? I want to place on record my admiration for the Royal Marines, with whom I had contact on HMS “Cumberland” and at other times when serving with the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, which I commend to the House.

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend and I fully agree with her. Ministers make decisions based on military advice in this area.