Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Nick Smith

Monday 26th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

What is the Secretary of State’s assessment of the number of Commonwealth citizens who might join our Army next year?

[Gavin Williamson]

We expect up to 1,350 Commonwealth citizens to join our armed forces next year.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Nick Smith

Monday 9th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson]

My hon. Friend highlights an important element. This is not just about support through the military; it is also about international development support and about building civil law enforcement, which involves the police and, equally importantly, the courts, in order to give people confidence that the courts are fair and just.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

Daesh still has a strong online presence. What is being done to combat that?

[Gavin Williamson]

As has been mentioned in the House, the British Government and the Ministry of Defence have been using offensive cyber in Iraq for the first time to counter the messages that Daesh puts out. We will continue to do that.

NATO

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Nick Smith

Wednesday 20th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson]

We can be proud of our investments in new technology, such as the new Poseidon aircraft that will operate over the north Atlantic or the Type 26 frigates that are currently being constructed in Glasgow. We are leading the world in the development of and investment in technology. Nations such as the United States actually look to us to take that leadership, to point the way forward and to take responsibility for ensuring that the north Atlantic routes remain safe.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

On the readiness of our armed forces, will the Secretary of State tell us about the Government’s record on Army recruitment? We are worried that they are making insufficient progress on this important matter.

[Gavin Williamson]

We are doing everything that we can, and my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces is leading on that, ensuring that meet all our operational requirements and, most importantly, changing how we recruit so that we are able to fill the Army to our desired target of 82,000.

[Nick Smith]

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

[Gavin Williamson]

I have been very generous in taking interventions. Will the hon. Gentleman let me make some progress?

We need to look at how we ensure NATO is able to respond swiftly to changing threats not in months, not just in weeks but in days and hours, and not simply on land, sea and air but in the new grey danger zones of cyber-space and space itself. For that to happen, our alliance must keep changing and adapting to deal with new threats. NATO must reform itself structurally so there are far fewer barriers to action, and it must reform itself politically so nations can swiftly agree on measures to take and on how to use the power at their disposal decisively, particularly when it comes to cyber and hybrid attacks, which often occur beneath the normal threshold for a collective response.

Lastly, NATO must maintain the mass needed to assemble, reinforce and win a conflict in Europe at short notice. We need to look at how we can forward base more of our equipment, and possibly personnel. That is why today we are looking hard at our infrastructure in Germany, particularly our vehicle storage, heavy transport and training facilities. Along with our NATO allies, we are continually testing our agility and responsiveness through exercises in Europe.

We need to do more, and we need to look more closely at how we can have the forces we need to deal with the threats we face today. The threats today are so different from the threats in 2010, but we should not underestimate our adversaries’ intent and willingness to use military force.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Nick Smith

Monday 5th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson]

The co-operation that our country has with France is second to none. The Anglo-French summit signposts an important development in that relationship—not just in terms of operations going forward, but about how best we can collaborate in terms of our defence industries.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

T8. How well is the latest Army recruitment campaign going?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gavin Williamson and Nick Smith

Monday 27th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson]

My hon. Friend has raised a valid point. Of the three major parties—us, the Labour party and the Scottish National party—the only one that can guarantee that we will have an independent nuclear deterrent is the Conservative party. Let no one forget that.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

T8. Britain’s defence industry supports hundreds of jobs in the South Wales valleys. Will the Government support our armoured fighting vehicle industry and allow it to compete for the prime contract for the Boxer armoured vehicle?