United Kingdom Military Installations

John Slinger Excerpts

Thursday 12th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Luke Pollard]

I thank the hon. Gentleman, because I think there was some praise in the question somewhere. The steps we have set out on wildfires are an important contribution to the wider resilience effort. I am pleased that the Scottish Government are finally engaging with defence in a way that they have not done previously. Their match funding for the defence technical excellence colleges is an important step in that, but I say to him politely that I do not want to see politicians of any party doing Putin’s dirty work for him by dividing us when we should be standing together.

[John Slinger (Rugby) (Lab)]

Given the increasingly clandestine, sophisticated and despicable behaviour of our adversaries in the cases the Minister has mentioned, will he commit to encouraging the Government to bring forth legislative changes should they be necessary to make sure that we can counter those threats? The entire House would, I am sure, back the Government in doing that.

[Luke Pollard]

My hon. Friend will be aware that the Armed Forces Bill, which is going through the other place, has a number of measures that seek to enhance airspace protection around our defence sites and to give us additional powers to protect some of those bases. I know that there is strong cross-party support for the Armed Forces Bill, and that will make a difference. We are also preparing, across Government, further measures in the defence readiness Bill to deal with this period of contest in which we find ourselves. I will continue to engage with parliamentarians across both Chambers on that Bill.