Fiscal Policy: Defence Spending

Jonathan Brash Excerpts

Monday 27th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Luke Pollard]

It is certainly true that we have a manifesto commitment to put the armed forces covenant fully into law. That will come forward in the armed forces Bill in due course. We set out from the Dispatch Box last week that the inheritance tax does not apply to those members of our armed forces who die on active service. The other areas are subject to a Treasury consultation, and the Treasury will make an announcement in due course.

[Mr Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool) (Lab)]

Is it not the reality of the past 14 years that we have fewer soldiers and fewer Navy and Air Force personnel and that, in an uncertain world, we need to reverse that trend and grow our military forces to deal with those threats?

[Luke Pollard]

It is certainly true that this Government inherited an armed forces that, as world-class as they are, were struggling with falling morale, poor housing and capability gaps thanks to 14 years of underfunding and hollowing out. The strategic defence review will set out what capabilities we need to meet the threats, and the path to 2.5% will set out what will be spent on those capabilities. We also need to improve how we spend because the defence procurement system is broken— something that was well highlighted by the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge) and the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois) when they were in government. That will be fixed, and we will ensure that we have a strong set of armed forces able to deter aggression and defeat it if necessary.

Armed Forces Commissioner Bill

Jonathan Brash Excerpts

2nd reading
Monday 18th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool) (Lab)]

May I start by saying how humbling it is to share these Benches with those who have served our country? You add far more to this debate than I could ever hope to, and it is a genuine honour to have heard so many of you speak today.

Our armed forces are too small; in the current geopolitical climate, that fact is undeniable. In this era of unprecedented global uncertainty, we must ask ourselves a fundamental question: are our defence capabilities sufficient to protect our nation, uphold our values and fulfil our obligations to allies? Russia’s brutal aggression in Ukraine has made one thing clear: conventional warfare is not a relic of the past, but a clear and present danger. Regardless of the decisions made by our closest ally the United States in the coming months, the UK must urgently stand ready to act with our allies. We must assert our position as a key strategic player in global security. To achieve that, we need a solid foundation for the expansion of our military capabilities, and that begins with addressing the challenges of recruitment and retention.

Since 2011, we have missed our recruitment targets in every year but one. This Bill is critical to solving that crisis and arresting the decline. Fundamentally, it seeks to strengthen advocacy and accountability by establishing an independent figure dedicated to addressing issues faced by service members, including housing, healthcare, mental health and family support. The commissioner will have new powers to proactively investigate systemic problems, rather than simply reacting to scandals as they emerge, such as the housing issues we have heard so much about today. By holding decision-makers accountable, the commissioner will drive improvements that make military life more attractive to current personnel and potential recruits.

Make no mistake: the passing of this Bill and the creation of this role will and should make the lives of decision-makers more difficult, as they are rightly challenged at every turn to do better by our armed forces. That proactive approach will enhance trust and transparency, creating a real sense that service members’ concerns are heard and acted upon. The Armed Forces Commissioner will provide a direct point of contact for personnel and their families, ensuring that their voices shape the future of military life.

The Bill is part of a broader effort by the Government to honour the men and women of our armed forces, so I welcome the wraparound childcare for military families deployed overseas, which recognises the sacrifices that service families make. I welcome that after years of real-terms pay cuts, we have seen the biggest pay rise in 22 years delivered by this Labour Government. That is a critical and much-needed break from the recent past. I welcome the armed forces covenant being fully enshrined into law, ensuring that those who serve and their families are treated with fairness and respect. I speak to countless Hartlepool veterans, who have told me that far too many public services, whether GP practices, dentists, housing providers or others, pay only lip service to that covenant. That must change.

Finally, I commend the Prime Minister’s commitment to homes for heroes, an initiative to end the disgrace of veteran homelessness. Veterans must be at the front of the queue if we are to honour their service to our country. In an uncertain world, we must expand our armed forces, but we can succeed only by renewing our country’s contract with those who serve or who have served, supporting them and their families. An independent advocate for service personnel, a real-terms pay rise and tangible support for veterans are not just policies, but the patriotic foundations of a stronger, more secure future.