Mindanao Earthquake

Lord Bellingham Excerpts

Wednesday 10th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[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.

[Lord Bellingham (Con)]

My Lords, further to the question asked by my noble friend Lord Effingham, it is not just a question of residents not wanting to go to hospitals because of fear of them collapsing. Many hospitals have been badly damaged, so people are being treated, as my noble friend said, in makeshift facilities. Can I push the Minister a bit further? We have a lot of expertise in this area, so what specific medical aid are HMG looking at and thinking of?