Russian Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure

Lord Howell of Guildford Excerpts

Monday 8th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I could not agree more with the noble Baroness; the incursions we have seen into Romania are exactly as she describes. I pay tribute to her and all others involved in the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. I took part, with the Royal Navy, and it is immensely helpful—it is one of the best things you can do as a parliamentarian who wishes to understand better how our foreign policy and defence work together.

[Lord Howell of Guildford (Con)]

My Lords, given the completely new structure and formation of the modern battlefield and the way war is being conducted, which is changing very quickly indeed, does the Minister or her colleague, the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, who was answering questions earlier—excellently—on defence and warfare, think that we have the right departmental structure of our own Government to meet the totally changed condition of war and its holistic nature, where every aspect of public policy needs attending to, and is our present ministerial committee system really good enough to meet this completely new challenge? I do not think so.