Lord Jopling
Main Page: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Jopling's debates with the Ministry of Defence
(12 years ago)
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Lord Astor of Hever
My Lords, there are no rifts and there is no hidden agenda. We said that we would review our membership after two years. We will then provide an Explanatory Memorandum and notify both Houses in the normal way as soon as possible. I am aware of the benefits that the EDA has delivered, but we need to review the full benefits and improvement goals that it has set for itself. In an age of financial austerity, we must ensure that every pound of taxpayers’ money counts for defence.
Lord Jopling
My Lords, did the Minister see the recent report of the same sub-committee which the noble Lord just referred to? The committee’s report said that given that the EDA,
“is deemed to be well directed under its current management, it should be given the proper tools and commitment to do a proper job. The UK and France should take the lead”.
Will the Government take that opinion into account in coming to a decision?
Lord Astor of Hever
My Lords, I have read the report of Sub-Committee C and, as I said in my reply, we will take this into account in the review.