Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Maria Eagle Excerpts
Monday 11th September 2023

(1 year, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Maria Eagle Portrait Maria Eagle (Garston and Halewood) (Lab)
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Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

The Government have wasted £15 billion through the mismanagement of defence procurement, while failing to deliver vital equipment and overseeing the loss of 30,000 highly skilled jobs in the defence and aerospace industry since 2010. Does the Minister accept that preventing another 13 years of Tory failure is key to increasing the number of UK-based jobs in the defence sector, backing British industry and British military resilience?

James Cartlidge Portrait James Cartlidge
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I welcome the right hon. Lady to her new position as my ministerial shadow. We are very proud of our record, because in the past year or so we have been faced with a war on our doorstep in Europe, and procurement has risen to the occasion. Defence Equipment and Support in Abbey Wood has delivered kit to Ukraine in record speed. We have seen the acquisition of equipment such as the Archer on a quick basis, to fit our requirements. I absolutely confirm that we are committed to maximising the number of jobs that come from our procurement, while balancing that with the need to give our armed forces the best possible capability.