Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Dugher and Peter Luff

Monday 4th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Peter Luff]

Speaking as someone from Worcestershire, where QinetiQ also has a very large presence, I absolutely understand what my hon. Friend is saying. It certainly would not be difficult to do a better job than the last lot did.

[Michael Dugher (Barnsley East) (Lab)]

The Government promised a White Paper on defence procurement in the spring of this year, but it still has not appeared. They are continuing to take major decisions on procurement and the process of procurement in the MOD before they have set out any strategy on the industrial base. Will the Minister tell the House exactly why the White Paper has not yet been published? Is his definition of “spring” the time of year when the clocks go back and the leaves come off the trees?

[Peter Luff]

I am delighted to be able to tell the hon. Gentleman that I can give him an answer to that question. We have delayed publication because of the large number of defence-related reviews that the MOD is conducting at present, including the Levene review, the reserves review and the basing review. These will all lead naturally to the defence equipment and support White Paper, which will be published later this year. The Yellow Book review on non-competitive contracts will be released at the same time, not in July as originally intended, because the two documents will naturally sit together.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Dugher and Peter Luff

Monday 16th May 2011 Commons Chamber

[Peter Luff]

My right hon. Friend will not be surprised to hear that I could not agree more. I can confirm what I have said to him in the past: the budget for science and technology will increase in cash terms over the comprehensive spending review period. However, I share his enthusiasm about ensuring that we maintain future capabilities as well. It is very important that the science budget is not simply focused on current operations. It must be forward looking, too, to ensure that we have the capabilities that we need.

[Michael Dugher (Barnsley East) (Lab)]

The Minister will be aware that there is considerable concern that the Government might be planning to announce an extremely limited definition of what constitutes sovereign capability in their forthcoming White Paper, meaning that in many important sectors the Government will retreat to their default position and, to quote the Government’s Green Paper,

“to buy off-the-shelf where we can”.

Will the Minister assure the House that the White Paper will be an opportunity to set a clear strategy to use defence procurement to support our manufacturing base, in particular the intellectual property here in the United Kingdom, thus recognising the contribution that defence makes to the wider economy?

[Peter Luff]

I cannot give the hon. Gentleman that specific assurance. Defence money is for defence purposes, but I share his enthusiasm for the defence industrial base. I understand exactly what he says. We will be scrupulously honest with the British people and UK defence companies. I am afraid that although the previous defence industrial strategy was immensely popular, it did not have the money to match its promises. We will deliver what we promise.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Dugher and Peter Luff

Monday 14th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Peter Luff]

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of protecting skills in the fixed-wing sector in general. I cannot give him that update at present, but good work is proceeding in this area and there are some very interesting things that I hope to report to the House in the relatively near future.

[Michael Dugher (Barnsley East) (Lab)]

At last week’s consultation conference on the Government’s Green Paper, which was hosted by the Minister, Mr Neil Stansfield, the head of security and counter-terrorism, science and technology at the Home Office, warned the Government of the dangers of taking equipment “capability holidays”, and argued that it is not possible to dip in and dip out. In light of that, do the Government think that it is wise to take a nine-year capability holiday in carrier strike, a decision that the noble Lord Ashdown described at the weekend as “illogical”?

[Peter Luff]

They just don’t get it, do they? We do not wish to have that capability gap, but were forced to take additional risks in the defence budget because of the mess we inherited from the Labour party. I regret that and do not welcome it, but it is a risk that we have to take.