Oral Answers to Questions

Naushabah Khan Excerpts

Wednesday 11th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Naushabah Khan (Gillingham and Rainham) (Lab)]

3. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Government’s increased defence spending on Wales.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Dame Nia Griffith)]

In the spring statement, the Chancellor announced a £2.2 billion increase to the defence budget for 2025-26. That will help grow the Welsh economy and our thriving defence sector in Wales, which is home to more than 7,000 jobs, supported by the Ministry of Defence and major companies such as QinetiQ, BAE Systems, Airbus, General Dynamics and Thales. As part of the strategic defence review, a £100 million boost was announced for the repair and renewal of military homes in Wales, benefiting hundreds of service families.

[Dame Nia Griffith]

I warmly welcome the £100 million boost for military homes in Wales—part of the £7 billion spend to tackle the state of armed forces accommodation in this Parliament. That will support urgent repairs, such as fixing boilers and roofs and tackling damp and mould, and facilitate the long-term renewal of military housing for hundreds of service families across Wales. That follows our action to bring 36,000 homes on the defence estate, including more than 700 in Wales, back into public ownership.

[Naushabah Khan]

The strategic defence review will make Wales and the rest of the UK safer at home and stronger abroad, just as it will my constituency of Gillingham and Rainham. Does the Minister agree that the SDR is further proof that only Labour can be trusted to protect our Union, while Opposition Members wring their hands, wish they did more when they were in power, or look for ways to make apologies for foreign aggression?

[Dame Nia Griffith]

I agree with my hon. Friend. The Conservatives failed to deliver a plan for our defence industry, and left our homes for heroes in poor condition; and while Plaid Cymru plots to leave NATO, and Reform cosies up to Putin, Labour invests in our military, our security and our veterans.