Monday 23rd March 2026

(1 day, 9 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Healey Portrait John Healey
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I reassure my hon. Friend, as she invites me to, that the permissions that we have given are for operations that are defensive, in the sense that they are directed only at Iranian missile capabilities that are being used to attack British interests, British allies and British shipping, including red-ensign-flagged vessels in the strait of Hormuz.

Sarah Bool Portrait Sarah Bool (South Northamptonshire) (Con)
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Much old ground has been gone over by the Secretary of State, but our service personnel live in the here and now. The defence investment plan is absolutely vital for their future, whether we are talking about operations in the field, or upgrading housing for their families—a subject that we are discussing in the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill. Given that he did not answer the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper), may I ask if “working flat out” means that the DIP will be published in days, weeks or months?

John Healey Portrait John Healey
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“Working flat out” means working flat out, and we are working flat out to finalise the defence investment plan.