Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Olney Excerpts

Monday 19th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

3. What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing levels of defence co-operation with the EU.

[The Minister for the Armed Forces (Louise Sandher-Jones)]

At a time when Europe faces the most dangerous security environment since the cold war, defence co-operation is key. The UK-EU security and defence partnership agreed in May last year is delivering on that. Together, we are co-ordinating support for Ukraine, tackling hybrid threats, strengthening sanctions on Russia and enabling systematic UK-EU co-operation on global crises.

[Sarah Olney]

The Government have been clear that NATO faces the genuine prospect of conflict with Russia before the end of the decade, and our industrial bases across the alliance are critical to ensuring that we deter this threat. Therefore, we must ensure that our world-leading UK defence companies can support our European NATO allies in rearming to counter Russian aggression. That must include formal co-operation with the European Defence Agency as well as involvement in the European competitiveness fund. What further progress has the Secretary of State made with our European partners to deepen our co-operation on defence industrial readiness?

[Louise Sandher-Jones]

As the hon. Lady will be aware, we co-operate across a number of measures via the EU, through NATO, and through bilateral agreements such as Lunna House with Norway and Trinity House with Germany. As well as that, we have the security and defence partnership, and we will continue to work through that on the opportunities that she described.

Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Olney Excerpts

Monday 5th July 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Wallace]

I would say two things. First, my right hon. Friend, as I said earlier, has the means of his own salvation. He chairs the Select Committee, and if the Select Committee wishes to have an inquiry, I will be happy to make sure the Department services it.

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

  In my constituency, a significant risk of homelessness comes with having served in the armed forces and suffered trauma during that time. A lot of the rough sleepers in my constituency are former members of the armed forces. With the eviction moratorium now ending, what further steps will the Ministry of Defence be taking to help those who have previously served who are now at risk of losing their homes?

[Mr Wallace]

First, I would not like the hon. Lady to strengthen the wrong perception that a greater number of our armed forces personnel are rough-sleeping or a greater number suffer certain things; the numbers nearly always either reflect the national trend in wider society or, indeed, in some cases are significant lower. There are plenty of schemes that we encourage and support to get behind our veterans and get them back into work, and we are also working with a range of non-governmental organisations. Of course, I would be very happy to meet her to discuss issues in her own constituency and what more can be done to make sure that, if they are rough sleepers, veterans get the best support they can.