Defence Spending and Resilience

Baroness Teather Excerpts

Monday 2nd November 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

No, I cannot confirm that. But I can confirm, as the noble Baroness knows and understands, that between Committee and Report I spent a significant amount of time talking to various bodies and Peers about the reorganisation that the Government are proposing and, alongside that, the protection of many of the things that the House raised, such as: regional representation on the national body; the role of lords-lieutenant and others being in the Bill; voting rights for the regional representatives on the new national body; making sure there are significant numbers of them on the national panel; and ensuring that three or so members from England will be on that body, and also from each of the devolved Administrations. I was asked time and again, “Could there be a representative from Scotland? Could there be a representative from Northern Ireland? Could there be a representative from Wales?” To each of those I voted yes. Although I cannot answer in the affirmative to the noble Baroness’s question, she will understand that I spent hours trying to get into in the Bill many of the things that she and others demanded to protect many things that noble Lords regard as important under the current structure.

[Baroness Teather (LD)]

My Lords, what practical steps do the Government intend to take to invest in supporting stronger local community bonds? Individualism and individual prepping will not really support local resilience. As we learned from Covid, those stronger community bonds will enable the most vulnerable people to be reached.

[Lord Coaker (Lab)]

I have been talking to the local resilience forums in England and to the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland about the importance of involving local organisations. I also think—it is probably right to mention this now—that the involvement of the cadets, reserves and many other emergency and voluntary organisations in Remembrance Sunday is not only a perfect example of honouring those who have served and fallen in the past and who serve today but reminds us of the important bond that exists between the Armed Forces and the emergency services and local communities. It is crucial to our nation to ensure that that bond operates not just on Remembrance Sunday but throughout the year.