Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Steve Rotheram and Michael Fallon

Monday 20th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Steve Rotheram (Liverpool, Walton) (Lab)]

2. What progress his Department has made on the next strategic defence and security review; and if he will make a statement.

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon)]

The next strategic defence and security review will be conducted next year by my Department, the Cabinet Office, the Foreign Office, the Home Office and others. Until then, our priority remains delivery on the 2010 review, which gave us a balanced and affordable budget and maintained our armed forces’ reputation while modernising force structure and capabilities.

[Steve Rotheram]

Is the Defence Secretary as concerned as Labour Members about the possibility that by 2020 there will be more seats in Wembley stadium than British soldiers in the Regular Army?

[Michael Fallon]

No. The 2010 review rightly identified the need for agile and flexible forces, and set out the numbers. It is too early to prejudge the review that will be conducted next year, but I am sure that the House will want to salute the achievement of our armed forces in so many difficult parts of the world.

EU Funding (Rotherham and Barnsley)

Debate between Steve Rotheram and Michael Fallon

Monday 1st July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Michael Fallon]

I certainly was not, Mr Speaker. I just wanted to make it absolutely clear that in each of the past three years the allocation has been €20 million and for each of the next seven years it will be €23 million. I cannot call that a cut, and if other colleagues can, I am extremely puzzled.

[Steve Rotheram]

I thank the Minister for giving way, but I thought the preamble to his speech seemed like it had been written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn; it was certainly like something out of “Yes Minister”. He spoke earlier about fairness and criticised my hon. Friend the Member for St Helens North (Mr Watts) for the comparison he made. If Cheshire is getting more than Merseyside, can the Minister explain the rationale for that?

[Michael Fallon]

Let me be clear: overall, Cheshire is not getting more than Merseyside. The issue for Merseyside is very simple, as it is for South Yorkshire. I cannot justify to the House why either South Yorkshire or Merseyside should get more than the Tees Valley, Durham or Lincolnshire, which are poorer regions.