Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Wayne David Excerpts
Monday 23rd October 2017

(7 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Michael Fallon Portrait Sir Michael Fallon
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We recruit, train and employ more than 55,000 engineers. We will work as a partner with the Department for Transport on its Year of Engineering 2018 initiative. Each of the single services will play a role in promoting that initiative through science, technology, engineering and maths outreach, helping to deliver a bright future for engineering in the United Kingdom.

Wayne David Portrait Wayne David (Caerphilly) (Lab)
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Given the announcement of nearly 2,000 job losses at BAE Systems, will the Government bring forward their order for new Hawk aircraft for the Red Arrows to maintain industrial capacity?

Harriett Baldwin Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Harriett Baldwin)
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May I use this opportunity to put on record what a wonderful job the Red Arrows do for the UK around the world? I congratulate them on the successful 11-country tour from which they have just returned. The hon. Gentleman will know that the Hawk is an important training aircraft for the RAF. We have 75 of them and expect them to last until 2030. We are pursuing a range of export opportunities around the world.