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Defence in the World

I was coming to that. The Secretary of State used the example of the battle of Trafalgar. However, the great thing about the battle of Trafalgar was that although we had fewer ships, they were all in the same place, where they were needed. The simple truth is that a ship, however potent it is, cannot be in more than one place at a time. As we reduce the numbers, we therefore reduce the capabilities. This is nothing new. I draw the hon. Gentleman’s attention to early-day motion 151, which has been signed by 99 Conservative Members. I am sorry that it appears not to have been signed by anyone from the other parties. It says:"““This House acknowledges that modern warships are much more powerful than their predecessors, but notes the obvious fact that the same vessel, however potent, cannot be in two places at once; deplores statements by the Government in the previous Parliament that numbers of platforms are no longer relevant””." I suspect that that addresses the point that the hon. Gentleman was making.