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Defence Policy

No, I have not said that; I want to make that clear to the hon. Gentleman and the House. The SDR continues to inform our thinking; our future procurement strategies are designed around the analysis contained in it. An equipment examination is under way—as the hon. Gentleman, who is a distinguished Member of this House and of the Defence Committee, will know—but we have not made any decision not to proceed with any major procurement. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving me the opportunity to make that clear. Let me say a few words about each of the three important areas of interest. Our first objective—to achieve success on current military operations—is the most critical responsibility that my Department has to discharge. I have recently returned from visiting Afghanistan and Iraq. Along with many Members, I witnessed the professionalism and courage of our armed forces as they undertook their missions in what are challenging and very tough conditions. Like everyone else who has visited those theatres, I have returned impressed by the strength and common purpose of the UK's military-civilian effort in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and particularly in Helmand. It is testament to the widespread belief that sustained progress in Afghanistan will depend on security and governance combined—as, in fact, is the case in every modern conflict. I am glad to be able to report to the House that morale among our troops is strong and high. There is a deep sense of duty and commitment to the mission. I am also clear about the primary purpose of that mission: protecting the British people here at home. The passage of time and the complexity of modern counter-insurgency campaigns can sometimes combine to obscure the simple and unambiguous reason for our intervention in Afghanistan. Those who question the mission in Afghanistan need to be clear about the alternatives. This is not a discretionary campaign. The return of the Taliban and al-Qaeda to power in Afghanistan to re-create a safe haven for international terrorism would constitute a disaster for the international community, and it would represent a clear and present danger to the security of the UK. For those reasons, we cannot allow that to happen.