My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Bob Ainsworth) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The House will know that the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force has expanded substantially over the course of the last year and is continuing to grow in size. Air operations in...

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Bob Ainsworth) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The House will know that the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force has expanded substantially over the course of the last year and is continuing to grow in size. Air operations in...

My honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Bill Rammell) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The House will be aware from my previous Statement on 22 October that the UK-Iraq agreement was approved by the Iraqi Council of Representatives last month. The Iraqi Presidency Council...

My honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Bill Rammell) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The House will be aware from my previous Statement on 22 October that the UK-Iraq agreement was approved by the Iraqi Council of Representatives last month. The Iraqi Presidency Council...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Kevan Jones) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. As part of the announcement of normalisation made by the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 1 August 2005, the Government undertook to reduce the number of military bases...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Kevan Jones) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. As part of the announcement of normalisation made by the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 1 August 2005, the Government undertook to reduce the number of military bases...

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Bob Ainsworth) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. In my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 July announcing the appointment of a Defence Advisory Forum, I undertook to inform the House of the membership of the forum once this was...

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Bob Ainsworth) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. In my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 July announcing the appointment of a Defence Advisory Forum, I undertook to inform the House of the membership of the forum once this was...

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State Defence (Bob Ainsworth) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. UK forces in Afghanistan form part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and contribute to the efforts of the international community to assist the Government of Afghanistan to expand security...

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State Defence (Bob Ainsworth) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. UK forces in Afghanistan form part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and contribute to the efforts of the international community to assist the Government of Afghanistan to expand security...

I am coming on to answer the noble Lord’s point. The noble Earl, Lord Onslow, the noble Lords, Lord Freeman and Lord Astor, and the noble Baroness, Lady Park, have all raised serious concerns relating to combat stress and, in particular, suicide of former members of our Armed Forces. I...

I am coming on to answer the noble Lord’s point. The noble Earl, Lord Onslow, the noble Lords, Lord Freeman and Lord Astor, and the noble Baroness, Lady Park, have all raised serious concerns relating to combat stress and, in particular, suicide of former members of our Armed Forces. I...

I think that my noble friend is alluding to the point that several military commanders—this includes the Chief of the Defence Staff—while saying that we can never have enough helicopters, have also said that helicopters are not a panacea. I go back to the central point of my opening speech....

I think that my noble friend is alluding to the point that several military commanders—this includes the Chief of the Defence Staff—while saying that we can never have enough helicopters, have also said that helicopters are not a panacea. I go back to the central point of my opening speech....

My Lords, I will certainly write to noble Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord King, requests. I will make a further short point. It is important to recognise that the United States military has a different view of the method of operations using helicopters. It has a concept of air...

My Lords, I will certainly write to noble Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord King, requests. I will make a further short point. It is important to recognise that the United States military has a different view of the method of operations using helicopters. It has a concept of air...

That this House takes note of matters relating to Her Majesty's Armed Forces and of future defence policy.

That this House takes note of matters relating to Her Majesty's Armed Forces and of future defence policy.

My Lords, we have heard many thoughtful and wise contributions in the House today. I truly expected nothing less, given the expertise on defence that there is in the House. I will be taking noble Lords’ ideas and recommendations back with me to the Ministry of Defence, and I will...

My Lords, we have heard many thoughtful and wise contributions in the House today. I truly expected nothing less, given the expertise on defence that there is in the House. I will be taking noble Lords’ ideas and recommendations back with me to the Ministry of Defence, and I will...

Having been on the receiving end of a leak earlier this week, I know exactly what the noble Earl means, but it is important that the general public and this House are aware of exactly what the Prime Minister said. I turn to the impact of funding on safety. A...

Having been on the receiving end of a leak earlier this week, I know exactly what the noble Earl means, but it is important that the general public and this House are aware of exactly what the Prime Minister said. I turn to the impact of funding on safety. A...

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for making that point and for the opportunity to confirm the importance of the matter that she raised.

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for making that point and for the opportunity to confirm the importance of the matter that she raised.

I will write to the noble and gallant Lord with an answer to that question. Motion agreed.

I will write to the noble and gallant Lord with an answer to that question. Motion agreed.

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Hodgson, asked a specific question relating to pilots. I can confirm that the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy are recruiting and training sufficient personnel to maintain the level of helicopter pilots for the Chinook fleet as required by the helicopter pilots’ school....

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Hodgson, asked a specific question relating to pilots. I can confirm that the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy are recruiting and training sufficient personnel to maintain the level of helicopter pilots for the Chinook fleet as required by the helicopter pilots’ school....

My Lords, I understand the point that the noble and gallant Lord makes. However, I did not quote a figure relating to helicopter hours. It is important for the House to recognise the progress that has been made; but at the same time, it is not right for a Minister...

My Lords, I understand the point that the noble and gallant Lord makes. However, I did not quote a figure relating to helicopter hours. It is important for the House to recognise the progress that has been made; but at the same time, it is not right for a Minister...

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to open this debate, but, first, I am sure that noble Lords will join me in offering sincere condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of Warrant Officer Darren Chant, Sergeant Matthew Telford, and Guardsman James Major of the Grenadier Guards, and...

My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity to open this debate, but, first, I am sure that noble Lords will join me in offering sincere condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of Warrant Officer Darren Chant, Sergeant Matthew Telford, and Guardsman James Major of the Grenadier Guards, and...

Lords debate on motion to take note of matters relating to Her Majesty's Armed Forces and of future defence policy.

Lords debate on motion to take note of matters relating to Her Majesty's Armed Forces and of future defence policy.

Lords statement on the Defence Acquisition Independent Review.

Lords statement on the Defence Acquisition Independent Review.

My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat a Statement made in another place by my right honourable friend the Defence Secretary. The Statement is as follows: "With permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a Statement on defence acquisition. In December 2008, my predecessor asked...

My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat a Statement made in another place by my right honourable friend the Defence Secretary. The Statement is as follows: "With permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a Statement on defence acquisition. In December 2008, my predecessor asked...

I begin by saying how much I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Astor, when he states that our Armed Forces surely deserve the best equipment and that the taxpayer deserves the best value for money. They absolutely do. In response to the point from the noble Lord, Lord Lee,...

I begin by saying how much I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Astor, when he states that our Armed Forces surely deserve the best equipment and that the taxpayer deserves the best value for money. They absolutely do. In response to the point from the noble Lord, Lord Lee,...