To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what allowances his Department provides to new entrant officers in each of the services for (a) No. 2 Dress Uniform and (b) Dress Kit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what allowances his Department provides to new entrant officers in each of the services for (a) No. 2 Dress Uniform and (b) Dress Kit.

(2) what the cost to his Department was of (a) dress and (b) military uniform in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(2) what the cost to his Department was of (a) dress and (b) military uniform in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what discussions he has had with military tailors about the cost of dress uniforms for officers;

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what discussions he has had with military tailors about the cost of dress uniforms for officers;

I am listening carefully to the complicated argument that the hon. Lady is advancing, and I am little puzzled by it. Is she seriously saying that rather than ask the private sector to produce a variety of equipment of one sort or another and then seek to sell it to...

I am listening carefully to the complicated argument that the hon. Lady is advancing, and I am little puzzled by it. Is she seriously saying that rather than ask the private sector to produce a variety of equipment of one sort or another and then seek to sell it to...

It is often said and the Government always deny it, but it is impossible to imagine us firing Trident without approval from the United States. No doubt there are some areas where our national interest is so absolutely central that we could not possibly let it go. My hon. Friend...

It is often said and the Government always deny it, but it is impossible to imagine us firing Trident without approval from the United States. No doubt there are some areas where our national interest is so absolutely central that we could not possibly let it go. My hon. Friend...

I was about to come on to two caveats to that general approach to life. The first involves those things that are so secret or so peculiar to British sovereignty that it would be quite wrong if we allowed any ally, even one as close as the United States, to...

I was about to come on to two caveats to that general approach to life. The first involves those things that are so secret or so peculiar to British sovereignty that it would be quite wrong if we allowed any ally, even one as close as the United States, to...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. He has now had the opportunity to make it twice, and the Chorley Gazette will no doubt be the beneficiary of the press release. He makes a very good point—[Interruption.]—and I am just about to agree with him, if he will give me...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. He has now had the opportunity to make it twice, and the Chorley Gazette will no doubt be the beneficiary of the press release. He makes a very good point—[Interruption.]—and I am just about to agree with him, if he will give me...

I rise with some trepidation at the end of a long and well-informed debate, typified by the contribution of my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Wallace), who speaks with a level of knowledge, understanding and wisdom on defence matters that is hardly paralleled across the House....

I rise with some trepidation at the end of a long and well-informed debate, typified by the contribution of my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Wallace), who speaks with a level of knowledge, understanding and wisdom on defence matters that is hardly paralleled across the House....

The hon. Gentleman is speaking from the Liberal Democrat Front Bench, and I am a little bit not up to date on Liberal Democrat policy. Given what he says from the Front Bench, when a Liberal Democrat Government are elected in 2010, will his party’s new great leader be committed...

The hon. Gentleman is speaking from the Liberal Democrat Front Bench, and I am a little bit not up to date on Liberal Democrat policy. Given what he says from the Front Bench, when a Liberal Democrat Government are elected in 2010, will his party’s new great leader be committed...

So do we all.

So do we all.

My hon. Friend is making an absolutely central point. It is interesting that the Government have not so far said how the replacement for Trident will be funded. The Minister—who is not listening—might like to intervene on him to let us know precisely what plans they have to fund it....

My hon. Friend is making an absolutely central point. It is interesting that the Government have not so far said how the replacement for Trident will be funded. The Minister—who is not listening—might like to intervene on him to let us know precisely what plans they have to fund it....

It has failed.

It has failed.

Leaving aside for a moment those magnificent procurement triumphs the Eurofighter and the A400M, can the hon. Gentleman name one trans-European co-operation in defence procurement that has gone well?

Leaving aside for a moment those magnificent procurement triumphs the Eurofighter and the A400M, can the hon. Gentleman name one trans-European co-operation in defence procurement that has gone well?

Name one.

Name one.

The Minister’s explanation of why UORs are important would be absolutely right if they were, indeed, simply a way of providing our troops with the equipment they need at times of war such as now, but is there not a problem with UORs in that the Treasury has capped the...

The Minister’s explanation of why UORs are important would be absolutely right if they were, indeed, simply a way of providing our troops with the equipment they need at times of war such as now, but is there not a problem with UORs in that the Treasury has capped the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) camp beds and (b) NBC suits and respirators were used during Telic 1; and what shortfalls there were; how much body-armour was issued during Telic 1; and what shortfall there was. - Including table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) camp beds and (b) NBC suits and respirators were used during Telic 1; and what shortfalls there were; how much body-armour was issued during Telic 1; and what shortfall there was. - Including table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th November, Official Report, 395 c473W on the combat assault boot, which company manufactures the combat assault boot and where they are based; how many soldiers are issued with the combat assault boot; how many pairs are...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th November, Official Report, 395 c473W on the combat assault boot, which company manufactures the combat assault boot and where they are based; how many soldiers are issued with the combat assault boot; how many pairs are...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd December, Official Report, 395 c473W, what steps he has taken to discover whether individual soldiers have failed to be issued with the combat assault boot because of recent production difficulties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd December, Official Report, 395 c473W, what steps he has taken to discover whether individual soldiers have failed to be issued with the combat assault boot because of recent production difficulties.