To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to ensure that NHS boards in Scotland are (a) aware of and (b) implementing their responsibilities in respect of the treatment of armed services personnel and veterans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to ensure that NHS boards in Scotland are (a) aware of and (b) implementing their responsibilities in respect of the treatment of armed services personnel and veterans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what areas of land in Scotland were sold by his Department in each of the last five years; what the use was of each area prior to sale; what revenue was received for each area of land; and if he will make...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what areas of land in Scotland were sold by his Department in each of the last five years; what the use was of each area prior to sale; what revenue was received for each area of land; and if he will make...

I am coming to the subject of vehicles, and I am sure that the hon. Lady will want to intervene then. Nowhere is providing equipment for force protection more important than on the front line. Since the start of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have approved more than...

I am coming to the subject of vehicles, and I am sure that the hon. Lady will want to intervene then. Nowhere is providing equipment for force protection more important than on the front line. Since the start of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have approved more than...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way again?

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way again?

Later in my speech, I shall talk about the vehicles that we use. The hon. Lady is right to say that Mastiff is held in high regard by the people out in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it is not always the vehicle for the job. I am sure that she...

Later in my speech, I shall talk about the vehicles that we use. The hon. Lady is right to say that Mastiff is held in high regard by the people out in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it is not always the vehicle for the job. I am sure that she...

The Minister will know that yesterday I welcomed the extra Mastiffs, which are extremely popular vehicles. If someone is on patrol, they would rather go out in one of those than in anything else. Now that that announcement has been made, when will the order be placed, what is the...

The Minister will know that yesterday I welcomed the extra Mastiffs, which are extremely popular vehicles. If someone is on patrol, they would rather go out in one of those than in anything else. Now that that announcement has been made, when will the order be placed, what is the...

May I make some progress, having giving way a few times? Effective procurement needs strong front-line input, and I am pleased that military personnel, including those with recent operational experience, have a strong say in decisions on future and in-service equipment at all levels. We must listen to people who...

May I make some progress, having giving way a few times? Effective procurement needs strong front-line input, and I am pleased that military personnel, including those with recent operational experience, have a strong say in decisions on future and in-service equipment at all levels. We must listen to people who...

We are still working on the proposals, as the hon. Gentleman knows, and I hope that we can confirm exactly where we are with Future Lynx and the progress that has been made. I will keep the House informed about that over the coming months.

We are still working on the proposals, as the hon. Gentleman knows, and I hope that we can confirm exactly where we are with Future Lynx and the progress that has been made. I will keep the House informed about that over the coming months.

I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way. Although I have expressed support for the capital investment and for paying the troops fighting the causes in Iraq and Afghanistan, with reference to the estimates published in spring and winter, does he consider that there is proper parliamentary scrutiny of...

I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way. Although I have expressed support for the capital investment and for paying the troops fighting the causes in Iraq and Afghanistan, with reference to the estimates published in spring and winter, does he consider that there is proper parliamentary scrutiny of...

I shall give way again in a while, but may I make a little more progress? Much of the force protection equipment has been acquired through the urgent operational requirement—the UOR—process. This provides equipment to meet new and emerging threats, and for the particular environmental conditions of an operational theatre....

I shall give way again in a while, but may I make a little more progress? Much of the force protection equipment has been acquired through the urgent operational requirement—the UOR—process. This provides equipment to meet new and emerging threats, and for the particular environmental conditions of an operational theatre....

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

What discussions has the Minister had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about increasing from just 3 per cent. the amount of British lamb that our forces are allowed to eat? Is he not aware that lamb prices are at rock bottom because of Government policy on...

What discussions has the Minister had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about increasing from just 3 per cent. the amount of British lamb that our forces are allowed to eat? Is he not aware that lamb prices are at rock bottom because of Government policy on...

I will give way in a moment, perhaps even to my hon. Friend. I have seen the effect that the strategy has had further down the supply network. NP Aerospace in my constituency in Coventry puts together the Mastiff-protected vehicle and supplies life-saving body armour for our troops. We ask...

I will give way in a moment, perhaps even to my hon. Friend. I have seen the effect that the strategy has had further down the supply network. NP Aerospace in my constituency in Coventry puts together the Mastiff-protected vehicle and supplies life-saving body armour for our troops. We ask...

The hon. Gentleman raises a fair point. I have not looked into that—there were one or two other things going on over the summer—but I will do so. I will talk about it and see whether we ought to address that point.

The hon. Gentleman raises a fair point. I have not looked into that—there were one or two other things going on over the summer—but I will do so. I will talk about it and see whether we ought to address that point.

I have waited four years and five minutes to intervene on the Minister, and I thank him for giving way. May I say how grateful my constituency and I are for the award of the aircraft carrier some months ago? However, I want him to clarify what exactly he has...

I have waited four years and five minutes to intervene on the Minister, and I thank him for giving way. May I say how grateful my constituency and I are for the award of the aircraft carrier some months ago? However, I want him to clarify what exactly he has...

I give way to my hon. Friend.

I give way to my hon. Friend.

My right hon. Friend is generous in accepting so many interventions early in his speech. I thank him for his commitment on the two aircraft carriers. We must thank the Government for that commitment, as it involves a huge amount of money, and it protects many yards. However, will he...

My right hon. Friend is generous in accepting so many interventions early in his speech. I thank him for his commitment on the two aircraft carriers. We must thank the Government for that commitment, as it involves a huge amount of money, and it protects many yards. However, will he...

My hon. Friend knows that he and I have had one or two conversations over the past four years, even if they have not taken place at the Dispatch Box. I have tried to do him many favours, but he has never really appreciated what I have tried to do...

My hon. Friend knows that he and I have had one or two conversations over the past four years, even if they have not taken place at the Dispatch Box. I have tried to do him many favours, but he has never really appreciated what I have tried to do...

As the Minister appears to be soliciting thanks from some of us, may I thank him and Lord Drayson, who has ministerial responsibility for procurement, for coming to Yeovil a year ago and signing the first partnering agreement for the Future Lynx helicopter? Will he confirm that Future Lynx and...

As the Minister appears to be soliciting thanks from some of us, may I thank him and Lord Drayson, who has ministerial responsibility for procurement, for coming to Yeovil a year ago and signing the first partnering agreement for the Future Lynx helicopter? Will he confirm that Future Lynx and...

The aim of the defence industrial strategy is to look not only at the needs of our people but at the capability of our industry, and to do so strategically. I do not think that my hon. Friend need have any doubts about our desire to do exactly what he...

The aim of the defence industrial strategy is to look not only at the needs of our people but at the capability of our industry, and to do so strategically. I do not think that my hon. Friend need have any doubts about our desire to do exactly what he...