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My Lords, I too welcome my noble friend back to her rightful position. She talked about people working hard to save for their pensions. They include pensioners who worked at Nissan in the north-east. Many now find themselves in very dire straits, because for those who accumulated in a pension scheme before 1997, the pension trustees and company are no longer increasing it along with inflation, so those pensioners are now finding the value of their pensions diminishing. Is this something that the Government could look at?
My Lords, I too welcome my noble friend back to her rightful position. She talked about people working hard to save for their pensions. They include pensioners who worked at Nissan in the north-east. Many now find themselves in very dire straits, because for those who accumulated in a pension scheme before 1997, the pension trustees and company are no longer increasing it along with inflation, so those pensioners are now finding the value of their pensions diminishing. Is this something that the Government could look at?
I am grateful—I will never be so appreciated ever again, so I am really going to enjoy this session. My noble friend raises an important point. In a sense, it is up to individual schemes what their rules are for indexing their pensions. The minimum legal requirements for indexation have to be appropriate for all DB pension schemes, because they have to strike a balance between what members need and what the employer can afford. In the end, as he will know, the strongest guarantee is a good, strong sponsoring employer. However, there are two things that may help. One is, as he may be aware from the Bill, that the Government have changed the rules to allow a wider range of well-funded schemes to release any surplus that is there, with the agreement of trustees, which could be used to go towards paying for indexation, for example, if affordable and appropriate. At the other end of the scheme, the Government took action in that Bill to look at giving indexation to those who end up in the PPF or FAS for benefits earned before 1997. That will at least help.
My Lords, local shoots are important to many local rural economies. I would be interested to know the view of my noble friend the Minister on the position that National England takes in doing economic impact studies on the effects of its policies on local farming communities.
My Lords, local shoots are important to many local rural economies. I would be interested to know the view of my noble friend the Minister on the position that National England takes in doing economic impact studies on the effects of its policies on local farming communities.
I am not aware of the specific policies to which my noble friend refers, because there are lots of different areas where Natural England is involved. If we are talking about shooting
licences, which is where this started, Natural England will look at each licence on its own merits and make a decision thereon.
My Lords, I agree with my noble friend that AI is going to be transformational, but the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Houghton, raises a very important point about warfare, where it is going to be transformational and not necessarily for the good. I hear what my noble friend says about the MoD, but this will have to be approached on an international basis. We also have to recognise that some of our adversaries will not be concerned about regulation. Is that not a challenge that we should face now?
My Lords, I agree with my noble friend that AI is going to be transformational, but the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Houghton, raises a very important point about warfare, where it is going to be transformational and not necessarily for the good. I hear what my noble friend says about the MoD, but this will have to be approached on an international basis. We also have to recognise that some of our adversaries will not be concerned about regulation. Is that not a challenge that we should face now?
My noble friend is right that AI is transforming the military and defence. It is indeed incredibly important that we work internationally. Last week, the UKAC co-ordinated the most recent meeting of the International Network for Advanced AI Measurement, Evaluation and Science, where we are working together with other countries’ ACs on best practices for model evaluations, using that expertise to build tangible international consensus to mitigate AI risks.
Sir John Parker produced his report on national shipbuilding policy in 2017. It was adapted by the then Government, reviewed in 2022 and adopted by the incoming Labour Government. The Minister’s own department has made some progress towards ensuring that there is a throughput of work in UK shipyards. What more can be done to ensure that departments such as the Department for Transport, which is currently looking at providing ships for Trinity House to be put abroad, and the Home Office, which is considering putting its Border Force cutters abroad, do not use only shipyards subsidised by the national Governments in those countries that farm out sub- contracted work to the Far East?
Sir John Parker produced his report on national shipbuilding policy in 2017. It was adapted by the then Government, reviewed in 2022 and adopted by the incoming Labour Government. The Minister’s own department has made some progress towards ensuring that there is a throughput of work in UK shipyards. What more can be done to ensure that departments such as the Department for Transport, which is currently looking at providing ships for Trinity House to be put abroad, and the Home Office, which is considering putting its Border Force cutters abroad, do not use only shipyards subsidised by the national Governments in those countries that farm out sub- contracted work to the Far East?
As always, the points that my noble friend raises on these matters are incredibly important. He will know, from his vast experience and the work he does, that we must have cultural change to rebuild the British shipbuilding industry and re-establish the sovereign capability. He will know from the region he represented with distinction for many years in Parliament, and now as a Member of this House still living in that area, the importance of the north-east for shipbuilding. We must have a situation in which buying British is first choice and our shipyards are first preference for the building of our ships, including for our Navy. My noble friend also makes the point that we need other departments to consider that as fully as they can.
To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made towards implementing the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made towards implementing the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
My Lords, the Government are working hard to deliver for the UK shipbuilding sector. Since 2024, 1,000 jobs have been saved at Harland & Wolff’s yards
in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, a £10 billion frigate deal was agreed with Norway—the largest of its kind in UK history—and millions have been invested in critical infrastructure, all delivered through close collaboration between government and industry. The National Shipbuilding Office plans to publish a new shipbuilding and maritime technology action plan this year, going beyond the national shipbuilding strategy to set out our bold vision for the sector and to maximise its high-growth potential.
My Lords, a central tenet of the UK’s national shipbuilding policy is that we have a drumbeat of orders through UK shipyards, recognising that 38p of every pound put in by the taxpayer comes back directly in tax and national insurance. Can my noble friend explain why the Department for Transport is considering offshoring the replacements for Trinity House vessels and the Home Office is considering placing orders in Holland for patrol vessels? Much of that work will not be done in Europe but will be subcontracted to the Far East. Have these departments somehow not got the memo from the Treasury?
My Lords, a central tenet of the UK’s national shipbuilding policy is that we have a drumbeat of orders through UK shipyards, recognising that 38p of every pound put in by the taxpayer comes back directly in tax and national insurance. Can my noble friend explain why the Department for Transport is considering offshoring the replacements for Trinity House vessels and the Home Office is considering placing orders in Holland for patrol vessels? Much of that work will not be done in Europe but will be subcontracted to the Far East. Have these departments somehow not got the memo from the Treasury?
My Lords, I am sure that every memo sent by my department will be actively read by every other department. On shipbuilding, the noble Lord is absolutely right—when we were Members of the other place, I sat with the noble Lord through many debates on exactly this issue. On the immediate action that we are taking, we have created the pathfinder sector through the national security exemption in the Procurement Act. The MoD is one of those departments, and we have put a commercial lead in place specifically to look at shipbuilding. I would expect that sector lead to work across government departments to deliver in the way that my noble friend discussed.
To ask His Majesty's Government what role the Treasury has taken in the procurement of vessels for Trinity House.
To ask His Majesty's Government what role the Treasury has taken in the procurement of vessels for Trinity House.
The procurement is being led by Trinity House, with oversight from the Department for Transport. HM Treasury’s involvement is in line with its usual role in relation to public expenditure.
My Lords, I have been talking rubbish for many years. This is not just a blight on people’s neighbourhoods but an environmental time bomb ticking away in many communities. It is also a driver of organised crime, with the money used for other nefarious activities. The last Government set up the Joint Unit for Waste Crime. My noble friend just referred to more money for the Environment Agency. Frankly, the Environment Agency is a waste of time on this. It does not have an enforcement culture, and the fact that the Joint Unit for Waste Crime has not secured any successful prosecutions so far shows that it is not working. I urge my noble friend to pull the various agencies across government together to tackle this. Without a Minister forcing this through with vigour, not just closing legislative loopholes that need to be closed but creating an effective culture of enforcement, nothing will happen.
My Lords, I have been talking rubbish for many years. This is not just a blight on people’s neighbourhoods but an environmental time bomb ticking away in many communities. It is also a driver of organised crime, with the money used for other nefarious activities. The last Government set up the Joint Unit for Waste Crime. My noble friend just referred to more money for the Environment Agency. Frankly, the Environment Agency is a waste of time on this. It does not have an enforcement culture, and the fact that the Joint Unit for Waste Crime has not secured any successful prosecutions so far shows that it is not working. I urge my noble friend to pull the various agencies across government together to tackle this. Without a Minister forcing this through with vigour, not just closing legislative loopholes that need to be closed but creating an effective culture of enforcement, nothing will happen.
To reiterate, the Environment Agency has secured prosecutions. In the three years to March 2026, there were 234 prosecutions against waste criminals, resulting in more than £2.2 million in fines, 22 immediate custodial sentences and 60 suspended sentences. We are also working with the EA to enable earlier intervention. The EA has implemented a target time of 48 hours for attendance at reported illegal waste sites assessed as potentially significant and is expanding its use of restriction notices. We are taking this very seriously and we are working directly with the Environment Agency to make sure that it does what it needs to be doing.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the number of civil servants employed in the Lords' Minister's office in the Ministry of Defence; and what are their grades.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the number of civil servants employed in the Lords' Minister's office in the Ministry of Defence; and what are their grades.
There are currently four civil servants working in the Minister of State for Defence in the House of Lords private office: one Grade 7, two Senior Executive Officers and one Higher Executive Officer.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants are employed within the parliamentary branch of the Ministry of Defence.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants are employed within the parliamentary branch of the Ministry of Defence.
There are currently 11 staff employed in the parliamentary branch of the Ministry of Defence.
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 4 June (HL311), what assessment they have made of the number of jobs that will be secured in Scotland and north-east England under Programme Euston.
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 4 June (HL311), what assessment they have made of the number of jobs that will be secured in Scotland and north-east England under Programme Euston.
Programme Euston will be one of the most significant and sustained Government investments in Scotland over the coming decades. Employment and training in the local area will rise and the investment will drive regional economic skills and social/environmental benefits further afield.
The commercial approach for the delivery of the dock and shoreside elements of Programme Euston will be finalised as part of the investment decision to be outlined following the publication of the Defence Investment Plan. The actual number of UK-based jobs and apprenticeships that will be created as a result of the Programme can only be assessed following completion of the procurement process.
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 4 June (HL312), what assessment they have made of the number of apprenticeships that will be created in Scotland and the north-east of England under Programme Euston.
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 4 June (HL312), what assessment they have made of the number of apprenticeships that will be created in Scotland and the north-east of England under Programme Euston.
Programme Euston will be one of the most significant and sustained Government investments in Scotland over the coming decades. Employment and training in the local area will rise and the investment will drive regional economic skills and social/environmental benefits further afield.
The commercial approach for the delivery of the dock and shoreside elements of Programme Euston will be finalised as part of the investment decision to be outlined following the publication of the Defence Investment Plan. The actual number of UK-based jobs and apprenticeships that will be created as a result of the Programme can only be assessed following completion of the procurement process.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many ministerial special advisors are employed in the Ministry of Defence; and what is the total cost o their employment.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many ministerial special advisors are employed in the Ministry of Defence; and what is the total cost o their employment.
The number of Special Advisers and their employment costs are published online and can be accessed via GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-and-costs-july-2025/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-and-costs-july-2025-html
As of 10 June 2026 four special advisors were employed by the Ministry of Defence, with costs up to £84,999 per special advisor.
My Lords, my noble friend will recognise that an increasing number of the subjects of interest, in both the right-wing space and the Islamic space, being investigated by the security services are individuals under the age of 16. What more can be done to tackle the radicalisation of individuals, which is mainly done online?
My Lords, my noble friend will recognise that an increasing number of the subjects of interest, in both the right-wing space and the Islamic space, being investigated by the security services are individuals under the age of 16. What more can be done to tackle the radicalisation of individuals, which is mainly done online?
My noble friend makes a very important point, and it is extremely important that we challenge the poison of online extremism that sometimes occurs. Existing legislation, particularly the Online Safety Act, empowers Ofcom to order the taking down of material that is damaging or extremist, and significant fines can be levied. However, we need to further examine how the online space is used to radicalise people, particularly those who, very often in their own bedrooms, are looking at such material, being sucked into an extremist pit—be it the right, Islamic extremism, or any other form of extremism—and groomed, in a sense, to undertake further activities. This is an extremely important issue that is difficult to challenge, but it is one the Government need to address.
My Lords, in its 2020 report on Russia, the ISC highlighted the malign influence of Russia and, more recently, in our report on Iran, we highlighted the use of the online space to sow division within our politics. Does my noble friend the Minister agree that we should condemn those politicians who repeat and spread some of this false information?
My Lords, in its 2020 report on Russia, the ISC highlighted the malign influence of Russia and, more recently, in our report on Iran, we highlighted the use of the online space to sow division within our politics. Does my noble friend the Minister agree that we should condemn those politicians who repeat and spread some of this false information?
I could not agree more with my noble friend. One of the most instructive things that we have seen in recent months was, when the Iranian regime turned off the internet in order to stop protests on its own streets, we saw how many online Twitter bots were no longer operational. We see that across the piece with state actors who are trying to sow division. There is therefore a responsibility on each and every one of us not to repeat their lies.
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the Chancellor's letter, sent to Cabinet colleagues in mid-May, regarding the awarding of government contracts in the procurement of vessels for Trinity House.
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the Chancellor's letter, sent to Cabinet colleagues in mid-May, regarding the awarding of government contracts in the procurement of vessels for Trinity House.
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given on 2 June 2026 to Questions HL357 and HL358. The Trinity House vessel procurement remains live, and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their methodology for working out the (1) social value, and (2) proportion, of UK components for the procurement of vessels for Trinity House.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their methodology for working out the (1) social value, and (2) proportion, of UK components for the procurement of vessels for Trinity House.
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given on 2 June 2026 to Questions HL357 and HL358. The Trinity House vessel procurement remains live, and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of jobs in the UK that will be secured by Programme Euston.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of jobs in the UK that will be secured by Programme Euston.
The commercial approach for the delivery of the dock and shoreside elements of Programme Euston will be finalised as part of the final investment decision which will be outlined following the publication of the Defence Investment Plan.
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the provision of UK-based apprenticeships in relation to Programme Euston.
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the provision of UK-based apprenticeships in relation to Programme Euston.
The commercial approach for the delivery of the dock and shoreside elements of Euston will be finalised as part of the final investment decision which will be outlined following the publication of the Defence Investment Plan.
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the security considerations on any work being carried out overseas in relation to Programme Euston.
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the security considerations on any work being carried out overseas in relation to Programme Euston.
All work associated with Programme Euston is conducted in accordance with clear departmental security policies applicable at HM Naval Base Clyde and across the wider Submarine enterprise.
The Ministry of Defence does not comment on the detail of those policies as to do so could prejudice National Security.