To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, with reference to the answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 113799 on Telephone Exchanges: Tower Hamlets, and of 9 March 2026 to Question HL14715 on Chinese Embassy: Construction, which specific public body has lead responsibility for undertaking...

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, with reference to the answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 113799 on Telephone Exchanges: Tower Hamlets, and of 9 March 2026 to Question HL14715 on Chinese Embassy: Construction, which specific public body has lead responsibility for undertaking...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what lessons have been learnt from the UK's involvement in NATO’s Operation Baltic Sentry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what lessons have been learnt from the UK's involvement in NATO’s Operation Baltic Sentry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on reviewing the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885 since the Strategic Defence Review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on reviewing the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885 since the Strategic Defence Review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 22 July 2026, to question 17503 on Telecommunications Cables: Seas and Oceans, what is the breakdown of the £330million investment in critical underwater infrastructure protection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 22 July 2026, to question 17503 on Telecommunications Cables: Seas and Oceans, what is the breakdown of the £330million investment in critical underwater infrastructure protection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 37 of his Department's document entitled Defence Investment plan, published 30 June 2026, if he will set out the novel funding mechanisms to increase the resilience and protection of critical underwater infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 37 of his Department's document entitled Defence Investment plan, published 30 June 2026, if he will set out the novel funding mechanisms to increase the resilience and protection of critical underwater infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 49, what novel funding mechanisms will be used to increase the resilience and protection of critical underwater infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 49, what novel funding mechanisms will be used to increase the resilience and protection of critical underwater infrastructure.

Lords statement on the defence investment plan.

Lords statement on the defence investment plan.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for both the briefing and prior sight of the defence investment plan, which he provided to me and my colleague, the noble Earl, Lord Minto, yesterday. I doubt any plan was so dogged by delay and preceded by such drama as this one, but...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for both the briefing and prior sight of the defence investment plan, which he provided to me and my colleague, the noble Earl, Lord Minto, yesterday. I doubt any plan was so dogged by delay and preceded by such drama as this one, but...

My Lords, this is clearly a very delayed and extremely underfunded plan. As we have heard, at £15 billion it falls well short of the £28 billion requested by the defence chief to keep our country secure. But we know that it actually falls even shorter than that, as nearly...

My Lords, this is clearly a very delayed and extremely underfunded plan. As we have heard, at £15 billion it falls well short of the £28 billion requested by the defence chief to keep our country secure. But we know that it actually falls even shorter than that, as nearly...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Fox, and the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, for their contributions and important questions.

I will start by dealing with the question of spending, which goes to the heart of what both noble Lords were saying. Let me put on record some of the things that...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Fox, and the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, for their contributions and important questions.

I will start by dealing with the question of spending, which goes to the heart of what both noble Lords were saying. Let me put on record some of the things that...

My Lords, all European countries are struggling with coming to terms with new realities and what that requires for their defence and equipment to be appropriate to modern warfare. However, irrespective of the money and the percentages spent, if we do not start the national conversation—which we have been talking...

My Lords, all European countries are struggling with coming to terms with new realities and what that requires for their defence and equipment to be appropriate to modern warfare. However, irrespective of the money and the percentages spent, if we do not start the national conversation—which we have been talking...

Indeed, we will come forward with proposals and plans with respect to a national conversation. The noble Baroness is right in her suggestion. We can see—many Members of this House will know this—that some of the ways in which the Government have asked different departments to contribute to this uplift...

Indeed, we will come forward with proposals and plans with respect to a national conversation. The noble Baroness is right in her suggestion. We can see—many Members of this House will know this—that some of the ways in which the Government have asked different departments to contribute to this uplift...

My Lords, I welcome part of this plan—it obviously has some holes in it, as we have already heard. I also welcome, as I do every time I hear the Minister speak, a great deal of his comments and his profound thinking. However, I wonder today whether the brief he...

My Lords, I welcome part of this plan—it obviously has some holes in it, as we have already heard. I also welcome, as I do every time I hear the Minister speak, a great deal of his comments and his profound thinking. However, I wonder today whether the brief he...

I thank the noble Lord for his question and his comments, which come from a great knowledge and experience, and I thank him for his remarks about me. Just to reiterate, the GCAP programme is extremely important, and as he just said, that is outlined in the money allocated within...

I thank the noble Lord for his question and his comments, which come from a great knowledge and experience, and I thank him for his remarks about me. Just to reiterate, the GCAP programme is extremely important, and as he just said, that is outlined in the money allocated within...

First, I welcome this Statement, which this House has been waiting on for some time, and share my concerns about the funding, which I hope will be sorted out under new leadership. However, I welcome the fact that there is an emphasis on innovation and supporting small businesses, and I...

First, I welcome this Statement, which this House has been waiting on for some time, and share my concerns about the funding, which I hope will be sorted out under new leadership. However, I welcome the fact that there is an emphasis on innovation and supporting small businesses, and I...

I cannot give the noble Baroness an assurance about what the Republic will pay for, but let me just say that there has been improved and increasing co-operation between the Republic and ourselves where it is in both our interests to do so. She will know that underwater cables and...

I cannot give the noble Baroness an assurance about what the Republic will pay for, but let me just say that there has been improved and increasing co-operation between the Republic and ourselves where it is in both our interests to do so. She will know that underwater cables and...

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords, I welcome the publication of the defence investment plan and the recognition in it that science, technology and innovation are going to play a very big part in the future. Does my noble friend agree that it is not just a financial challenge that faces the defence investment...

My Lords, I welcome the publication of the defence investment plan and the recognition in it that science, technology and innovation are going to play a very big part in the future. Does my noble friend agree that it is not just a financial challenge that faces the defence investment...

Indeed, as I said to the noble Baroness, of course we need a conversation to more fully and carefully explain to the public why we need to increase our expenditure on defence and security and, alongside that, to help them to understand why that might mean changed priorities for budgets...

Indeed, as I said to the noble Baroness, of course we need a conversation to more fully and carefully explain to the public why we need to increase our expenditure on defence and security and, alongside that, to help them to understand why that might mean changed priorities for budgets...