Speeches by Healey.

“This Committee will receive the information it has traditionally had on budgeting, annual reports and accounts and you will be able to take me and the new permanent secretary to task on the areas that you want to cross-examine.”

“Three points. First, buy British is clearly a shorthand. What it signifies is a termination and a first focus on the role that defence can play as an engine for growth, creating new jobs and opportunities, skills, and backing good British-based businesses and innovators for the future. Second, it is not always possible…”

“The SDR is a vision with a set of 62 recommendations, all of which we have accepted. It is a vision for transforming defence over a decade. Centre to it is the imperative to raise the levels of warfighting readiness in this country in order to better deter the increasing threats we face and to work more closely with th…”

“Which one do you want to ask me about?”

“The vision and the programme for the next decade will be raising levels of warfighting readiness alongside—as the SDR laid out—making defence an engine for growth in this country. Those are exactly the fine judgments that we are making at the moment as part of this investment planning process. It is not simply about pr…”

“First, we will set a new benchmark and that will be shared with the Committee. To be fair to us, Mr Chairman, when the Committee has asked for briefings in private and with a degree of confidentiality, we have always tried to respond.”

“It has reinforced the case that we have made as a Government since July 2024 and the vision and imperative of transformation that was set out in last year’s Strategic Defence Review. In the context that we see and that you outlined there, Mr Chairman, we have certainly seen demands on defence rising and uncertainties i…”

“Thank you for that welcome. You rightly describe this Committee as a critical friend, partisan about defence but properly demanding of us in Government. Can I place on record my and our appreciation for the work that you, your members and your staff do and for the constructive challenge that you offer to the work that …”

“Will we be investing in more UK sovereign capability? Yes. An argument I made for several years before the election and we declared at the election when we were elected to Government is that we would look to direct British defence investment first towards British-based firms, new jobs and innovation in this country. Th…”

“I am sure that would be part of the perspective and the evidence that you will look for as part of your inquiry.”

“No, this is a Prime Minister who refuses to be drawn on what he sees as false binary choices, US or Europe, China trade or China concerns about security. In this complex world—particularly with a complex country like China—there are both enormous, important trading opportunities with China and security concerns that ar…”

“Yes.”

“With respect, that was discussed yesterday in the House of Commons when we had the Second Reading of the Armed Forces Bill. It is set out in the Explanatory Notes of the Bill that we welcome your contribution that way as this Bill goes through Parliament.”

“I understand that. First on the Puma, that was a decision I took last year. We are in a process. It is a big challenge for a new Government to deal with what was a defence equipment programme that was heavily overcommitted, badly underfunded, and in many areas unsuited to the changing threats that we face. As we make o…”

“You will understand that there is a contract process under way and that has not been completed yet. I am deeply aware of just how important the skills of the workforce are and the potential that they have to play a part in the transformation that we need to see, in the technology we develop, the manufacturing we produc…”

“They will be part of what we plan to deliver over the next decade, which is, of course, the period of the SDR.”

“They will be part of what we look to pursue over the next decade because we want to implement those parts of the SDR.”

“Luke Pollard, Minister for DRI, updated the House quite properly last week. I am furious that vital information was withheld.”

“It is clear we did not have the full facts in the lead-up to decisions about the initial operating capability. That IOC has been withdrawn. The Army is no longer in charge of this programme. A new senior responsible officer, SRO, is now in place. I have been clear that we must back it or scrap it. The work is being don…”

“You have been positive about the way that we have been able to do that to this Committee and there were complaints that the previous Committee did not get that information. If it is a briefing that the Committee is looking for on the way that we are trying to change what the permanent secretary describes as a strategic…”