Speeches by Pollard.

“I would make a very clear distinction between problems with Ajax and the AUKUS programme, which are completely different. AUKUS is a successful programme that is difficult and challenging to implement, but we have put in place the systems and leadership to make sure that it can be delivered. This is perhaps a good oppo…”

“The model that the Australians use will be a decision for them to take, but certainly a number of international partners are looking very closely at our defence reform, including the creation of the NAD. When it comes to how AUKUS works across the three partners, the three systems are different. We have found that, esp…”

“It is first worth stating that the AUKUS programme is a defensive programme, not an offensive one. It was designed not against one particular nation, but to increase the capabilities of the three partner nations involved with the programme. That is why it remains relevant to all three partners, given the increasing era…”

“As we set out in the strategic defence review, the importance of AUKUS has only increased in recent years. Although the technology and focus of our American and Australian partners is necessarily on the Indo-Pacific, in pillar 1 terms the SSN-AUKUS will provide support for us in the Euro-Atlantic area, as well as confi…”

“My initial concern is for the soldiers who have been involved with the latest concern on 22 November as part of the Titan Storm exercise. I gave an update in the written ministerial statement that I am sure the Committee has seen, but, just so that colleagues are aware, around 30 soldiers reported noise and vibration e…”

“In relation to the 30 personnel, none of them required hospitalisation. We are keeping an eye on all of those forces, as you would expect, using the usual medical procedures. Many of them have returned to their normal duties. Normal practice, as we are following here, is that, when there has been exposure to noise and …”

“We took the unprecedented step, because of the concerns around the Ajax programme in the past, of asking for written confirmation before IOC was declared.”

“That is not quite what I said. As a normal business-as-usual activity across defence, with the platforms that we have, the age of some of them and the usage for them, updates are required on a regular basis. Issuing safety notices is a pretty common occurrence. The system has to work to be able to identify problems and…”

“In the MAN truck case, this is a system working properly. An issue was identified, a rectification was instructed and that is taking place. That system is working as it should.”

“I do not believe so, but I am happy to scrub all those. As far as I see it, I want the system to work properly.”

“Keeping our nation safe in the air, on land and at sea requires cyber and space capabilities. Defence was attacked 90,000 times in the cyber domain, which amounts to roughly 250 attacks a day. That is why we are investing not just in the National Cyber Force but in the defence cyber and electromagnetic force that we ar…”

“As a fellow south-west MP, I know just how important it is for us to invest in defence skills in the south-west and across the United Kingdom. The defence industrial strategy includes the £182 million package that we will deliver via defence technical excellence colleges with our colleagues in the Department for Educat…”

“As we move towards warfighting readiness, the Government are investing more of our rising defence budget in new technologies and innovation, and the need for more innovative solutions to address emerging challenges is paramount in these darker and more dangerous times. On 1 July we launched UK Defence Innovation, a £40…”

“I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising the important role that universities play. In the defence industrial strategy, published a few months ago, we set out our ambition to create a defence universities alliance, bringing together the very best cutting-edge research that is being done in our universities…”

“Defence is an engine for growth. The defence industrial strategy, which we published in September, sets out how we will reform procurement, cut contracting times, spend more of our rising defence budget with British companies, invest in frontier technologies and skills, crowd in private capital and support regional dev…”

“I agree with the hon. Gentleman’s critique of the system that we inherited from the previous Government, which frankly was not good enough. We do need to see procurement contracting times reduced, which is why in the defence industrial strategy we set out our ambition to reduce six-year procurements to two years, two-y…”

“I thank the hon. Gentleman for the tone in which he spoke to the nation about the attack that took place in his constituency. He should feel very proud of the first responders from his area who responded to that attack. As for the opportunities that exist in his constituency, I was very pleased to meet him and my hon. …”

“I am grateful for the time that my hon. Friend spent talking to me about SME potential in Dudley and across the west midlands last week. There is a huge opportunity to direct more of the increasing defence budget at British firms, and in particular SMEs. There is huge potential with the skills base in the west midlands…”

“I thank the hon. Lady for raising the opportunities in the south-west. There is a huge skilled workforce in the south-west region and a huge amount of economic activity already present, but we want there to be even more. That is why we are working with local government, and with regional government where it exists, acr…”

“I thank my constituency neighbour for raising issues involving the south-west. I am actually opening that factory in the hon. Member’s constituency next week, and I look forward to seeing her there to make the case further for it. The defence investment plan, which will be published later this year, will set out what w…”