Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge used Defence Questions in Parliament to press the federal government on the Defence Funding Plan, questioning whether or not the Ministry of Defence would maintain its promise to publish it this autumn.
Cartlidge requested, “Within the Secretary of State’s strategic defence evaluate assertion to Parliament on 2 June, he stated that the defence funding plan can be ‘accomplished and printed within the autumn.’ Will he maintain that promise?”
Defence Secretary John Healey replied that the work was ongoing, insisting the plan was being ready “completely” to keep away from repeating the monetary mismanagement of current years. “The SDR fairly rightly stated that additional selections on funding plans had been central to delivering the SDR. We’re doing that work completely in the mean time so that we’ll not have what the hon. Member’s Authorities left: a defence programme that was overcommitted, underfunded and unsuited to fulfill the threats that face us.”
Cartlidge accused the federal government of delays and cuts to the armed forces, arguing that Labour had didn’t ship any concrete outcomes since taking workplace. “The Secretary of State didn’t reply the query. I’m afraid the concern is that it’s one more delayed defence Command Paper. That prompts the plain query: what precisely are the Authorities delivering for defence besides delayed defence Command Papers? Shouldn’t be this the reality: they’re placing the British Military again within the dock, they’re surrendering Diego Garcia for £35 billion, and all of the whereas—they haven’t denied this as we speak—they’re slicing £2.6 billion from the frontline this 12 months? Don’t the women and men of our armed forces deserve higher?”
Healey rejected these claims, saying the figures had been mistaken and highlighting new spending commitments. “The hon. Member’s figures are mistaken, and his characterisation and outline are mistaken. We’ve got put £5 billion further into the defence funds on this, our first 12 months, and we’re elevating defence funding with the very best enhance because the chilly warfare. However the public anticipate us to handle higher the budgets that we’ve acquired, so we’re managing these budgets, which he didn’t do.”
He added that the federal government was already performing on the Strategic Defence Overview, with “over 1,000 main contracts” awarded, “84% of them to British corporations,” and introduced new funding of £9 billion to modernise and rebuild service housing.