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Monday Volume 652 14 January 2019 No. 233 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 14 January 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 787 14 JANUARY 2019 788 Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Glasgow South) (SNP): House of Commons As the doyenne of British nuclear history, Lord Hennessy, observed recently, the current Vanguard life extension plans are a Monday 14 January 2019 “technological leap in the dark”, which also means there is little room for flexibility in the The House met at half-past Two o’clock overhaul and procurement cycle if CASD is to be maintained with two submarines in 2033-34. What discussions has the Secretary of State had in his Department PRAYERS about contingencies around the Vanguard-to-Dreadnought transition, which we know were discussed during the previous transition to Vanguard? [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Gavin Williamson: We constantly have discussions right across Government to make sure that our continuous at-sea nuclear deterrence can be sustained. We have Oral Answers to Questions been investing in technology and parts to make sure that the Vanguard class has everything it needs in the future. But what is critical is the investment we are making: we announced earlier this year an additional DEFENCE £400 million of investment in the Dreadnought class to make sure that is delivered on time and to budget. The Secretary of State was asked— Stewart Malcolm McDonald: But I am afraid to say Vanguard-class Life Extension Programme that, as the misery of the modernising defence programme has shown all of us, the Secretary of State’s Department has much less latitude with large projects than he would 1. Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab): What like. With the nuclear project sucking up money, as he recent assessment he has made of the financial sustainability has just mentioned, from all other lines of spending, of the Vanguard-class life extension programme. how long will it be before this overpriced nuclear weapons [908521] programme gets within sight of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury’swhite elephant hunt across the Government? The Secretary of State for Defence (Gavin Williamson): The Vanguard-class life extension and availability Gavin Williamson: When I look around this Chamber, sustainment programmes are essential to maintaining I see many Members on both sides of the House who the United Kingdom’s continuous at-sea deterrence and are absolute supporters of the importance of the continuous are prioritised accordingly.The programmes are managed at-sea nuclear deterrent and understand how vital it is using established Ministry of Defence processes and, as to keeping Britain safe. That unites both the main such, are routinely reviewed. parties, and will continue to do so in the long term when we deliver Dreadnought. Mr Jones: April this year marks the 50th anniversary of continuous at-sea deterrence, and I pay tribute to the men and women of the submarine service for their Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Berwick-upon-Tweed) (Con): dedication over those 50 years. Given the reported Does the Secretary of State agree that Vanguard—and delays in the refurbishment programme of the Vanguard indeed Dreadnought, the next generation of our CASD class, can the Secretary of State assure the House that programme—is probably the best weapon for peace the CASD will be maintained into the future? world has ever had? Will he update the House on plans to celebrate CASD’s 50th anniversary, which will be my Gavin Williamson: The right hon. Gentleman is right birthday, too—we are almost twins? to pay tribute to the men and women, both past and present, who have done so much to maintain that at-sea Gavin Williamson: I cannot imagine either CASD or nuclear deterrence. I can give him an absolute assurance my hon. Friend reaching 50, and I think we should put that the investment and resources that are needed are my hon. Friend on one of the submarines as part of being made available to maintain this important deterrence, that celebration. The anniversary shows that our nuclear which has always had a lot of cross-party support. deterrent has kept Britain, and also our NATO partners, safe over 50 years. Sir Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex) (Con): When my right hon. Friend considers the financial sustainability Several hon. Members rose— of the Vanguard programme, does he also consider the question of the nuclear doctrine? When was it last Mr Speaker: Order. Before we proceed, I feel sure revised and on what basis would he reconsider revising that colleagues throughout the House will wish to join it? me in extending this afternoon a very warm welcome to the Speaker of the Malaysian Parliament, Mohamad Gavin Williamson: This is something that has to be Ariff, whom I had the privilege of welcoming to the continuously revised and looked at not just by our Speaker’s briefing meeting this morning—welcome to Department, but right across the Government, and that you, Sir, and to your colleagues—and a similarly warm is always ongoing. and effusive welcome to the Speaker of the Australian 789 Oral Answers 14 JANUARY 2019 Oral Answers 790 House of Representatives, the right hon. Tony Smith. but can the Minister explain the policy whereby installations Sir, you are welcome; thank you for joining us and we are not already in place and a crisis has to arise before wish you well in your important work. that assistance is deployed to the airports? Illegal Drone Use: Airports Stuart Andrew: As I was saying, the protection of airports is in fact an issue for those airports. I know that 2. Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con): What steps his the Department for Transport is working with airfields Department is taking to support civilian authorities to across the country to ensure that they have the protections tackle illegal drone use at and around UK airports. they need. The response by the MOD was incredibly [908522] swift, and I pay tribute to it for that. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): Is (Stuart Andrew): The Ministry of Defence rapidly deployed it not time that this Government took drones seriously? counter-unmanned air systems capability in support of The fact is that drone technology is advancing very Sussex police and the Metropolitan police, both at quickly. This is going to be the way in which we wage Gatwick and at Heathrow.Weare working with colleagues wars, and the Americans, the Chinese and the Russians in the Department for Transport and across the are all investing in the technology. Even in our airports, Government, and will continue to do so. drones present a great danger that we should address immediately. Henry Smith: I would like to convey the sincere thanks of the Gatwick management to the Ministry of Stuart Andrew: We are taking this very seriously. The Defence for its swift action last month during the drone Ministry of Defence has been working on this over the incursion, and I can confirm that they have now bought past couple of years, and we are of course working with a very similar system for future use. May I have an our allies to ensure that we have the very best technology assurance that the MOD remains on standby to assist to protect our armed forces and keep this country safe. civilian airfields in these situations? Bob Stewart (Beckenham) (Con): Does the military Stuart Andrew: I join my hon. Friend in thanking the actually have radar that is capable of identifying something RAF for its work. It worked incredibly quickly to get to that is, say, 50 cm across? both Gatwick and Heathrow. Of course, our armed forces are always ready to respond, should they need to, Stuart Andrew: I obviously cannot go into the details but it should be said that responsibility for drone activity of the capability that we have—I do not think that that at civilian airports lies with the airport operators. would be sensible for the security of our country—but, having visited the system that is in place at Heathrow, I John Spellar (Warley) (Lab): I have today received a can say that it is incredibly effective. parliamentary answer revealing that no Transport Minister visited Gatwick during the drone crisis. Can the hon. Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab): Gentleman tell us what contingency plans his own The recent drone intrusions at Gatwick and Heathrow Department had for dealing with drones at airports? were highly embarrassing and created great inconvenience Will he also tell us on what date the Transport for thousands of passengers but, more importantly, Department—or, indeed, the Cabinet Office—asked the they presented a real and significant security risk. We MOD for help and support during the crisis? How did are all indebted to the armed forces personnel who his Department respond, and when? worked to tackle those intrusions, but we clearly need a long-term solution to this growing challenge. Will the Mr Speaker: I say to the right hon. Gentleman in Minister tell us why it is taking the Government so long good spirit that he is uniquely talented in delivering an to bring forward regulations to introduce a wider exclusion oral question as though it were of the written variety. zone around airports and ensure the safety of UK Stuart Andrew: I was pleased to go to Heathrow airspace? myself just last week—[HON.MEMBERS: “Gatwick.”] I know, but I personally went to Heathrow last week.