House of Commons Defence Committee Formal Minutes Session 2010–12 Defence Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–12 The Defence Committee The Defence Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies. Current membership Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP (Conservative, North East Hampshire) (Chair) Mr Julian Brazier MP (Conservative, Canterbury) Thomas Docherty MP (Labour, Dunfermline and West Fife) Rt Hon Jeffrey M. Donaldson MP (Democratic Unionist, Lagan Valley) John Glen MP (Conservative, Salisbury) Mr Dai Havard MP (Labour, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) Mrs Madeleine Moon MP (Labour, Bridgend) Penny Mordaunt MP (Conservative, Portsmouth North) Sandra Osborne MP (Labour, Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat, Colchester) Bob Stewart MP (Conservative, Beckenham) Ms Gisela Stuart MP (Labour, Birmingham, Edgbaston) The following were also Members of the Committee during the Parliament. Mr Mike Hancock MP (Liberal Democrat, Portsmouth South) Mr David Hamilton MP (Labour, Midlothian) Mr Adam Holloway MP (Conservative, Gravesham) Alison Seabeck MP (Labour, Moor View) John Woodcock MP (Lab/Co-op, Barrow and Furness) Powers The Committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the Internet via www.parliament.uk. Publications The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at: www.parliament.uk/defcom. Committee staff Alda Barry (Clerk), Judith Boyce (Second Clerk), Karen Jackson (Audit Adviser), Ian Thomson (Inquiry Manager), Chris Randall (Senior Committee Assistant) , Miguel Boo Fraga (Committee Assistant) and Sumati Sowamber (Committee Support Assistant). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Defence Committee, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 5857; the Committee’s email address is [email protected]. Media inquiries should be addressed to Alex Paterson on 020 7219 1589. Defence Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–12 Defence Committee Formal Minutes TUESDAY 13 JULY 2010 Members present: Mr James Arbuthnot, in the Chair1 Mr Julian Brazier Alison Seabeck Jeffrey M. Donaldson Bob Stewart John Glen Ms Gisela Stuart Mr Mike Hancock John Woodcock Mr Adam Holloway 1. Declaration of interests Members declared their interests, in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992 (see Appendix 1). 2. Committee working methods The Committee considered this matter. Ordered, That the public be admitted during the examination of witnesses unless the Committee orders otherwise. Resolved, That witnesses who submit written evidence to the Committee are authorised to publish it on their own account in accordance with Standing Order No. 135, subject always to the discretion of the Chair or where the Committee orders otherwise. 3. Specialist Advisers The Committee considered this matter. Ordered, That Rear Admiral Ric Cheadle, Rear Admiral David Snelson, Air Marshal Philip Sturley, Major General Tim Cross, Paul Beaver, Professor Mike Clarke and Professor David Kirkpatrick be appointed Specialist Advisers to assist the Committee (for details of declarations of interest, see Appendix II) . 3. Future programme The Committee considered this matter. 1 Elected by the House (S.O. No 122b) 8 June 2010, see Votes and Proceedings 9 June 2010 Defence Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–12 Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the Strategic Defence and Security Review and into current military operations in Afghanistan. Resolved, That the Committee visit the Farnborough Air Show. Resolved, That the Committee visit Afghanistan and Pakistan in connection with its inquiry into current military operations in Afghanistan, and that the Chair seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the visit. [Adjourned till Wednesday 21 July at 2.30 p.m. WEDNESDAY 21 JULY 2010 Members present: Mr James Arbuthnot, in the Chair Mr Julian Brazier Alison Seabeck Jeffrey M. Donaldson Bob Stewart John Glen Ms Gisela Stuart Mr Mike Hancock John Woodcock Mr Adam Holloway 1.Written evidence Ordered, That the written evidence relating to the Strategic Defence and Security Review submitted by the Ministry of Defence be reported to the House for printing. Ordered, That the written evidence relating to Defence Acquisition Reform submitted by the Ministry of Defence be reported to the House for printing. Ordered, That the written evidence relating to the MoD’s Main Estimate 2010-11 submitted by the Ministry of Defence be reported to the House for publication on the internet. 2. Shared electronic drive Ordered, That an electronic drive be set up for the use of Committee Members 3. Travel in a representative capacity Resolved, That the Chair have leave to visit Marseille in September to attend the Summer Defence Conference in a representative capacity. 4. Strategic Defence and Security Review, defence acquisition reform, and operations in Afghanistan The Committee considered these matters. Defence Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–12 Rt Hon Liam Fox MP, Secretary of State for Defence; Tom McKane, Director General for Strategy; Peter Watkins, Director Operational Policy; and Air Vice Marshal Andy Pulford, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operations) gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 27 July at 10.00 a.m. WEDNESDAY 27 JULY 2010 Members present: Mr James Arbuthnot, in the Chair Mr Julian Brazier Mrs Madeleine Moon John Glen Bob Stewart Mr David Hamilton Ms Gisela Stuart Mr Mike Hancock John Woodcock Mr Adam Holloway 1. Declaration of interests Members declared their interests, in accordance with the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992 (see Appendix 1). 2. Consideration of Government responses Draft Special Report (Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09: Government response to the Committee’s Fifth Report of Session 2009-10), proposed by the Chair, brought up, read the first and second time, and agreed to. The Government’s response to the Fifth Report from the Committee was appended to the Report Resolved, That the Report be the First Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House. Draft Special Report (The Contribution of ISTAR to operations: Government response to the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2009-10), proposed by the Chair, brought up, read the first and second time, and agreed to. The Government’s response to the Eighth Report from the Committee was appended to the Report Resolved, That the Report be the Second Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House. Defence Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–12 Draft Special Report (The Comprehensive Approach: the point of war is not just to win but to make a better peace: Government response to the Committee’s Sixth Report of Session 2009-10), proposed by the Chair, brought up, read the first and second time, and agreed to. The Government’s response to the Seventh Report from the Committee was appended to the Report Resolved, That the Report be the Third Special Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House. 3. Future programme The Committee considered this matter. 4.The Strategic Defence and Security Review The Committee considered this matter. 5. The Committees on Arms Export Controls Resolved, That the Committee agrees to meet concurrently with the Business, Innovation and Skills, Foreign Affairs, and International Development Committees for the purpose of examining and reporting on the Government’s annual reports on strategic export controls and related matters. 6. Travel in a representative capacity Resolved, That Bob Stewart have leave to visit Brussels in September to attend the Meeting between national Parliamentarians and EU’s Political and Security Committee in a representative capacity. [Adjourned till Tuesday 7 September at 2.30 p.m. TUESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 2010 Members present: Mr James Arbuthnot, in the Chair Mr Julian Brazier Mrs Madeleine Moon John Glen Alison Seabeck Mr David Hamilton Bob Stewart Mr Mike Hancock Ms Gisela Stuart Mr Adam Holloway John Woodcock Defence Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–12 1. Future Programme The Committee considered this matter. 2. Land Combat Power Demonstration Resolved, That the Committee visit the Land Combat Power Demonstration. 3. Visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan The Committee considered this matter. 4. Written evidence Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to the Strategic Defence and Security Review be reported to the House for publication on the internet: Defence Industrial Council Campaign Against Arms Trade Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers Royal Aeronautical Society Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Scientists for Global Responsibility DefenceSynergia Intellect BMA Oxford Research Group Keep our future afloat campaign committee General Dynamics UK The Henry Jackson Society Edward Atkin 5. Chair’s draft Report on the Strategic Defence and Security Review Draft Report (The Strategic Defence and Security Review), proposed by the Chair, brought up and read. Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph. Defence Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–12 Paragraphs 1 to 39 read and agreed to. Resolved, That the Report be the First Report of the Committee to the House. Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House. Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 134. Written evidence was ordered to be reported to the House for printing with the Report. [Adjourned to Wednesday 8 September at 2:00 p.m. WEDNESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2010 Members present: Mr James Arbuthnot, in the Chair Mr Julian Brazier Alison Seabeck John Glen Bob Stewart Mr David Hamilton Ms Gisela Stuart Mrs Madeleine Moon John Woodcock 1. The Strategic Defence and Security Review The Committee considered this matter.