Session 2017-19 Tuesday No. 144 17 July 2018 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) HOUSE OF LORDS WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND WRITTEN ANSWERS Written Statements ................................ ................ 1 Written Answers ................................ ..................... 7 [I] indicates that the member concerned has a relevant registered interest. The full register of interests can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-interests/register-of-lords-interests/ Members who want a printed copy of Written Answers and Written Statements should notify the Printed Paper Office. This printed edition is a reproduction of the original text of Answers and Statements, which can be found on the internet at http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/. Ministers and others who make Statements or answer Questions are referred to only by name, not their ministerial or other title. The current list of ministerial and other responsibilities is as follows. Minister Responsibilities Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal Earl Howe Minister of State, Ministry of Defence and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords Lord Agnew of Oulton Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Lord Ashton of Hyde Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lord Bates Minister of State, Department for International Development Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Wales Office Baroness Buscombe Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions Lord Callanan Minister of State, Department for Exiting the European Union Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen Whip Earl of Courtown Deputy Chief Whip Lord Duncan of Springbank Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office and Scotland Office Baroness Fairhead Minister of State, Department for International Trade Lord Gardiner of Kimble Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Baroness Goldie Whip Lord Henley Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Lord Keen of Elie Advocate-General for Scotland and Ministry of Justice Spokesperson Baroness Manzoor Whip Lord O'Shaughnessy Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care Baroness Stedman-Scott Whip Baroness Sugg Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport, Whip Lord Taylor of Holbeach Chief Whip Baroness Vere of Norbiton Whip Baroness Williams of Trafford Minister of State, Home Office Lord Young of Cookham Whip Viscount Younger of Leckie Whip © Parliamentary Copyright House of Lords 2018 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/ Written Statements 17 July 2018 Page 1 the research and development investment necessary to Written Statements refresh UK Intellectual Property. Tuesday, 17 July 2018 Today I can announce the publication of the UK Combat Air Strategy. The strategy defines a clear way Combat Air Strategy ahead to preserve our national advantage and maintain choice in how it is delivered. The MOD will work with [HLWS832] wider Government, industry and international partners to Earl Howe: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State deliver the strategy by taking the following steps: for Defence (Mr Gavin Williamson) has made the • The MOD will continue to invest in upgrading following Written Ministerial Statement. Typhoon to maintain its world-class capabilities for the On 21 February, I informed the House that the Ministry coming decades. of Defence (MOD) would produce a strategy for the • The MOD will provide investment in key UK design Combat Air sector. Development of the strategy has engineering skills and a means to generate UK drawn heavily on expertise from across Defence, wider Intellectual Property by implementing the Future Government, academia, think-tanks, industry and Combat Air System Technology Initiative. The international partners. The approach adopted is driven by initiative was established by the 2015 Strategic Defence the developing themes of the Modernising Defence and Security Review and builds on recent UK Programme and the recent review of Defence’s technology investment. contribution to national economic and social value • The MOD will initiate the UK's capability acquisition conducted by Philip Dunne. programme to define and deliver the future capabilities Defence of the UK, protection of our people and our required when Typhoon leaves service by 2040. An contribution to securing the rules-based international initial acquisition decision will be made by the end of order requires us to deter adversaries by having the 2020. capability and the will to use decisive force to deliver our • UK Government and industry will work together to Defence, Foreign policy and economic objectives. The achieve a more open and sustainable industrial base threats we face are evolving and proliferating ever more which invests in its own future, partners internationally rapidly. World-class Combat Air capability allows us to and breaks the cycle of increasing cost and length of maintain control of the air both at home and around the Combat Air programmes. world. • The UK will take a strategic approach to key Combat The UK Combat Air sector provides the capability to Air decisions. This will maximise the overall national underpin our operational advantage[1] and freedom of value the UK derives from the sector; balancing action[2]. It also makes a significant contribution to the military capability, international influence, economic UK economy and our international influence. The UK is a and prosperity benefits. global leader in Combat Air, with cutting-edge military • Effective international partnering in Combat Air is capability underpinned by world-class industrial and fundamental to the delivery of our national goals and technical know-how. management of cost. The UK will work quickly and The UK Combat Air sector has an annual turnover of openly with allies to build on or establish new over £6 billion and directly supports over 18,000 highly partnerships to define future requirements and how they skilled jobs across the UK. It supports over 100,000 jobs could be delivered in a mutually beneficial manner. in the supply chain and more than 2,000 companies across By preserving our ability to maintain operational the UK. The UK is the world’s second largest exporter of advantage and freedom of action, the strategy will ensure Defence equipment with Defence aerospace representing we have greater choice in how we deliver future over 80% of the value of these exports. We are at the capabilities and are able to maximise the economic and heart of a number of key international programmes, strategic benefits of future Combat Air acquisition including F-35 the largest Defence programme in the programmes. world. Our position was secured through world-leading A copy of the Combat Air Strategy has been placed in Intellectual Property, understanding, innovation and the Library of the House. industrial capability. As we leave the EU, we will continue to seek partnerships across Europe and beyond I will report annually to Parliament on progress in to deliver UK, European and global security. To do this implementing the Strategy. we must retain access to our proud industrial base. The [1] The ability to find and maintain an edge over UK’s Combat Air sector is therefore critical to the UK’s potential adversaries, both to increase the chances of our prosperity, our Global Britain outlook and our ability to success in hostile situations and to increase the protection deliver the best capability to the front line. of the UK assets involved, especially our people. The future of the UK’s Combat Air sector is, however, [2] The ability to determine our internal and external not assured. There has been a gap between major Combat affairs and act in the country’s interests free from Air development programmes and a clear indication of intervention by other states or entities, in accordance with future UK military requirements is required to stimulate our legal obligations. Page 2 17 July 2018 Written Statements Fiscal Sustainability and Managing Fiscal The government recognises that the NHS will need Risks Reports additional resources to help meet these pressures. In June, the Prime Minister announced that the NHS in England [HLWS838] will receive an increase in funding over the next five Lord Bates: My right honourable friend the Chief years that equates to over £20 billion a year more in real Secretary to the Treasury (Elizabeth Truss) has today terms by 2023-24. The government also recognises the made the following Written Ministerial Statement. need for action being taken to address long-term cost- drivers in health. The final settlement will be confirmed at Today sees the publication of two reports which a future fiscal event, subject to an NHS 10-year plan that underscore the need for continued fiscal responsibility: delivers the efficiency, productivity, and performance the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) 2018 Fiscal improvements necessary to help address the long-term Sustainability Report (FSR) and the government’s report cost pressures highlighted by the OBR. The government on Managing Fiscal Risks [CM 9647]. The publication of will fund this five-year commitment in a responsible way, the FSR fulfils the OBR’s legal obligation to publish an while continuing to meet its fiscal rules and reduce debt. analysis of the sustainability of the long-term public As the Prime Minister has said, this will be partly funded finances and an assessment of the public sector balance by money that we will no longer spend on our annual sheet at least once every two years. Managing Fiscal membership subscription to the European Union after we Risks fulfils the government’s obligation to respond to the have left. In addition, across the nation, taxpayers will OBR’s 2017 Fiscal Risks Report (FRR).