Defence

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:36 pm on 11 January 2018.

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Photo of Julian Lewis Julian Lewis Chair, Defence Committee, Chair, Defence Committee 4:36, 11 January 2018

The Minister has just said that we will not be left more vulnerable. On 25 January last year, the then Defence Procurement Minister wrote to me to say that she could reassure me that the out-of-service dates for HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark remained 2034 and 2035 respectively, and that their roles remained vital. Surely that rules out the scrapping of those ships. They obviously still had a vital role to play in January last year. Why would their role be any less vital in January this year?