Speeches by Williams.

“On the accommodation deal, yes. I would expect to publish an accounting officer assessment, but we can send you a separate note. In essence, in value for money terms, we think we have got a good price but, more to the point, it opens up the pathway for us to invest in estate, whereas, under the previous arrangements, i…”

“Good. The timing of that announcement and the degree of confidentiality around the work to secure that deal is really down to its market‑sensitive nature. We exchanged contracts last night and it was reported to the markets as the markets opened at 7 am this morning. Under any kind of system of parliamentary scr…”

“I will take that one first. There will be a full written ministerial statement in the House, which I guess will go live pretty much as soon as this hearing finishes, unless it has gone live already.”

“You will have heard from the Defence Secretary when he was here before the Committee that the ministerial team has absolutely taken on board and has as a priority improving our engagement with Parliament, including our engagement with this Committee. We have already run three briefings in the MOD for parliamentarians o…”

“The Haythornthwaite review was published just over 15 months ago by the previous Government. We have been taking a phased approach to its implementation. At this point, I do not have an overall cost for implementation of all of its 67 recommendations. In practice, we will take it forward alongside priorities for people…”

“It is a piece of press reporting. I would be surprised, given the importance that the current Government have attached to recruitment and retention of armed forces personnel, if we were likely to get recommendations to reduce the number of armed forces personnel.”

“I have seen the reporting. When Lord Robertson was in front of this Committee a couple of weeks ago, he made the point that he was not yet at the position where he was making recommendations, and so I would rather wait and see what recommendations the externally led review makes to us, rather than picking up on press r…”

“Where we got to five years ago reflected a focused improvement on the operation of the contract from when it had initially been let. There was a reset in around 2018 or 2019. It was before my time with the Department, but I can confirm that for you. It is a combination of just really grinding through the process of che…”

“Five years ago, it was probably worse. It then got better and then it really plummeted during Covid, and we have not seen the recovery since then.”

“Expressions of interest are running at quite high levels. It is a combination of partly how we go through and sequence the medical checks and how we take up background reference checks. Some of the speeding up is making conditional offers, rather than waiting until every box has been ticked.”

“I do not want to give you the wrong dates. I do not have the precise ones in my mind.”

“I can send you the dates.”

“That was set out in the Secretary of State’s speech to the party conference.”

“Back to the statement of intent on the defence industrial strategy, one of those lines is very definitely about how we use our buying power to spread prosperity and how we build partnerships with industry and with local areas. Our Barrow plan, jointly with other partners in Government, with BAE Systems and with local a…”

“In 2021 in my constituency, a six-year-old girl, Sharlotte-Sky Naglis, was killed after being hit by a speeding driver who was on drugs and was drunk. The driver spent 11 weeks in a coma and while the police had taken a blood sample they were unable to test it without his consent. Ever since, Sharlotte’s mother Claire …”

“Q6. In Stoke-on-Trent and Kidsgrove we are proud of our beautiful historic buildings. However, many of them lie dormant and blight our proud towns. Will the Prime Minister outline what steps the Government are taking to bring historic buildings back into use, and will he make time to visit my constituency to see for hi…”

“In Stoke-on-Trent and Kidsgrove there are many historic buildings that are lying dormant, and they have done so for a very long time. What steps will the Chancellor take to help to bring these beautiful buildings back into use as affordable homes for local people?”

“2. What fiscal steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to increase the supply of affordable housing.”

“The General has talked about close engagement with NATO. As we think through our part in the SACEUR’s plans in the event of warfighting with Russia, what we contribute where and when would reflect those plans. It might be on the eastern front very quickly, or it might be elsewhere. We need a degree of flexibility on re…”

“There is absolutely an intent to return to publishing an equipment plan and getting the National Audit Office to review it and produce a report, if that is what serves the purpose of parliamentary scrutiny. Some of the conversations that we had with your predecessor Committee and the Public Accounts Committee highlight…”