Speeches by Thomas.

“I want to pick up on a couple of points you made, and dig into something we are really interested in talking about. If there is to be further action from Russia beyond its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, where is that most likely to be? There are various points across the NATO border with Russia where that could happen…”

“Am I right in thinking that there are islands in the High North that, technically, belong to Norway? I might be wrong so I want to clarify this. They are basically uninhabited. There are other islands in the Baltic sea and so on, but there are islands in the High North that, theoretically, Russia could test our resolve…”

“Do you want to come in as well, Professor Blagden?”

“On both.”

“I politely disagree about dithering and delay. The Government are getting on as quickly as possible. The consultation was launched rapidly and is taking place right now, and the Government have committed to implementing the findings of the consultation as quickly as possible. I can assure the hon. Lady and the whole Ho…”

“I congratulate and thank the Minister for her brilliant leadership throughout the passage of the Bill. It is fantastic to see this Labour Government delivering for children. In Plymouth, the free breakfast clubs have made an enormous difference. The measures in the Bill, including those with amendments, will be fantast…”

“I am fascinated. It is the reporting that we have had of things that are changing that I am really interested in. But you have given good answers, thank you. When you are looking at people, Minister, do you have what is happening with religion in the forces regularly reported to you?”

“General Walker, we know that one of your main concerns is about recruit and retain. You mentioned earlier, and I want to ask you further about it, that your sense is that there are various “rancorous belief systems…in wider society”.”

“In the context of women in the Armed Forces, and more widely with the type of person you are managing to get in through the door, what do you mean by “rancorous belief systems…in wider society”, and how does that affect the Army?”

“Director, did you want to comment on the religion question?”

“I would like to move on to the broader culture within your various services. We have spoken mainly, of course, about women in the Armed Forces—that is the session’s focus. We have also spoken about race. Can I ask about religion? I will come to the Navy first, so to you, General. We saw reports in mainstream media—base…”

“That is a completely fair answer. Other services, are you tracking the rise of Christianity at all? Do you get that reported to you at all?”

“Can I also ask about women in the Royal Marines? The Royal Marines are very over-represented in Parliament, Government and in top jobs in the MoD compared with the proportion of the Armed Forces that they make up. Clearly, if we are talking about leadership roles and women in future leadership roles, having no women be…”

“I am sure we are all very supportive of the chaplaincy service across all the services—I know I am personally, from my time in service. I am so short on time, I am going to have to ask a separate question. General, I have heard anecdotally from serving Navy personnel who are women that life is okay ashore on naval base…”

“What about the other organisations? Have any of you lost members in the past year or so on the basis of there not being contracts coming forward from UK defence?”

“Yes, it is in the neighbouring constituency.”

“A lot of your members will be dual use, and may be very new companies looking to scale up, who have a product that can be used either for defence or for other purposes—or they may have had something for decades that can be used for defence or not. In the past couple of years the zeitgeist in the UK, and probably in the…”

“The hon. Member mentions quite rightly the brave men who served in Operation Banner. Does he agree that women also served in that operation?”

“When you say it is easier to work in another industry, presumably some of them will think it is easier to work in another country?”

“The hon. Member celebrates the Labour Government’s decision to create Team Plymouth. She celebrates the Labour Government’s decision to designate Plymouth the National Centre for Marine Autonomy, and she celebrates the countless defence technology companies crowding into our wonderful, vibrant city. Can she acknowledge…”