Speeches by Norman.

“If we think about Ukraine, the NAO has pointed out that we have provided £2.7 billion of military equipment from existing stocks, but we have only agreed £1 billion of replenishment. Does that mean we do not think that needs replenishing or are we planning to replenish it on a much longer basis than would be ideal for …”

“I am just joining the dots and want to be sure that we are all completely on the same side on that. You cannot have an organisation spending the level of cash that you are spending without escalating interest as the money goes up and as the warfighting capability starts to come under question. I just want to reinforce …”

“Great, so we can expect that kind of rapid remedial action in relation to further disclosure of information on equipment, et cetera, filling the gap that we described earlier about loss of disclosure and loss of transparency?”

“Will the Leader of the House please give us the forthcoming business?”

“What a marvellous time of year it is when I see the Christmas tree in New Palace Yard, and the trilling sounds of the parliamentary and Salvation Army choirs to boot. On a slightly more sober note, you will recall, Mr Speaker, that the story of this Government so far has been one of early scandal, a first reset and a d…”

“Just to be clear, the effect of the US blockage or temporary withdrawal was to create a strategic weakness because Ukraine was incapable of dealing with evolving strategic threats to block the linkage between the US and the front in Ukraine from an evolution of warfare standpoint, but also to prevent it from exploiting…”

“Is there any expectation that, if there was a breakthrough and the Russians got closer to Kyiv, there would be a more resolute allied or supportive reaction?”

“That is very helpful. Could we just touch a little further on Orysia’s earlier point about the earlier blockage? The Kiel Institute has estimated that military aid from Ukraine’s partners could drop by almost half next year, relative to current levels. Without being too melodramatic, can we just talk about some of the …”

“Is there enough of a feedback loop where we go after the people who are actually selling this stuff or the people who are manufacturing it within Europe?”

“The functional failure of the sanctions regime.”

“Let us turn to the other side then and look at what Russia has received and what the effect of that has been. There is obviously a big difference between the early phase of the war and the more China-enabled drone context of the later phase.”

“Could you just dwell on that for a second? Just talk for a second about what the impact of the blockage or the delay of US support was on the ground.”

“Panel, you will be aware that Russia has received a lot of different kinds of military support since the beginning of the war, both from aligned nations and from putatively non-aligned nations. They might be drones from Iran, missiles or drones from China, troops from North Korea, basing support from Belarus, or, alleg…”

“And just in time for Small Business Saturday, too. I understand that the Prime Minister will deliver a speech later today setting out his plan for change. I must say, I am delighted—I am sure we all are—to hear that the Government are at last adopting a plan and are trying to change. As we have so often noted at busine…”

“Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?”

“It is great to see that Christmas has come to the Palace of Westminster. I hope, Mr Speaker, that you enjoyed the Christmas fayre yesterday, and that you loaded up on goods from Frank’s Luxury Biscuits from Herefordshire just as heavily as I did—”

“I am sure that the whole House will want to join me in wishing a very happy Thanksgiving day to all our American friends and family, and a happy big birthday today to the Clerk: the Joe Root of the parliamentary estate. Huge thanks to him for his stylish and expert first century—half-century, I should say! Mr Speaker, …”

“Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?”

“I have a final question, Secretary of State. Can you give us an update on your thinking and review of the damage to the undersea cables in the Baltic sea in the last few days? I think that is potentially quite a significant further escalation.”

“You have talked about, and I completely respect and agree about, the importance of realism and honesty, but would it not have been a bit more realistic of you to acknowledge the financial circumstances in 2010 and a bit more honest, by your own lights, to say that Labour were planning £73 billion-worth of public spendi…”