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Proliferation in ParliamentBack to Proliferation in Parliament, December 2007 - February 2008 Westminster ParliamentKey to Column Numbering
Defence Policy
War Powers and Treaties, House of Lords, Debate, 31 Jan 2008, Column 747Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank rose to call attention to Her Majesty's Government's consultation paper on War Powers and Treaties (Cm 7239); and to move for Papers. The noble Lord said: My Lords, I declare an interest as the director of a United States defence company called Colt. I am grateful for being able to introduce this important debate on war powers and treaties. The excellent and helpful consultation paper produced by the Ministry of Justice states: "The power to send and women abroad into a situation of armed conflict is one of the most important decisions a government can ever take". In a democracy, it is surely desirable that decisions by Governments to use Armed Forces extensively and substantially be taken on the basis of thorough and accurate information made publicly available, and of candid and consistent explanation by Governments, fully involving Parliament in advice and decision. However, although it is highly desirable, can it be fully entrenched in our constitutional practice? ... Full text of the debate is available at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ Defence, Written Answers, 28 Jan 2008, Column 32WMr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what circumstances he would consider undertaking a Defence Review. Des Browne [holding answer 21 January 200 8 ]: The 1998 Strategic Defence Review (Cm 3999) and 2002 New Chapter (Cm 5566) White Papers identified the major challenges to UK security as the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, the spread of international terrorism and the threat posed by weak and failing states. In response to these challenges, they set the requirement for the UK to maintain expeditionary, balanced and flexible armed forces. These assumptions were validated in the 2003 White Paper "Delivering security in a Changing World" 28 Jan 2008 : Column 33W (Cm 6041-I) and were endorsed again in work leading to the 2007 comprehensive
spending review (Cm 7227). The recent CSR settlement of 1.5 per cent.
real terms growth means an additional £7.7 billion for Defence by 2011,
continuing the longest period of sustained real growth in planned defence
spending since the 1980s. Our priority is to continue to modernise the
armed forces to deliver the capabilities needed to meet these challenges. Back to Proliferation in Parliament, December 2007 - February 2008 © 2008 The Acronym Institute. |