Dan Jarvis MP: speeches

Speeches

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  Diego Garcia is important for our national defence, but the assumptions I have had to make are to ensure that we have the right capabilities at the right time, given the nature of the world we operate in. I do not think anybody disputes that the world is a very difficult, complex and dangerous place. It is the job of defence and of the UK Government to ensure that we have the right resource and capabilities. That is why Iusb have been working hard to secure more resource and have sharpened our list of capabilities. That is also why I have been working with Treasury colleagues to ensure that defence will be the No. 1 priority at the next spending review.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  We will look carefully at the best possible mechanism to ensure that we have the resources to field the required capability. There are different views about how best to do that, and different allies advocate different ways of investing money in our defence industries. My right hon. Friend will understand that I have not had a huge amount of time, in the couple of weeks that I have been drawing the plan together, to map out the longer-term spending proposals on how we best generate that activity across defence and with our economy. I am not ruling anything out or in, but I will look closely at what our allies say and take advice. I am happy to discuss it further with my right hon. Friend.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the representations he has made on behalf of KNDS. I understand its important work well. He is right to emphasise the importance of ensuring that this significant investment of £15 billion, sitting in the continuum of investment that we have seen, needs to provide economic growth and jobs right across the country—and it will. It will provide nearly 60,000 new jobs. We should be hugely proud of that, not least because a significant proportion of those jobs will be spread right around the country. I would be very pleased to visit his Stockport constituency.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  The shadow Defence Secretary talks about legacy, so let me remind him that the previous Government cut back our service personnel by almost 50,000, the morale of our troops was through the floor, 46 of the biggest 52 projects were delayed or over budget, and there was an equipment plan without the funding to back it up. I have to say that I am also quite perplexed that the shadow Defence Secretary wants to raise concerns about the announcement we have made on drones. We have just announced the largest ever investment in drones in our country’s history. When he gets the time, because I know he will want to look carefully at the detail, he will see that, over the past two weeks, we have reprioritised activity to bring forward spend so that we can deliver operational capability sooner than would otherwise be the case. The shadow Defence Secretary mentioned housing, and I understand why he would want to raise that, because housing is hugely important for defence and for the armed forces community. I know what it is like to live in armed forces accommodation, and I said earlier that we absolutely have a moral responsibility to those who serve to ensure we provide them with the best possible living accommodation. That is why we have recommitted today to £9 billion of investment over the next 10 years, which will see investment in the housing estate growing in real terms in each of those years. That is an absolute commitment that we have made today. The shadow Defence Secretary also mentioned, and again I understand why he chose to do so, the importance of cadet forces. All of us in our constituencies will no doubt engage with cadet forces, which are an absolute force for good in communities around the country. That is why we have made a clear commitment to continue to invest in and modernise our cadet forces and to continue to improve outstanding opportunities for young people. The shadow Defence Secretary asked specifically about the percentage of GDP that we will be spending on defence. I gently point out to him that, when we came into government two years ago, we inherited a figure of 2.3%. That was the figure we inherited. It is currently at 2.5% and will be at 2.7% by the end of this Parliament, with a clear commitment to spend 3% in the next Parliament and an absolutely critical commitment to spend 3.5% by 2035. He will have heard the points I made about the importance of defence spending and the commitment this Government have made to ensuring that defence spending is the No. 1 priority at the next spending review.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  I do not think it is like that at all.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  I can confirm that. Let me also take the opportunity to say how much we value the working relationship with BAE. It is a great company employing thousands of workers around the country, and we will want to work very closely with it on the back of this plan.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  That is not correct; all the chiefs support the DIP.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  That is precisely why we have the defence growth deal in Wales, and I give the right hon. Lady a commitment that we will work with the new Government in Wales to deliver on it.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  I genuinely welcome the question from the hon. Member, not least because often no Members from his party are in attendance for defence debates. I think he has previously made the point that he represents more members of the armed forces in his constituency than anyone else. I therefore make the point to him gently that it would not be unreasonable for us to have a slightly more constructive dialogue about these things. I hope that he will consider that for the future.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  With great respect to the hon. Gentleman, it is not for me to make guarantees on behalf of other Government Departments, including the Treasury. I am sure that he will understand that. I do not think that any Minister outside the Treasury would be in a position to make that guarantee. I know that the hon. Gentleman thinks carefully about these matters, so the guarantee that I can give him is that in the time I have had available, I have looked very carefully at the mix of capabilities contained within the plan and made a number of changes in order to deliver capabilities that I thought were required sooner rather than later. Has that involved making some difficult choices? Yes, it has. Has it involved cutting some capabilities? Yes, it has. But what I have to do is do right by defence and be satisfied that we have the resource available and the right capabilities in place to allow us to operate alongside our allies in a very dangerous world. That is not an easy process, as I hope the hon. Gentleman will acknowledge. I hope he will also acknowledge that today’s investment plan represents an important step forward, but as I have said consistently, there is still a requirement to spend more on defence.

• 30 Jun 2026 · Defence Investment Plan · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for the work that my hon. Friend does with Italy, which is a key ally, and I am grateful for her welcome for the announcement of the commitment to GCAP, which was signed recently by the Prime Minister. Her second point is absolutely right—she should challenge us and hold us to account on that. She will have heard the response I gave to her relatively near neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West (Dame Chi Onwurah), just a few moments ago. I look forward to working with them both on that particular matter.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman, not least for the experience that he brings to these matters. He knows the huge regard that I have for his constituents, not least because of their long-standing support for the armed forces. He is right to praise them and to reference the importance of their reputation. The reputation of our armed forces is something we can all be proud of, and it goes right around the world. I hope, however, that he will understand that the purpose of my appearance today is to give an operational update on the activity that took place in the English channel yesterday, and that a couple of days into the job I am not in a position to provide a further update on the matter he raises. He knows how seriously I take those matters, and I will work on them closely with colleagues in other Departments, including the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. No doubt we will both have more to say about it soon.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his comments, and I share the sentiment he expressed at the beginning of his question. I anticipated that he might seek to draw reference to the hugely important industrial activity that takes place in and around his constituency in South Yorkshire. This Department and this Government believe strongly that defence is an engine for growth, and I am acutely aware of the economic opportunities that exist in his part of the world. He is right to reference the fact that this is the first type of activity of its kind. It will sow the seeds of doubt in our adversary’s mind. He will understand that I am not going to speculate about what we might do in future, but the simple act of the Prime Minister’s commitment back in March has had a significant deterrent effect, as will the activities of yesterday morning.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  My right hon. Friend makes an important point, and there is widespread agreement for it. She will know that I spent much of the past two years doing exactly what she describes, and I look forward to working closely with my predecessor to ensure that we prosecute Russia’s proxies, and counter its illegal activity wherever it raises its ugly head.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising the Royal Marine reserves, as it is very important that we pay tribute to all those who serve in the reserves. I am constantly inspired by those who are able to balance civilian life, family life and service life; we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. On her substantive point, I absolutely give her the assurances she seeks. I spent much of the weekend talking to allies, and I will be in Brussels on Thursday to co-chair the next meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, working with our partners in order to ensure that Ukraine’s forces get the support they need to fight Putin’s war machine.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who has an important and close constituency interest in these matters, for his comments. I give him the assurances that he seeks. He raised a number of important points. Given his close interest in these matters, I suggest that he has a briefing from the Minister for the Armed Forces, who has just made that offer to him. We look forward to working closely with him on this.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Gentleman is right to draw attention to the horror of the continued attacks on civilians in Ukraine. It is beyond abhorrent, and we must continue to remind ourselves of the totally reckless nature of Putin’s illegal war. As a Government, we have an absolute responsibility to use all means at our disposal to make it as practically difficult for Russia as we possibly can. I am extremely grateful for the efforts of the Ministers from the FCDO and the Department for Business and Trade, who are sat alongside me on the Front Bench, and their work to combat this particular threat; they all take the work incredibly seriously and I look forward to working closely with them in that endeavour.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his welcome. That seemed a little bit different from some of the reported comments I heard over the weekend. I will leave that to one side for now, not least because I think he has extended me an invitation to go out for a run in the morning. [ Interruption. ] He seems to be backtracking on that invitation. I understand why he raises his point in the way that he does, and I hope that he will understand my determination to make progress. He will understand that I have had a limited amount of time to get into the detail of all this, but doing so is my absolute priority, and I will return to the Department to do that very shortly. I hope that he will give us a little bit of time; in the end, it will be for him to take a view on where we get to with this work.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for the very constructive tone of his comments, and I am keen to work with him and his Liberal Democrat colleagues on these matters. He is absolutely right to raise the deterrent effect. The Prime Minister’s announcement back in March has been extremely helpful in that regard. I understand and agree with the sentiment of the hon. Gentleman’s points. He will understand that because there is an ongoing, live criminal investigation, I am not able to say anything more about the specifics regarding this vessel and the oil contained within it. The hon. Gentleman made important points about sanctions and the need to ensure that we are working across Government. I can give him the assurances that he seeks. That absolutely will be our approach. It is very important that we as a Department work very closely with our colleagues in the Treasury, and I am very pleased to be joined on the Front Bench today by the Chancellor. I also discussed these matters with the Foreign Secretary earlier on today.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am genuinely sorry that the hon. Lady will not be shadowing me any more, but I know that she will continue to make constructive contributions. The figure she seeks does not sit in my Department; I think it sits in the Department for Transport, but I will correct the record if I have got that wrong. I hope she understands that there has been very close collaboration across Government. A huge amount of planning went into launching this operation. There was a truly joined-up approach across Government, with important contributions made by the Department for Transport and the Department for Business and Trade.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the point about the importance of the safety and security of those at sea. She also made an important point about flags of convenience. She will understand that because of the ongoing investigation, I cannot get into the specifics of this case, but the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), has just given me an assurance that we are working very closely with our allies on the point she that she raises.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his reference to 42 Commando. He has been a long-standing supporter of Ukraine, and I hope he heard in my earlier remarks that my first international call as Secretary of State was with my counterpart in Ukraine, who I will meet on Thursday. His point about the FCDO licences was well made, and the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has arrived right on cue.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend, not least because she has been a doughty champion of the garrison town that is Aldershot. She speaks with great passion and knowledge about these matters. She is right to raise concerns about the threat that we face from Russia; it is a threat that I have spent the last two years dealing with. She is also right about the need for a whole-of-Government approach. I championed that approach in my previous role across the Home Office and Cabinet Office. Now, within the Ministry of Defence, I look forward to working with my colleagues across Government to ensure we have the appropriate defences to guard against the threats that we undoubtedly face from Russia.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  The hon. Gentleman, I have to say, is a constant source of disappointment to me, not least because I believe he has the potential to be the statesperson of his party.

• 15 Jun 2026 · Russian Shadow Fleet · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the shadow Secretary of State for his welcome. I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak to him on Friday evening. I do want to work constructively with him and colleagues on both sides of the House. I said in my opening remarks that I believe very strongly that the defence of our nation should be a shared endeavour. That is always the approach I have taken in this House, and I very much hope that it is the approach that we can continue with. I am also grateful to him for his support for yesterday’s action, as well as the cross-party consensus that I am, as I am sure he is, genuinely proud of with regard to Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine. I understand why the hon. Member asked about the timing of the operation, but I can say to him—and he will know this from his own time as a Minister in the Department—that the activity that was brilliantly and bravely executed yesterday was the result of weeks of military and operational planning. I know that he will understand very well that the UK has played a critical role in the interdiction of a number of shadow fleet ships in recent months, including through close co-operation with our US and French counterparts. The Prime Minister, as he mentioned, made clear back in March our intention to interdict shadow fleet vessels at a time and place of our choosing, and that is what we chose to do. The shadow Defence Secretary mentioned the former Minister for the Armed Forces, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Selly Oak (Al Carns). I was saving him up, not least because he is someone that I hold in the very highest of regard. He is an honourable and gallant Member, and it is very widely recognised that he has provided outstanding service to our country in the most difficult circumstances that anyone could ever imagine. I am beyond proud that he sits on this side of the House, and I look forward to listening to him and working closely with him in the future. Entirely reasonably, the shadow Secretary of State asked about the defence investment plan. I hope, in what I intend to be the spirit of constructive consensus, that he recognises that this Government have spent over £11 billion more this year on defence than the Conservatives spent in their last year of government. I hope he will also understand that colleagues across Government have been working on the defence investment plan for many, many months. It is a hugely important piece of work. It is the first line-by-line defence budget in 20 years. I fully appreciate the desire of the shadow Defence Secretary to see the contents of the plan published as soon as possible, and I absolutely share that desire. Since being appointed Defence Secretary just a couple of days ago, I have worked very closely with my Department and colleagues across Government to ensure that we progress this work as an absolute priority. The Prime Minister has said that we will publish it before the NATO summit next month, and we will.