Role in UK’s Defence
Wednesday, 4 November 2026
Contributions
John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)Conservative
6. Whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on Wales’s role in the UK’s defence.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Anna McMorrin)Labour
I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on defence and many other matters. We are fully funding the £15 billion defence investment plan, strengthening our armed forces, investing in cutting-edge technology and creating nearly 60,000 additional industry jobs across the UK. Continued uncertainty around the Welsh Government’s approach to defence, and delays to important projects such as DARC—Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability—risk deterring investment and jobs from Wales, as well as risking our national security.
Plaid, the SNP and Sinn Féin: the separatist cabal trying to break up Britain, with little regard for UK defence. In Scotland, we already have a hostile environment for our critical defence industry. What can the Secretary of State do in Wales to prevent the same fate befalling key workers there?
This is absolutely such a critical industry and topic for our country to work on together as a strong United Kingdom. The dither and delay from the Plaid Welsh Government is undermining our Welsh defence sector. It is having a very real impact on jobs, investment and opportunities, and our communities deserve better. I once again urge the Plaid Welsh Government to work with us and stop the delay.
Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab)Labour
The deployment of military personnel to deal with wildfires in Wales was very important this summer. Does the Minister agree that, now that UK and Welsh Government summits have taken place and there is additional money in the Welsh budget, we need a plan on wildfire prevention and resilience ahead of next summer?
I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend for his work with his community, and the commoners and firefighters in his constituency. I also pay tribute to all our firefighters and military for their role in fighting the wildfires this summer. The Welsh and UK Governments held summits last month and set out a route forward, including the UK Government equipping RAF helicopters to fight fires in remote areas. That is absolutely essential. The Welsh Government are looking to bring in international expertise. This is yet another example of the importance and power of cross-border collaboration.
Source: UK Parliament Hansard API. Debate ID: 5432170.