Strategic Defence Review Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Strategic Defence Review

Lord Vaux of Harrowden Excerpts
Tuesday 3rd June 2025

(3 days, 20 hours ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Coaker Portrait Lord Coaker (Lab)
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Some of the timelines will clearly need to be clarified. On the general point, all the things that my noble friend has mentioned are critical to move from the forces that we have to the integrated force that is essential—not the joint force but the integrated force. We need to make that happen as soon as we can.

Lord Vaux of Harrowden Portrait Lord Vaux of Harrowden (CB)
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My Lords, the Minister mentioned the recruitment gap earlier. I had the privilege last week of spending the week with the Royal Gurkha Rifles, and I must say how impressed I was. We take only 250 Gurkha recruits every year, out of 12,500 keen applicants. I suggest that there is a potential opportunity there, and one that the Government might take.