Salisbury Incident Debate

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Department: Home Office

Salisbury Incident

Desmond Swayne Excerpts
Thursday 8th March 2018

(6 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd
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I thank the hon. Lady for her support for the general tone of the Government’s approach, and I of course join in her admiration and support for the emergency services, which are doing such excellent work. I must repeat to the hon. Lady that the investigation is ongoing at pace, and the police and the other services involved appreciate the urgency. It does not help their work, which must be our priority, to speculate about what might happen when we make an attribution. When we are ready to bring more evidence to the House, I reassure the hon. Lady that I hope to be able to go further in answering her questions. For now, she must allow me to say that we will not be drawn any further as we allow the investigation to complete.

Desmond Swayne Portrait Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)
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Whoever the culprit, it is just as well that we are currently reviewing our defence capabilities, so that we can increase them—can’t we?

Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd
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As far as our security at home is concerned, I reassure my right hon. Friend that we have already put in substantial extra funds. The security services are recruiting 1,900 new people between now and 2020, and I am reassured by them that that recruitment is proceeding at pace and with success.