Saudi Arabia: RAF Support

Lord Addington Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Antrobus) (Lab)]

It is good to see the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, in the Chamber, and I welcome her back. She is referring to activities that took place where RAF jets conducted a small number of precision strikes between January and August 2025 alongside US partners, separate from the larger US Operation Rough Rider. The situation this time is that we are responding to what the Saudi Arabian Government have asked us to help with. As she says, we are providing defensive air support within Saudi Arabia to protect cities, populations and critical national infrastructure. That frees up capacity for the Saudis to then prosecute their targets. The RAF presence is designed to prevent drones and missile attacks. That is what has been asked for, and that is what we have provided.

[Lord Addington (LD)]

Can we go a little further on that and ask: can the Government give us an assurance that, if we have to do any more or commit more resources to this, the capacity under which that is done will be discussed by both Houses of Parliament before any decision is made?

[Baroness Antrobus (Lab)]

As the noble Lord knows, we have been discussing this with and updating noble Lords and those in the other place. The Prime Minister delivered a Statement in the other place on the first day back after the recess. He set out the strategic case for why the UK is supporting Saudi Arabia and answered dozens of questions on the matter. As the noble Lord will also know, the Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal repeated that Statement in this Chamber and took questions from noble Lords. Following adjustment to that support last week, the Defence Secretary laid a Written Ministerial Statement. The Minister for Veterans and People addressed it in the other place on Thursday, and I am delighted to continue to answer noble Lords’ questions today.