Ministry of Defence

Michelle Scrogham Excerpts

Wednesday 4th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Michelle Scrogham (Barrow and Furness) (Lab)]

Thank you for the opportunity to speak in this debate, Madam Deputy Speaker. In Barrow, defence spending means everything to apprentices starting out at the shipyard, to engineers perfecting their craft and to families who have worked for generations in support of our national security. It means pride in building and sustaining the submarines that underpin our continuous at-sea deterrent and keep this country safe. When I talk about the Ministry of Defence budget today, I speak not only as a member of the Defence Committee but as a representative of a town that quite literally builds Britain’s security.

I want to begin by acknowledging the Government’s commitment to increasing defence spending in response to a more dangerous world. This reflects the reality we face, from the war in Ukraine to escalating tensions in the middle east. In Barrow, we understand that investment in defence is essential, and I urge the Government to move quickly to ensure that we can reverse the damage caused by the under-investment of previous years before it is too late.

The Government’s continued support for the nuclear enterprise, and the long-term programmes that sustain it, provide crucial stability for my constituency. The Team Barrow project recognises something important: if a town carries the responsibility for building the nation’s most sensitive capabilities, it must also share the benefits of the responsibility between the peaks and troughs of contracts. As a member of the Defence Committee, I know that we have a duty to ensure that increased spending delivers what it promises on time, on budget and with a clear strategic purpose. Over a number of years, concerns have been raised about the affordability of equipment plans and the clarity of long-term investment assumptions. Large, complex programmes, particularly in submarine enterprises, require stability and transparency. Industry needs certainty, the workforce needs certainty and Parliament needs a clear understanding of how today’s commitments are funded over the decade ahead.

That is why the forthcoming defence investment plan is so important. For constituencies like mine, it is not an abstract document. It will shape the pipeline of work at the yard, the confidence of local suppliers and the decisions of young people when they make their decision to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing and nuclear engineering. I look forward to its publication and hope to see a level of detail that allows this House, and particularly the Defence Committee, to scrutinise it properly. We need clarity about cost assumptions and risk management, and about how capability decisions align with the resources allocated. Transparency builds confidence. It strengthens public trust and ultimately strengthens our armed forces.

Barrow and Furness stands firmly with the men and women of our armed forces, and we are ready to deliver the industrial capability that this nation requires. We know from experience that long-term projects succeed when there is honest accounting and realistic planning. When expectations are clear and when funding profiles are credible, industry can invest with confidence and communities can plan for the future. I support the Government’s commitment to strengthening our defences in a more uncertain world. At the same time, I will continue, as a member of the Defence Committee, to be a critical friend to the Government, pushing to ensure that commitment translates into capability. Barrow and Furness will continue to play its part at the very heart of Britain’s defence. We simply ask that the long-term plan for defence is as strong and resilient as the submarines we build.