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Department: Ministry of Defence

Patricia Gibson

Main Page: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

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Patricia Gibson Excerpts

UK Economy
Monday 19th February 2024

(2 months, 3 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
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Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that there is no pause. The approvals are flowing.

Patricia Gibson Portrait Patricia Gibson (North Ayrshire and Arran) (SNP)
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T8. The Royal Navy carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales entered service six and seven years late respectively, with their cost rocketing to over £8,000 million—more than 20 times that of Scotland’s ferries—while being plagued with problems and a lack of aircraft. What assurances can we have that these hugely expensive carriers will provide the defence capability for which they were designed?

Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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The whole House recognises the irony of an SNP Member talking about ships being delivered late. The whole House will want to welcome the extraordinary work done by those on HMS Prince of Wales who got the ship ready to leave not at 30 days’ readiness, which is what they were ranked for, but in eight days. I would have thought that congratulating the ship’s company would be the right thing to do.

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