Oral Answers to Questions

Rachel Gilmour Excerpts

Thursday 23rd April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Rachel Gilmour (Tiverton and Minehead) (LD)]

11. What steps he is taking to improve national resilience.

[The Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Dan Jarvis)]

The Government are taking decisive steps to strengthen our national resilience, as set out in the resilience action plan. Building on the findings of Exercise Pegasus, the Government published a new pandemic preparedness strategy just last month. It sets out how the UK intends to rebuild readiness and strengthen underlying capabilities for future pandemics through a whole-of-Government approach.

[Rachel Gilmour]

Not long ago, a Russian-flagged ship anchored just two miles off the Minehead coast in my constituency, directly above critical transatlantic cables. Our adversaries are becoming emboldened and operating even closer to home.

As the proud sister of a serving brigadier and a retired lieutenant colonel, who between them have served for over half a century in our armed forces, I know the calibre of those who serve. However, reports that the Ministry of Defence has lost track of some 95,000 veterans on the recall list are alarming. How can the Government credibly claim to be strengthening national resilience when they lack the basic data required to mobilise those capable of serving in a national emergency?

[Dan Jarvis]

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for the point she raised and the way she raised it, and I pay tribute to the service of her family members, as I am sure all hon. Members will do. This matter is one that we take incredibly seriously. I can tell her and the House that, following sanctions already imposed on 544 vessels, the Prime Minister has now agreed that the British military will be able to board shadow fleet vessels passing through UK waters, but I will look carefully at the hon. Lady’s points and discuss them with colleagues in the Ministry of Defence.