CONSERVATIVE
New Forest East

FOREIGN AFFAIRS – UNDERSEA PIPELINES & DEFENCE EXPENDITURE - 31 October 2022

FOREIGN AFFAIRS – UNDERSEA PIPELINES & DEFENCE EXPENDITURE - 31 October 2022

Dr Julian Lewis: Given the emphasis that Putin is putting on attacking infrastructure, and without in any way asking the Foreign Secretary to be specific, will he reassure the House that our armed forces are paying enough attention to protecting undersea pipelines and internet cables? Between now and the autumn statement, will he have a quiet word with the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to say that now is not the right time to be rowing back from a long overdue promise to increase expenditure on defence?

[The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (James Cleverly): My right hon. Friend tempts me to go beyond my brief at the Dispatch Box. All I can say is that I always listen to his advice carefully, and I have no doubt that the Secretary of State for Defence, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor will all have listened carefully to the points that he put forward.]