Sir Bernard Jenkin rises in the Commons to express frustration at the Defense Secretary’s announcement of cuts to his department.

The veteran Tory MP suggests today’s announcement shows the direction of the Strategic Defense Review.

On a more practical note, he says: “One of the lessons from the war in Ukraine is that old kit can be very useful.”

He also notes that the Americans are storing old military equipment in case it is needed.

“We’re throwing away capacity that’s just out of order because there wasn’t enough money.

“And now he’s telling us there’s probably even less money.”

In a scornful tone, Sir Bernard adds: “Please don’t he come to this chamber pretending he’s just clearing out an old cupboard of rubbish that everyone had forgotten, and that defense chiefs are jumping up and down with delight that he’s cleared out.”

Future of old kit ‘undecided’

Defense Secretary John Healey responds that Sir Bernard has “great expertise” in defence.

But he has “clarified” that while the decommissioning decisions have been made, exactly what happens to the kit being taken out of active service “has not been resolved”.

As for the strategic defense review, Healey says it will recognize that “technology is changing rapidly and at an accelerating rate”, and that the armed forces must be “increasingly integrated”.