Industry and Regulators Committee
14 July 2026
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Industry and Regulators Committee Actual start House of Lords
18:54 - 19:54
Speaker 1
Well, good morning and welcome to this session of the Industry and Regulators Committee. We're, as you probably know, looking at, have a particular inquiry about the relationship between government and the defence industry. The broadcast, the meeting is being broadcast live on Parliament TV.
There will be a transcript taken and you'll have a chance to check that in case we've misinterpreted any of the words that you've used. But if I can formally start by welcoming both Lord Robertson of this parish, if I can say that, and General Sir Richard Barrons, who together, of course, with Fiona Hill, produced the Strategic Defence Review, which I think has, and what you've both been doing since, has started the national dialogue that I think you wanted to take place. But maybe you could both just introduce yourselves and then we'll start with the questions. I'm Diane Hayter and I'll introduce our colleagues as they put questions to you.
19:56 - 20:52
Speaker 2
Thank you, Madam Chair, and I am Lord Robertson of Port Ellen. I was once upon a time Secretary of State for Defence, then I was Secretary General of NATO. And I was asked by the incoming Prime Minister, and now outgoing Prime Minister, to be the lead reviewer of the three people who would do the external review of UK defence. So we produced our report last June, June the second last year. And we were told at that point that our job was over.
And I think it's worth emphasizing that point, that at that stage we were told that we were done, we were finished, and that we had no further role to play inside the Ministry of Defence.
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