Russian Shadow Fleet

With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will update the House on UK operational activity against the Russian shadow fleet.

Before I begin, I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to my right hon. Friend the Member for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough (John Healey), who led the Department through a period of growing instability with clarity of purpose and sure judgment. I thank him sincerely for all that he did as Secretary of State. He leaves office safe in the knowledge that our armed forces are better prepared and better supported than when he assumed it.

This is my first appearance in the House since my appointment as Secretary of State for Defence. It is a privilege and a responsibility beyond all measure, not least because this is a moment of challenge for our nation, and it is my job to make sure that we rise to meet that moment. It has been some time since I left the armed forces, and the tactics, technology and threats have changed beyond recognition. What have remained constant, however, are the professionalism, courage and extraordinary skill of our servicemen and women.

Those virtues were exemplified in full yesterday in the English channel. In the early hours of the morning, 25 miles south of the Isle of Wight, Royal Marine commandos fast roped under the cover of darkness on to the deck of the Smyrtos, a 244-metre oil tanker, which at the time of interception was travelling at 10 knots. Within a matter of minutes, our Marines had seized control of the vessel without resistance. They worked closely in this operation with specialist officers from the National Crime Agency and were supported by aircraft from the maritime air group, including Chinooks, Merlin Mk4 and Wildcat helicopters, an RAF P-8, Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland and minehunter HMS Ledbury. I take this opportunity to recognise the vital contribution of the Home Office’s border security command maritime teams.

This was a highly complex operation that was executed with remarkable precision. Lasting six hours, this Royal Navy led interdiction was the first of its kind for UK forces, and was the result of careful and meticulous planning across multiple Government Departments and agencies. All military and law enforcement personnel are safely accounted for. I know that the whole House will join me in expressing the deepest respect and sincere thanks to the hundreds of people who were involved.

The vessel is now secured outside of port limits at Weymouth anchorage. A 38-year old Indian national has been arrested on suspicion of sanctions offences. All other 24 crew members remain on board and are assisting the NCA. This is a live criminal investigation, and further updates will be provided at the appropriate moment.

In the days leading up to this interdiction, UK armed forces, supported by our allies, including France, to whom I am very grateful, closely tracked and monitored the vessel on the grounds that it was suspected of using a false flag. This was a vessel that was sanctioned by the UK, sailing without nationality and transporting sanctioned Russian oil. I can confirm to the House that this operation was conducted in accordance with international law, including the United Nations convention on the law of the sea, and the relevant domestic legislation.

Yesterday’s operation follows the support that the UK has provided the US and France in the interdiction of several shadow fleet ships this year. In March, my right hon. and learned Friend the Prime Minister made clear our intention to interdict shadow fleet vessels at a time and place of our choosing. This had a clear deterrent effect, with many vessels taking longer and more costly routes to evade action taken by the UK and our allies.

Let me expand on why this operation matters. We know who benefits from the shadow fleet: over 700 vessels are used to move around 40% of Russian oil. And we know who suffers from the shadow fleet: sanctioned oil is bankrolling Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine. Every barrel sold helps fund the missiles and drones used to kill Ukrainians in their homes, destroy their infrastructure and break their will. This operation deals another blow to Putin. We are clear with Russia about our intentions and our basis to act. We do not seek escalation, but we will always take the necessary steps to enforce UK sanctions.

The UK has sanctioned over 550 Russian shadow fleet vessels. That has had a material impact. Nearly 200 have been forced to anchor because of the action of the UK and our partners. Yesterday’s operation sends a clear signal to Russia that the UK and its allies can, and will, act against the Russian war machine. We will use every measure available to prevent the trade in sanctioned goods that funds Putin’s illegal war.

Yesterday’s operation demonstrates that the UK’s commitment to securing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine is absolute. I know that President Zelensky thanked the UK following the interdiction, yet we should remember that it is us who owe the Ukrainian people. They have now resisted Putin’s full scale invasion for more than four years and suffered under the pain of occupation for more than 12 years, and still they fight—for their security and for ours; for their values and for ours.

Yesterday I spoke to the Ukrainian Defence Minister to assure him that although there has been a change in leadership in UK defence, there has been no change in our position: the UK will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. On Thursday I will be at the NATO headquarters to co chair the next meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group and secure the arms and ammunition that Ukraine’s forces need to fight Putin’s war machine.

Let me end by saying something that I have always believed: the defence of our nation is a shared endeavour. It falls to those of us who step forward to protect the country in and out of uniform. We owe a debt of gratitude to all those people who exposed themselves to risk yesterday and to those who will do so tonight, tomorrow and in the future. I have a responsibility now to them to ensure that they get what they need, and I am determined to fulfil those duties. I commend this statement to the House.

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

I thank the Defence Secretary for advance sight of his statement and welcome him to his new post. He had a distinguished military career and, as Security Minister, will have had a foretaste of the operational demands of his new job. I will be turning to the circumstances that brought him to that position shortly, but we wish him well in his position. I also welcome the new Minister for Veterans, the hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr Bailey), to his post and welcome his predecessor, the hon. Member for North East Derbyshire (Louise Sandher Jones), to her new role as Armed Forces Minister.

I also pay personal tribute to the previous Secretary of State. On the day he resigned, I said that he was an honourable man who had done an honourable thing, and I meant it. Whatever our political differences, I respect the dignity with which he left Government—on a point of principle, in the national interest.

On the seizure of the Russian shadow fleet vessel, the Opposition welcome this action and the way it was conducted. Throughout his time in office, the previous Secretary of State and I maintained a rock solid consensus in support of Ukraine, standing shoulder to shoulder against the Russian threat. Whenever he announced action against Russian naval activity in our territorial waters, such as against Yantar, I welcomed it, because we must stand strong against the serious threat posed by Putin. That is why it is important that this vessel was seized, but I do have one particular concern.

Back in March, the Prime Minister announced that British armed forces are now able to board sanctioned vessels that are passing through our waters, but the BBC reports that since then in at least 94 instances shadow fleet vessels have crossed into UK territorial waters without a single one being interdicted by our armed forces. Until this weekend, almost three months after the policy was announced, no boarding of these vessels had taken place. What changed?

On the specific action that took place, I pay tribute to all our brave armed forces and law enforcement personnel involved, who conducted their mission to the highest professional standards, because one thing is certain about those who serve in our military: give them the kit and they will do the job.

But here is where the problem lies. This operation was necessary as part of our overall policy to deter Russia. However, that attempt at deterrence has been completely undermined by the total debacle of the defence investment plan. Last week we witnessed an unprecedented moment in UK defence, the likes of which has never been seen before, with the Secretary of State, his deputy and two Parliamentary Private Secretaries all resigning in total and unprecedented chaos. The Defence Secretary resigned from Government because the money the Prime Minister was offering for the defence investment plan was so meagre that it would “make the country less safe”

and would “reduce the readiness of our Forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations”.

That is a shattering verdict on this Government’s plans for defence, and it was one shared by the former Armed Forces Minister, the hon. Member for Birmingham Selly Oak (Al Carns). For some reason, he did not get a mention in the Secretary of State’s statement, or in the response from his junior Minister earlier. But as we are talking about the actions of our Royal Marines, let me put on the record my huge respect for the former Minister and the way in which he, too, resigned on a matter of principle. We share a passion for delivering the drone revolution, and given his distinguished military record, it was damning for him to say that the defence investment plan was “not built for the threat we face. It is neither transformative enough nor sufficiently funded.”

In particular, in his resignation letter, the previous Armed Forces Minister stated that the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill is “unfit for purpose”. We agree 100%. Just as the professionalism of our personnel was at the heart of this weekend’s interdiction operation, standing by our veterans and serving personnel must be at the heart of defence policy. As a veteran of Operation Banner himself, does the Secretary of State agree that the last thing the Government should be doing is hounding former soldiers through the courts? If he agrees, will he therefore urge the Prime Minister to scrap the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill?

On the core issue of funding, it will be deeply worrying for our NATO allies to see the chaos now surrounding the defence investment plan. It was meant to transform our armed forces, yet the very Secretary of State responsible for delivering the DIP until five days ago said that it will make us “less safe”. That is because the money on offer was nothing like enough. Is it true that the Prime Minister is refusing to give the Secretary of State any more cash for the defence investment plan? If so, in principle, does he welcome the offer from the Leader of the Opposition to work with the Government to find the welfare savings to fund defence?

To conclude, as this is our first exchange at the Dispatch Box since his appointment, I assure the Secretary of State that we are willing to work with him in the national interest to find the money for defence. Will he work with us?

I am grateful to the shadow Secretary of State for his welcome. I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak to him on Friday evening. I do want to work constructively with him and colleagues on both sides of the House. I said in my opening remarks that I believe very strongly that the defence of our nation should be a shared endeavour. That is always the approach I have taken in this House, and I very much hope that it is the approach that we can continue with. I am also grateful to him for his support for yesterday’s action, as well as the cross party consensus that I am, as I am sure he is, genuinely proud of with regard to Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.

I understand why the hon. Member asked about the timing of the operation, but I can say to him—and he will know this from his own time as a Minister in the Department—that the activity that was brilliantly and bravely executed yesterday was the result of weeks of military and operational planning. I know that he will understand very well that the UK has played a critical role in the interdiction of a number of shadow fleet ships in recent months, including through close co operation with our US and French counterparts. The Prime Minister, as he mentioned, made clear back in March our intention to interdict shadow fleet vessels at a time and place of our choosing, and that is what we chose to do.

The shadow Defence Secretary mentioned the former Minister for the Armed Forces, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Selly Oak (Al Carns). I was saving him up, not least because he is someone that I hold in the very highest of regard. He is an honourable and gallant Member, and it is very widely recognised that he has provided outstanding service to our country in the most difficult circumstances that anyone could ever imagine. I am beyond proud that he sits on this side of the House, and I look forward to listening to him and working closely with him in the future.

Entirely reasonably, the shadow Secretary of State asked about the defence investment plan. I hope, in what I intend to be the spirit of constructive consensus, that he recognises that this Government have spent over £11 billion more this year on defence than the Conservatives spent in their last year of government. I hope he will also understand that colleagues across Government have been working on the defence investment plan for many, many months. It is a hugely important piece of work. It is the first line by line defence budget in 20 years.

I fully appreciate the desire of the shadow Defence Secretary to see the contents of the plan published as soon as possible, and I absolutely share that desire. Since being appointed Defence Secretary just a couple of days ago, I have worked very closely with my Department and colleagues across Government to ensure that we progress this work as an absolute priority. The Prime Minister has said that we will publish it before the NATO summit next month, and we will.

May I welcome the Secretary of State to his place? We are looking forward to welcoming him to Aldershot and Farnborough for the national Armed Forces Day celebrations. On behalf of my constituents, I thank the British personnel involved in the operation in the channel for their immense bravery and professionalism. This was a major blow to Putin’s regime, and it underscores the growing Russian threat to European security. Everyone knows about NATO article 5, but the lesser known NATO article 3 is our commitment to preparedness. Does the Secretary of State agree that we need a total Government approach to delivering NATO article 3, with every Minister clear on how they can help us to be prepared?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, not least because she has been a doughty champion of the garrison town that is Aldershot. She speaks with great passion and knowledge about these matters. She is right to raise concerns about the threat that we face from Russia; it is a threat that I have spent the last two years dealing with. She is also right about the need for a whole of Government approach. I championed that approach in my previous role across the Home Office and Cabinet Office. Now, within the Ministry of Defence, I look forward to working with my colleagues across Government to ensure we have the appropriate defences to guard against the threats that we undoubtedly face from Russia.

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement, and I join others in welcoming him to his new role.

May I start by associating myself with colleagues’ remarks in thanking our Royal Marines? Through their bravery and skill, they have denied Vladimir Putin the fossil fuel profits that he depends on—profits which, without their intervention, would have gone straight to Russia’s frontline against Ukraine. Their courageous action has already had a chilling effect on other shadow fleet vessels, with reports suggesting that at least six ships altered course following the interdiction of the Smyrtos.

Now that we have taken this step—albeit several months after the Prime Minister initially promised—will the Secretary of State commit to stopping more shadow fleet vessels and ensure that this is not just a one off? The Liberal Democrats believe that we should not just be stopping these vessels but ensuring that the seizure of their cargo can be used to fund Ukraine’s defence. We have already called for the £30 billion of frozen Russian assets across Britain to be used to support Kyiv’s war effort. We need to do the same with shadow fleet fuel. Will the Secretary of State commit to seizing and selling the sanctioned oil transported by the Smyrtos and selling the resulting funds to Ukraine, and will he do the same for any future interdictions?

The next critical step must be to close legitimate routes to market for all Russian fossil fuels. Spearheaded by our leader in the other place, Lord Purvis, the Liberal Democrats won an important concession last week on this issue, securing a commitment from the Government to an end date for their waiver on sanctions for the import of diesel and fuel products refined by Russian crude. This gaping loophole should never have come into force in the first place.

The Government must now go further. Will the Secretary of State work with colleagues across Government to ban all UK maritime services for the export of Russian oil, gas and coal? We must end once and for all the scandal of UK plc helping to fund Putin’s war machine.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for the very constructive tone of his comments, and I am keen to work with him and his Liberal Democrat colleagues on these matters. He is absolutely right to raise the deterrent effect. The Prime Minister’s announcement back in March has been extremely helpful in that regard. I understand and agree with the sentiment of the hon. Gentleman’s points. He will understand that because there is an ongoing, live criminal investigation, I am not able to say anything more about the specifics regarding this vessel and the oil contained within it.

The hon. Gentleman made important points about sanctions and the need to ensure that we are working across Government. I can give him the assurances that he seeks. That absolutely will be our approach. It is very important that we as a Department work very closely with our colleagues in the Treasury, and I am very pleased to be joined on the Front Bench today by the Chancellor. I also discussed these matters with the Foreign Secretary earlier on today.

I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. I pay tribute to our armed forces and the NCA for successfully intercepting the Russian oil tanker off the coast of Weymouth and Portland yesterday. As has been mentioned, this was the first British led operation of its kind, and it delivers a blow to Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine, which threatens our collective security in Europe.

Regarding next steps, can the Secretary of State reassure my constituents that any potential environmental and public safety risks have been fully considered and that the right specialist teams are on hand to assist if needed? While I fully appreciate the complexity of such an operation, may I politely urge the Secretary of State to maintain this posture and exploit further opportunities to degrade Putin’s war machine and scuttle Russia’s shadow fleet?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who has an important and close constituency interest in these matters, for his comments. I give him the assurances that he seeks. He raised a number of important points. Given his close interest in these matters, I suggest that he has a briefing from the Minister for the Armed Forces, who has just made that offer to him. We look forward to working closely with him on this.

May I wish the new Secretary of State the best of luck in his new post and express the hope that the appearance of the Chancellor of the Exchequer alongside him on his first outing is not too symbolic of what has perhaps been going on in backrooms behind the Treasury?

On the question of the seizure of the ships, does the Secretary of State agree that there is a possibility that Russia may in response start to think about escorting such ships by means of warships? This would, of course, expose Russia’s hand very much more clearly, but it does bring a whole element of possible escalation into play, including the possibility of Ukrainian strikes against those ships. We all know how successful Ukraine has been in the Black sea, and it might end up doing something similar in the Baltic sea and beyond.

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman, as I always am, for his sage counsel on these matters; he has been talking about them for very many years. He referenced the presence of the Chancellor on the Front Bench. The Chancellor is someone who cares very deeply about our national security; that is why she is here—to lend that support.

The right hon. Gentleman understandably raised a very important point about the risk and threat of retaliatory action from Russia. He will know, because he and I have discussed it on many occasions, that I have spent the last two years thinking very carefully about that particular point. Of course, we take every measure and use all the tools at our disposal to guard against that, but I think he will agree that, ultimately, the activity we saw in the English channel yesterday was the right one. We have to stand together against Russia in support of Ukraine, and that is what this Government will do.

I will start by praising 42 Commando for the planning and execution of what could have been a difficult operation. Today the Ukrainian Speaker, Ruslan Stefanchuk, visited us in Parliament, and the all party group on Ukraine hosted him. He said that he hoped to see further action on the shadow fleet, including the Arc7, Arctic ready, liquefied natural gas tankers, which are still unsanctioned by the United Kingdom. I also wrote to Minister Doughty, who responded to me—

Order. The hon. Gentleman has been here long enough to know that we do not refer to Ministers by their name. Could he perhaps make sure that his question finishes briefly?

I wrote to the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Stephen Doughty), about the remaining licences for Russian fossil fuels—[Interruption.] And here he is. He said that those licences would be ending in January 2027. Now that the strait of Hormuz is open, could that be finished earlier, because another six months of Russian profiteering from the UK is not acceptable?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his reference to 42 Commando. He has been a long standing supporter of Ukraine, and I hope he heard in my earlier remarks that my first international call as Secretary of State was with my counterpart in Ukraine, who I will meet on Thursday. His point about the FCDO licences was well made, and the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has arrived right on cue.

I congratulate the Secretary of State for Defence on his appointment. Given his experience as Security Minister, few Members of the House understand the threats better than he does. It was welcome to learn last Friday that the Government have committed to banning imports of diesel and jet fuel made from Russian oil by 1 January, and it was impressive to see a shadow fleet vessel interdicted in the English channel this weekend. Given that that is one of 550 sanctioned shadow fleet vessels, does the Secretary of State think that the Government would do well to revoke the licence to import diesel and jet fuel made from Russian oil before the end of this year?

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, not least as a fellow veteran and someone who has served on the Intelligence and Security Committee, and he speaks with authority about these matters. He has made an important point, and I have been given assurances by the Minister for Trade, my hon. Friend the Member for Rhondda and Ogmore (Chris Bryant), that we keep these things under close review.

I commend our brave forces for their skilful action and welcome my right hon. Friend to his place. He spoke passionately about defending British values, but at the same time as our own brave forces were planning their decisive action against the Russian shadow fleet, Stephen Yaxley Lennon was praising Russia, sat alongside Errol Musk in Moscow. Will the Secretary of State seek to work with colleagues across Government to join action against Russia’s shadow fleet with action to defend our country against Russia’s shadow influencing operations?

My right hon. Friend makes an important point, and there is widespread agreement for it. She will know that I spent much of the past two years doing exactly what she describes, and I look forward to working closely with my predecessor to ensure that we prosecute Russia’s proxies, and counter its illegal activity wherever it raises its ugly head.

I warmly congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on his appointment, and wish him the best of luck—he will certainly need it. I congratulate all involved in the successful operation in the channel. The reputation of our troops is peerless, and that operation followed similar operations by our allies France, Germany and the US. May I press the Secretary of State on the point raised by my hon. Friend the shadow Defence Secretary about the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, which he did not address? That surprised me slightly because, as an Op Banner veteran, he must have a view on that. Will he now ensure, in his new office, that that dreadful measure is cancelled, and bring comfort to those who are threatened by it?

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman, not least for the experience that he brings to these matters. He knows the huge regard that I have for his constituents, not least because of their long standing support for the armed forces. He is right to praise them and to reference the importance of their reputation. The reputation of our armed forces is something we can all be proud of, and it goes right around the world. I hope, however, that he will understand that the purpose of my appearance today is to give an operational update on the activity that took place in the English channel yesterday, and that a couple of days into the job I am not in a position to provide a further update on the matter he raises. He knows how seriously I take those matters, and I will work on them closely with colleagues in other Departments, including the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. No doubt we will both have more to say about it soon.

I thank the Secretary of State for his update and welcome him to his place. I join him in paying tribute to the exceptional bravery and skill of those who carried out the recent operation on the shadow fleet. Does he agree that it is vital that we continue to squeeze the Russian economy in every way we can, including many more operations of that kind against the shadow fleet, so that we can ultimately support Ukraine in a successful outcome in resisting Putin’s illegal war?

My hon. Friend is exactly right to raise those points in the way he does. I am joined on the Front Bench by the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), who takes such matters incredibly seriously, and there is huge activity right across Government. It is also important to highlight the continued support for Ukraine, not least the UK’s largest ever drone package for Ukraine, which delivered 120,000 drones this year. So, yes, we must squeeze the Russian economy, and support our Ukrainian partners to ensure that they can stay in the fight and win it.

On Saturday night, I heard the unmistakeable sound of Chinook helicopters passing over my home in Dorset, en route to intercept the Russian tanker. Whether it is a shadow fleet funding the war against Ukraine, spy ships scanning our seabed, or political interference in our democracy—including the former Reform leader in Wales taking bribes—it is clear that Russia is upping its game. Last week I asked about energy, food and information security, so what assurance can the new Secretary of State give the House about how this situation is being addressed to keep us all safe at home?

The sound that the hon. Member described at the beginning of her remarks is one that I am very familiar with—it is one that still, to this day, makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I know she has a long standing interest in these matters, and she raised an important point. I give her the assurance that we will work collaboratively across Government to maximise the deterrent effect on Russia and its illegal activities. Wherever we can seek to do more to prosecute those activities, we will absolutely do so.

I welcome the Secretary of State to his place. Operations such as this demonstrate an incredible level of planning, co ordination and professionalism across our armed forces, police, Border Force, and wider Government, so I pay tribute to and thank all those involved. For a city like Portsmouth, which has supported generations of those who serve, this is a reminder of the importance of expertise. Will the Secretary of State confirm that all Departments work closely together and will continue to do so, in a safe, legal and effective operation? Will he also confirm that the operation was conducted in a way that ensured the safety of UK citizens and our military personnel?

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the meticulous planning that these complex military operations involve. There are lots of moving parts. Risk is carried by those brave enough to undertake such operations, and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. The other huge debt of gratitude that we owe is to the family members of those who step forward, of whom I know my hon. Friend is proudly one.

May I offer my congratulations to the right hon. and gallant Gentleman? He is a good fit for the role, and I hope that he will listen to those across the House and try to work constructively. In that spirit, this incredible operation was reliant on the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Earlier today, I asked the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry about whether the plans in place for the Type 26s, Type 31s and Type 83s would remain as outlined. I am really looking for a yes or no answer, given that there are shipyards wondering whether they can keep their current workforce because they are relying on the DIP but it is not there. I ask the Secretary of State directly: are the plans in place for ships for the Royal Navy going to remain?

I am genuinely grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for his comments, because he has spoken with real authority on these matters for many years. I hope that he understands that at this particular moment—as we seek to ensure that the DIP does precisely what I think all of us want it to do—I am not going to delve into the specifics of precisely what might be contained in it, but that this Government are very clear that we will always back British shipbuilding.

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his appointment—he is very well suited to the job at hand. I am sure he will understand, though, if I also express my disappointment that his predecessor and my constituency neighbour, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough (John Healey), felt he had to resign because of the inadequacies, as he saw them, in the defence investment plan.

I congratulate everyone involved on the seizing of the tanker. It is an important lesson for Putin that we are going to disrupt his war machine, but it is also a first; will the Secretary of State indicate if we are looking to undertake such operations more regularly in order to ensure that the many such tankers that sail in these waters are not free do so in future without the fear that our Government may act against them?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his comments, and I share the sentiment he expressed at the beginning of his question. I anticipated that he might seek to draw reference to the hugely important industrial activity that takes place in and around his constituency in South Yorkshire. This Department and this Government believe strongly that defence is an engine for growth, and I am acutely aware of the economic opportunities that exist in his part of the world. He is right to reference the fact that this is the first type of activity of its kind. It will sow the seeds of doubt in our adversary’s mind. He will understand that I am not going to speculate about what we might do in future, but the simple act of the Prime Minister’s commitment back in March has had a significant deterrent effect, as will the activities of yesterday morning.

I welcome the Secretary of State to his place, and pay tribute and give thanks to our incredible armed forces in the successful seizure of the shadow tanker. It was nice to see the Chancellor alongside the Secretary of State for the first half of this statement. Shall we take from her departure that she is only half committed to funding the defence investment plan?

The hon. Gentleman, I have to say, is a constant source of disappointment to me, not least because I believe he has the potential to be the statesperson of his party.

It’s a very low threshold!

It would be very mean of me to say that it is a low bar, so I will not say that. The hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Richard Tice) is unfair to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor. I think it is important that she took the opportunity to be here; that was a demonstration of her commitment to this important piece of work, and I for one am very grateful for that.

While our brave servicemen and women were defending our national interests over the weekend, today it has been reported by the BBC that Russian state operatives were linked with arson attacks on our Prime Minister. Just last week, Stephen Yaxley Lennon was meeting Errol Musk in Russia, and the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth (Rupert Lowe) has said that he would not block that same individual from joining his party. Does the Secretary of State agree that there is no greater threat to our national security, nor anything more unpatriotic, than this dangerous rise in far right politics across our country?

I completely agree with my hon. Friend, who makes an important point. She referenced the abhorrent attacks that we have seen in recent times. She will not expect me to get into the detail of all that but what I can say is that, as I saw very clearly in my previous role, our counter terrorism police and our operational partners in the security services are extraordinarily dedicated in their work. All of that is done in the shadows, and we should be very grateful for their efforts. I give her and the House an assurance that we take the threat that she describes incredibly seriously and will always guard against it.

I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on his appointment and welcome the action in the channel. He will be aware that last night saw one of the biggest attacks yet on civilian buildings and people in Kyiv, and included damage to the historic cathedral there. He will also be aware that dual use technology is still arriving in Russia via third countries. We heard today from the Ukrainian Speaker about washing machine microcircuits that were supposedly going to Kazakhstan being found in Russian missiles falling on Kyiv. Will the Secretary of State look again, with his colleagues, at what further action we can take to stop this technology being used to kill more people in Ukraine?

The right hon. Gentleman is right to draw attention to the horror of the continued attacks on civilians in Ukraine. It is beyond abhorrent, and we must continue to remind ourselves of the totally reckless nature of Putin’s illegal war. As a Government, we have an absolute responsibility to use all means at our disposal to make it as practically difficult for Russia as we possibly can. I am extremely grateful for the efforts of the Ministers from the FCDO and the Department for Business and Trade, who are sat alongside me on the Front Bench, and their work to combat this particular threat; they all take the work incredibly seriously and I look forward to working closely with them in that endeavour.

I warmly welcome the Secretary of State to his place. I know that he is man of integrity and decency; I have known him for over 15 years and I wish him the best of luck in his new role. I also join him in paying tribute to the men and women who organised and conducted this operation. They are the best of the best, the bravest of the brave, and we all thank them, across this House and beyond. International co operational is hugely important in tackling the Russian shadow fleet, so can the Secretary of State confirm that we are working closely with our allies to take every opportunity to degrade Russia’s war effort?

I have known my hon. Friend for a very long time; he proudly represents a constituency with a long track record of sending young men and women off to serve in our armed forces, and he is a great champion of them and all those who serve. He is completely right to raise the important point about international co operation. I have spent much of the weekend talking to allies, and on Wednesday I will be heading to Brussels to co chair the Ukraine Defence Contact Group with my German counterpart. The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth, who has joined me on the Front Bench, also works tirelessly on these matters to make sure that we collaborate closely with our international partners in order to tighten the screw on Russia.

I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on his appointment. I, too, pay credit to the Royal Marines on a job well done, and welcome anything that helps our allies in Ukraine fighting for their freedom. Of course, decisive action against the Russian shadow fleet could and should have been taken much earlier. I do not think that I am being overly cynical in suggesting that there may be a link between the Prime Minister finally sanctioning this operation and the disintegration that we witnessed at the MOD last week. Given that disintegration was entirely due to the failure of the Treasury to adequately fund our conventional forces, does the Secretary of State share my fear that the seizing of unarmed merchant shipping could soon become the limit of the Royal Navy’s surface capability?

I join the hon. Gentleman in paying warm tribute to the Royal Marines. I should probably confess that I have not spent all my adult life paying tribute to the Royal Marines, but I am proud to be able to do so now. On his second point, let me just say to him: there is no link.

I join all hon. Members and the Secretary of State in paying tribute to the Royal Marines, as we are proud to host the Royal Marine reserves in my constituency. I welcome the Secretary of State to his place, and his assurance that we have not missed a beat in our support for Ukraine. I have been to Ukraine with many hon. Members present, and we know how much last night’s bombing of Kyiv will have frightening the people of Ukraine. We remain steadfast in our support, although our deeds are more important than any words we can say. I urge the Secretary of State and his Cabinet colleagues to maintain this posture, to keep up the action and to exploit future opportunities to continue to degrade Putin’s war machine, so that the illegal war in Ukraine will come to an end?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising the Royal Marine reserves, as it is very important that we pay tribute to all those who serve in the reserves. I am constantly inspired by those who are able to balance civilian life, family life and service life; we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. On her substantive point, I absolutely give her the assurances she seeks. I spent much of the weekend talking to allies, and I will be in Brussels on Thursday to co chair the next meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, working with our partners in order to ensure that Ukraine’s forces get the support they need to fight Putin’s war machine.

I welcome the right hon. and gallant Member to his place, and I thank the Royal Marines, the Navy and the National Crime Agency for their work over this weekend. It is very important that we see more initiatives on this basis. Will the Secretary of State give the House the very specific cost of maintaining and ultimately decommissioning this ship? He was not willing to tell us whether the seized oil will pay for that. The cost will run into the millions, so he will know the exact cost. That would let the House work out where the funding will come from.

I am genuinely sorry that the hon. Lady will not be shadowing me any more, but I know that she will continue to make constructive contributions. The figure she seeks does not sit in my Department; I think it sits in the Department for Transport, but I will correct the record if I have got that wrong. I hope she understands that there has been very close collaboration across Government. A huge amount of planning went into launching this operation. There was a truly joined up approach across Government, with important contributions made by the Department for Transport and the Department for Business and Trade.

I congratulate my right hon. and gallant Friend on his new role. In and out of uniform, he has dedicated his life to this country, and we are grateful to be sitting behind him. May I pay tribute to the brave men and women who executed the operation over the weekend with the utmost skill? It is clear that it required multiple stakeholders and international co operation to deliver an excellent result. Is this the start of a more aggressive attitude in British waters to the shadow fleet, which is conducting an illegal trade to fund an illegal war?

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of international co operation. The words I would use are “robust action”. When it comes to the war in Ukraine, the stakes are so high that we absolutely owe it to the people of not just that country but this country to take the robust action that we saw yesterday. He is right to make the point about the amount of preparation and planning that goes into these activities. It was an absolute privilege to be very closely sighted on the deployment of our troops this weekend. They performed a very difficult and complex task in an exemplary way, and I know that my hon. Friend, like all of us, is very proud of them.

Standing up to Russia, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and supporting our military depends on our military infrastructure and our defence manufacturing. However, today a roundtable of advanced manufacturers across the whole supply chain has raised very loud alarm bells about the impact of steel tariffs, especially on category 14 and category 17. The deadline of 1 July is looming. Will the Secretary of State speak with his colleagues, especially those in the Department for Business and Trade, to ensure that those tariffs do not have an inadvertent impact on our defence capabilities at this important time?

The hon. Lady raises a very important point. I have already engaged with colleagues in industry, and the Minister for Trade has said that he is very happy to meet her.

My constituency, and particularly Ramsgate, is a maritime community, so awareness of the importance of safety and security at sea resonates with people across it. This ship appears to have been operating under the flag of Cameroon—a flag of convenience that the shadow fleet used to avoid being properly policed. What efforts are the UK Government making—independently, with their allies or through international channels—to deter flagging states from offering stateless ships the cover of apparent respectability and lawfulness?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the point about the importance of the safety and security of those at sea. She also made an important point about flags of convenience. She will understand that because of the ongoing investigation, I cannot get into the specifics of this case, but the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), has just given me an assurance that we are working very closely with our allies on the point she that she raises.

I congratulate the new Defence Secretary on his battlefield promotion. He will remember from his time in command that the best way to prove himself to his new team is to take them out tomorrow morning and thrash and phys, so I look forward to that.

On the DIP, it was widely reported last week that the funding settlement is £10 billion of cash, plus £3.5 billion from, I assume, the in year cuts announced back in April. What confidence does the Defence Secretary have that in the next two weeks—the length of the stay of execution that he has been given—he will be able to make that plan work better than the previous Defence Secretary, who ended up resigning over it, could in nine months? What will happen if the defence chiefs dig their heels in? Will the Defence Secretary end up publishing the DIP as it was before he took over? Can he guarantee that he will manage to change it sufficiently so that it satisfies all the parties involved?

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his welcome. That seemed a little bit different from some of the reported comments I heard over the weekend. I will leave that to one side for now, not least because I think he has extended me an invitation to go out for a run in the morning. [Interruption.] He seems to be backtracking on that invitation. I understand why he raises his point in the way that he does, and I hope that he will understand my determination to make progress. He will understand that I have had a limited amount of time to get into the detail of all this, but doing so is my absolute priority, and I will return to the Department to do that very shortly. I hope that he will give us a little bit of time; in the end, it will be for him to take a view on where we get to with this work.

I genuinely welcome the Secretary of State to his place, and I commend the Royal Marines, the National Crime Agency, the personnel from the RAF and all the others for conducting their work this weekend. Clearly, this is not the last we will see of the Russian shadow fleet. There are reports that two more ships are sailing our way; they are sanctioned by the US, the EU and Canada, but not by the UK. I am aware that the Secretary of State cannot comment on future sanctions, but will he tell us that he will work extremely closely with our allies on sanctions alignment to close any loopholes that Putin might seek to take advantage of?

I am grateful to my Yorkshire neighbour for his welcome, and for the tribute he has paid to the Royal Marines. Let me emphasise the support that he offered for the National Crime Agency. I was privileged to work very closely with it over the past two years; it does extraordinary work in the shadows, and we should be hugely grateful to it.

I can give my hon. Friend the assurances that he seeks about close co operation with our international allies. I am joined on the Front Bench by the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), who works incredibly hard to ensure that we are joined up in the best way, and working most closely with our allies. We take that very seriously, and understand the benefits of doing so.

I welcome the Secretary of State to his position and thank him for his statement. I also thank our brave Royal Marines for undertaking this action. It has been reported in the press that our entire hunter killer fleet is out of the water, being repaired and maintained. Is that true? When will these submarines be back on duty and defending our seas?

I am very grateful to the hon. Gentleman for the point he has raised, and for the way in which he raised it. He will understand that I am not able to talk about the availability of submarines and the activity that they undertake—

Why?

The right hon. Gentleman on the Opposition Front Bench questions why. I am quite certain that he would not have done that when he was in government, and I am not going to do it, either. What I will do is pay tribute to those who serve on submarines for their outstanding service.

I welcome my right hon. and gallant Friend to his new role. He is a very humble man, but may I say what a pleasure it is to work with him and with hon. and gallant Members from across the House? I pay tribute to all the armed services personnel who took part in yesterday’s really important operation. Sanctions are really important, and sanctions against the Russian war machine are incredibly important in defending our allies in Ukraine. However, sanctions work only if we look to enforce them. What reassurance can the Secretary of State give me that this Government will continue to support that enforcement?

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for his question. He has slightly thrown me, because he is not in his usual place, but it is good to see him on the other side of the Government Benches.

My hon. Friend is right, both about the importance of sanctions and about the importance of sanctions enforcement. It is an issue that my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, takes very seriously—he keeps sanctions under very close review, as do other colleagues across Government, including in the Department for Business and Trade. However, I am very happy to speak to my hon. Friend further about this issue.

It is good to see the hon. Member for Harlow (Chris Vince) moving to the right. I pay tribute to members of the armed forces community, who played a big part in this operation; they truly are the best of us. Could the Secretary of State advise us on any actions that are being taken regarding the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich, which has been patrolling in English waters for two months without intervention from the Royal Navy?

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising that point. He will understand that it would be unwise of me to give a commentary on specific activities, but I hope that yesterday’s actions demonstrate our absolute resolve to take robust action against Russia, and we will look for every opportunity to do so.

I welcome my right hon. and gallant Friend to his place and his new position. Given that nearly three times as many Conservative Members were in the Chamber for the urgent question on the defence investment plan as are here for this statement, does he agree that while we are all tempted on occasion to politicise issues, we in this House are better when we speak with one voice, particularly on matters of national security?

My hon. Friend raises an important point. I completely understand why Members on the Conservative Benches and elsewhere want to score political points, but I think the public expect us to behave us in a grown up fashion, particularly when it comes to the defence of our nation. That will always be my approach, and it is the approach I recommend to others.

I welcome the Defence Secretary to his position and thank him for his statement. Sanctions are ineffective unless they are fully enforced, and I join the Lib Dem spokesperson, my hon. Friend the Member for Lewes (James MacCleary), in pointing out that we cannot allow loopholes to undermine our sanctions regime against Putin’s war machine. Numerous shell companies, as well as flags, are used as shields to disguise operational control of Russia’s shadow fleet, but Russia is also making extensive use of non military, dual use manufacturing and the global commercial supply chain to support its war. What action is the Secretary of State taking to prevent Russia using dual use manufacturing; to boost the UK’s manufacturing expertise, so that it can identify potential dual use, and prevent Russia using commercial supply infrastructure to support its war; and to ensure sanctions are fully enforced?

The hon. Lady is right to highlight the importance of defence manufacturing. She has also raised a number of other important points, not least about unpacking transparency and shell companies. My ministerial colleagues on either side of me—the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade—were listening intently to the points she raised, and were providing me with assurances that a lot of activity is taking place in their Departments on standing against the kind of activity that she highlighted. [Interruption.] The hon. Lady is indicating that she wants somebody to write to her. We will work out which one of us will do so.

I thank the Secretary of State for his statement.