Defence Spending (Wales)

It is highly appropriate that you are chairing this Committee, Mr Gray, given your knowledge and experience in the field of defence. As a newly appointed member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, I have recently discussed with Members across Europe their view that the British defence and security review was rushed. That is not just an impression in the UK, but across NATO, where there is concern at the result of the cuts for European defence. We are here to look specifically at the impact on defence in Wales. I recall a statement of my mother's that she threw at me many a time: ““Decide in haste, repent at leisure.”” That is the situation with the strategic defence and security review—a decision that is going to impact dramatically on our sovereign capability, our skills capability and our financial—