New Defence Committee chairman vows to seek more funding for Armed Forces
Sir Jeremy Quin has been elected as the new chair of the Defence Committee, after which he immediately pledged to push for better funding for the Armed Forces.
Sir Jeremy takes over the position from Robert Courts following an election in the chamber.
"I am delighted to have been elected chair of the Defence Committee and would like to thank my parliamentary colleagues for their support," said the new chairman.
What will Sir Jeremy push for as the new chairman?
"As chair of the Defence Committee, I will push for increased funding and resources for Defence and will make the case for first-mover-advantage in our Defence technology, to maintain our competitive edge," said Sir Jeremy.
"Most importantly, I will advocate for the brave men and women that make up our Armed Forces.
"The Committee will always focus on Defence's 'offer' to servicemen and women to ensure that we hold on to the immense expertise we already have and enable us recruit the talented personnel we need for the future."
What roles has Sir Jeremy held before?
Sir Jeremy served as minister of state in the Ministry of Defence (Minister for Defence Procurement) from 2020 to 2022.
During his tenure, he launched the Defence and Security Industry Strategy which created a new strategic approach to the UK’s defence and security industrial sectors.
His responsibilities also included Defence Science and Technology, the Nuclear Enterprise and the Defence Estate.
During his career, he briefly served in the Home Office as minister for Police, Fire and Crime Prevention.
Sir Jeremy was latterly minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, piloting the Procurement Act through Parliament before leaving the Government in November 2023.
What are Sir Jeremy's thoughts on the future?
"Defence spending must grow to reflect the scale of the threat and the higher levels of geopolitical instability: investing in a Defence industry which must be at the forefront of the accelerating pace of technological development," he said.
"Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and rising tensions in Indo-Pacific have increased global risk.
"As the world becomes more dangerous and volatile our way of life is increasingly under threat.
"These are profound challenges we have to be prepared to confront.
"As the challenges we face evolve, so must our response."
Join Our Newsletter
