MP appointed to Defence Select Committee
Local MP Sandra Osborne has been appointed to serve on the important Defence Select Committee.
Sandra said
“The job of a Select Committee is to hold the Government to account for its policy and decisions. There are few areas where that is more important than defence and I am looking forward to playing my part in the work of the Committee. I am joining at a critical time following the announcement of the Strategic Defence Review.
In reality it is more of a spending review dressed up as a defence review, it has been chaotically conducted, it has been hastily prepared and it is simply not credible as a strategic blueprint for our future defence needs.
As one of only two Scots on the Committee I will have a special interest in the implications of the Review for Scotland.
The Prime Minister confirmed that two new aircraft carriers costing £5.2bn would be built on the Clyde and at Rosyth but one would be mothballed and possibly sold while the other would not have fighter jets on it for 10 years.
RAF Kinloss in Moray is to close as an air force base with 1500 military staff facing redundancy as the contract for the new Nimrod spy plane is cancelled at a loss of £3 billion to the taxpayer.
Suggestions have been made that troops being redeployed from Germany could be housed at Kinloss, including the Highlanders, but this seems unfeasible as it would cost a huge figure to implement.
The axe still hangs over nearby RAF Lossiemouth, which appears to be in a battle for survival against RAF Marham in Norfolk. Both are home to Tornado jets.It makes so much more sense to save Lossiemouth with its ease of access to the training areas for pilots.
I visited RAF Marham and saw it for myself only last week as part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. This is a scheme for MPs to experience at first hand the work undertaken by the armed forces. I previously graduated from a scheme with the Royal Marines and am now undergoing a programme of activity with the RAF.
The controversial decision on a replacement for Trident will be held over till after the next UK General Election.
My first role on the Committee will be to question General Sir David Richards KCB CBE DSO, Chief of the Defence Staff, Ministry of Defence who is due to give evidence at our next meeting.”
Local MP Sandra Osborne has been appointed to serve on the important Defence Select Committee.
Sandra said
“The job of a Select Committee is to hold the Government to account for its policy and decisions. There are few areas where that is more important than defence and I am looking forward to playing my part in the work of the Committee. I am joining at a critical time following the announcement of the Strategic Defence Review.
In reality it is more of a spending review dressed up as a defence review, it has been chaotically conducted, it has been hastily prepared and it is simply not credible as a strategic blueprint for our future defence needs.
As one of only two Scots on the Committee I will have a special interest in the implications of the Review for Scotland.
The Prime Minister confirmed that two new aircraft carriers costing £5.2bn would be built on the Clyde and at Rosyth but one would be mothballed and possibly sold while the other would not have fighter jets on it for 10 years.
RAF Kinloss in Moray is to close as an air force base with 1500 military staff facing redundancy as the contract for the new Nimrod spy plane is cancelled at a loss of £3 billion to the taxpayer.
Suggestions have been made that troops being redeployed from Germany could be housed at Kinloss, including the Highlanders, but this seems unfeasible as it would cost a huge figure to implement.
The axe still hangs over nearby RAF Lossiemouth, which appears to be in a battle for survival against RAF Marham in Norfolk. Both are home to Tornado jets.It makes so much more sense to save Lossiemouth with its ease of access to the training areas for pilots.
I visited RAF Marham and saw it for myself only last week as part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. This is a scheme for MPs to experience at first hand the work undertaken by the armed forces. I previously graduated from a scheme with the Royal Marines and am now undergoing a programme of activity with the RAF.
The controversial decision on a replacement for Trident will be held over till after the next UK General Election.
My first role on the Committee will be to question General Sir David Richards KCB CBE DSO, Chief of the Defence Staff, Ministry of Defence who is due to give evidence at our next meeting.”