Sir Julian Lewis: As someone, not alone, who has called on both Front Benches for a very long time to commit to spend 3% of GDP on defence – a figure that we were still spending in the mid-1990s after the end of the cold war – I am used to hearing people say that we need to spend more when they are not in a position to do so. Could the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that if he were in a position of power, we would reach 3% of GDP as a minimum on defence?

[Mr David Lammy (Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs): I am grateful to the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee for all that he has said on this issue over many years. We in my party have committed to a defence review on day one if we were to come to office. I gently remind him that throughout our previous period in office, spending on defence per capita was higher than today, standing at 2.5% when we left office. We are seeing what is happening across the European continent – so many European countries are committed to spending more, including the 3% that he indicates. We must play our part alongside France, as 50% of Europe’s defence capability.]