Sir Julian Lewis: I know it is thinking very far into the future, but does my hon. Friend [James Cartlidge] accept that one of the lessons from the Ukraine conflict, where we have had to give indirect support, is the importance of maintaining aircraft that we have withdrawn from service – in mothballs, if necessary – so that they can be made available to allies, should they ever face a crisis such as this one? When the happy day comes that we have these great sixth-generation aircraft, can we be certain that we have not unduly disposed of their predecessors, in case someone else needs them in future?

[James Cartlidge (Shadow Secretary of State for Defence): My right hon. Friend’s question is an interesting one. Whenever I was in front of the Select Committee – it was always a great joy and privilege to be cross-examined, particularly by my colleagues on the Conservative Benches – there was always a debate about when we withdraw platforms and when we bring in their replacements. That will never go away, and I wish the Armed Forces Minister [Luke Pollard] well when he has the unique privilege and experience of going in front of the Committee. What I would say to my right hon. Friend is that we have to accept that, as a matter of avionic reality, the Typhoon will reach the end of its service life, and we as a country have to replace it. GCAP [Global Combat Air Programme] is key to that, with the construction of the new core platform. …]