Articles and analysis

The nuclear 'debate'

By Tony Purton

After declining to take part in any public debate on the subject, defence secretary Des Browne appeared before the Defence Committee of the House of Commons to give evidence on the government's white paper "The Future of the UK's Strategic Nuclear Deterrent" published at the end of 2006 announcing the government's decision to replace the existing Trident system with another submarine-based system.

Defence Industrial Strategy and SMEs

By David Bowles, Northern Defence Industry

The importance of the defence industry to the economic well-being of the regions should never be underestimated.

It is an industry populated for the most part by dynamic and flexible SMEs who can react quickly and innovate; SMEs that for instance, between them account for at least 10,000 jobs in the north east. It is estimated that at least 50 pence in every defence procurement pound ends up with a UK SME.

After St Malo - the role of Britain and France in Defence Europe

by Roger Morgan

In March 2006 the Franco-British Council assessed French and British co-operation on defence, with a special interest in developments since St Malo. The findings were by turns exasperating and encouraging.

The seminar was chaired by (the late) Lord Garden, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesman in the House of Lords, and G�n�ral Rannou, former Chef d'�tat-major de l'arm�e de l'air. There were contributions from Gerard Errera, the French Ambassador in London, and Lord Robertson, former Secretary General of NATO and former Secretary of State for Defence.

Articles and analysis

The nuclear 'debate'

Defence Industrial Strategy and SMEs

After St Malo - the role of Britain and France in Defence Europe

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