Ministers have been accused of “hiding” when defence spending plans will be published to prevent parliamentary scrutiny.
Defence minister Luke Pollard repeatedly refused to say whether the long-awaited defence investment plan (Dip) would be published on Friday outside the House of Commons.
Opposition MPs reacted with fury to the rumoured date, which is a non-sitting day, meaning members will not be able to provide scrutiny, with one Tory MP shouting that the minister was “a disgrace”.
The Dip, which will set out the Government’s defence spending plans, was originally due to be published last autumn but has been repeatedly delayed.
Ministers have promised it would be out before the Nato summit on July 7, but have not given an exact date.
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle warned ministers against publishing on Friday, telling the Commons it would be a “kick in the face” and accused the Government of treating parliamentarians as “second-class citizens”.
Mr Pollard did not deny the date when asked if it was correct by shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge on Wednesday.
Mr Cartlidge said: “There has been considerable speculation that the Dip may be published on Friday. This House is not sitting on Friday.
“Let’s be clear, with war on two fronts, this is not just another Government publication, but given the context, a vital moment for our country and for this Parliament.
“So, does the minister understand that it would be totally unacceptable to all colleagues if the defence investment plan was published on a day when the House is not sitting?”
The minister responded the Dip will be published “before the Nato summit in only a few weeks’ time,” but did not rule out it being on Friday.
Tan Dhesi, Labour MP and chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, also asked whether the plan would be published “in this chamber to enable proper parliamentary scrutiny”.
Mr Pollard responded: “I’m absolutely certain that he will have heard the commitments given by the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary. I look forward to the debates in this House on the defence investment plan, when it’s published.”
Conservative former security minister Tom Tugendhat accused Mr Pollard of being “completely incapable” of giving the House any assurance.
“Which can only lead us to assume that he’s hiding the untruth that he wishes he didn’t have to say, which is that he will not be bringing the defence investment plan to this House. Now that’s pretty extraordinary,” he said.
The minister said: “We will be publishing the defence investment plan shortly.
“What it will show is a Labour Government increasing defence spending, ending the hollowing out and underfunding that his government, that he was a minister of, presided over, new capabilities for our armed forces, a stronger Britain in a more dangerous world.”
As Mr Pollard spoke, Mr Tugendhat repeatedly shouted that he was a “disgrace”, while shadow defence minister Mark Francois yelled that he should “grow up”.
Speaking earlier in the chamber, the Commons Speaker warned against publishing on Friday.
Sir Lindsay said: “There are strong rumours that the Government is going to produce its defence investment plan on Friday. That would be an utter disgrace and an utter kick in the face to the members of this House.
“I will say to Downing Street, Government’s responsibility in the ministerial code states major announcements should be made here.
“Once again, this may be speculation, and I am sure it will be corrected, but I will be appalled if it is done on a Friday when members have been waiting so long.
“This is all parties, including the Government benches, who has great interest in the defence plan. We all have jobs, we all have people who serve in the armed forces, so surely we must end this speculation and treat this House with the respect that members were elected here to.
“Once again, it seems to me we are becoming second-class citizens with the Government. I don’t want that to be the case and I hope that I’m going to be proved wrong.”
