Ben Wallace signals support for James Heappey to replace him

Mr Wallace has announced he will leave the Cabinet at the next reshuffle, saying it was important for his mental health that he exited politics “on a high”.

And he has stressed the importance of continuity to a new defence strategy.

Mr Wallace used one of his final Commons appearances to praise Mr Heappey, who has worked as a minister at the Ministry of Defence since December 2019.

Mr Heappey also served in the Army and reached the rank of major.

During a 10-year career in the Rifles, Mr Heappey served on operations in Afghanistan, Northern Ireland and Iraq.

He has represented the Wells constituency, which includes Burnham and Highbridge, since he was elected at the 2015 general election.

Speaking at the despatch box, Mr Wallace suggested the updated defence strategy had benefited from his several years of work in the department and an understanding of what “needs most attention”.

He said: “The continuity in office is improving and I am incredibly grateful to the long-serving minister of the armed forces Mr Heappey, whose experience in uniform and public office has provided the basis for this paper.”

Mr Wallace’s comments came before MPs paid tribute to him for his four-year stint in the role.

He played a key role in the UK’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pushed for an increase in defence spending, something he told MPs on Tuesday he “seriously hopes” will happen.

His Wyre and Preston North constituency will disappear at the next election after boundary changes and he does not intend to seek a new seat.

Mr Wallace told MPs: “This is likely to be one of my last appearances at this despatch box.

“It’s been the greatest privilege to have served as secretary of state for defence the last four years.

“I want to thank my team, civil servants, special advisers, and members of this House for their support and their challenge.

“All of us here have a common interest of defending this fine country, its values and its freedoms.”

Outgoing defence secretary Ben Wallace. (Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

For Labour, shadow defence secretary John Healey described Mr Wallace as a “dedicated” defence secretary.

He added: “As his own future is now short, how long is the shelf life of his plan?

“Industry and military leaders cannot be sure his successor will agree with his decisions, will accept his cuts, will act on his approach.

“They can’t be sure how the strategic defence review planned both by his party and mine after the next election will reboot defence planning.

“It didn’t have to be this way. Labour wanted this to be the nation’s defence plan, not the plan of current Conservative defence ministers.

“We offered to work with the Government on a plan to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad. This is not such a plan.”

Mr Wallace responded: “I believe this paper will last the test of time because it is about facing the threat. That is the answer to him.”

Mr Wallace also praised senior Conservative MP Julian Lewis for his campaign work to secure extra defence spending, adding: “In order to make sure that should there be an increase in funding, and I seriously hope there will be, for defence based on the 2.5 per cent pledge of the Prime Minister, that if we invest in our specialties and skills we can expand our armed forces when a threat increases.”

Conservative former minister Mark Francois said Mr Wallace’s successor must continue with the reform of defence procurement, a role Mr Heappey had between 2019 and 2020.

Mr Wallace replied: “Procurement has started to improve. In 2009/10, the average time delay on a project was 28 per cent. It is now 15 per cent.

“The average cost overrun was 15 per cent on a project in 2009/10, it is now 4 per cent. The direction of travel is improving.”

Conservative MP John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) sought assurances over troop numbers amid concerns over “hollowing out”.

He told Mr Wallace: “He will know as a fellow infantryman that sometimes there is no substitute for having boots on the ground if one wants to command that ground.”

Mr Baron said of cuts to army personnel: “What assurance can he give that not only will it stop but it may leave scope to build on those numbers because at the end of the day an army of 72,000 and falling is simply not large enough given our commitments.”

Mr Wallace replied: “We can argue about size. What we have to make sure is whatever we put in the field is properly equipped, properly enabled and is effectively 360.”

By Richard Wheeler, Martina Bet and David Lynch, PA