Asked by: James McMurdock (Reform UK - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Royal Navy's escort fleet capabilities.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy’s escort fleet, comprising Type 23 Frigates and Type 45 Destroyers, is a credible force calibrated to meet individual and multinational Defence outputs effectively. These vessels remain poised to defend the Fleet against complex threats and are central to the UKs Carrier Strike Capability, as witnessed in Carrier Strike Group 21. The importance of the escort fleet will be further illustrated in Carrier Strike Group 25 next year, which will involve deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
The introduction of Type 26 and 31 Frigates in the coming years demonstrates the Royal Navy’s commitment to the modernisation of our escort fleet.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the commitments set out in the Autumn Budget, by how much the Continuity of Education Allowance will increase.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
For Academic Year 2023-24, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) paid £88.6 million for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) to support the education of 4,005 children for 2,666 Service personnel. Following the Budget statement by the Chancellor on 30 October, the MOD confirmed that it would carry out an in-year re-rating of CEA. The increased cost of the allowance to MOD is unknown until the exercise completes in early December.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the appointment of the independent Armed Forces Commissioner for the UK will take place this year.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Armed Forces Commissioner will be recruited following Parliament’s consideration of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill which was introduced in the House of Commons on 6 November. The Commissioner’s recruitment will be undertaken via a Public Appointment process and will be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been allocated from his Department's budget to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for (a) 2023/24, (b) 2024/25 and (c) 2025/26.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
In Financial Year (FY) 2023-24, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) received a total of £53,670,871 from the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
In FY 2024-25, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is expected to receive a total of £56,545,358 from the MOD.
The MOD’s Defence Business Services pay an additional sum to the CWGC for the upkeep of non-World War One and World War Two Graves. The amounts paid are:
Additionally, FY2023-24 saw a one-off payment of £0.5 million to the CWGC for the maintenance of the British Normandy Memorial (covering the period April 2024 to March 2027).
The amounts to be paid to CWGC in FY2025-26 will be confirmed once the future Defence budget is known.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the new operational establishment is for a heavy mechanised infantry battalion.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Army is currently undergoing a combined programme of work to ensure our Land Forces will have the lethality, protection and mobility to fight and win against any adversary. The outcome of the Strategic Defence Review in early 2025 will also guide future capability development priorities.
Planned future operational establishment will see the British Army have four Heavy Mechanised Infantry Battalions across two Armoured Brigades. These Battalions will be equipped and structured around the Boxer platform, with the first Battalion due to reach Initial Operating Capability in 2025.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on commissioning a new Defence Industrial Strategy.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
This Government is committed to bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy which ensures the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy are aligned.
The development of the Defence Industrial Strategy will explore how to establish a better, more innovative and more resilient defence sector, enabling the UK to innovate, deter its adversaries and seize opportunities presented by the technologies of the future.
The Defence Industrial Strategy will be developed at pace in parallel with, but separate from, the Strategic Defence Review and will be published in 2025.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government on what basis they determined that 2.5 per cent of GDP funding is an appropriate target for defence spending.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Spending 2.5% of GDP on defence balances the need to invest in defence capabilities to respond to growing threats and ensure the UK remains secure at home and strong abroad with the wider demands on Government spending. It also represents an ambitious increase on the NATO Defence Investment Pledge, and would be the highest level of Defence spending since 2010 (under the last Labour Government).
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the number of weeks the UK could sustain continuous combat for before exhausting its 155mm shells stock.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Munition stockpile levels are actively reviewed balancing current holdings against threats, availability, industrial capacity and evolving technology. It is not however possible to comment on specific stockpile levels, as this information is operationally sensitive.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 28 October (HL1530), how many incidents of self-harm deemed to be a deliberate intent to inflict damage or alter oneself through self-injury or self-poisoning, and how many incidences of individuals having thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation, have been reported at the Army Foundation College in the past five years; and of those, how many were deemed to be an attempt at suicide.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2024, 103 regular UK Armed Forces personnel at the Army Foundation College Harrogate (AFC(H)) had at least one incident of self-harm recorded. It is not possible to provide the total number of self-harm incidents as the underlying data does not differentiate between new incidents and the on-going treatment of a previous self-harm incident, or the individual’s intention or the severity of the self-harm.
Information is also not centrally compiled about suicidal thoughts or ideation as these are not included in the national guidelines for reporting of self-harm which is defined as an act of self-injury or self-poisoning.
We take all incidents of self-harm extremely seriously and have strong duty of care and safeguarding mechanisms in place to ensure recruits, particularly those who are under 18, have the right support structures. All personnel have access to medical staff and a range of welfare support including Unit Welfare Officers, Padres, the Army Welfare Service and 24-hour confidential helplines. AFC(H) has received praise from both Ofsted and North Yorkshire Safeguarding and Children’s Partnership for its safeguarding ratios and for the welfare and care it provides.
Asked by: Lord Rogan (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with (1) Harland and Wolff, and (2) Navantia, regarding the contract to build three fleet solid support ships for the Royal Navy.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The successful delivery of the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship programme remains a priority. Ministry of Defence Ministers and officials have regular meetings with Navantia UK as prime contractor, on a range of matters, including extensive engagement to understand what steps the company is taking to ensure delivery of the FSS contract and management of its supply chain.
Harland and Wolff is a subcontractor to Navantia UK and following a review of their financial situation, the Government is clear that the market is best placed to address the challenges the company is facing. We continue to work extensively with all parties to find an outcome for the company that continues to deliver shipbuilding and manufacturing in the UK.