Ministry of Defence

As of 14 October 2021, 559 military personnel were deployed to support the NHS.

Regrettably we were not able to evacuate all individuals eligible for the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) prior to the conclusion of Operation Pitting on 28 August. Of the 311 ARAP eligible individuals who were not evacuated, 245 remain in Afghanistan and the MOD's commitment to them endures.

There will be no requirement to consider these individuals for the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) as the MOD is continuing to facilitate relocation to the UK for these individuals under the ARAP scheme.

During Operation Pitting around 8,000 British Nationals and their families were evacuated. Records do not distinguish between British Nationals and dependants of British Nationals.

All Ministry of Defence (MOD) personnel are required to undertake initial and refresher training to ensure they can recognise threats to security and can respond appropriately. The mandated training is the Defence Information Management Passport (DIMP) online course, which must be retaken every three years, and annual attendance at a General Security Threat Brief (this covers all elements of protective security and includes information and cyber security).

In the period 1 February 2021 (when Version six was introduced) to 4 October 2021, a total of 81,306 MOD staff completed or refreshed their DIMP in accordance with the three-yearly cycle. Completion data is not held by grade within the Defence Learning Environment. Longer term training records will be held locally by business units, but collating this information would involve going out to all sites across MOD, and this would incur disproportionate cost.

General Security Threat Briefs are delivered locally, and no data regarding attendance is held centrally. Again, collating this information would involve going out to all sites across MOD, and this would incur disproportionate cost.

The Ministry of Defence will publish the first Defence Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy later this year.

The Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy is responsible for the overall operation and resilience of the UK's domestic energy market. In parallel, defence of the UK and its overseas territories from the malicious intent of our adversaries is the first task of the Ministry of Defence. This extends to being prepared to defend against and counter external hostile threats to our way of life and the delivery of critical services. Our strategy for this is set out in the Defence Command Paper, published on 22 March 2021.

Unfortunately, it will take some time to collate and analyse the information requested. To ensure I can provide as much detail as possible, I will write to the Rt Hon. Member with the detail requested once it has been gathered and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Unfortunately, it will take some time to collate and analyse the information requested. To ensure I can provide as much detail as possible, I will write to the Rt Hon. Member with the detail requested once it has been collated and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Under Military Aid to Civilian Authority, Defence has made available approximately 250 military fuel tanker drivers and a similar number of support staff, to assist the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy with ensuring the continuity of fuel supplies around Great Britain.

It is not Ministry of Defence policy to comment on intelligence matters.

The UK defence estate includes 174 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) covering 82,232 hectares. SSSIs are designated and assessed differently between all four nations.

In England 48.4% of the hectares are deemed by Natural England to be in Favourable condition.

In Wales, 41% of the hectares is deemed by Natural Resources Wales to be in Appropriate Conservation Management.

Scotland has 14 SSSIs covering 5,944 hectares, this includes 115 separate SSSI features with 93.9% deemed by NatureScot to be in Favourable condition.

Northern Ireland includes two Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) covering 1089 hectares. This includes 12 separate ASSI features, ten of which are deemed by Northern Ireland Environment Agency to be in a Favourable condition with 2 in an Unfavourable recovering condition

The MOD SSSI Condition Improvement Project has been in place for over ten years to deliver improvements in the condition of SSSIs across the defence estate. MOD is investing £1.2 million directly into managing MOD SSSIs in this financial year. Currently in England 97% of sites are assessed as favourable or recovering condition.

The Ministry of Defence is currently conducting a commercial competition for Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier dry-docking periods, with work ongoing to identify a preferred bidder. This process is expected to conclude in early 2022, with the first dry-docking period planned for 2023.

Applicants to the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) are assigned a reference number when their case is progressed by a member of the ARAP casework team.

Once their eligibility is confirmed, the applicant is informed of this decision and at this point are provided with their reference number.

The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Headquarters of the Defence Medical Services (HQ DMS) is responsible for healthcare to the Armed Forces. The HQ DMS Higher Level Budget allocation for Financial Years 2015-2016 to 2021-2022 is provided in the table below.

There is other expenditure on healthcare by the single Services that is not accounted for centrally. This information could not be provided in the time available so I will write to the hon. Member.

The Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit has certified the F-35 engine to be carried as an external load beneath the Chinook helicopter, which can operate from the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.

The UK has not conducted any airstrikes against ISIS-K under Operation HERRICK or Operation TORAL.

Under Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the US-led Coalition, Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, the UK has conducted airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The UK has accepted responsibility for one Civilian Casualty that occurred during an airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on the 26th March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018.

The UK has not conducted any airstrikes against ISIS-K under Operation HERRICK or Operation TORAL.

Under Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the US-led Coalition, Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, the UK has conducted airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The UK has accepted responsibility for one Civilian Casualty that occurred during an airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on the 26th March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018.

The CHARM 3 operational round (L27) was last procured in September 2001 and its associated propelling charge (L17) in November 2010. The CHARM 3 practice round (L29) was last procured in April 2009 and its associated propelling charge (L18) in February 2010.

The most recent procurements of 155mm ammunition were the L21 variant High Explosive training shell in April 2021, and the L18 propelling charge in December 2020.

No defence equipment has been sold to Lebanon by the Ministry of Defence through the Defence Equipment Sales Authority in the last five years. A range of items including spares, communications and IT equipment, have however been gifted to Lebanon through the UK Conflict Security and Stability fund.

In addition, a total of 100 Revised Weapons Mounted Installation Kit Land Rovers were gifted to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in 2021. The donation of these vehicles demonstrates the UK's commitment to supporting the LAF and promoting security and stability in the region.

Programme Gladiator, the RAF's contribution to the Defence Operational Training Capability (DOTC), will integrate the E-3D Rearcrew Trainer (RCT) from Mar 2022 to provide a transitional capability to E-7A Wedgetail, the Joint Fires Synthetic Trainer (JFST) in spring 2023, the Typhoon Future Synthetic Trainer (TFST) in autumn 2023 and UK F-35B Lightning in 2024.

Following our recent announcement of further investment in Gladiator, work is underway to formalise integration of additional training systems including E-7A Wedgetail, scheduled for spring 2026, as well as Airseeker, Poseidon, Protector, Crowsnest, Guardian and the Maritime Composite Training System (MTCS) over the 2023-2026 timeframe.

While AH-64E Apache and Land Ceptor/Sky Sabre will be computer-generated in the Gladiator Synthetic environment from Initial Operating Capability, there are no funded plans to integrate their respective simulator synthetic training systems; however, options to further expand Gladiator continue to be explored.

The manufacturer is responsible for transporting the engines to suitable hubs around the globe. Defence Support Chain Operations & Movements are then responsible for transporting the engine from the hub to the Carrier Strike Group.

From 11 October 2021, the Annual Mental Fitness Brief has been mandated for all Armed Forces Personnel. The brief covers health and wellbeing, stress management, how to transform stress into mental resilience and where personnel can seek appropriate help.

Army Air Corps (AAC) pilot selection is based upon an assessment of the British Army's principal aircraft (Wildcat and Apache). AAC policy is not comparable to that of the US Air Force, whose requirements will be based upon their individual aircraft fleet. The anthropometric standards for AAC pilots will be reviewed in line with any changes to the aircraft fleet to ensure the AAC can continue to recruit from the widest talent base, whilst ensuring pilots can operate the aircraft safely.

On 18 October 2021, 59 personnel were working on the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) team at Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ).

Between the conclusion of Operation Pitting on 28 August and 19 October 2021, 91 individuals have been relocated to the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP), including primary applicants and their dependants.

There are no plans to relocate 39 Engineer Regiment from Kinloss in Scotland to any other base.

The ASRAAM sustainment programme continues to be delivered within Complex Weapons Portfolio contract price. On current plans, the resultant ASRAAM Block 6 standard is due to enter service on Typhoon in 2022 and F-35 Lightning II in 2024.

The ASRAAM sustainment programme continues to be delivered within Complex Weapons Portfolio contract price. On current plans, the resultant ASRAAM Block 6 standard is due to enter service on Typhoon in 2022 and F-35 Lightning II in 2024.

We routinely monitor risk and fragility in the defence supply-chain, including those associated with rising commodity prices, and work closely with suppliers where consideration needs to made of targeted intervention.

For the years requested, the tables below provide the number of trained and trade trained (Army) Medical and Dental Officers in the UK Regular Armed Forces.

UK Regulars are full-time Service personnel, including Nursing Services, excluding Full Time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guarding Service, Locally Engaged Personnel, and Non-Regular Permanent Service. Figures are comprised of Medical Officers and Dental Officers. They do not include Nursing Officers or Other Ranks in medical or dental trades.

Trained strength comprises military personnel who have completed Phase 1 and 2 training for Royal Navy/Royal Marines and the RAF. Following the change in definition of trained strength for the Army, from 1 October 2016, trained strength for the Army comprises of personnel who have completed Phase 1 training. Trade trained strength relates to the Army only and includes personnel who have passed Phase 2 training.

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10, though numbers ending in a 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent the systematic bias caused by always rounding numbers upwards.

The current estimate of MOD cost of supporting the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) is £8.25 million. This includes:

• Pre Op PITTING movement of ARAP persons to UK.
• The ARAP share for Op PITTING.
• Early costs arising from the movement of ARAP persons from 3rd

The MOD continues to incur costs for the movement of persons to the UK, but is not responsible for the significant costs will be incurred by Home Office in delivering the Managed Quarantine Service, bridging accommodation and wrap around support for the ARAP population in the UK, including costs of accommodation and services once in the UK.

We do not anticipate that this expenditure will be classified as Official Development Assistance

This application for relocation under the ARAP scheme is now subject to legal proceedings brought by the applicant against the MOD. These proceedings are ongoing, so it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

The UK has eight RAF F-35s onboard HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Under Military Aid to Civilian Authority, Defence has made available approximately 250 military fuel tanker drivers and a similar number of support staff, to assist the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy with ensuring the continuity of fuel supplies around Great Britain. As part of ensuring that Defence has a suitably qualified workforce, we train personnel in a variety of different categories of driving licences. This is primarily to enable the safe operation of military vehicles and equipment in worldwide operations and qualified personnel are regularly deployed overseas. It would therefore be misleading to specify numbers of qualified personnel against specific driving license requirements currently held within Defence or specifically in the UK.

The refreshed National Shipbuilding Strategy, to be published later this year, will set out how this Government will support the entire UK shipbuilding enterprise. The scope of this strategy has been broadened from the previous naval-focussed 2017 strategy, to set the conditions for success across the entire shipbuilding enterprise, including repair.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 October 2021 to Question 56262 from the hon. Member for Portsmouth South (Mr Morgan).

Ministry of Defence officials have continued to discuss the future plans and disposal options for Kinnegar Logistics Base with Ards and North Down Borough council, their planning team and their regeneration team on a regular basis over the last 18 months. The last meeting was on 30 September 2021.

The 2020 Spending Review (SR) Settlement sets out a ringfence for defence R&D amounting to at least £6.6 billion over four years from 2021-22. This funding will support next generation capabilities from satellites and automation to AI and novel weapons.

For this financial year, current plans indicate that we will spend in excess of the £960 million ringfence as reported at Main Estimates. Investment plans for the subsequent 4 years are still subject to change and will be considered in annual budgeting cycles. However, R&D investment is expected to meet the £6.6 million ringfence by financial year 2024-2025.

A combined war stock of 40mm case telescoped ammunition is in the process of being delivered to meet defence requirements.

The Ministry of Defence Accounts had been subject to a National Audit Office (NAO) audit qualification in the years prior to 2013-14 due to failures to demonstrate adequate consideration of potential impairments of non-current and current asset inventory holdings. As a result, an extensive exercise was undertaken during 2013-14 of all such holdings which identified both historic and current year events that gave rise to accounting impairments.

For example, the then planned earlier retirement of Tornado necessitated an impairment as it was considered that not all asset holdings would now be fully utilised prior to end of service life. It was also identified that a number of other programme holdings were in surplus relative to usage profile whilst a smaller number had suffered damage or technical obsolescence limiting or precluding future use. The value of these assets therefore needed to be impaired to reflect their realistic useful value to MOD. The overall value of these impairment adjustments being £860 million.

As part of the activity, a business as usual process was also established to ensure enduring consideration and recognition of impairment. The full details of the exercise and conclusions reached were subject to internal audit review and then submitted to the NAO who conducted further testing, the result of which was the audit qualification was lifted.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces an annual 'Research and development expenditure by the UK Government' publication which provides detail of research and development expenditure for UK Government Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The total net R&D spend for MOD in each year since 2010/11, in current prices, is summarised in the table below.

The ONS publications covering expenditure in financial years 2010-11 to 2019-20 can be found here: Research and development expenditure by the UK government Statistical bulletins - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk).

The detail of MOD's net research and development expenditure for 2020- 21 will be published by the ONS in April 2022. MOD's audited Annual Report and Accounts, which will include total R&D spend in financial year 2020-21, is expected to be published in November.

The Refresh to the National Shipbuilding Strategy will be published later this year.