Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the five new warships to be built on the Clyde are not subject to delay.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Type 26 Batch 2 contract is structured to motivate both the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems to deliver a successful outcome, with both parties sharing in the pain and gain in delivering the programme, ensuring value for public money and protecting the taxpayers from any project overrun costs.
The Batch 2 contract introduces further investment in BAE Systems' shipbuilding facilities on the Clyde, as demonstrated by the submission of planning application for a new Shipbuilding Hall at Govan, which will allow two frigates to be built under cover simultaneously and enable the ships to be built faster, improving the efficiency in the programme and expanding the facilities for future work at the yard.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 20 October (HL2896), whether the Ministry of Defence is responsible for the proposed New Shipbuilding Strategy; and if so, will Ministry of Defence have responsibility for any (1) commercial shipbuilding, or (2) repairs for the maritime sector in (a) Cornwall, and (b) any other areas in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The National Shipbuilding Office (NSO) is responsible for the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh. The NSO is a cross-Government office hosted within the Ministry Of Defence reporting directly to the Secretary of State for Defence in his role as Shipbuilding Tsar. The NSO was formally announced during London International Shipping Week in September 2021 and will work across Government to align Departmental activity with the vision, endorsed by both Government and industry, to create a globally successful, innovative and sustainable shipbuilding enterprise that works for all parts of the UK.
The NSO's remit spans the entire shipbuilding enterprise, including commercial shipbuilding and repair. However, the relevant Departments remain responsible for the procurement and delivery of their own shipbuilding and through-life support programmes.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing for the development of the maritime sector in respect of ship building or repair in Cornwall to service offshore or transport requirements.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
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.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch Accident Investigation Report 13/2020: Stena Superfast VII and Royal Navy submarine, published on 16 July, what steps they are taking to improve the training of the Royal Navy Submarine Service on the identification of higher speed passenger vessels.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Ensuring safety at sea is a top priority for the Royal Navy. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch's (MAIB) report is welcomed and the Royal Navy fully accepts their recommendation.
All training is continually reviewed to ensure that safety lessons from incidents such as this are rapidly incorporated into command team shore and sea training to ensure that Service personnel are rigorously trained, tested and assessed on its execution. Such training specifically includes operating in the vicinity of high speed vessels including ferries.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to find (1) a new operator for the Appledore Shipyard, and (2) new orders from the defence and commercial sectors to maintain shipbuilding in that shipyard.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) remain closely engaged with Babcock and relevant stakeholders regarding the closure of Appledore shipyard. While the future of the shipyard will be a matter for the site owner, BEIS is working with the local council, which is considering options for the future of the yard.
The MOD explored a range of options with Babcock to protect Appledore, including potentially bringing forward a £60 million package of work at Devonport to provide further employment for Appledore workers. This was not, however, enough to secure the long-term future of the yard.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which companies they expect to provide the £2.5 billion in foreign direct investment for the UK which the Royal Air Force expects to be generated by the Red Arrows' 2019 tour of the US and Canada.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The RAF is a key contributor to the UK's prosperity agenda by facilitating the GREAT campaign's targeted commercial and wealth generating activities within designated countries which for the 2019 tour will be the US and Canada. The £2.5 billion is an estimate based on previous tours. It is too early to provide the names of companies we expect to provide foreign direct investment as agreements have still to be reached.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Earl Howe on 22 October (HL Deb, col 651), how many patrol vessels will be operational at any one time from the Royal Navy and the Marine Management Organisation for fishery protection.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Royal Navy is in the process of introducing five new, more capable Offshore Patrol Vessels, originally intended to replace the current four employed in the UK and the Falkland Islands. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is leading ongoing cross-Government discussions to determine our requirement for fisheries protection and compliance of patrols in UK waters following our exit from the EU. This will also help inform the Ministry of Defence's planning on our future requirement for Offshore Patrol Vessels.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what input they gave to the statement by the European Commission that €6.5 billion will be allocated from the Connecting Europe Facility for military mobility by rail; whether they support the need for improved rail links across Europe for the purpose of defence and the preservation of peace; and what plans they have for co-operation on such matters after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The proposal to allocate €6.5 billion to military mobility by rail is part of the European Commission's overall proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework that was published on 2 May 2018. Member States will have the opportunity to discuss and amend the Commission's proposal as it proceeds through the formal decision-making processes over the coming months. The UK is pleased to see work developing in conjunction with NATO on this important initiative, and any decisions on which programmes the UK will participate in after 2020 will be taken as part of the future partnership negotiations.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Military Aviation Authority is responsible for regulating Red Arrows displays; whether they have any plans to limit Red Arrows displays so that they only take place over Ministry of Defence land; if so, when this limitation will come into effect; and which Red Arrows displays planned for this year will be cancelled as a result.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Military Aviation Authority (MAA) regulates the flying activity of the Red Arrows (Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT)). There are circumstances where military display flying may be required to abide by additional restrictions imposed by those responsible for organising or directing flying displays. The MAA has no plans to restrict RAFAT to display flying exclusively over Ministry of Defence occupied land; however, all flying display venues are subject to a risk assessment conducted by both the event organiser and the Duty Holder responsible for RAFAT to ensure that it is appropriate for the flying display activity to take place.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 12 July (HL921), what changes the Red Arrows offered to make to their original programme; and what, if any, safety advice was received by the Red Arrows and from whom.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Red Arrows did not offer to make any changes to their original, approved routine or display sequence. However, they did liaise with the event organisers, who are responsible for mitigating risks to those on the ground and those in boats in the local estuary, on where best to locate the display. To avoid flying over anyone in the estuary, the Red Arrows were prepared to display over the sea.
The Red Arrows did not receive any safety advice specifically relating to a display at Fowey Regatta.