Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government by when the Royal Navy's fleet of Type 45 Destroyers will have undergone the propulsion improvement programme; and at what cost.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Defence Procurement (Harriett Baldwin), in the House of Commons on
4 December 2017 to Question number 116327.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the strategic significance of the UK’s military bases on the island of Cyprus.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The United Kingdom's military bases in the Sovereign Base Areas and separate Retained Sites remain a vital strategic defence and national security asset, supporting our interests in an unstable region.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are providing any military training to rebel forces fighting in Syria.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The UK participated in the original US-led 'Train and Equip' programme for vetted Syrian opposition forces fighting Daesh in 2015. The Ministry of Defence announced on 25 October 2016, that up to 20 UK personnel will be deploying to locations in the region, but outside Syria, to contribute to the refined and restarted programme. Their role will be to train selected members of vetted moderate Syrian opposition groups in the skills they need to continue to take the fight to Daesh. The UK is not participating in the "Equip" element of this programme.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have supplied any anti-aircraft weapons to rebel forces fighting in Syria.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The UK participated in the original US-led 'Train and Equip' programme for vetted Syrian opposition forces fighting Daesh in 2015. The Ministry of Defence announced on 25 October 2016, that up to 20 UK personnel will be deploying to locations in the region, but outside Syria, to contribute to the refined and restarted programme. Their role will be to train selected members of vetted moderate Syrian opposition groups in the skills they need to continue to take the fight to Daesh. The UK is not participating in the "Equip" element of this programme.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Royal Navy’s Type 45 fleet will be fully operational after modifications to their electrical propulsion systems.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 19 April 2016 to Question number HL7485 to the noble Lord, Lord West of Spithead.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of reserve force recruitment was achieved in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland, in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The requested information is provided below.
Intake into Future Reserves 2020 Volunteer Reserve by Stationed Location
Financial Year 2012-13 | ||
Number | % | |
Total intake in Army Reserve of which | 3,960 | |
England | 2,920e | 73.7 e |
Scotland | 480 e | 12.1 e |
Wales | 290 e | 7.3 e |
Northern Ireland | 250 e | 6.3 e |
Source: Defence Statistics (Tri Service)
Financial Year | ||||
2013-14 | 2014-15 | |||
Number | % | Number | % | |
Total FR20 Volunteer Reserve Intake of which | 4,120 | 6,810 | ||
England | 3,240 e | 78.6 e | 5,200 e | 76.4 e |
Scotland | 450 e | 10.9 e | 770 e | 11.3 e |
Wales | 220 e | 5.3 e | 470 e | 6.9 e |
Northern Ireland | 180 e | 4.4 e | 330 e | 4.8 e |
Source: Defence Statistics (TriService)
Notes
(1) The FR20 Volunteer Reserve population includes mobilised Volunteer Reserves, High Readiness Reserves (HRR) and those volunteer reserves serving on Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) and Additional Duties Commitment (ADC). Non Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI), Sponsored Reserves and University Officer Cadets are excluded.
(2) Military personnel numbers are sourced from the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system. Location data are based on the stationed location of the individual as recorded in the ‘Assignment Location’ field of the JPA system. The figures are based on Service personnel’s stationed location and not their location of residence – where personnel work is not necessarily where they live, this is particularly the case for those serving in National Units. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location.
(3) Centrally held data dates back to October 2012 for the Maritime Reserve, April 2012 for the Army Reserve and April 2013 for the Royal Air Force Reserves and therefore FY2012-13 Tri Service intake is unavailable.
(4) Location statistics have been reported as estimates because stationed location data for Reserve has not been validated.
Symbols
e Estimate
Rounding
When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.
Totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of recruits to the reserve forces in the UK for the last three years for which figures are available.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 17 December 2015 to Question HL4348 to my noble Friend The Marquess of Lothian, which contains Future Reserve 2020 Volunteer Reserve intake for the previous three financial years.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-12-08/HL4348/
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the retention figures for members of the reserve forces in the UK for the last three years for which figures are available.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The requested information is provided in the following table:
Future Reserve 2020 Volunteer Reserve Strength Retention – Tri-Service
Financial Year (FY) | Strength at beginning of FY | Retained strength at end of FY of those people | Retained (%) |
2012-13 (Army Reserve only) | 25,980 | 21,730 | 83.6 |
2013-14 | 29,390 | 24,460 | 83.2 |
2014-15 | 28,150 | 24,430 | 86.8 |
Notes:
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the pilot programme for Direct Skeletal Fixation is proceeding, and when they expect that pilot to be completed.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Work is currently under way between the Ministry of Defence, NHS England and the UK Departments of Health to put in place a patient referral pathway to enable access for eligible military personnel and Veterans to the Direct Skeletal Fixation programme. This includes the definition of clinical criteria to access the programme as the procedure will not be appropriate for every individual. The programme is expected to begin in spring 2016 for two and a half years and the results will be published following completion.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people smugglers have been apprehended by United Kingdom or other European Union armed forces or law enforcement agencies operating in the Mediterranean area.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
As at 10 November 2015, the EU Naval Force Operation in the Mediterranean, Operation SOPHIA, has been involved in identifying 42 suspected migrant smugglers to the Italian authorities for further investigation. Outside of Operation SOPHIA, UK vessels involved in search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean over the period from May to October 2015, have also identified a further 35 suspected smugglers to the Italian authorities.
The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on the total number of suspected migrant smugglers apprehended by European law enforcement agencies in the Mediterranean this year.