Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Typhoon aircraft were in service with the Royal Air Force at the end of 2022; how many were at readiness for use; and how many were in deep maintenance or mothballed.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The number of aircraft in the Typhoon fleet as at 31 December 2022 broken down between the Forward and Sustainment Fleets is given below:
Forward Fleet | Sustainment Fleet | Total |
97 | 40 | 137 |
The Forward Fleet comprises serviceable and short-term unserviceable aircraft. Typically, the short-term unserviceable fleet aircraft are undergoing minor works, forward maintenance or other unforeseen rectification or technical inspection that can arise on a day-to-day basis. The sustainment fleet includes aircraft airframes undergoing upgrade or maintenance or being held in storage. The number of aircraft varies day-to-day, according to normal flight management activities.
Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many hours were flown by Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft during 2022.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The number of hours flown by the RAF Typhoon fleet is given below:
Financial Year | Flying Hours1 |
2021-22 | 21,360 |
2022-232 | 15,710 |
Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their current estimate of the support costs for Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft per flying hour; and how this compares with the original estimate when the aircraft were procured.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
I refer the Noble Lord to the Answer I gave to the Noble Lord, Lord Moonie on 8 October 2020, to Question HL 8679. Support costs are based on engineering and support requirements and are not correlated with flying hours.
Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Typhoon aircraft, in service with the Royal Air Force, were deployed abroad at the end of 2022.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
As at 13 January 2023 a total of 27 RAF Typhoon aircraft are deployed overseas. In addition, further Typhoon aircraft are conducting operational missions from their home bases in the UK, undertaking Quick Reaction Alert and contributing to the security of NATO's Eastern flank.
Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Royal Air Force reservists at the end of 2022 had qualified to fly Typhoon aircraft during their service.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or the security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Royal Air Force pilots were qualified to fly Typhoon aircraft operationally at the end of 2022.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or the security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK’s participation in the European Sky Shield Initiative on the UK’s “Team Complex Weapons”.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) is proactively engaging in the European Sky Shield Initiative in support of its current Land Ground Based Air Defence programme. In so doing, the UK MOD is looking to identify opportunities with its European partners to build on and strengthen the UK's Team Complex Weapons portfolio.
Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how has the value of the basic state pension altered as a percentage of average national earnings since 2010.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The basic State Pension rate as a percentage of mean earnings is set out below.
Date of Uprating | Basic State Pension Rate as a percentage of mean earnings (%) |
April 2010 | 16.3 |
April 2011 | 16.9 |
April 2012 | 17.7 |
April 2013 | 17.8 |
April 2014 | 18.2 |
April 2015 | 18.5 |
April 2016 | 18.5 |
April 2017 | 18.5 |
April 2018 | 18.4 |
April 2019 | 18.4 |
April 2020 | 19.0 |
April 2021 | 18.9 |
Source: Abstract of DWP benefit ratestatistics 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings: Earnings and hours worked, all employees: ASHE Table 1 - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)
The basic State Pension is payable to those who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. It should be noted that some individuals may also be receiving the earnings-related additional State Pension (SERPS and/or State Second Pension (S2P)) or if they were contracted out of the additional State Pension, a private pension instead. Some individuals may also be receiving Graduated Retirement Benefit.
Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many incidences of subsea cables being damaged there have been within the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone in the last 10 years; and how many were attributable to (1) UK fishing trawlers, and (2) non-UK actors.
Answered by Lord Callanan
Information on the number of cable damages is not held. Subsea cable operators have arrangements in place to ensure a prompt response to damage or disruption, drawing upon national and international cable laying and repair companies.
Asked by: Lord Goddard of Stockport (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the number of River-class patrol vessels.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
There are currently no plans to increase the number of River-class Offshore Patrol Vessels. The National Shipbuilding Strategy sets out the pipeline of future Royal Navy procurements.