Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any immediate plans to increase the overall size of the British Army.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Ministry of Defence is reviewing whether it is now right to reduce the Regular Army to 73,000, as planned under Future Soldier. That process is ongoing.
Defence's plans to modernise the force will be outlined in an update to the Defence Command Paper to be published before the summer.
Any specific policy changes or updates required related to defence capability and force design will be determined following the publication of the Defence Command Paper.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Goldie on 29 November (HL Deb, col 1128), what are their reasons for believing that an accidental war with Russia "would obviously be a very negative and unwelcome outcome".
Answered by Baroness Goldie
It is difficult to envisage any scenario in which war, whether accidental, thermonuclear or otherwise, and irrespective of which other parties may be involved, would be a welcome outcome. Her Majesty's Government is committed to resolving issues peacefully and diplomatically wherever possible.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Goldie on 29 November (HL Deb, col 1130), what are their reasons for believing that a thermonuclear war with Russia would be an "unwelcome outcome".
Answered by Baroness Goldie
It is difficult to envisage any scenario in which war, whether accidental, thermonuclear or otherwise, and irrespective of which other parties may be involved, would be a welcome outcome. Her Majesty's Government is committed to resolving issues peacefully and diplomatically wherever possible.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks by Lord West of Spithead on 29 November (HL Deb, col 1130) that "the greatest risk to the survival of mankind is not global warming, it is an accidental thermonuclear war".
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The UK faces a range of risks as outlined in the Integrated Review published in Spring 2021. Her Majesty's Government is at the forefront of work internationally to champion stability, to descalate the risk of nuclear conflict, and to enhance mutual trust.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 6 July (HL 1576) and her remarks on 30 June (HL Deb, col 793) that HMS Defender was “conducting an innocent passage through a stretch of water open to international navigation”, what military operation HMS Defender was engaged in on the Black Sea on 23 June.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
HMS DEFENDER was in the Black Sea from 14 June - 2 July 2021 to conduct planned defence engagement activity with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Georgia as a disaggregated unit of the Carrier Strike Group. These events focused on the UK's commitment to Black Sea security through capability demonstrations and exercising with other NATO allies and partners who operate in the Black Sea.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) on what date, and (2) at what time, they were made aware by the BBC that classified documents relating to HMS Defender’s Black Sea mission had been discovered at a Kent bus stop.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Ministry of Defence were informed by the BBC of the discovery of documents before publication, due to the sensitivity of the material we are unable to comment on specific timelines.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what risk assessment was carried out, if any, of HMS Defender’s mission to sail close to the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters on 23 June.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
HMS DEFENDER's mission was not to sail close to the Russian Black Sea Fleet HQ.
HMS DEFENDER's route through the Crimean Traffic Separation Scheme was the most direct route between the ports of Odesa and Batumi, visited by HMS DEFENDER as part of planned defence engagement activity from 18 to 22 June and 26 to 29 June respectively. The Crimean Traffic Separation Scheme is an internationally recognised shipping route for all maritime vessels and HMS DEFENDER's route utilised the right of innocent passage in accordance with the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
As with all operational activity, the risks and benefits of HMS DEFENDER's route were considered in advance of the ship's movements, with expert advice from defence planning staff.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the reported comments by General Sir Nick Carter that incidents such as the recent confrontation with Russia off the Crimea are giving him “sleepless nights” and are an example of where a miscalculation could come from an “unwarranted escalation”.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Ministry of Defence conducts careful assessment of the risks associated with all operations to avoid miscalculation and unintended escalation.
With regard to HMS DEFENDER’s route through the Black Sea, freedom of navigation is a fundamental right exercised by all nations. HMS DEFENDER was conducting innocent passage, taking the most direct route from Odesa to Batumi through Ukrainian territorial waters using an internationally recognised Traffic Separation Scheme. The UK does not recognise Russian claims to the waters in question, nor do we recognise the Russian assertion that HMS DEFENDER was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The UK takes its Treaty obligations, including the management of operational risk, very seriously and it remains essential that all conduct is safe and professional and in accordance with international law. The Royal Navy’s presence is about cooperating with our partners and Allies to advance regional security, stability and freedom of navigation.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which media representatives were aboard HMS Defender in the Black Sea on 23 June; and what was the reason for their invitation.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The BBC and Daily Mail defence correspondents were aboard HMS Defender on 23 June. The Ministry of Defence regularly grants access for media outlets to military operations. The practice of embedding journalists on military operations has been commonplace for decades as this helps facilitate independent reporting on defence activity and matters of national and international security.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the anticipated deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Pacific is part of a wider policy for an increase in the UK's involvement in international Freedom of Navigation Operations in the South China Sea.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The deployment of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH will demonstrate the UK's commitment to upholding a rules-based international system and showcase our world-leading carrier capability. Detailed planning continues but the Government has yet to announce its programme or destination. Once plans have been agreed, the Government will bring a statement on the deployment before Parliament.
The UK has enduring interests in the region and is committed to maintaining regional security, including asserting its rights to freedom of navigation and overflight as laid out in UNCLOS. Wherever the Royal Navy operate, they do so in full compliance with international laws and norms and exercise their rights to freedom of navigation and overflight provided for by UNCLOS.