Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take, if any, to ensure any replacement for the Puma helicopter is built in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Our current expectation is to run a competitive process, the full details of which will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK Armed Forces are deployed in response to Military Aid to the Civil Authorities requests; and in what capacity any such forces are deployed.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
As of 6 December 2021, there were circa.1,336 Service personnel deployed on 19 MACA tasks. These tasks range from: personnel supporting local communities affected by Storm Arwen in the North of the UK; medical personnel in support to the NHS in Scotland; drivers assisting the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust; personnel supporting the COVID-19 vaccination programme across the UK; fuel tanker drivers to ensure the continuity of fuel supplies around the UK; and defence driving examiners supporting the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the investigation into the F35 jet crash in the Mediterranean sea will be completed; and whether the results of the investigation will be published.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
An investigation into an aircraft accident can be a complex and necessarily long process involving the gathering and analysing of a vast amount of evidence from many different sources. A Service Inquiry will be convened to investigate the circumstances surrounding the loss of ZM152; it is not possible at this early stage to determine how the investigation will proceed.
Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government following the appointment of David Marsh as Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) of the Ajax programme, which Minister is responsible for considering his recommendations on the programme.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to working with General Dynamics to achieve resolution of outstanding issues on the Armoured Cavalry Programme. We will not accept into service a capability which is not fit for purpose. David Marsh has not been asked to provide a specific report on a set of recommendations but will be providing advice to Ministers in the ordinary course in his role as SRO. The Minister for Defence Procurement supports the Secretary of State on the delivery of the MOD’s Equipment Plan.
Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many military personnel are currently deployed as HGV drivers.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
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.
Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many military personnel are currently deployed to help support the NHS.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
As of 14 October 2021, 559 military personnel were deployed to support the NHS.
Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many personnel who are part of the UK's carrier strike group have tested positive for COVID-19.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
As of 15 October 2021, 710 UK Armed Forces Personnel were reported as having tested positive to COVID-19 since the UK Carrier Strike Group deployed in May 2021.
Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the UK armed forces families' strategy will be published.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
I refer the noble Lord to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Defence People and Veterans (Leo Docherty), in the House of Commons on 6 September 2021 to the hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey) in response to Question number 40594.
Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact, if any, rising tensions between China and Taiwan have had on the route for the carrier strike group.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Carrier Strike Group's ships navigated the South China Sea and HMS Richmond navigated the Taiwan Strait as necessary between planned activity in the Indo-Pacific region. The tension between China and Taiwan, although noted, did not change the routing of the Carrier Strike Group.
Asked by: Lord Tunnicliffe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government with what countries to date the carrier strike group has had (1) engagements, or (2) military exercises; and what were these engagements and military exercises.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The table below sets out the countries and/or overseas territories that the UK Carrier Strike Group has interacted with during this deployment.
Country / Overseas Territory | Activity |
Australia | Passage Exercise , air interaction, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD[1] |
Bangladesh | Port visit to Chittogram |
British Indian Ocean Territory | Port visit to Diego Garcia |
Brunei | Port visit to Bandar Seri Begawan |
Cambodia | Virtual defence engagement |
Canada | Exercise PACIFIC CROWN (Pacific Ocean) South China Sea navigation in company |
Cyprus | Port visit to Limassol and Larnaca |
Djibouti | Port visit to Djibouti |
Egypt | Port visit to Alexandria |
France | Exercises Atlantic Trident (North Atlantic) and Gallic Strike (Mediterranean) Press Release |
Georgia | Port visit to Batumi |
Gibraltar | Hosted reception at sea |
Greece | Port visits to Piraeus and Souda. |
Guam | Port visits to Guam |
India | Maritime Participation Exercise in the Indian Ocean Press Release |
Indonesia | Port visit to Jakarta |
Israel | Exercise Falcon Strike and Exercise Tri-Lightning (both in the Mediterranean). Port visit to Haifa |
Italy | Exercise Falcon Strike, transit in western Mediterranean, Port visits to Augusta, Messina and Taranto Press Release |
Japan | Port visits to Sasebo, Yokosuka, Funakoshi, Exercise PACIFIC CROWN (Pacific Ocean), quad carrier exercise (with two carriers from the USA, one from Japan and HMS Queen Elizabeth), Reception and capability demonstration, South China Sea navigation in company Press Release |
Malaysia | Passage Exercise, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD |
Montenegro | Port visit to Bar, Reception and Capability Demonstration, Press Release |
New Zealand | South China Sea Transit in company, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD |
Oman | Port visit to Duqm |
Republic of Korea | Search and rescue exercise, at sea reception and capability demonstration Press Release |
Saudi Arabia | Port visit to Jeddah. Passage Exercise |
Singapore | Passage Exercise including some limited air exercising. Port visit to Sembawang. Reception and capability demonstration, Exercise BERSAMA GOLD Press Release |
Spain | Port visits to Alicante and Cartagena |
Thailand | Co-ordinated maritime manoeuvres Press Release |
Turkey | Port visit Istanbul Press Release |
Ukraine | Port visit to Odessa Press Release |
United States | Dual, tri and quad carrier exercises. Exercise Atlantic Trident (North Atlantic), Exercise Gallic Strike (Mediterranean), Exercise Falcon Strike, Exercise Tri-Lightning Press Release Press Release |
Vietnam | Port visit to Da Nang and Passage Exercise |
NATO* | Exercise Steadfast Defender (North Atlantic), Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 - Operation Sea Guardian (Mediterranean), At-sea reception and capability demonstration Press Release Press Release |
*Whilst not a country, assets from the UK Carrier Strike Group also participated in NATO-led military exercises and engagements.
[1] Five Powers Defence Arrangements Exercise hosted by Malaysia with participants from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK.