Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the refit of HMS Victorious will be completed and when will it re-join the nuclear submarine fleet.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I am withholding details of when HMS VICTORIOUS will complete her refit and re-join the Fleet as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to facilitate the return of the anchor of the battleship HMS Prince of Wales to the United Kingdom to be placed in the National Memorial Arboretum.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence are currently exploring various options regarding the anchor from HMS Prince of Wales, but no final decisions have yet been made. The Malaysian authorities continue to have primacy over the investigation into the illegal salvage of the ship.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, of making a dry dock in Gibraltar available for use by Royal Navy nuclear submarines.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Analysis of docking capacity for the maintenance of Submarines and Warships is the subject of ongoing analysis as part of the Royal Navy’s planning process - the Naval Support Integrated Global Network (NSIGN) Programme is an integral part of this.

There are no current plans to mandate the use of Gibraltar for Submarine Dry Docking.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify and honour the remains of Royal Naval sailors lost with the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Investigations into the illegal salvage are still ongoing. The Ministry of Defence is unable to provide a response regarding the presence of human remains until these investigations have concluded.

Should any remains of British Service personnel be identified, the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) will ensure that they are afforded a dignified military funeral and final resting place.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many men and women entered the submarine service in each of the past 10 years and how many departed in each of those years.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I cannot provide specific detail for the numbers of men and women who entered the submarine service as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the rules have been relaxed on Sea Cadets attending memorial and ceremonial events where alcoholic drinks will be available for adults.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Government has not relaxed the rules regarding Sea Cadets attending memorial and ceremonial events where alcohol is present. Safeguarding remains paramount, and existing guidance continues to ensure that cadets are appropriately supervised and that their participation in such events is managed in line with youth protection standards.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether approval has now been given for Sea Cadets to take part in rifle range shooting on the same basis as all other cadet forces; and, if so, whether new armouries will be required.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Sea Cadet Corps (SCC) operates in accordance with policies set by the Marine Society and Sea Cadet Charity. In doing so, SCC remain compliant with Ministry of Defence (MOD) regulations governing all cadet forces. Cadets aged 12 and over may participate in rifle range shooting under MOD cadet force conditions. Those under 12 are limited to prone air rifle use.

Rifles may be carried for ceremonial duties with formal approval, as part of the SCC’s structured advancement syllabus and drill training, in accordance with Sea Cadet Regulations. New armouries/secure rooms will be required in some locations to meet MOD standards for secure storage and sustainment of cadet weapon systems.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether approval has been given for guards formed of Sea Cadets to carry rifles on the same basis as all the other cadet forces.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Sea Cadet Corps (SCC) operates in accordance with policies set by the Marine Society and Sea Cadet Charity. In doing so, SCC remain compliant with Ministry of Defence (MOD) regulations governing all cadet forces. Cadets aged 12 and over may participate in rifle range shooting under MOD cadet force conditions. Those under 12 are limited to prone air rifle use.

Rifles may be carried for ceremonial duties with formal approval, as part of the SCC’s structured advancement syllabus and drill training, in accordance with Sea Cadet Regulations. New armouries/secure rooms will be required in some locations to meet MOD standards for secure storage and sustainment of cadet weapon systems.