Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the Army's capabilities of cancelling the Ajax programme.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin) in the House of Commons on 19 July 2021 to Qustion 33142 to the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Mark Francois).
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to how the vehicles already delivered by the Ajax programme will be used in the event that the programme is cancelled.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin) in the House of Commons on 19 July 2021 to Qustion 33142 to the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Mark Francois).
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to cancel the Ajax programme; and what alternatives to that programme they are considering.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin) in the House of Commons on 19 July 2021 to Qustion 33142 to the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Mark Francois).
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any (1) non-secret, or (2) strategy, documents are missing from the Ministry of Defence documents found at a bus stop in Kent on 27 June.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
As stated in the Written Statement HLWS 186 which was released to the House on Friday 16 July 2021, the Department will be making no further comment on the nature of the loss.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all of the secret documents that were left at a bus stop in Kent on 27 June have been recovered.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
As stated in the Written Statement HLWS 186 which was released to the House on Friday 16 July 2021, the Department will be making no further comment on the nature of the loss.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the investigation into the leak of Ministry of Defence documents which were found at a bus stop in Kent to conclude; and whether they will publish the findings of that investigation.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
I refer the Noble Lord to the Written Statement HLWS 186 which was released to the House on Friday 16 July.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications they have (1) received, and (2) processed, since the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy launched in April.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Through the Ex-Gratia Scheme (EGS) 1,550 former staff members including their families have relocated to the UK. Under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) 96 former staff members including their families have relocated to the UK so far with several thousand more due to arrive over the summer.
Unfortunately for operational security reasons we cannot at this time comment on specific numbers of applications. However, we are significantly accelerating the pace of relocations in parallel with the military withdrawal. Our commitment to those who are eligible under the ARAP, and the process to deliver it, is not time-limited and will endure beyond the military presence in Afghanistan.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy in relation to UK armed forces personnel deployed overseas who refuse a COVID-19 vaccine; and whether such personnel are required to return to the UK.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Defence's vaccination policy for all vaccines, is voluntary and administered under the principles of informed consent. Those who cannot or are refusing to take a COVID-19 vaccine would be subject to a risk assessment. If ineligible to deploy, they would be removed from the operational deployment and employed in an appropriate alternate role.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many countries, and (2) what countries, are part of the Carrier Strike Group.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Two Partner Nations are integrated into the UK Carrier Strike Groups maiden voyage; the United States and the Netherlands. The United States has provided an Arleigh Burke class destroyer, USS The Sullivans, and has an embarked US Marine Corps F35b Squadron on HMS Queen Elizabeth. The Netherlands have provided the De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate HNLMS Evertsen.
Asked by: Lord Coaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date all four dreadnought class submarines will be operational.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
As set out in the United Kingdom (UK)’s future nuclear deterrent: the 2020 update to Parliament, the Dreadnought submarine programme remains on track for the First of Class, HMS Dreadnought, to enter service in the early 2030s. During the phased transition from the Vanguard Class to the Dreadnought Class there will be no compromise to the UK’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrent. The Government’s integrated review of security, defence, development and foreign policy, confirmed we will maintain our submarines so that at least one will always be on a Continuous At-Sea Deterrent patrol. It is UK policy to not disclose further planned out of service and in-service dates for submarines, as to do so would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our Armed Forces.