Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has received reports of imminent missile test launches by North Korea; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Secretary of State is briefed on a regular basis about the development of North Korean Ballistic Missile capability, including the conduct of significant tests when they occur. The Ministry of Defence continues to work with its international partners to support the policy of exerting maximum political and economic pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to change its direction and reach a peaceful resolution to regional tensions.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he will implement a full defence review before 2020; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Gavin Williamson
Ministers will consider the conclusions of the National Security Capability Review in due course, and decide what needs to happen next.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost to public purse of introducing the new Mark 4A non-nuclear arming, fusing and firing system to the UK’s Mark 4 nuclear warhead.
Answered by Guto Bebb
I am withholding details of the cost of the Mark 4A programme for the purposes of safeguarding national security.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress has been made on the order for Type 26 frigates.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
I refer the hon. Members to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary on 4 November 2016 (HCSW237).
The Type 26 Programme will deliver a new generation of cutting-edge warships for our Royal Navy at best value for taxpayers.
The UK Government’s commitment will secure hundreds of high-skilled shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde for at least two decades and hundreds more in the supply chain across Britain.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2016 to Question 49732, on Trident submarines: iron and steel, what proportion of the BAE supply chain in the UK is based in Scotland.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
It is too early in the Dreadnought submarine programme to be able to provide an estimate of the proportion of the supply chain that will be based in Scotland.
The programme represents billions of pounds of investment in thousands of British jobs across hundreds of firms from Scotland to the South of England.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2016 to Question 49731, on Trident submarines, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs to be created in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK from the investment in the Successor submarines.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Dreadnought submarine programme represents billions of pounds of investment in thousands of British jobs across hundreds of firms from Scotland to the South of England.
Naval Base Clyde is one of the largest employment sites in Scotland, with around 6,800 military and civilian jobs now (including contractors), increasing to around 8,200 by 2022 when the base will become the home for the all of the Royal Navy's operational submarines.
As of 1 July there were 10,220 military personnel and 3,840 Defence civilians based in Scotland.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2016 to Question 49731, on Trident submarines, what proportion of the total steel tonnage required for the Successor submarine programme will originate from (a) the UK, (b) France and (c) other countries.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 October 2016 to Question 50016 to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Nic Dakin).
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with BAE Systems on its decision to use French steel in the construction of the Successor submarines.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Ministry of Defence engaged with BAE Systems throughout the procurement process for the specialised steel, including being notified of their decision to award the contract.
Other stages of construction will include grades of steel manufactured by British suppliers and we encourage them to take the opportunity to bid.
85% of BAE Systems supply chain for the new submarines is based in the UK.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the number of British jobs involved in the Trident successor programme as a result of the recent decision to use French steel in the Successor submarines.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Successor programme represents billions of pounds of investment in thousands of British jobs, across hundreds of firms, from Scotland to the South of England.
Other stages of construction will include grades of steel manufactured by British suppliers and we encourage them to take the opportunity to bid.
85% of BAE Systems supply chain for the new submarines is based in the UK.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the recent fall in the value of sterling on the cost of constructing the Successor submarines.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 October 2016 to Question 48369 to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Douglas Chapman).