Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral answer of 14 October 2024 from the Minister for Veterans and People, Official Report, column 574, if he will clarify what the correct (a) welfare and (b) legal support are for veterans that are required to undergo legal proceedings relating to their service during the troubles in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Government recognises the important service of veterans and serving personnel and the sacrifices they made to keep us all safe in Northern Ireland during the troubles. We will provide any former or current member of the Armed Forces involved in legal proceedings relating to their official duties with the appropriate welfare and legal support.
Welfare support is tailored to individual veterans’ needs and circumstances and given on an opt-in basis. The MOD delivers this support through the most appropriate agency depending on the nature of the veteran’s service. In many cases, this would be the Army Operational Legacy Branch, who have a team of dedicated military support officers.
Legal support too is tailored to the circumstances, including in what capacity veterans are involved in legal proceedings. Veterans are offered independent legal support at public expense where they are at risk of prosecution relating to actions taken during their employment.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with (a) the United States and (b) Australia on the potential merits of expanding Pillar II of the AUKUS agreement to include Canada.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
In recognition of the enduring partnership the UK holds with Canada, alongside Canada's close bilateral defence partnerships with each member of AUKUS, the Prime Minister, President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese, announced on 17 September that we were consulting with Canada, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea to identify possibilities for collaboration on advanced capabilities under AUKUS Pillar II. This collaboration on a project by project basis was discussed again at the AUKUS Defence Ministers Meeting in London on 26 September.
Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom continue to work together as members of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), a collaboration of 14 countries and the European Union, to catalyse public and private investment in responsible critical minerals supply chains globally.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of inviting Canada to join Pillar II of the AUKUS agreement.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
In recognition of the enduring partnership the UK holds with Canada, alongside Canada's close bilateral defence partnerships with each member of AUKUS, the Prime Minister, President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese, announced on 17 September that we were consulting with Canada, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea to identify possibilities for collaboration on advanced capabilities under AUKUS Pillar II. This collaboration on a project by project basis was discussed again at the AUKUS Defence Ministers Meeting in London on 26 September.
Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom continue to work together as members of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), a collaboration of 14 countries and the European Union, to catalyse public and private investment in responsible critical minerals supply chains globally.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the requirement to secure critical minerals supply chains for the development of the AUKUS agreement.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
In recognition of the enduring partnership the UK holds with Canada, alongside Canada's close bilateral defence partnerships with each member of AUKUS, the Prime Minister, President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese, announced on 17 September that we were consulting with Canada, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea to identify possibilities for collaboration on advanced capabilities under AUKUS Pillar II. This collaboration on a project by project basis was discussed again at the AUKUS Defence Ministers Meeting in London on 26 September.
Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom continue to work together as members of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), a collaboration of 14 countries and the European Union, to catalyse public and private investment in responsible critical minerals supply chains globally.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK’s decision to suspend some arms exports licenses with Israel on intelligence-sharing with that country.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
It is a long-standing policy that we do not discuss detailed intelligence matters and so I regret I am unable to provide any additional detail.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timeframe is for the eligibility review for the Nuclear Test Medal.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As directed by the Defence Secretary, the review of the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal is already underway. The Ministry of Defence is prioritising this work and will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to bring pensions for Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997 in line with the standard British Army pension.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Government greatly values the service of all members of the Armed Forces, including the Gurkhas, who have a long and distinguished history of Service to the UK, both here and overseas. The Government takes its responsibilities to our Gurkha veterans very seriously and is committed to providing Gurkha veterans with a fair pension.
The 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme is different to other Armed Forces Pension Schemes, but these differences are objectively and reasonably justified. The legal basis for Gurkha pensions has been upheld by three Judicial Reviews since 2003, including a case that went to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
The Government maintains that the 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme continues to provide a good income for our Gurkha veterans living in Nepal, in accordance with the original scheme design.
As a Minister new to the Gurkha Pension issue, I look forward to meeting with the Ambassador of Nepal and the Gurkha veteran representatives in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many combat arms earplugs his Department purchased from 3M; and what the cost was.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Combat Arms Ear Plugs, specifically the 3M Combat Ear Plugs Generation 4.1, were purchased by the Ministry of Defence from 3M as part of the Tactical Hearing Protection – Basic User capability via a NATO Support and Procurement Agency contract.
A total of 152,850 units were purchased from 3M at an overall cost of £0.699 million between May 2015 and September 2023.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department purchased combat arms earplugs from 3M.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Combat Arms Ear Plugs, specifically the 3M Combat Ear Plugs Generation 4.1, were purchased by the Ministry of Defence from 3M as part of the Tactical Hearing Protection – Basic User capability via a NATO Support and Procurement Agency contract.
A total of 152,850 units were purchased from 3M at an overall cost of £0.699 million between May 2015 and September 2023.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential (a) impact of the proposed repeal and replacement of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 on veterans and (b) need for support for veterans in the context of potential civil action.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Government recognises the dedicated service of veterans and serving personnel who did so much to keep people in Northern Ireland safe during the Troubles. We will engage closely with the veterans community on the way forwards in the Government’s approach to legacy.
We recognise the impact that historical investigations can have on serving and retired Service personnel, including on their mental health. This Government is committed to supporting our veterans by providing welfare and appropriate legal support, at public expense, to those involved in ongoing legal processes. Veterans are offered a range of welfare support, for their individual needs and circumstances.