Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department offers paternity leave to its staff from their first working day.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not offer paternity leave to employees as a day one right. To qualify for paternity leave, MOD Civilian staff must have completed 26 weeks of continuous service, extending into the 15th week before the baby is due. In addition, an individual’s average weekly earnings must be at or above the lower earnings limit for National Insurance purposes.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
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 Autumn Budget 2024 on the defence sector.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The Budget increased defence spending in real terms by £2.9 billion for next year and we are committed to setting a path to 2.5% of GDP on defence.
The Department's Statement of Intent regarding the Defence Industrial Strategy was published on 2 December. This will ensure the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy are aligned.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs that defence procurement supports in (a) Sussex and (b) the UK.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) spent £19.2 billion with UK industry and commerce in 2018-19, directly supporting around 119,000 jobs in the UK and indirectly supporting many thousands more.
In South East England, during the same time period, MOD expenditure with industry and commerce was £4,581million supporting around 27,500 jobs.
The MOD does not publish data on a county basis.