Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to increase recruitment to the armed forces in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Armed Forces recruit nationally and do not operate a specific policy of increasing recruitment from particular geographic areas. Armed Forces Career Offices are spread across the UK, including in Northern Ireland, and continue to provide core support to the Armed Forces’ national recruiting activities. The geographic footprint of Armed Forces Career Offices across the UK is complemented by dedicated call centres and online recruiting operations, ensuring that all UK communities have the same opportunity to join the Armed Forces as anyone else. In addition, the Services conduct outreach engagement programmes across the whole of the UK, delivering events such as career fairs, tactical campaigns and roadshows, supported by web-based information services and social media campaigns. These recruitment activities are further supported through strategic partnerships such as with JobCentrePlus, who provide additional face-to-face touchpoints with potential Armed Forces applicants.
The Armed Forces regularly review their recruiting activities and associated resource in accordance with the requirement. A range of tangible short-term deliverables are being actioned to increasing the inflow into Armed Forces recruitment pipelines, all intended to increase the breadth of potential candidates and to drive efficiencies into recruitment systems. These ongoing and new initiatives are focused upon engaging the broad range of skills, experience and diversity needed to deliver that which our nation demands of our Armed Forces; and in the range of roles that are critical to enable this.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of the HM Veterans Card to veterans living in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The new digital application and verification service for all pre-2018 service leavers went live at 00:01 on Sunday 28 January 2024. Alongside the launch, a promotional campaign to raise awareness of the HM Armed Forces Veteran recognition card's availability has been conducted covering social media, GOV.UK, Defence HQ and MOD-specific sites, Ministerial statements and the Sunday Express.
For veterans in Northern Ireland, an additional service will also soon be implemented whereby cards can be delivered to one of a number of MOD locations for those who do not wish to receive delivery at their home address. The Northern Ireland Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) continue to provide support to veterans and promote the card's delivery options via their links with local charities, support service and ex-Service organisations.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many veterans from Northern Ireland have (a) received and (b) had an application denied for a Veteran's ID card as of 30 January 2024.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to her when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to increase awareness of the potential merits of joining the Reserve Forces and Cadets in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Sarah Atherton
The single Services have provided the following information:
Royal Navy
Based in Lisburn, HMS Hibernia is Northern Ireland's Royal Naval Reserve Unit. This Unit has a proactive recruiting posture and is regularly represented in colleges and careers fairs, as well as through online recruiting events. HMS HIBERNIA has also participated in Northern Ireland Armed Forces Day activities, as well as delivering Employer Engagement events.
The Royal Navy Cadet Forces are well represented in Northern Ireland with three units of the Combined Cadet Force and eleven units of the Sea Cadet Corps (SCC) across the Province, and a further two SCC units currently under consideration.
British Army
Advertising opportunities in Northern Ireland for Army roles takes shape in the exact same way as it does in the rest of the UK. In addition, the Army's Recruiting Group support three large events in Northern Ireland which cover both Regular and Reserve streams, providing recruiting literature which is specific to Northern Ireland. At a tactical level, the Army's Recruiting Group provides unit-specific recruiting literature and the last order saw around 15,000 personalised leaflets sent to units in Northern Ireland.
For Cadets, the #NoFilter campaign to recruit both new Cadets and adult volunteers ran for two weeks in Northern Ireland in February 2022, using outdoor media, streamed radio advertising and social media targeting. There was a marked increase in applications submitted during the two weeks the campaign was run.
Royal Air Force (RAF)
Air Officer Northern Ireland has an extensive, ongoing, regional Engagement Strategy to raise awareness of the RAF in Northern Ireland, often using 502 (Ulster) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force in its delivery. This provides the RAF Reserves with the opportunity to show who they are, tell their story, and highlight the benefits of Reserve Service. Activity and events that raise awareness are underpinned by regional recruiting and selecting radio advertisements and national television adverts which also promote the opportunities and benefits.
There is also a continual focus on promoting the benefits, values and experience that Royal Air Force Air Cadet membership brings to youth in Northern Ireland, as well as a direct effort to enlarge the footprint of Cadet units.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his oral statement to the House of 9 March 2022 on Ukraine, whether the Government has successfully delivered the consignment of anti-tank Javelin missiles to Ukraine; and how many of those missiles it will supply.
Answered by James Heappey
I can confirm that 218 anti-tank Javelin missiles, have been successfully delivered to Ukraine. The Prime Minister announced, on 8 April 2022, that a further consignment of Javelin missiles will be delivered in due course.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria his Department uses to determine good faith security research, as outlined in his Department’s Vulnerability Disclosure Policy.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
A Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP) is a 'see something, say something' process to allow security researchers to report a vulnerability in MOD systems (found through e.g. ethical hacking). MOD launched its VDP in December 2020.
Practically, 'to act in good faith' means working to find vulnerabilities in IT systems without causing damage to them, disrupting their operation, or exfiltrating data in an unauthorised manner. There are no set criteria for acting in good faith because the situations are context dependent. However, it does not give researchers permission to act in any manner that is inconsistent with the law, or which might cause the MOD or partner organisations to be in breach of any legal obligations.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What progress is being made with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on bringing forward legacy legislation on tackling vexatious claims against veterans who have served in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
This Government is committed to bringing an end to vexatious claims against the Armed Forces. We have introduced the Overseas Operations Bill to reduce the uncertainty faced by our Service personnel and veterans in relation to historical allegations and claims arising from overseas operations. We have also been clear that we will bring forward separate legislation to address the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland - including delivering on our commitment to Northern Ireland veterans - as soon as possible.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to circumstances which where a member of the auxiliary reserve forces lives in Northern Ireland but is part of a GB based military unit, that does not have an operating base in Northern Ireland, what support those service personnel get with travel costs to attend their regular training at their unit.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Volunteer Reserve personnel are eligible to claim Home to Duty Travel allowance which provides a contribution towards the costs incurred when they travel between their normal civilian place of work to attend training. Payment of this allowance is capped at a maximum travelling distance of 50 miles, regardless of any greater distance travelled, and this is in line with what is paid to Regular Service personnel. Some specialist Reservists may be eligible for rates in excess of 50 miles due to the location of certain Specialist Units. This extended mileage concession is only available on permission of Commanding Officers and after obtaining financial authority and applies to all specialist Reservists in the UK. The exceptional nature of this concession is because the Ministry of Defence needs to balance the cost of such travel with operational needs.
Not all Volunteer Reserve personnel live in the vicinity of their Unit. There will be some, for example, who have had to relocate for civilian employment reasons but who cannot, or choose not to, change to a new Unit. Where Volunteer Reserve personnel are unable to attend for training because of travel issues, they would not qualify for pay or be likely to earn a bounty, but that does not automatically mean they have to leave their Service. Units will do what they can to keep in touch with Volunteer Reservists in this situation.
Where Volunteer Reserve personnel are required to travel away from their normal Unit (e.g. for annual training) then they are eligible to claim Duty Travel allowance for the cost of the travel to and from their Unit to the temporary duty station where the training is due to take place.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of providing free meals to armed forces personnel who have been mobilised during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by James Heappey
When Armed Forces personnel are mobilised or deployed away from their permanent duty station, it is normal practice that they are provided with access to meals, either directly or via an allowance which permits them to claim back reasonable expenses on food that they have purchased themselves. This applies to Service Personnel deployed in support of the COVID-19 response.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support improved mental health amongst veterans in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Upon discharge from the Armed Forces, the provision of healthcare, including mental healthcare, is the purview of the NHS in England, and the Devolved Administrations in the rest of the UK. We are currently working with the NI Veterans Support Office (VSO) to take forward the important work of delivering the Armed Forces Covenant to our veterans in NI. The VSO has developed strong links between the NI Government Departments, Local Government Veterans’ Champions and the voluntary and charitable sector. This work with the VSO is key in building coherence and co-ordination among services through the NI Veterans Support Committee (NIVSC). The NIVSC was set up to improve cooperation between those organisations who are permanently based in NI and are committed to delivering support services to veterans.