Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Remembrance is the annual national commemoration to mark all conflicts and pay respects to all who have suffered at the hands of oppression and dictatorship and on Sunday 17 November 2024, Lord Coaker, Minister of State in the House of Lords, joined the AJEX (Armed Forces Jewish Ex Service Personnel) community who paraded at the Cenotaph in their own act of remembrance.
As the Chancellor announced in the Budget, the government will provide funding to the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) to commemorate a variety of occasions. In addition, the Ministry of Defence will mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January 2025 and recognises that 2025 will be the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support UK defence manufacturing jobs through government procurement.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK’s defence manufacturing industry is vital not only to our national security but to our prosperity and economic growth. This Government is committed to supporting UK manufacturing jobs and will bring forward a new Defence Industrial Strategy to align the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve (a) recruitment and (b) retention in the armed forces.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The new Government’s work in improving retention and recruitment is part of a package of measures aimed to renew the contract between the nation and those who serve. We are modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract, and then retain the best possible talent, highlighting that Defence is a modern, forward-facing employer which offers a valuable and rewarding career. Our aim is to attract and recruit more, as well as maximise the number of applicants that successfully enter and remain in Armed Forces employment.
We have already awarded the largest Armed Forces pay increase in 22 years, ensuring that the starting Armed Forces’ salary is in line with the National Living Wage, and have set a new ambition for the Armed Forces to make a conditional offer of employment to candidates within 10 days and to give people a provisional training start date within 30 days. We have reviewed and implemented changes to the Armed Forces’ Entry Medical Employment Standards, setting new regulations for a range of conditions including asthma and eczema. Furthermore, Defence is creating a new military direct-entry cyber pathway. This will help boost our cyber resilience and support the UK’s ability to conduct operations in cyberspace.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to use digital technology to improve defence outputs.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Defence’s goal is to continually evolve a secure, singular, modern Digital Backbone to connect sensors, effectors, and deciders across military and business domains and with partners, driving integration and interoperability across domains and platforms. Through this, we are exploiting digital technology and data to revolutionise warfare and transform defence.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188871 on LE TacCIS Programme, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the time taken to deliver Evolve to Open on the initial operating capability of the Morpheus programme.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 June 2023 to Question 188872 to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey). I can confirm the Ministry of Defence will continue to meet all of its operational requirements, providing secure Battlefield Communication and Information Systems (CIS) until MORPHEUS is fielded.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188871 on LE TacCIS Programme, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of delays to Evolve to Open on the cost of the Morpheus programme.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
These matters are commercially sensitive, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until discussions have concluded.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188871 on LE TacCIS Programme, what assessment he has made of the capabilities to be delivered by Evolve to Open system which are not available through the Bowman communications system.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
MORPHEUS is a project within the Land Environment Tactical Communications & Information Systems (LETacCIS) Programme to deliver the next generation of Communication and Information Systems to forces operating in a Land Tactical Environment. Over time, MORPHEUS will replace the closed, proprietary, in-service Bowman system, with an open architecture system driving value through commercial competition for the incremental and evolutionary delivery of future Land Environment tactical communications solutions.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on temporary staff in each year from 2015.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
Expenditure on temporary staff (by financial year(FY)) can be found in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts. The most recent figures are:
FY 2021-22 £483.318 million
FY 2020-21 £418.950 million
FY 2019-20 £272.385 million
FY 2018-19 £110.530 million
FY 2017-18 £122.660 million
FY 2016-17 £135.400 million
FY 2015-16 £112.700 million
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vacant posts there are in the Defence Nuclear Organisation.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member’s Questions. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vacant posts there are in the Submarine Defence Agency.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member’s Questions. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.