Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has notified staff to (a) tell or (b) remind them that they can sell annual leave in the last four months.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 January 2023 to Question 122497 to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Mr Pollard):
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-01-13/122497
Staff were made aware they can sell annual leave via routine internal communication channels, such as the Defence Intranet and newsletters.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what human resources information their Department shares with trade unions on a regular basis.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
A range of HR information is published on GOV.UK which is publicly available. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) which stipulate some categories of information that the Department will share with the Trade Unions for the purposes of collective bargaining. These include paybill, financial, efficiency and staffing information. In addition, the MOD regularly shares a range of Human Resources (HR) information about matters that impact upon the civilian workforce, including workforce planning; equality and diversity; health and safety; HR policy development; pay and allowances; restructuring; redeployment and redundancies, and outsourcing.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what travel warrants a 23-year-old Royal Navy personnel, who has served 14 months, is entitled to.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
On completion of Initial Training, only those Royal Navy (RN) personnel assigned to a Seagoing Qualifying Unit are entitled to travel warrants.
RN personnel based at shore establishments may be able to claim one of two allowances, Get You Home Travel or Home to Duty Travel, as a contribution towards travel, if they meet the eligibility criteria laid down in Joint Services Publication 752.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to mandate individual risk assessments for all employees in his Department before they return to the workplace following the easing of covid-19 restrictions; and how many individual risk assessments for people returning to work have been conducted by his Department as of 21 February 2022.
Answered by James Heappey
Defence will continue to follow relevant guidance including that set out in the UK Government's Living with COVID Strategy and related plans across the UK. Risk assessments are mandatory for all Defence workplaces and have continued to be used to manage COVID-related risks throughout the pandemic.
As COVID restrictions ease, managers will continue to maintain and update risk assessments to ensure a safe and healthy workplace. These arrangements have been developed in consultation with, and agreed by, the relevant trade unions. All risk assessments are undertaken locally and retained for three years, but these are not recorded or held centrally.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what discussions the Commission had with the Health and Safety Executive to facilitate a full return to Parliament during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Pete Wishart
The Head of Parliamentary Safety has discussed with the Health and Safety Executive the key risks and control measures to allow everybody to work safely on the parliamentary estate during the Coronavirus outbreak. The Health and Safety Executive is content that the House administration is working to ensure Parliamentary business can continue, whilst meeting the Government guidelines to become “COVID-19 safe”. Regular discussions between the Head of Parliamentary Safety and the Health and Safety Executive will continue during the outbreak.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is compliant with the requirement in section 3.1.8 of the Civil Service Management Code that time off with pay for safety representatives will not be set against facility time allowed under existing arrangements.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Government Departments have an obligation to provide reasonable paid time off to recognised trade union representatives to undertake trade union duties (facility time). This includes paid time off for safety representatives, as set out in section 3.1.8 of the Civil Service Management Code. In the Ministry of Defence, time off with pay for safety representatives is not set against facility time.
The Government recognises there are significant benefits to both employers and employees when organisations and unions work together effectively to deliver high quality public services, but facility time within the public sector must be accountable and represent value for money.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation has affected the right of recognised unions in his Department to bargaining information in relation to section 181 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
The General Data Protection Regulation has not affected the rights of unions in the Ministry of Defence to bargaining information provided under section 181 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on the procurement of Fleet Support ships; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Heappey
The decision to stop the Fleet Solid Support ship competition was taken because it had become clear that a value for money solution could not be reached. The Ministry of Defence is currently assessing the options, and as part of this process will review the requirement and any procurement strategy. It is not possible to provide any further details until this work has been completed.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on procurement under the (a) MRVP, (b) MIV and (c) Challenger 2 Life Extension programmes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Heappey
The Multi-Role Vehicle - Protected (MRV-P) programme is being delivered in two packages. The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) has been identified as the preferred option for Package 1, Command, Liaison and Logistic Vehicles, procured through a US Foreign Military Sales case. A decision on the procurement of JLTV is due this year. For Package 2, Troop Carrying Vehicles and Future Protected Battlefield Ambulances, the competition is ongoing. Subject to the conclusion of current negotiations and internal approvals, the competition winner is planned to be on contract later this year.
For the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme, a contract was signed on 4 November 2019 between OCCAR and ARTEC. The Ministry of Defence aims to have the first vehicles delivered in 2023.
On the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme (CR2 LEP), further to the expanded Assessment Phase, work is ongoing and current plans are for an investment decision in late 2020.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve UK armed forces battlefield ambulance capabilities; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Heappey
As part of the programme to improve our battlefield ambulance capabilities we are undertaking a competition for vehicles that will deliver an ability to project clinical capability, including specialist teams as necessary, to the supported force with an appropriate level of protection, mobility and survivability. The ambulance capability will enable the efficient diagnosis, treatment and sustainment (in transit) for the full range of injury and illness expected.