Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution of the AUKUS defence partnership to R&D in the defence technology industry; and what steps he is taking to support innovation by UK companies.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In the two years following the AUKUS announcement, the UK continues to make good progress in working collaboratively with our UK defence industry to facilitate future opportunities attached to the AUKUS partnership including, but not exclusive, to: trade, R&D, and defence innovation.
Innovation continues to be a priority across Defence, with a well-established innovation system - supported through the Defence Innovation Fund - spanning various areas of the Department. Through AUKUS, the UK is also seeking to ensure that defence and technology trade and exports are as frictionless as possible between AUKUS partner nations. Export control reform is key to removing the layers of red tape impeding collaboration between our defence industry and governments.
Progress continues to be made to ensure that businesses can participate in investment opportunities attached to AUKUS. UK businesses are behind the design and manufacture of the world's most advanced submarines. As a decades-long programme, AUKUS will create thousands of jobs and wider opportunities across different sectors of the economy. In the short-term, this endeavour will almost double the size of the UK's (Raynesway) site, creating 1,170 high-skilled jobs in Derby, alongside thousands of job vacancies across the UK in the defence sector and the wider economy, supporting the Prime Minister's commitment to levelling up.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the AUKUS defence agreement on other sectors of the economy.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In the two years following the AUKUS announcement, the UK continues to make good progress in working collaboratively with our UK defence industry to facilitate future opportunities attached to the AUKUS partnership including, but not exclusive, to: trade, R&D, and defence innovation.
Innovation continues to be a priority across Defence, with a well-established innovation system - supported through the Defence Innovation Fund - spanning various areas of the Department. Through AUKUS, the UK is also seeking to ensure that defence and technology trade and exports are as frictionless as possible between AUKUS partner nations. Export control reform is key to removing the layers of red tape impeding collaboration between our defence industry and governments.
Progress continues to be made to ensure that businesses can participate in investment opportunities attached to AUKUS. UK businesses are behind the design and manufacture of the world's most advanced submarines. As a decades-long programme, AUKUS will create thousands of jobs and wider opportunities across different sectors of the economy. In the short-term, this endeavour will almost double the size of the UK's (Raynesway) site, creating 1,170 high-skilled jobs in Derby, alongside thousands of job vacancies across the UK in the defence sector and the wider economy, supporting the Prime Minister's commitment to levelling up.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help support the defence industry to participate in trade arising from the AUKUS agreement.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In the two years following the AUKUS announcement, the UK continues to make good progress in working collaboratively with our UK defence industry to facilitate future opportunities attached to the AUKUS partnership including, but not exclusive, to: trade, R&D, and defence innovation.
Innovation continues to be a priority across Defence, with a well-established innovation system - supported through the Defence Innovation Fund - spanning various areas of the Department. Through AUKUS, the UK is also seeking to ensure that defence and technology trade and exports are as frictionless as possible between AUKUS partner nations. Export control reform is key to removing the layers of red tape impeding collaboration between our defence industry and governments.
Progress continues to be made to ensure that businesses can participate in investment opportunities attached to AUKUS. UK businesses are behind the design and manufacture of the world's most advanced submarines. As a decades-long programme, AUKUS will create thousands of jobs and wider opportunities across different sectors of the economy. In the short-term, this endeavour will almost double the size of the UK's (Raynesway) site, creating 1,170 high-skilled jobs in Derby, alongside thousands of job vacancies across the UK in the defence sector and the wider economy, supporting the Prime Minister's commitment to levelling up.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) collaborative projects and (b) joint ventures with (i) Australian and (ii) US defence companies on the (A) defence sector and (B) economy.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
AUKUS provides a generational opportunity to enhance our collaborative relationship and collective national security, as well as better supporting how our industrial bases work together for the future. Progress continues to be made to ensure that businesses can participate in investment opportunities attached to AUKUS. To truly realise the benefits of the AUKUS partnership and the generational opportunity it presents, it is critical we break down existing and future barriers to collaboration. Modernising export controls will empower our government and industries to work together at the pace of relevance, accessing the best technologies and enhancing our mutual capabilities; ultimately to ensure our long-term collective security.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to provide infrastructure to help ensure that businesses can participate in (a) investment, (b) joint ventures and (c) projects under the AUKUS framework.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
AUKUS provides a generational opportunity to enhance our collaborative relationship and collective national security, as well as better supporting how our industrial bases work together for the future. Progress continues to be made to ensure that businesses can participate in investment opportunities attached to AUKUS. To truly realise the benefits of the AUKUS partnership and the generational opportunity it presents, it is critical we break down existing and future barriers to collaboration. Modernising export controls will empower our government and industries to work together at the pace of relevance, accessing the best technologies and enhancing our mutual capabilities; ultimately to ensure our long-term collective security.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of potential changes in the level of job vacancies in the defence sector as a direct result of the AUKUS partnership.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In the two years following the AUKUS announcement, the UK continues to make good progress in working collaboratively with our UK defence industry to facilitate future opportunities attached to the AUKUS partnership including, but not exclusive, to: trade, R&D, and defence innovation.
Innovation continues to be a priority across Defence, with a well-established innovation system - supported through the Defence Innovation Fund - spanning various areas of the Department. Through AUKUS, the UK is also seeking to ensure that defence and technology trade and exports are as frictionless as possible between AUKUS partner nations. Export control reform is key to removing the layers of red tape impeding collaboration between our defence industry and governments.
Progress continues to be made to ensure that businesses can participate in investment opportunities attached to AUKUS. UK businesses are behind the design and manufacture of the world's most advanced submarines. As a decades-long programme, AUKUS will create thousands of jobs and wider opportunities across different sectors of the economy. In the short-term, this endeavour will almost double the size of the UK's (Raynesway) site, creating 1,170 high-skilled jobs in Derby, alongside thousands of job vacancies across the UK in the defence sector and the wider economy, supporting the Prime Minister's commitment to levelling up.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) ship and (b) submarine construction sector; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of these steps on the (i) growth, (ii) competitiveness and (iii) sustainability of that sector.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh supports our ambition to grow the UK shipbuilding enterprise and support UK jobs. For specific detail about how the Strategy has supported UK shipbuilding to date, I refer the hon. Member to the answers provided on 14 December 2022 to Question 104345 and 13 March 2023 to Question 159089 to the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Dr Kieran Mullan).
Alongside the other measures in the Strategy, the naval pipeline makes a significant contribution to the sustainability and growth of the sector, with Type 26, Type 31 and Fleet Solid Support contracts supporting over 8,500 jobs across the UK supply chain well into the 2030s.
The future for the submarine sector is also healthy. The Astute and Dreadnought classes of submarine are currently under construction, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and involving hundreds of UK companies throughout the supply chain. Additionally, the construction of the next generation of AUKUS nuclear submarines will create thousands of UK jobs, particularly in Barrow-in-Furness - the home of British submarine building.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that individuals who left the armed services before 2018 and have not been issued a Veterans ID card are able to be issued a card retrospectively.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 March 2023 to Question 169383 to the hon. Member for Canterbury (Ms Duffield).
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the UK's military readiness.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence regularly assesses the adequacy of the UK's military readiness. The results of this robust process are reported to senior military officers and Ministers. In addition, routine wargaming tests our force structures and assumptions and this is supplemented by events to test specific capabilities and scenarios. These activities support the maintenance of readiness in response to evolving threats. Although Defence is facing unprecedented challenges, for example with the crisis in Ukraine, our Armed Forces are rising to the challenge and supporting like-minded allies and partners around the world. Despite the funding shortfall the Defence Secretary has been clear in setting out, the Armed Forces remain ready to defend the nation should they be called upon to do so.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has taken recent steps to increase the number of main battle tanks available to the army.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The British Army holds and maintains an appropriate amount of Main Battle Tanks and Armoured Fighting Vehicles to meet operational requirements.
Consideration of equipment fleet sizes is routine activity to ensure they remain sufficient to meet Defence’s needs.