Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Japan-UK Reciprocal Access Agreement, signed on 11 January 2023, whether he plans to deploy armed forces to the South China Sea in proximity to Taiwan.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement enables UK and Japanese military personnel to operate and exercise together in each other’s countries. There are no plans to utilise the RAA in the South China Sea.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the environmental impact of the UK's nuclear test programmes in Kiritimati in the last 10 years.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 November 2023 to Question 2731 to the hon. Member for Streatham (Bell Ribeiro-Addy).
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer on 25 April 2024 to Question 22900 on Undocumented Migrants: English Channel, whether the Ukrainian authorities have accepted liability for any UK seacraft in the last twelve months.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Ministry of Defence have provided 24 offshore and inflatable raiding craft to Ukraine. In addition, we recently announced our largest-ever military aid package for Ukraine, which will include 60 more military-grade boats, including offshore raiding craft, rigid raiding craft and dive boats.
On 30 September 2022, the Royal Navy transferred two Mine Countermeasures Vessels to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of the upkeep of Type 23 Frigates in the 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Type 23 Frigates undergo a planned series of Upkeep periods in order to maintain their condition and introduce capability updates. A total sum of £99.8 million has been allocated for financial year 2024-25, as part of a 10-year allocation.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will hold discussions with NATO allies on the potential merits of all member countries increasing defence spending to a minimum of 2.5% of their gross domestic product.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The mounting threats we face mean we must invest in defence if we are to continue to defend our values, freedoms and prosperity. To rise to the challenge in this more divided world, the Prime Minister’s announcement [last week], to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade, marks the single greatest strengthening of our defence since the Cold War.
This sets a new standard for other major European NATO economies to follow. If all NATO countries committed to at least 2.5% of their GDP to defence, our collective budget would increase by more than £140 billion. Now is the time for all democratic nations across the world to ensure their defence spending is growing, and we will continue to make the case with our NATO Allies.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to include the Northern Ireland Security Guard Service in the issuing of the Wider Service medal.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The guarding of military establishments in Northern Ireland by the Northern Ireland Security Guard Service is not activity that falls within scope of the eligibility criteria for the Wider Service Medal.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to respond to Question 5212 on Armed Forces: Health tabled by the hon. Member for East Londonderry on 5 December 2023; and if he will place a copy of his Answer in the library of the House.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I responded on 11 December 2023 to advise that it would take time to collate the requested information. I have now received advice from my officials that the information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in this response.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Defence People and Families during the debate on Nuclear Test Veterans: Medical Records on 28 November 2023, Official Report, column 247WH, what his planned timetable is to decide on public release of the 150 Atomic Weapons Establishment files on Nuclear Test Veterans.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I plan to visit the Atomic Weapons Establishment this month to personally review the information and consider its release into the public domain.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2023 to Question 6993 on Puma Helicopters, when does he expect delivery to (a) commence and (b) be completed.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As I outlined in my speech at the International Military Helicopters Conference earlier today, I am pleased to confirm that we have now launched the next stage of the New Medium Helicopter competition.
Industry's detailed responses to the Invitation to Negotiate will provide a clearer understanding of aspects, such as suppliers' production capacity, which will enable us to confirm the timelines for the programme, and we expect to proceed to contract award in 2025.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will hold discussions with his NATO counterparts on increasing defence spending, in the context of further potential international conflict.
Answered by James Heappey
We are in a new era of global threats to the international order, most notably Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. The UK has led the conversation on defence spending at NATO, including at last year's Summit in Vilnius, where Leaders agreed a new Defence Investment Pledge to spend at least 2% GDP on defence, and to do so urgently.
The Government remains committed to spending at least 2% of GDP on defence, and the Prime Minister has set the aspiration to increase defence spending to 2.5%, when the economic and fiscal conditions allow. Now is the time for all Allied and democratic nations across the world to ensure their defence spending is growing.