Asked by: John Baron (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution made by the Minister for Defence People and Families on 28 November 2023 to the debate on Nuclear Test Veterans: Medical Records, Official Report, column 245WH, when he plans to report back on the files from the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As I set out in Ministry of Defence Oral Questions on 8 January, to the hon. Member for South Shields (900886), I remain committed to reviewing the documents in the very near future where I will personally assess them and consider their release into the public domain.
I will then personally assess them and consider their release into the public domain,
Asked by: John Baron (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his oral contribution of 15 November 2021, Official Report, column 301, when he will organise a tri-departmental meeting to discuss the position of the British Council contractors in Afghanistan.
Answered by James Heappey
I apologise for the delay in arranging this meeting. Ministerial colleagues have now agreed to meet with the hon. Member. A date for the meeting has been passed to his office.
Asked by: John Baron (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What assessment he has made of the strategic importance of sea power for UK security and prosperity.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
As is befitting an island nation, the UK has one of the most capable, skilled and experienced navies in the world. It is of vital strategic importance to UK security and prosperity.
Asked by: John Baron (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what change there has been in the latest projected cost of the Army Reserve reforms when compared to the initial cost estimates.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Government has allocated £1.8 billion to the Future Reserves programme which includes the expansion of the Army Reserve. The proportion of funding allocated to the Army remains sufficient to provide the development and enhancement measures planned for the Reserves under Army 2020, for example the pairing of units and enhanced provision of equipment.
Asked by: John Baron (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average age is for (a) privates, (b) junior NCOs, (c) senior NCOs, (d) junior officers and (e) senior officers (i) in the Army Reserve and (ii) recruited into the Army Reserve since the commencement of Operation Fortify.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The average ages by rank in the Army Reserve, and the average age of those recruited into the Army Reserve since the commencement of Operation Fortify as of 1 October 2014, are shown in the table:
Privates | Junior NCO | Senior NCO | Junior Officers | Senior Officers | |
Average Age Army Reserve Group A | 29 Years | 37 Years | 46 Years | 42 Years | 51 Years |
Average Age on intake, 1 January 2013 – 30 September 2014 | 26 Years | 33 Years | 42 Years | 36 Years | 51 Years |
Explanatory Notes:
The categorisation of ranks is as follows:
Junior NCOs = Lance Corporal and Corporal
Senior NCOs = Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Warrant Officer Class 1 and Warrant Officer Class 2
Junior Officers = 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain and Major
Senior Officers = Lieutenant Colonel and above
Operation Fortify was launched in January 2013. The intake figures are for the period 1st January 2013 - 30th September 2014.
The figures are for Army Reserve Group A which includes Volunteer Reserves, Mobilised Reserves, High Readiness Reserves and Officer Training Corps support and training staff and Officers under training. The figures exclude Army Reserve Group B (University Officer Cadets and Tech Bursars/Defence Technical Officer Engineer Entry Scheme members under training and Non-Regular Permanent Staff), Army Reserve Group C (Sponsored Reserves) and the Full Time Reserve Service.
Intake to Group A includes all intake from all sources including recruits who are new to the Armed Forces, re-joins and transfers from other Armed Forces populations.
Asked by: John Baron (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average age is of all ranks in the (a) Army Reserve and (b) Army Reserve infantry.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The average ages of all ranks in the Army Reserve and Army Reserve infantry as of 1 October 2014 are shown below:
Average age Army Reserve Group A - All ranks
37 |
Average age Army Reserve Group A - Infantry only
35 |
The figures are for Army Reserve Group A which includes Volunteer Reserves, Mobilised Reserves, High Readiness Reserves and Officer Training Corps support and training staff and Officers under training. The figures exclude Army Reserve Group B (University Officer Cadets and Tech Bursars/Defence Technical Officer Engineer Entry Scheme members under training and Non-Regular Permanent Staff) and Army Reserve Group C (Sponsored Reserves) and the Full Time Reserve Service.