To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Nuclear Weapons
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 57 of the Defence Command Paper 2023: Defence's response to a more contested and volatile world, published on 18 July 2023, CP 901, on what date he plans to publish the Defence Nuclear Strategy.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence published the Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper – “Delivering the UK’s Nuclear Deterrent: A National Endeavour” on 25 March 2024.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were recruited into the full time (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force by (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) region in each year since 2010.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Official Statistics on intake to the Regular Forces by Parliamentary Constituency and region are included in the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Annual Location Statistics (ALS). The same information on Reserves is not collected or published by the MOD, and producing these figures would incur disproportionate cost.

The latest edition (1 April 2023) of the ALS can be found at the following website, noting that the relevant Tables are 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/location-statistics-for-uk-regular-armed-forces-and-civilians-2023. Figures included in the ALS extend from the 12 months ending 31 March 2015 to the 12 months ending 31 March 2022, and are split by Service. Earlier figures are not available, except for 2013-14 for the Army, which were provided on 19 April 2021 in the answer to Question 180391.

The next edition of the ALS (1 April 2024) will cover the 12 months ending 31 March 2023 and 2024 and is expected to be published in June.


Written Question
Reserve Forces: Recruitment
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were recruited into the (a) Army Reserves, (b) Maritime Reserves and (c) RAF Reserves by (i) constituency and (ii) region in each year since 2010.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Official Statistics on intake to the Regular Forces by Parliamentary Constituency and region are included in the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Annual Location Statistics (ALS). The same information on Reserves is not collected or published by the MOD, and producing these figures would incur disproportionate cost.

The latest edition (1 April 2023) of the ALS can be found at the following website, noting that the relevant Tables are 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/location-statistics-for-uk-regular-armed-forces-and-civilians-2023. Figures included in the ALS extend from the 12 months ending 31 March 2015 to the 12 months ending 31 March 2022, and are split by Service. Earlier figures are not available, except for 2013-14 for the Army, which were provided on 19 April 2021 in the answer to Question 180391.

The next edition of the ALS (1 April 2024) will cover the 12 months ending 31 March 2023 and 2024 and is expected to be published in June.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Applications
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of applications to join the (a) British Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force took more than (i) three, (ii) six, (iii) 12 and (iv) 18 months to process before a potential recruit began basic training over the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the right 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.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Applications
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications to join the (a) British Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force have been voluntarily withdrawn within (i) three, (ii) six, (iii) 12 and (iv) 18 months of the initial application being made in the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the right 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.


Written Question
Military Bases: Bedbugs
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether bed bugs have been found at army barracks in the last 12 months.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

There have been two recorded incidents of bed bugs in the last 12 months, both of which have been treated.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Asbestos
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what data his Department holds on the number of personnel who (a) were exposed to asbestos and (b) sought medical assistance as a result of asbestos exposure in the last 12 months.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Information regarding personnel exposed to asbestos is not held centrally and the number of personnel who were exposed to asbestos in the last 12 months could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Between 1 February 2023 and 31 January 2024, 127 UK Armed Forces personnel had at least one read code related to asbestos exposure entered into their electronic medical record. Of these personnel:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the report entitled Investigation into the alleged exposure of UK Defence Personnel to asbestos during overseas exercises and training since 2018, published on 18 August 2022, how many Armed Forces personnel have been exposed to asbestos during overseas exercises in each year since 2018.

  • 114 had at least one read code for history of asbestos exposure.
  • 17 had at least one read code for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health: asbestos.
  • Fewer than five had at least one read code for asbestosis.

The figures provided by read code do not sum to the total, as some personnel have more than one of the above read codes recorded.

The presence of a read code within the last year does not indicate that the medical appointment was directly related to asbestos exposure. It also does not indicate that the asbestos exposure occurred during the last year, or that exposure occurred whist in Service.


Written Question
United Arab Emirates: Armed Forces
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel were based at the new Donnelly Lines facility in the UAE on 13 March 2024.

Answered by James Heappey

On 13 March 2024 there were no UK personnel based at the new Donnelly Lines facility in the UAE as the site had not reached full operating capacity. However approximately 20 UK personnel were engaged in work on Donnelly Lines and accommodated elsewhere in Al Minhad Air Base.


Written Question
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Army has spent on Uncrewed Ground Vehicles since 2014.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the right 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.


Written Question
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Uncrewed Ground Vehicle types are owned by the Army.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the right 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.