Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support innovation in defence technologies.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The most recent Defence Command Paper highlighted the importance of science, innovation and technology in securing strategic advantage for our Armed Forces. Defence is investing over £6.6 billion in advanced Research and Development, working closely with UK industry and academia, including Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), to identify and invest in innovative technologies, ensuring we have the capabilities we need to address our most pressing threats.
Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.
Answered by James Heappey
I said to the House in May that we aimed to process all outstanding initial ARAP applications by the end of August. We now have just over 1,800 complex cases remaining from more than 93,000 principal applications received. We have issued over 58,000 decisions to applicants in the past three months alone, giving them the clarity they deserve. We continue to move at best pace to process the remaining applications.
We also continue to move eligible Afghans from Afghanistan to the safety of third countries at best pace and have relocated over an estimated 12,200 people to the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help relocate vulnerable Afghans and British nationals from third countries to the UK.
Answered by James Heappey
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme, for Afghan nationals with a qualifying connection to UK Defence, continues to facilitate the relocation of eligible Afghans to the UK. The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, operated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has committed to take around 5,000 refugees in the first year and 20,000 over the coming years.
We continue to work alongside international partners to relocate British Nationals and eligible Afghans through third countries. We also provide as much information as we can through Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office Travel Advice. We have relocated over 8,000 Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy principals and their dependants since the scheme has been open.
Further information on Her Majesty's Government's efforts to support the relocation of British nationals, and vulnerable Afghans without a connection to UK Defence, should be directed to Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Home Office.
Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support the Home Office to tackle illegal immigration.
Answered by James Heappey
Defence is currently providing the Home Office with parts of the Defence estate to aid with housing and processing cross-channel migrants. This includes Napier Barracks in Kent and, since December 2021, the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Manston. Discussions are underway to determine whether additional land and accommodation from the Defence estate might be made available, together with specialist personnel, to further increase capacity. As has been the case in the past, Defence has a number of vessels and surveillance capabilities available which can be made available if required to augment those of the Border Force in monitoring and intercepting migrants seeking to cross the Channel.
In addition, Defence is planning to take primacy for small boats migration in the English Channel under Operation ISOTROPE which will see the Royal Navy providing enhanced control and coordination of cross-Government assets in order to prevent the arrival of small boats on their own terms in the UK, whilst ensuring safety of life at sea.
Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to maintain the capabilities of UK defence manufacturing.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 14 March 2019 (HCWS1411), we provided an update to Parliament on our ambitious Defence Prosperity Programme which includes work to sustain an internationally competitive and productive UK Defence sector. Since the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review introduced a new National Security Objective to Promote UK Prosperity we have published strategies for Shipbuilding and Combat Air and refreshed our Defence Industrial Policy with a new emphasis on supporting growth and competitiveness.
Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to recruit and retain service personnel.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Government is committed to maintaining the overall size of the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces continue to meet all their current commitments, keeping the country and its interests safe. They are fully funded to meet their target strength and we continue to increase funding to Defence year on year.
The Armed Forces have active and targeted recruitment campaigns which are proving effective; intake to the UK Regular Armed Forces was 13,520 in the 12 months to 1 July 2019, an increase of 13.4% compared with the same period in 2018.
Outflow from the Regular Armed Forces was 14,880 in the 12 months to July 2019, remaining constant with the same period last year. However, we are not complacent; we closely monitor the impact of Service life on individuals, particularly in areas where there are shortages. Each Service has developed plans to manage this and the proportion of personnel who breach their Service harmony guidelines has reduced across all Services and ranks for the last five years, reflecting the innovative approaches and pro-active management of this issue.
Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the support provided by UK armed forces to the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is tasked to provide a timely and appropriate response to the region and, working with our colleagues from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Department for International Development (DfID), we delivered extensive humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support using our pre-positioned vessel from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA Mounts Bay).
Hurricane Dorian was of the scale that it warranted the provision of additional follow-on medical and liaison teams from the UK. The MOD is now reviewing the effectiveness of the operation.
The Governmental response to Hurricane Dorian is ongoing, with a DfID colleague deployed with the Bahamian government, providing recovery advice. Our intervention enabled the Bahamian government, international aid agencies and other nations to provide further relief.
Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to protect UK shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The UK is committed to maintaining maritime security in the Gulf region, and safeguarding freedom of navigation. To this end, the Royal Navy has been accompanying Red Ensign Group flagged merchant vessels through the Strait and the UK has also joined the International Maritime Security Construct.
Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support is available for veterans charities.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
The new Office for Veterans Affairs (OVA) will coordinate Departments and work with Local Authorities, Devolved Governments and charities to deliver more joined-up support for veterans. This builds on the foundations set by the 'Strategy for our Veterans' published at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategy-for-our-veterans
for which we engaged with Service charities for ideas on how we can further enhance support for our veterans. The creation of the OVA is the first time that veterans' affairs will be overseen by a dedicated Ministerial team in the Cabinet Office. It will enable better coordination of the full machinery of Government and other partners to improve the lives of veterans.
The independent Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust administers £10 million per annum which allows organisations including charities to apply for grants that support the Armed Forces Community.
Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to help military personnel whose employment ceased as a result of the reduction in regular troop numbers to find alternative work.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Assisting our former Service personnel to make the transition to civilian employment is of major importance to the Department. All personnel leaving the Armed Forces are entitled to resettlement provision, consisting of time, funding and training, depending on length of service.
The single Services offer advice, information and guidance to Service leavers on the exact nature of their entitlement. The Career Transition Partnership (CTP), a partnering arrangement between the Department and Right Management Ltd, delivers a suite of transition services - training, job-finding and career transition workshops through regional resettlement centres - to those who are eligible. Of those who use the CTP services, 83% gain employment within six months of leaving the Services.
Advice given to Service leavers also includes "financial aspects of resettlement" briefings, to which spouses/partners are also invited, covering budget and debt management, managing pension schemes and guidance on the charity-led 'Benefits and Money Advice' service.
Service leavers also have access to life-long employment support through the Regular Forces Employment Association and Officers Association.