Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many trainee pilots in each phase of the military flying training system resigned from the Armed Forces in each year since 2015.
Answered by James Heappey
Information required to answer the question is not held in the format requested and will take time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is available.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number of task lines (a) available and (b) utilised per aircraft was in the (i) C-17 Globemaster, (ii) C-130J Hercules and (iii) A400M Atlas fleets in each year since 2017.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
This information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for funding the Victim and Witness Care Unit of the Defence Serious Crime Unit from April 2024.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence will continue to fund the Defence Serious Crime Command’s Victim Witness Care Unit (VWCU) from April 2024.
The VWCU provides a single point of contact to victims and witnesses of serious crimes committed by persons subject to Service law in the UK and overseas. The VWCU is independent of the Chain of Command and provides holistic care and support to victims and witnesses, ensuring that each victim is afforded their rights in accordance with the code of practice for victims of crime.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many men serving in the (a) Army, (b) Navy, (c) Royal Air Force and (d) Royal Marines (i) made a complaint and (ii) received medical help following alleged sexual violence perpetrated in service in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The requested information is not held in the format requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Defence has made it absolutely clear there is zero tolerance for any form of sexual violence. Should such an incident occur against a Service person support pathways include unit welfare officers, the chain of command, and pastoral support via the chaplaincy. Further assistance is also available via external pathways such as Togetherall, an independent digital mental health support tool operated by the NHS in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, through which Service personnel, veterans, and their family members can anonymously access tailored self-help courses.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the concurrent jurisdiction protocol will be published.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Service Prosecuting Authority and the civilian prosecuting authorities intend to publish the draft revised Protocols later this month, with the final revised Protocol for each prosecutorial jurisdiction of the UK to be published later this year.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people in the (a) army, (b) navy, (c) air force and (d) Royal Marines died as a result of suicide in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The latest published statistics show for the latest 20-year period the UK Regular Armed Forces remain at a significantly lower risk of suicide than the UK general population. Statistics on suicides in the Armed Forces, covering the period from 1 January 1984 to 31 December 2021, are available at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-suicides-2021
The Armed Forces Suicide Prevention Strategy (AFSPS) and Action Plan will be published shortly. The APSPS will enhance our efforts to reduce suicide and better support those affected by it. It has been developed by a small group of subject-matter experts across Defence, based on national guidance and using an Armed Forces evidence-base. The Action Plan will enable delivery of the AFSPS, informed by consultation with relevant stakeholders across Defence.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether a Service Police Complaints Commissioner has been appointed.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I am pleased to confirm that His Majesty The King appointed Margaret Obi as the first Service Police Complaints Commissioner.
The role of the Commissioner is to provide independent oversight of the Service Police complaints system; Ms Obi will bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to this role.
The Commissioner will have functions similar to those conferred on the Director General of the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Suicide Action Plan for the armed forces will be implemented.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The latest published statistics show for the latest 20-year period the UK Regular Armed Forces remain at a significantly lower risk of suicide than the UK general population. Statistics on suicides in the Armed Forces, covering the period from 1 January 1984 to 31 December 2021, are available at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-suicides-2021
The Armed Forces Suicide Prevention Strategy (AFSPS) and Action Plan will be published shortly. The APSPS will enhance our efforts to reduce suicide and better support those affected by it. It has been developed by a small group of subject-matter experts across Defence, based on national guidance and using an Armed Forces evidence-base. The Action Plan will enable delivery of the AFSPS, informed by consultation with relevant stakeholders across Defence.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of people discharged from the armed forces with personality disorders had previously made (a) formal or (b) informal allegations of sexual assault in each of the last five years; and to breakdown that proportion by gender.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
This information is not held. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not routinely record a Veteran's discharge reason to this level of detail.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) set up and (b) annual running costs of Victim and Witness Care Unit of the Defence Serious Crime Unit are; how many full-time equivalent staff will be allocated to that Unit; and what their salary costs will be.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Victim Witness Care Unit (VWCU), part of the Defence Serious Crime Command (DSCC), will support the needs of victims and witnesses. Funding has been secured for the establishment of the VWCU and it is expected to be operational in March 2023. The VWCU will ensure access to independent welfare support based on individual needs. It will provide victims and witnesses with direct guidance and support on how the Service Justice System works and services available, ensuring they are well informed throughout the process.
The cost to establish the Victim Witness Care Unit (VWCU) is £0.9 million. The annual cost of the VWCU is £0.5 million. The VWCU will report to the Chief of Staff of the DSCC and will include 12 full-time members of staff. Much of the day-to-day operating costs will be captured under the DSCC budget and will take some time to understand fully.