Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to injured Falkland Islands service personnel on operations, what his Department's policy is on (a) flying next of kin to the location of injured service personnel and (b) repatriating service personnel back to the Falklands if necessary.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Department's relevant policies are contained within Joint Service Publication 751 (Joint Casualty and Compassionate Policy and Procedures). Up to three family members or friends are eligible for travel, at public expense, to visit a dangerously ill or injured Service person (SP), if it benefits the SP to do so and the location is deemed safe for visitors. Repatriation of SP will also be paid for at public expense. The policy includes travel from/to anywhere in the world, including the Falkland Islands.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of when the Defence Recruitment System will again be operational online.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Army, in collaboration with Defence Digital, is working hard to resume digital recruiting through the Defence Recruitment System (DRS) as soon as possible. In the meantime, the Army has enacted its Business Continuity Plan, while DRS remains offline.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Government's response to the Defence Committee's Second Report on Protecting those who protect us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life, published in December 2021, what progress he has made on scoping hosting an international conference in 2022 with partner nations.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We are grateful to all the women who contributed to the Defence Committee's report and continue to implement the bold changes necessary in this area. As stated in our response, Defence is committed to understanding best practice within other Armed Forces and Government Departments. As part of this, we are well advanced in our planning to host an international conference this year with partner nations and learn with our allies who share similar challenges. Further details on the conference will be published in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to increase testing capacity for heavy goods vehicle drivers in Wales.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The number of available HGV driving tests across Great Britain has increased by 90% compared to pre-pandemic levels and currently stands at 3,200 tests per week. This includes increases in availability at driving test centres in Wales and Welsh drivers can also book test slots in England or Wales. Test capacity now exceeds demand and the provision of vocational tests is not a barrier to people becoming HGV drivers.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has appointed customer account managers to help trainers access vocational driving tests where and when they need them.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of when HMS Somerset will (a) commence sea trials and (b) be programmed for re-entry into service.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Type 23 frigate class is continually being updated and upgraded to meet new threats or to replace obsolete technology, this is achieved via a Through Life Management Plan.
On current plans, HMS SOMERSET is expected to commence sea trials in early 2022 and is currently anticipated to be ready to generate training and operations later in the year.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when HMS Triumph will start her re-fit program; and what the anticipated date is that she will re-enter service.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Government does not disclose operational information about Royal Navy submarines, as to do so could prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to guidance for Defence Primary Healthcare on identifying unpaid carers, published in 2018, how many and what proportion of Defence Primary Healthcare practices have a carers lead in place.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Of 107 Defence Primary Healthcare Medical Centres (practices), 95 (89%) currently have a carers lead in place.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits for Wrexham in relation to (a) job creation, (b) investment in the local economy and (c) trading opportunities of the Government's HyNet North West Hydrogen energy project.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Last month, the Government announced that HyNet has been sequenced onto ‘Track-1’ under the CCUS Cluster Sequencing process, for deployment in the mid-2020s. Amongst other things, this decision considered the cluster’s potential to deliver benefits to the regional economy, including through the development of the hydrogen economy in both North Wales – including Wrexham – and the North West of England.
The Government estimates that CCUS could support up to 50,000 green jobs by 2030, along with over 9,000 supported by low carbon hydrogen. These jobs are set to be concentrated in the UK’s industrial heartlands, including in North Wales.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress his Department has been made on securing private investment to help take over the Wylfa Nuclear Power site, following Hitachi's withdrawal.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Wylfa Newydd site remains a candidate for new nuclear power. The Government is aware of the strong interest and support in North Wales for the development of this site continues to discuss proposals for at Wylfa Newydd with a range of viable companies and investors.
The Government has set out a new £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund towards the development of nuclear projects. More details of the Fund and how it will operate will be released in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Atherton (Conservative - Wrexham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of both Government and private investment at the Wylfa Nuclear plant in North Wales on (a) job creation in North Wales, (b) economic investment in North Wales and (c) the Government's commitment to decarbonisation.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
New nuclear projects can deliver significant local, regional, and national economic benefits, including high-skilled employment, to the UK. Government would expect to see similar levels of economic impacts to those at Hinkley in the regions where future power stations might be built.
The construction of Hinkley Point C has to-date seen EDF spend £3.5 billion in the south-west and it is estimated that a large-scale nuclear plant would support around 10,000 jobs at peak of construction.
The recently published Net Zero Strategy confirms that Government recognises the key role Nuclear will play in helping the UK to deliver on Net Zero. We are likely to need new nuclear capacity in order to meet our carbon reduction commitments, so we continue to engage with credible developers and investors on their proposals for future projects including Wylfa. The government has set out a new £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund towards the development of nuclear projects. More details of the Fund and how it will operate will be released in due course.