Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for which countries his Department has made Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments in the last three years.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Government applies its Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) human rights guidance to ensure that such assistance meets its human rights obligations and values. This guidance was revised and re-published in January 2017.
The UK’s security and justice expertise is highly valued across the world and improves the standards and capabilities of law enforcement and security agencies operating in the most challenging environments. OSJA assessments are carried out before assistance is rendered and evaluates the risk of any training provided being used in a way that is not in line with human rights and British values. As the Foreign Secretary stated in his written ministerial statement on 26 January 2017 (HCWS441), the new OSJA process remains the most comprehensive and demanding tool of its type anywhere in the world.
As the lead Department for OSJA policy, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) engaged with a number of human rights organisations (including members of the Foreign Secretary’s Advisory Groups on Human Rights) as part of the recent revision of the OSJA guidance and will continue to do so with regard to its implementation. The FCO will include information on the steps taken to implement OSJA across Government when it publishes its Annual Human Rights Report.
Defence personnel consider the OSJA guidance for all new proposed assistance and extensions to existing assistance, and where a substantial change in circumstances has significantly altered the risk for existing assistance. The guidance is therefore considered in any country where assistance is planned. Authority for activity underpinned by OSJA assessments is made at different levels according to the risk, from personnel in-country to Ministers in Departments of State. The Ministry of Defence does not hold data covering all Defence OSJA assessments made in the last three calendar years.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK armed forces personnel are deployed in Saudi Arabia.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
As at 15 September 2017 there are currently 105 UK Armed Forces personnel deployed in Saudi Arabia.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Burmese military have visited the UK in (a) 2016 and (b) 2017.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
A total of six Burmese military personnel visited the UK to undertake UK Government funded defence educational training courses in 2016. A further 13 Burmese military personnel have visited the UK to undertake this educational training in the current calendar year up to, and including, 14 July 2017. This defence educational training has been provided by the Defence Academy, part of the Ministry of Defence.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department provides to Fijian citizens in the British Army with Commonwealth passports and indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK on securing their status and residency rights in the UK.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
We work very closely with the Home Office, and they have specific rules for Commonwealth personnel in relation to their immigration status while serving and their ability to settle in the UK indefinitely.
Under the Immigration Act 1971 Commonwealth Nationals are exempt from immigration control whilst serving as a regular in HM Forces. On request, the Home Office will issue Commonwealth personnel an 'Exempt vignette' to confirm their status. This is issued on enlistment, and is valid for the entirety of their regular service and enables them to come and go from the UK without restriction for the purposes of their duty. A wide range of advice and support is available to Service personnel about their immigration status and they will be sign posted to qualified immigration advisers for help with specific questions and applications.
Service personnel can apply to the Home Office for indefinite leave to remain in the UK up to 10 weeks prior to or, if eligible, within two years of discharge, or indefinite leave to enter the UK within two years of leaving the Services if they have returned to their country of origin. The Home Office determine if they meet the eligibility criteria for settlement.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on the status and rights of Fijian citizens in the British Army with Commonwealth passports and indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK to (a) enter UK airports without difficulty and (b) remain in the UK.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
We work very closely with the Home Office, and they have specific rules for Commonwealth personnel in relation to their immigration status while serving and their ability to settle in the UK indefinitely.
Under the Immigration Act 1971 Commonwealth Nationals are exempt from immigration control whilst serving as a regular in HM Forces. On request, the Home Office will issue Commonwealth personnel an 'Exempt vignette' to confirm their status. This is issued on enlistment, and is valid for the entirety of their regular service and enables them to come and go from the UK without restriction for the purposes of their duty. A wide range of advice and support is available to Service personnel about their immigration status and they will be sign posted to qualified immigration advisers for help with specific questions and applications.
Service personnel can apply to the Home Office for indefinite leave to remain in the UK up to 10 weeks prior to or, if eligible, within two years of discharge, or indefinite leave to enter the UK within two years of leaving the Services if they have returned to their country of origin. The Home Office determine if they meet the eligibility criteria for settlement.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what environmental impact assessment his Department plans to undertake for the runway resurfacing project on Ascension Island; and whether that assessment will be open to stakeholder consultation.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ascension Island Runway Resurfacing Project is a United States Air Force (USAF) led project and will be co-ordinated in consultation with the Ascension Island Government Conservation Department. The design and scope assessment has been contracted-out by the USAF and we are assured that all environmental considerations will be factored into this assessment. The Ministry of Defence has also provided the contractor with additional information for the environmental assessment and will continue to liaise with all stakeholders as the project develops.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to improve the (a) quality and (b) affordability of accommodation for service personnel based at Leuchars.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
In Financial Year 2017-2018 investment to improve the quality of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in Leuchars is programmed to include:
There is currently no work programmed for SFA elsewhere in North East Fife.
The Ministry of Defence has recently introduced a new Combined Accommodation Assessment System (CAAS) which will offer a fairer, more transparent, simplified and modern approach. It will still consider a property's condition, size and location but will use modern, objective assessments.
We have committed that the receipts generated by CAAS will be reinvested to improve the accommodation we offer to Service personnel and their families.
The Future Accommodation Model is intended to offer more choice and flexibility to Service personnel, helping the military live in private accommodation and meet their wider aspirations for home ownership. The policy and associated implementation plans are still at an early stage of development and no decisions have been taken at this time.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to invest in family accommodation for service personnel at (a) Leuchars and (b) elsewhere in North East Fife.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
In Financial Year 2017-2018 investment to improve the quality of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in Leuchars is programmed to include:
There is currently no work programmed for SFA elsewhere in North East Fife.
The Ministry of Defence has recently introduced a new Combined Accommodation Assessment System (CAAS) which will offer a fairer, more transparent, simplified and modern approach. It will still consider a property's condition, size and location but will use modern, objective assessments.
We have committed that the receipts generated by CAAS will be reinvested to improve the accommodation we offer to Service personnel and their families.
The Future Accommodation Model is intended to offer more choice and flexibility to Service personnel, helping the military live in private accommodation and meet their wider aspirations for home ownership. The policy and associated implementation plans are still at an early stage of development and no decisions have been taken at this time.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, to which budget the revenue received from civil aviation visits to Leuchars in 2016-17 has been allocated.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The majority of revenue received from civil aviation visiting Leuchars is allocated to the RAF's Air Command budget which administers the airfield at the former RAF station. However, a small element of the revenue for each visit is allocated to the Ministry of Defence's Head Office budget to offset the Department's third party aviation liability insurance policy.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to implement the Future Accommodation Model at Leuchars.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Future Accommodation Model is intended to offer more choice and flexibility to Service personnel, helping the military live in private accommodation and meet their wider aspirations for home ownership. The policy and associated implementation plans are still at an early stage of development and no decisions have been taken at this time.