Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps are being taken to improve the UK defence industrial base in (a) Shropshire and (b) the West Midlands.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The recent Strategic Defence Review and National Security Strategy have identified the need to grow and enhance resilience in our defence industrial base. The Defence Industrial Strategy will set out the full package of measures to make the UK a defence industrial superpower by 2035. This will include a new partnership with industry to realise defence’s potential as an engine for growth across all the nations and regions of the UK, including Shropshire and the West Midlands.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether a Minister for Veterans Affairs will be appointed.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Prime Minister gave to Question 124 on 24 July 2024.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) quality and (b) quantity of apprenticeships within the (i) Armed Forces and (ii) associated supply chains.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Armed Forces is the largest single deliverer of apprenticeships in the UK, with over 23,000 personnel employed on a nationally recognised apprenticeship programmes at any one time and over 95 per cent of our non-commissioned military recruits offered an apprenticeship aligned to their trade training. That represents an annual average of 7.5 per cent of Armed Forces personnel starting an apprenticeship in the last three years and over 10 per cent on programme at any one time.
The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list 2024 (as ranked by the Department of Education, DfE) saw all three Services named in the top five places. The Armed Forces provided 16 per cent of all apprenticeship places within the Top 100 and continue to add more apprenticeships every year.
Defence needs a skilled, sustainable, capable workforce that are trained and equipped to defend the nation’s interests. The Armed Forces apprenticeship programme is intrinsic to the achievement of this aim. The majority of the apprenticeships completed by military personnel are delivered at level 2 (GCSE) and level 3 (A Level), but they are increasingly available at higher levels up to degree level (level 6), which supports an individual’s through-career personal and professional development. The apprenticeship opportunities coupled with the inclusion of Functional Skills in Literacy and Numeracy also act a key contributor to social mobility through military Service. All apprenticeships are rigorously evaluated with the DfE to ensure quality and applicability.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is also actively involved in ‘Trailblazer’ groups which develop new apprenticeship standards. The standards are developed in collaboration with other employers from the different sectors of industry, meaning Armed Forces personnel are being equipped for Defence roles whilst also qualified to contribute to wider society when they transition to new opportunities at the end of their Defence careers.
The MOD is also an active and valued member of apprenticeship network groups where we help promote and champion the opportunities on offer. The two key bodies to which we contribute are the Government backed Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and the 5% Club, the latter being an employer movement working to drive forward a nationwide ‘Earn and Learn’ agenda. The MOD is a Platinum member of the 5% Club, with over 10% of our workforce in ‘Earn and Learn’ positions.
The MOD is unable to comment on the quality and quantity of apprenticeships within our supply chains as this is a matter for individual companies.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the sustainability of supply chains in the defence industry.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a long-standing commitment to improve its engagement with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in order to broaden and strengthen its supply-base. The recently published Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent recognises our intention to foster a more diverse community of suppliers, and will prompt a refresh of our SME Action Plan. Alongside this, the department is undertaking other initiatives to strengthen its supply-chain resilience, including securing access to critical materials, components and technologies, and a first-of-its-kind wargame to explore how industry and the MOD could sustain personnel on the frontline when faced with constant supply chain disruption.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to tackle homelessness among veteran communities in rural areas.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country. I am working across Government to ensure veterans throughout the UK have access to the support they need on housing, as well as health, employment and other areas.
This Government has, just last week, committed £3.5 million for veteran supported homelessness programmes, including Op FORTITUDE, the homelessness pathway for veterans. As of 3 November 2024, Op FORTITUDE has taken over 2,700 referrals and supported nearly 800 veterans into housing.
This new funding announcement follows the Prime Minister’s commitment earlier in the year that veterans living in England will be exempt from local connection and residency tests when applying for social housing. I recently attended a roundtable with veteran housing organisations to discuss the implementation of this reform, and I am also a member of the Inter-ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping which is driving progress on the development of our cross-government homelessness strategy.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing defence expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2030 for small businesses in supply chains.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in a vibrant and flexible UK defence industry, delivering innovation and supporting a wide variety of high quality jobs across the United Kingdom. The Strategic Defence Review and the Defence Industrial Strategy will both help make defence a more attractive market for SMEs by encouraging small businesses to contribute fully in Defence procurement and make the most of future growth within the Defence supply chain.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the future of Operation Interflex.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
On 6 September 2024 at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group the Defence Secretary announced that the hugely successful UK led Op INTERFLEX, which has trained over 47,000 Ukrainian personnel, will continue until at least the end of 2025.
The announcement highlights that the UK remains ironclad in its commitment to meeting Ukraine's training requirements now and in future.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruits for the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been trained by (a) UK armed forces and (b) international partners based in the UK since 2014.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
This Government is proud of the role UK forces have played in training Ukrainian Armed Forces recruits.
Since Putin's invasion of Crimea in 2014, the UK has trained over 77,000 Ukrainian personnel. This includes.
· Op ORBITAL (2015-2022) - Over 22,000 Ukrainian personnel.
· Op INTERFLEX (2022-ongoing) - Over 47,000 Ukrainian personnel.
· Wider medical, specialist, air, and maritime training (2022-ongoing) - Over 8,000 Ukrainian personnel.
This training has been provided in collaboration with twelve partner nations. We do not hold data for the total number of Ukrainian personnel trained by international partners since 2014.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Strategic Defence Review will conclude in its entirety before the next Spending Review commences.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The reviewers will report regularly on progress to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Defence and will make their final report to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Defence Secretary - with recommendations - in the first half of 2025.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what date he expects UK defence spending to reach 2.5 per cent of GDP.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Suffolk on 22 July to Question 117.