Found: Reductions) (England) Regulations 2024 Draft Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 Draft Armed

Found: We will protect our people, territories, values and interests at home and overseas, through strong armed

Found: position remains that we would not support any measures which undermine our sovereignty over our own armed

Found: and grow, but that a lot of the proceeds are going into a much greater budget in Russia for the armed

Found: at the apex of Russia’s military industrial complex – i.e. those that directly supply the Russian Armed

Found: In this war economy, 30% of fiscal expenditure will be directed towards the armed forces in 2024.

Found: of economic sanctions is having the desired effect - to hamper Putin’s ability to fund Russia’s armed

Found: use of force under Article 2(4) UN Charter or of the rules of warfare during the unlawful use of armed

Found: October 2021 Purpose of visit: Parliamentary delegation with the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Armed

Found: Hull City Council The Veterans Work Club : support for those leaving the armed forces which includes

Found: development of the Access to Work Passport to support the transition between education, employment, and the armed

Found: Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources • Name of donor: APPG for the Armed Forces Address

Found: Hull City Council The Veterans Work Club : support for those leaving the armed forces which includes

Found: There are multiple capability shortfalls within the UK Armed Forces.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 26 April 2024 to Question 22724 on Parliamentary Estate: Security, if the Commission will publish a breakdown of the (a) 4,132 staff and (b) 4,236 contractors with valid security passes by (i) profession and (ii) Department.

Answered by Charles Walker

It is not possible to breakdown passholder data by profession, but we are able to segregate the data by Department at the time of application. The pass issuing system is not an HR system so the data will never accurately reflect payroll due to the frequency of staff moving between Departments.

It should be noted that not all staff and contractors who hold passes work on the Parliamentary Estate full time, and that contractors in particular may only hold a pass for a limited time period and/or for limited buildings in accordance with business need.

The following data is a snapshot of staff of both Houses and contractors broken down by Department, from 30 April 2024:

Detailed data for the House of Lords Administration has not been included as it is a separate organisation.

*Listed in Answer of 26 April 2024 to Question 22724 under category ‘(g) any other category’

All other contractors

* Some numbers have been withheld owing to the low numbers of individuals involved (fewer than five), and disclosing this data may make it possible for individuals to be identified.

** The Speaker directly sponsors passes for Members of the Armed Forces doing secondments and UK representatives of overseas territories. These positions are not funded by the House of Commons and total 18 passes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the World Food Programme that the situation in Sudan is “catastrophic” and that it is currently only able to reach 10 per cent of the population; and what discussions they have had with those blocking access.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK strongly condemns the decision on 21 February by the Sudanese Armed Forces to withdraw permission for cross-border deliveries of humanitarian aid from Adré, Chad. The UK continues to press the warring parties to facilitate unhindered, crossline and cross-border humanitarian access across Sudan. In 2024/2025, UK ODA to Sudan will nearly double to £89 million. This includes funding to UNICEF, providing emergency, life-saving food assistance to support people particularly in hard-to reach areas; and the World Food Programme to assist over 285,000 beneficiaries for six months by providing 13,405 tons of food commodities including cereals, pulses, oils and salt. On 8 March, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted UK-drafted Resolution 2724 calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and unhindered humanitarian access.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at Leuchars Station as of 24 April 2024.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were 960 UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Leuchars Station and RAF Leuchars.

Please note the following caveats:

1. The number of UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Leuchars Station and RAF Leuchars can only be provided as at 1 January 2024 in line with Published National Statistics.
2. This figure comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded. The figure includes both trained and untrained personnel.
3. The figure is based on Service personnel’s stationed location and not their location of residence – where personnel work is not necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location.
4. Figures containing Reserve personnel are estimates because the station location data for Reserves has not been fully verified.
5. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure of personal identities. However, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 22 February 2023 to Question 146784 on Armed Forces: Housing, how many compensation payments for issues relating to service family accommodation were made in each year between 1 April 2017 and 1 April 2022; and what the value of such payments was in each year.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Amey also issued compensation payments during this timeframe, under the National Housing Prime (NHP) contract. This data can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for stored Challenger 2 tanks that are not being upgraded to Challenger 3 standard.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer the former Minister for Armed Forces (James Heappey) gave on 1 February 2024 to Question 11234 to the right hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell).

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-01-24/11234

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many callouts have been made to (a) single living accommodation and (b) Service Family Accommodation properties for maintenance issues since April 2022.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

363,638 callouts have been made to Single Living Accommodation properties for maintenance issues since April 2022.

472,317 callouts have been made to Service Family Accommodation properties for maintenance issues since April 2022.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at Cameron Barracks as of 24 April 2024.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were 10 UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Cameron Barracks.

Please note the following caveats:

1. The number of UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Cameron Barracks can only be provided as at 1 January 2024 in line with Published National Statistics.
2. This figure comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded. The figure includes both trained and untrained personnel.
3. The figure is based on Service personnel’s stationed location and not their location of residence – where personnel work is not necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location.
4. Figures containing Reserve personnel are estimates because the station location data for Reserves has not been fully verified. Numbers can also vary according to activity, duty, and exercise requirements.
5. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure of personal identities. However, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of sanctions on businesses that support the (a) Sudanese Armed Forces and (b) Rapid Support Forces on the flow of weapons used in the conflict.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

On 15 April, a year after the outbreak of conflict in Sudan, the UK imposed new sanctions targeting three businesses linked with financing the warring parties. Those businesses will have their assets frozen and their financial freedom severely limited, impacting both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Our sanctions policy is continually under review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget of the Veterans Welfare Service is; and how many staff work for that Service.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Veterans Welfare Service forms part of Defence Business Services (DBS), and is not an independent entity.

Budgets and staff numbers are allocated within DBS at the delivery of veterans' services level referred to publicly as Veterans UK, and includes the administration of compensation claims, veterans' welfare services, pensions, some support to serving personnel and the running of Ilford Park Polish Home. It is not possible to break this information down to only the Veterans Welfare Service.

The Veterans Services overall budget for financial year (FY)2023-24 was £20.003million and includes the HM Armed Forces Veteran Card project delivery.

The average Full Time Equivalent (FTE) across all Veterans Services for FY2023-24 was 437.91.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Defence Command Paper 2023, published on 18 July 2023, how much of the £400 million announced for improving service accommodation has been spent as of 24 April 2024.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

As at 24 April 2024, circa £220 million of works to improve Service Family Accommodation were delivered in Financial Year 2023-24. The balance of £180 million is fully committed, with work being delivered over the next 12 months.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the service family accommodation housing stock is in Woolwich; and how many service family accommodation properties in Woolwich are listed to be disposed of.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

There are 261 Service Family Accommodation properties in Woolwich and 57 of those have been identified for disposal.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many compensation payments were awarded to families living in service family accommodation in (a) January, (b) February, (c) March and (d) April 2024; and what the value of such payments was in each month.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The table below details the number of compensation payments awarded to families living in Service Family Accommodation between 1 January and 21 April 2024, and the value of those compensation payments.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at Dreghorn Barracks as of 23 April 2024.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were 670 UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Dreghorn Barracks.

Please note the following caveats:

1. The number of UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Dreghorn Barracks can only be provided as at 1 January 2024 in line with Published National Statistics.
2. This figure comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded. The figure includes both trained and untrained personnel.
3. The figure is based on Service personnel’s stationed location and not their location of residence – where personnel work is not necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location.
4. Figures containing Reserve personnel are estimates because the station location data for Reserves has not been fully verified. Numbers can also vary according to activity, duty, and exercise requirements.
5. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure of personal identities. However, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at RRH Buchan as of 23 April 2024.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were 20 UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Remote Radar Head (RRH) Buchan.

Please note, UK Forces Service personnel is defined as UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel, Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full-Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded. The figure includes trained and untrained personnel.

The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Data has been provided as at 1 January 2024 to align with published Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at RRH Benbecula.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were no UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Remote Radar Head Benbecula.

Please note, all UK Forces Service personnel is defined as UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel, Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full-Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at RAF Kirknewton.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were no UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at RAF Kirknewton.

Please note, UK Forces Service personnel is defined as UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel, Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full-Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which assessment methods his Department's hearing loss compensation scheme uses; and whether he plans to update them.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

There is no individual compensation scheme for hearing loss. The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) compensates for any injury (including Noise-Induced Sensorineural Hearing Loss), illness or death which was caused by or worsened by service on or after 6 April 2005. The older War Pension Scheme (WPS) compensates for any injury, illness or death which was caused by or aggravated by service before 6 April 2005.

Medical evidence is carefully considered, and hearing loss is assessed initially for attributability to service, based on the burden of proof associated with the scheme rules set by Parliament.

In making a determination on a claim, decision makers take into consideration a wide variety of evidence. In a hearing loss claim this is likely to include but is not limited to the service medical records, audiograms, hospital case notes and GP records (if they have left service). The evidence is carefully considered in accordance with the scheme rules.

If injury is found to be attributable to service, under the AFCS, hearing loss is assessed against Tariff Table 7 (senses), which details the type and level of hearing loss required to meet the criteria for the specific descriptors. Under the WPS, a percentage assessment is derived based on audiometric values.

There has recently been a review of the AFCS in the form of the quinquennial review (QQR). The purpose of which is to ensure AFCS remains fit for purpose, providing appropriate recognition and financial support to those members of the Armed Forces who are injured, become ill or die as a result of service, I announced the publication of the Government response to the AFCS Quinquennial Review on 21 March 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at Kinloss Barracks as of 23 April 2024.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were 790 UK Armed Forces Service Personnel stationed at Kinloss Barracks.

Please note the following caveats:

1. The number of UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Kinloss Barracks can only be provided as at 1 January 2024 in line with Published National Statistics.
2. This figure comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded. The figure includes both trained and untrained personnel.
3. The figure is based on Service personnel’s stationed location and not their location of residence – where personnel work is not necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location.
4. Figures containing Reserve personnel are estimates because the station location data for Reserves has not been fully verified. Numbers can also vary according to activity, duty, and exercise requirements.
5. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure of personal identities. However, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at RAF Saxa Vord as of 23 April 2024.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were no UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Remote Radar Head Saxa Vord.

Please note, UK Forces Service personnel is defined as UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel, Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full-Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded.

Data has been provided as at 1 January 2024 to align with published Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at Redford Barracks as of 23 April 2024.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were 370 UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Redford Barracks.

Please note the following caveats:

1. The number of UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Redford Barracks can only be provided as at 1 January 2024 in line with Published National Statistics.
2. This figure comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded. The figure includes both trained and untrained personnel.
3. The figure is based on Service personnel’s stationed location and not their location of residence – where personnel work is not necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location.
4. Figures containing Reserve personnel are estimates because the station location data for Reserves has not been fully verified. Numbers can also vary according to activity, duty, and exercise requirements.
5. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure of personal identities. However, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at Glencorse Barracks as of 23 April 2024.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were 480 UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Glencorse Barracks.

Please note the following caveats:

1. The number of UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at Glencorse Barracks can only be provided as at 1 January 2024 in line with Published National Statistics.
2. This figure comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve and Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded. The figure includes both trained and untrained personnel.
3. The figure is based on Service personnel’s stationed location and not their location of residence – where personnel work is not necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location.
4. Figures containing Reserve personnel are estimates because the station location data for Reserves has not been fully verified. Numbers can also vary according to activity, duty, and exercise requirements.
5. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure of personal identities. However, numbers ending in “5” have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the (a) name, (b) rank upon leaving and (c) year of joining company of all former (i) Army, (ii) Royal Navy and (iii) Royal Air Force officers at one star level or above who have left the service to work for Boeing over the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

We can confirm that, under Business Appointment rules, no One or Two Star military officers have reported to the Ministry of Defence that they have taken or are planning to take up a job with Boeing during the past five years. Please note that this is a voluntary process and former officers may have taken up posts without informing the Department.

Three and Four Star military personnel are required to inform the Government Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) about the first job they intend to take after leaving the Armed Forces. This information is held by ACOBA and can be requested at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/advisory-committee-on-business-appointments.

The MOD started to monitor Three Star and Four Star Business Appointments from 2023-24. In the past year no officers at those grades have taken up a post with Boeing.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on the Next Generation (Fixed) Communication Network programme.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Information on performance of defence programmes in the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) is published each year alongside the Infrastructure and Projects Authority annual report. Programme performance information as at 31 March 2024 is expected to be released in July 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the correction notice published on 19 April 2024 in relation to his Department's 2022-23 annual report, what are the top five categories of supplies and spares in the armed forces' inventories where his Department has identified discrepancies between the originally published totals of 740 million items of more than 640,000 different types and the revised totals of 457 million items of more than 517,000 different types.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The top five categories of supplies and spares in the armed forces' inventories amounting to the total of 457 million items and 517,000 different types are as follows:

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the correction notices published on 19 April 2024 in relation to his Department's annual reports from 2018-19 to 2022-23, what accounts for the inaccurate estimates of the armed forces' inventories of supplies and spares published in the original copies of those reports; and whether the equivalent estimates in his Department's annual reports for years prior to 2018-19 remain accurate.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

This was an unfortunate administrative error, however the note to the accounts on volumes of inventory is essentially narrative and is not audited. The financial values of the stock that we hold are audited and the Department is confident in their accuracy in each set of accounts. Reporting responsibility for the quantities of inventory within the Department and included within the notes to the accounts changed in financial year 2017-18, therefore data prior to this time is unavailable. We have no reason to believe that the data was inaccurate prior to this point but are unable to confirm this.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether armed forces personnel engaged in ongoing counterterrorist operations in Northern Ireland are eligible to receive the new Wider Service Medal; and if not, why.

Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Wider Service Medal will be retrospective to 11 December 2018, and a small number of operations have already been considered and confirmed as eligible for the medal. Other operational activity that could be within scope for the medal will be considered over the coming months and this might include operational activity in Northern Ireland.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the guidance entitled Get a copy of military records of service, what the average waiting time is for applications to be processed in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

In providing copies of military records of service, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not record waiting times for the processing of applications. Where an individual is seeking information about themselves, known as a Subject Access Request (SAR), the MOD adheres to guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office. This stipulates that a public authority must supply the information within one month, but can take up to 90 days for complex cases. Further information can be found at the following link: https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/time-limits-for-responding-to-data-protection-rights-requests/#:~:text=If%20the%20organisation%20needs%20something,from%20the%20day%20of%20receipt.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether reports of RFA Fort Victoria being in "poor" condition in the Cammell Laird Shipyard mean that she is not immediately available to support an unplanned carrier group deployment assuming sufficient personnel can be found to man her.

Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

RFA FORT VICTORIA is in a scheduled refit package to prepare her for future service. Her upkeep will enable her to fulfil future operations.

All Royal Navy (RN) ships rotate through planned operating cycles and this results in individual ships being at various levels of readiness at any one time in accordance with long-term operating schedules and operational needs; they remain in service during these periods but may not be deployable.

It is our policy not to disclosure the fine details of forward availability forecasts of individual ships as this would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. The RN does publish annual figures for readiness days, the first of which was released in November 2023.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) urgent and (b) routine maintenance and repair appointments for service accommodation properties in Scotland have been missed since 1 April 2022.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Since 1 April 2022, 1,302 maintenance and repair appointments for Service Family Accommodation properties have been missed in Scotland. This figure includes reactive repairs, planned maintenance and all other appointed tasks such as damp and mould remediation. Typically, circa 1,116 work orders are raised each month across Scotland and on average, 95% of appointments are met.

A further breakdown of this figure by priority category (urgent and routine) can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2024 to Question 22382 on Armed Forces: Housing, what the value is of those compensation claims.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The value of the 1,724 compensation claims paid to Service personnel living in Service Family Accommodation in Scotland is £132,593.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service family accommodation properties there are in Scotland.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

There are 3,140 Service Family Accommodation properties in Scotland.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many women in the armed forces who have reported sexual violence have subsequently been (a) medically and (b) administratively discharged on medical grounds due to mental ill health in each of the last three years.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The requested information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many claims have been made by current or former service personnel in respect of adverse effects caused by being prescribed the drug mefloquine, larium, in each of the last three years for which information is available; and of those, how many have been resolved.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Department has been notified of a total of 686 common law claims relating to the alleged adverse effects of Lariam. A breakdown of claims in each of the last three years is not readily available, however, most the claims were notified prior to April 2021. The Ministry of Defence continues to resolve claims wherever possible.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel live in single living accommodation in each UK region.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The attached table shows the number of service personnel living in single living accommodation in each UK region.

SLA is a significant component of the domestic accommodation for Service personnel, ranging from multi-occupancy rooms with shared ablutions, through to high specification ensuite rooms with storage, social areas and kitchens depending on the accommodation purpose and requirement.

SLA is broken into three principal categories:

Permanent. Accommodation on units/bases to which personnel are allocated for an assigned tour of duty. For some people, this is where they live during the week and they may commute back to their family home at weekends; for others, this room can be their only home in which they have all their possessions and where they live full time over weekends and leave periods.

Temporary (transit). Accommodation for visitors, or those on training courses. This can be for one night or for some months where residential courses are delivered for example. Furthermore, a person on a four-month course can be occupying two bedspaces: their home unit room where they have all their possessions and their room on the course. In some cases, a serving person can live in an SFA with their family, occupy a room at their unit during the week and also occupy a transit room for a period. The definition of transit accommodation may also change; if a unit decides to change a block of transit accommodation into permanent accommodation or vice versa then they may do this in response to accommodation demand. Units may designate certain rooms in a permanent block as transit for varying periods of time this allows flexibility to be responsive to accommodation demands that ebb and flow. They can host foreign nations on exercises, accommodate personnel from other bases as overflow or in support of ceremonial activity.

Training estate. Where units and individuals deploy to exercise, there are no accommodation charges levied for this component of the estate, neither is there a grading system.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2023 to Question 202814 on Armed Forces: Housing, how many service personnel were living in grade four single living accommodation in each region of the UK as of 18 April 2024.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The attached table shows the number of service personnel living in grade four single living accommodation in each UK region as of 18 April 2024.

SLA is a significant component of the domestic accommodation for Service personnel, ranging from multi-occupancy rooms with shared ablutions, through to high specification ensuite rooms with storage, social areas and kitchens depending on the accommodation purpose and requirement.

SLA is broken into three principal categories:

Permanent. Accommodation on units/bases to which personnel are allocated for an assigned tour of duty. For some people, this is where they live during the week and they may commute back to their family home at weekends; for others, this room can be their only home in which they have all their possessions and where they live full time over weekends and leave periods.

Temporary (transit). Accommodation for visitors, or those on training courses. This can be for one night or for some months where residential courses are delivered for example. Furthermore, a person on a four-month course can be occupying two bedspaces: their home unit room where they have all their possessions and their room on the course. In some cases, a serving person can live in an SFA with their family, occupy a room at their unit during the week and also occupy a transit room for a period. The definition of transit accommodation may also change; if a unit decides to change a block of transit accommodation into permanent accommodation or vice versa then they may do this in response to accommodation demand. Units may designate certain rooms in a permanent block as transit for varying periods of time this allows flexibility to be responsive to accommodation demands that ebb and flow. They can host foreign nations on exercises, accommodate personnel from other bases as overflow or in support of ceremonial activity.

Training estate. Where units and individuals deploy to exercise, there are no accommodation charges levied for this component of the estate, neither is there a grading system.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel live in single living accommodation (a) overseas and (b) in total.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As of 18 April 2024, there are 78,760 service personnel living in single living accommodation. Of those, 1,950 service personnel are living overseas.

SLA is a significant component of the domestic accommodation for Service personnel, ranging from multi-occupancy rooms with shared ablutions, through to high specification ensuite rooms with storage, social areas and kitchens depending on the accommodation purpose and requirement.

SLA is broken into three principal categories:

Permanent. Accommodation on units/bases to which personnel are allocated for an assigned tour of duty. For some people, this is where they live during the week and they may commute back to their family home at weekends; for others, this room can be their only home in which they have all their possessions and where they live full time over weekends and leave periods.

Temporary (transit). Accommodation for visitors, or those on training courses. This can be for one night or for some months where residential courses are delivered for example. Furthermore, a person on a four-month course can be occupying two bedspaces: their home unit room where they have all their possessions and their room on the course. In some cases, a serving person can live in an SFA with their family, occupy a room at their unit during the week and also occupy a transit room for a period. The definition of transit accommodation may also change; if a unit decides to change a block of transit accommodation into permanent accommodation or vice versa then they may do this in response to accommodation demand. Units may designate certain rooms in a permanent block as transit for varying periods of time this allows flexibility to be responsive to accommodation demands that ebb and flow. They can host foreign nations on exercises, accommodate personnel from other bases as overflow or in support of ceremonial activity.

Training estate. Where units and individuals deploy to exercise, there are no accommodation charges levied for this component of the estate, neither is there a grading system.

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason veteran cards are not acceptable as a form of photo ID for voting in elections.

Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Further to the answer I gave to Question UIN 902484 on 25 April 2024, when the voter identification policy was being developed and the legislation being written, the Veteran Card – as distinct from the Armed Forces ID card - was a new development. It was not widely distributed, and the application process had not been formalised. For these reasons it was not included at that time.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) serving personnel and (b) veterans are claiming Universal Credit by local authority for the latest reporting period.

Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The requested information is not held.

Data is not held on the total number of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past, but data is held on those who have identified themselves so far.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps the armed forces have taken to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

As part of a package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza, a Royal Navy ship has been deployed to join the life-saving mission in the Eastern Mediterranean. UK Armed Forces personnel have been deployed as planning teams with Allies and partners to support the wider delivery of humanitarian aid.

In March the RAF airdropped 28 tonnes of aid over Gaza, with a further 47 tonnes between 1-22 April, as part of the Jordanian led mission. With the exception of airdrops, the Ministry of Defence has not delivered humanitarian aid directly into Gaza.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel are stationed in Israel; and what their (a) locations and (b) responsibilities are.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK has a number of Armed Forces personnel across the Middle East, working closely with partners to carry out defence engagement and to uphold regional stability. I cannot go into specifics for operational security purposes.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria he uses to determine whether to hold a vote in Parliament on (a) military action and (b) the deployment of defence operations in the Middle East.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Publicising operational activity to Parliament in advance could undermine operational effectiveness and potentially risk the lives of Armed Forces personnel involved. The deployment of the Armed Forces is a prerogative power, and the Government is under no legal obligation to seek Parliamentary approval. However, the Prime Minister and Government Ministers consistently update Parliament through written and oral statements, also through Oral and Topical questions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2024 to Question 12736 on Israel: Armed Forces, what the ranks are of the Israeli military personnel in the UK; whether they are from the Israeli (a) army, (b) navy and (c) air force; and to which UK military bases they are posted.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

This information is being withheld in order to protect personal information and to avoid prejudicing relations between the United Kingdom and another State.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans have been identified as Universal Credit claimants since the introduction of the new DWP marker.

Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. At first only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.

It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”.

By 14th March 2024, an armed forces status of “served in the past” had been recorded for approximately 110,000 claimants with UC claims for which a statement had been generated. This figure includes some people who are no longer on the UC caseload, some who had a nil payment claim and some who subsequently reported a different armed forces status, e.g. “currently serving”. It should be noted that the available data does not allow a comprehensive estimate of the total number of UC claimants who are, or have been, veterans.

Notes:

1. The figure provided is for Great Britain. Data is not collected on the Armed Forces status of UC claimants in Northern Ireland.

2. The figure provided has been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department's guidance entitled Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel, updated on 7 March 2023, is next due to be updated.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a caring employer has a comprehensive range of policies and resources in place to support families during the most difficult of times.

With regards to accommodation, Joint Service Publication 464: Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations, makes provision for bereaved families to remain in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for up to two years following the death of a Service person. It is normal to issue a 93 Day Notice to Vacate when two years is reached but retention of SFA may be extended beyond the two-year period on a discretionary case by case basis.

The Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel who die in service is provided by the MOD. A routine review of the pack is underway, with a view to publication in summer 2024. The Purple Pack is supplemented and supported by documentation provided by each of the Services, for example, the Army Families Guide.

The Purple Pack is provided for immediate adult family members. Information is provided for adults to support and manage bereaved children, including signposting to relevant charities and organisations.

The Defence Bereaved Families Group meets twice a year in Spring and Autumn. In the past five years it has met ten times. The next meeting will be in September 2024, with the exact date yet to be confirmed. The Minister for Defence People and Families does not routinely attend the meeting, but he attended in September 2023 and regularly receives briefings from the Chair and co-Chair.

Visiting Officers (VO) are an integral part of the support provided by Defence to bereaved families. VO are provided by each Service and undertake training relevant to their role. The Royal Navy (RN) has 60 personnel trained as VO, the Army has 1,390 and the Royal Air Force (RAF) has 1,103.

Each Service runs training courses that meet their specific requirements, for personnel designated as a VO. For example, all RN VO are either Specialist Welfare Worker trained, having completed the Defence Specialist Welfare Worker Course (a Level Five Social Care training course specifically for the care of service personnel and their families), or Civil Service Social Workers registered with Social Work England (or equivalent devolved UK registration). In addition, all must attend and pass the RN Family & People Support VO training every three years.

For the Army, formal, in person training is provided for those conducting both Casualty Notification Officer and VO duties. The training competency is extant for four years; if not appointed within that time frame a one-day refresher course can be conducted to enable another four years competency. The Army’s recommended minimum provision of VO is set at ten for Regular major units, three for Regular minor units, and two for Reserve units.

The RAF VO competency is awarded after completion of a workshop and remains current for four years after which volunteers must attend another briefing day to renew it. Units are expected to aim for 2-5% of their trained strength to have the VO competency.

There is no fixed period of time during which a VO will provide support to a bereaved family. This is dependent upon circumstances but normally would not extend beyond an Inquest or Service Inquiry. Appropriate transition plans will be put in place including arrangements for ongoing support to be provided through a point of contact from either the relevant single Service aftercare cell or unit HR staff.

Via DBS’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), Defence also provides support to the bereaved via its national network of welfare managers (WM). A WM is assigned to families who experience a death in service and usually attends the initial visit alongside the VO. Support from VWS then endures for as long as is required and focuses on access to financial, welfare and wellbeing support as required, including issues in relation to the Armed Forces Pension. WMs who support clients in such circumstances are specifically trained and supervised as part of a VWS experts’ group. VWS is part of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department produces guidance for bereavement of a family member in the armed forces for children and young people.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a caring employer has a comprehensive range of policies and resources in place to support families during the most difficult of times.

With regards to accommodation, Joint Service Publication 464: Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations, makes provision for bereaved families to remain in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for up to two years following the death of a Service person. It is normal to issue a 93 Day Notice to Vacate when two years is reached but retention of SFA may be extended beyond the two-year period on a discretionary case by case basis.

The Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel who die in service is provided by the MOD. A routine review of the pack is underway, with a view to publication in summer 2024. The Purple Pack is supplemented and supported by documentation provided by each of the Services, for example, the Army Families Guide.

The Purple Pack is provided for immediate adult family members. Information is provided for adults to support and manage bereaved children, including signposting to relevant charities and organisations.

The Defence Bereaved Families Group meets twice a year in Spring and Autumn. In the past five years it has met ten times. The next meeting will be in September 2024, with the exact date yet to be confirmed. The Minister for Defence People and Families does not routinely attend the meeting, but he attended in September 2023 and regularly receives briefings from the Chair and co-Chair.

Visiting Officers (VO) are an integral part of the support provided by Defence to bereaved families. VO are provided by each Service and undertake training relevant to their role. The Royal Navy (RN) has 60 personnel trained as VO, the Army has 1,390 and the Royal Air Force (RAF) has 1,103.

Each Service runs training courses that meet their specific requirements, for personnel designated as a VO. For example, all RN VO are either Specialist Welfare Worker trained, having completed the Defence Specialist Welfare Worker Course (a Level Five Social Care training course specifically for the care of service personnel and their families), or Civil Service Social Workers registered with Social Work England (or equivalent devolved UK registration). In addition, all must attend and pass the RN Family & People Support VO training every three years.

For the Army, formal, in person training is provided for those conducting both Casualty Notification Officer and VO duties. The training competency is extant for four years; if not appointed within that time frame a one-day refresher course can be conducted to enable another four years competency. The Army’s recommended minimum provision of VO is set at ten for Regular major units, three for Regular minor units, and two for Reserve units.

The RAF VO competency is awarded after completion of a workshop and remains current for four years after which volunteers must attend another briefing day to renew it. Units are expected to aim for 2-5% of their trained strength to have the VO competency.

There is no fixed period of time during which a VO will provide support to a bereaved family. This is dependent upon circumstances but normally would not extend beyond an Inquest or Service Inquiry. Appropriate transition plans will be put in place including arrangements for ongoing support to be provided through a point of contact from either the relevant single Service aftercare cell or unit HR staff.

Via DBS’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), Defence also provides support to the bereaved via its national network of welfare managers (WM). A WM is assigned to families who experience a death in service and usually attends the initial visit alongside the VO. Support from VWS then endures for as long as is required and focuses on access to financial, welfare and wellbeing support as required, including issues in relation to the Armed Forces Pension. WMs who support clients in such circumstances are specifically trained and supervised as part of a VWS experts’ group. VWS is part of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times the Defence Bereaved Families Group has met in the last five years; and when it is due to meet next.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a caring employer has a comprehensive range of policies and resources in place to support families during the most difficult of times.

With regards to accommodation, Joint Service Publication 464: Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations, makes provision for bereaved families to remain in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for up to two years following the death of a Service person. It is normal to issue a 93 Day Notice to Vacate when two years is reached but retention of SFA may be extended beyond the two-year period on a discretionary case by case basis.

The Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel who die in service is provided by the MOD. A routine review of the pack is underway, with a view to publication in summer 2024. The Purple Pack is supplemented and supported by documentation provided by each of the Services, for example, the Army Families Guide.

The Purple Pack is provided for immediate adult family members. Information is provided for adults to support and manage bereaved children, including signposting to relevant charities and organisations.

The Defence Bereaved Families Group meets twice a year in Spring and Autumn. In the past five years it has met ten times. The next meeting will be in September 2024, with the exact date yet to be confirmed. The Minister for Defence People and Families does not routinely attend the meeting, but he attended in September 2023 and regularly receives briefings from the Chair and co-Chair.

Visiting Officers (VO) are an integral part of the support provided by Defence to bereaved families. VO are provided by each Service and undertake training relevant to their role. The Royal Navy (RN) has 60 personnel trained as VO, the Army has 1,390 and the Royal Air Force (RAF) has 1,103.

Each Service runs training courses that meet their specific requirements, for personnel designated as a VO. For example, all RN VO are either Specialist Welfare Worker trained, having completed the Defence Specialist Welfare Worker Course (a Level Five Social Care training course specifically for the care of service personnel and their families), or Civil Service Social Workers registered with Social Work England (or equivalent devolved UK registration). In addition, all must attend and pass the RN Family & People Support VO training every three years.

For the Army, formal, in person training is provided for those conducting both Casualty Notification Officer and VO duties. The training competency is extant for four years; if not appointed within that time frame a one-day refresher course can be conducted to enable another four years competency. The Army’s recommended minimum provision of VO is set at ten for Regular major units, three for Regular minor units, and two for Reserve units.

The RAF VO competency is awarded after completion of a workshop and remains current for four years after which volunteers must attend another briefing day to renew it. Units are expected to aim for 2-5% of their trained strength to have the VO competency.

There is no fixed period of time during which a VO will provide support to a bereaved family. This is dependent upon circumstances but normally would not extend beyond an Inquest or Service Inquiry. Appropriate transition plans will be put in place including arrangements for ongoing support to be provided through a point of contact from either the relevant single Service aftercare cell or unit HR staff.

Via DBS’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), Defence also provides support to the bereaved via its national network of welfare managers (WM). A WM is assigned to families who experience a death in service and usually attends the initial visit alongside the VO. Support from VWS then endures for as long as is required and focuses on access to financial, welfare and wellbeing support as required, including issues in relation to the Armed Forces Pension. WMs who support clients in such circumstances are specifically trained and supervised as part of a VWS experts’ group. VWS is part of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Minister (a) attends and (b) receives minutes from meetings of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a caring employer has a comprehensive range of policies and resources in place to support families during the most difficult of times.

With regards to accommodation, Joint Service Publication 464: Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations, makes provision for bereaved families to remain in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for up to two years following the death of a Service person. It is normal to issue a 93 Day Notice to Vacate when two years is reached but retention of SFA may be extended beyond the two-year period on a discretionary case by case basis.

The Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel who die in service is provided by the MOD. A routine review of the pack is underway, with a view to publication in summer 2024. The Purple Pack is supplemented and supported by documentation provided by each of the Services, for example, the Army Families Guide.

The Purple Pack is provided for immediate adult family members. Information is provided for adults to support and manage bereaved children, including signposting to relevant charities and organisations.

The Defence Bereaved Families Group meets twice a year in Spring and Autumn. In the past five years it has met ten times. The next meeting will be in September 2024, with the exact date yet to be confirmed. The Minister for Defence People and Families does not routinely attend the meeting, but he attended in September 2023 and regularly receives briefings from the Chair and co-Chair.

Visiting Officers (VO) are an integral part of the support provided by Defence to bereaved families. VO are provided by each Service and undertake training relevant to their role. The Royal Navy (RN) has 60 personnel trained as VO, the Army has 1,390 and the Royal Air Force (RAF) has 1,103.

Each Service runs training courses that meet their specific requirements, for personnel designated as a VO. For example, all RN VO are either Specialist Welfare Worker trained, having completed the Defence Specialist Welfare Worker Course (a Level Five Social Care training course specifically for the care of service personnel and their families), or Civil Service Social Workers registered with Social Work England (or equivalent devolved UK registration). In addition, all must attend and pass the RN Family & People Support VO training every three years.

For the Army, formal, in person training is provided for those conducting both Casualty Notification Officer and VO duties. The training competency is extant for four years; if not appointed within that time frame a one-day refresher course can be conducted to enable another four years competency. The Army’s recommended minimum provision of VO is set at ten for Regular major units, three for Regular minor units, and two for Reserve units.

The RAF VO competency is awarded after completion of a workshop and remains current for four years after which volunteers must attend another briefing day to renew it. Units are expected to aim for 2-5% of their trained strength to have the VO competency.

There is no fixed period of time during which a VO will provide support to a bereaved family. This is dependent upon circumstances but normally would not extend beyond an Inquest or Service Inquiry. Appropriate transition plans will be put in place including arrangements for ongoing support to be provided through a point of contact from either the relevant single Service aftercare cell or unit HR staff.

Via DBS’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), Defence also provides support to the bereaved via its national network of welfare managers (WM). A WM is assigned to families who experience a death in service and usually attends the initial visit alongside the VO. Support from VWS then endures for as long as is required and focuses on access to financial, welfare and wellbeing support as required, including issues in relation to the Armed Forces Pension. WMs who support clients in such circumstances are specifically trained and supervised as part of a VWS experts’ group. VWS is part of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many young people had their continuity of education allowance withdrawn as a result of the death of a service member in each of the last five years broken down by key stage of education.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

In the last five years, no young person has had their continuity of education allowance withdrawn as a result of the death of a claiming Service person.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel, updated on 7 March 2023, whether that guidance is provided in conjunction with other documentation developed by each service.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a caring employer has a comprehensive range of policies and resources in place to support families during the most difficult of times.

With regards to accommodation, Joint Service Publication 464: Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations, makes provision for bereaved families to remain in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for up to two years following the death of a Service person. It is normal to issue a 93 Day Notice to Vacate when two years is reached but retention of SFA may be extended beyond the two-year period on a discretionary case by case basis.

The Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel who die in service is provided by the MOD. A routine review of the pack is underway, with a view to publication in summer 2024. The Purple Pack is supplemented and supported by documentation provided by each of the Services, for example, the Army Families Guide.

The Purple Pack is provided for immediate adult family members. Information is provided for adults to support and manage bereaved children, including signposting to relevant charities and organisations.

The Defence Bereaved Families Group meets twice a year in Spring and Autumn. In the past five years it has met ten times. The next meeting will be in September 2024, with the exact date yet to be confirmed. The Minister for Defence People and Families does not routinely attend the meeting, but he attended in September 2023 and regularly receives briefings from the Chair and co-Chair.

Visiting Officers (VO) are an integral part of the support provided by Defence to bereaved families. VO are provided by each Service and undertake training relevant to their role. The Royal Navy (RN) has 60 personnel trained as VO, the Army has 1,390 and the Royal Air Force (RAF) has 1,103.

Each Service runs training courses that meet their specific requirements, for personnel designated as a VO. For example, all RN VO are either Specialist Welfare Worker trained, having completed the Defence Specialist Welfare Worker Course (a Level Five Social Care training course specifically for the care of service personnel and their families), or Civil Service Social Workers registered with Social Work England (or equivalent devolved UK registration). In addition, all must attend and pass the RN Family & People Support VO training every three years.

For the Army, formal, in person training is provided for those conducting both Casualty Notification Officer and VO duties. The training competency is extant for four years; if not appointed within that time frame a one-day refresher course can be conducted to enable another four years competency. The Army’s recommended minimum provision of VO is set at ten for Regular major units, three for Regular minor units, and two for Reserve units.

The RAF VO competency is awarded after completion of a workshop and remains current for four years after which volunteers must attend another briefing day to renew it. Units are expected to aim for 2-5% of their trained strength to have the VO competency.

There is no fixed period of time during which a VO will provide support to a bereaved family. This is dependent upon circumstances but normally would not extend beyond an Inquest or Service Inquiry. Appropriate transition plans will be put in place including arrangements for ongoing support to be provided through a point of contact from either the relevant single Service aftercare cell or unit HR staff.

Via DBS’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), Defence also provides support to the bereaved via its national network of welfare managers (WM). A WM is assigned to families who experience a death in service and usually attends the initial visit alongside the VO. Support from VWS then endures for as long as is required and focuses on access to financial, welfare and wellbeing support as required, including issues in relation to the Armed Forces Pension. WMs who support clients in such circumstances are specifically trained and supervised as part of a VWS experts’ group. VWS is part of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what training is required to be a designated visiting officer for a bereaved family of a member of the armed forces.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a caring employer has a comprehensive range of policies and resources in place to support families during the most difficult of times.

With regards to accommodation, Joint Service Publication 464: Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations, makes provision for bereaved families to remain in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for up to two years following the death of a Service person. It is normal to issue a 93 Day Notice to Vacate when two years is reached but retention of SFA may be extended beyond the two-year period on a discretionary case by case basis.

The Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel who die in service is provided by the MOD. A routine review of the pack is underway, with a view to publication in summer 2024. The Purple Pack is supplemented and supported by documentation provided by each of the Services, for example, the Army Families Guide.

The Purple Pack is provided for immediate adult family members. Information is provided for adults to support and manage bereaved children, including signposting to relevant charities and organisations.

The Defence Bereaved Families Group meets twice a year in Spring and Autumn. In the past five years it has met ten times. The next meeting will be in September 2024, with the exact date yet to be confirmed. The Minister for Defence People and Families does not routinely attend the meeting, but he attended in September 2023 and regularly receives briefings from the Chair and co-Chair.

Visiting Officers (VO) are an integral part of the support provided by Defence to bereaved families. VO are provided by each Service and undertake training relevant to their role. The Royal Navy (RN) has 60 personnel trained as VO, the Army has 1,390 and the Royal Air Force (RAF) has 1,103.

Each Service runs training courses that meet their specific requirements, for personnel designated as a VO. For example, all RN VO are either Specialist Welfare Worker trained, having completed the Defence Specialist Welfare Worker Course (a Level Five Social Care training course specifically for the care of service personnel and their families), or Civil Service Social Workers registered with Social Work England (or equivalent devolved UK registration). In addition, all must attend and pass the RN Family & People Support VO training every three years.

For the Army, formal, in person training is provided for those conducting both Casualty Notification Officer and VO duties. The training competency is extant for four years; if not appointed within that time frame a one-day refresher course can be conducted to enable another four years competency. The Army’s recommended minimum provision of VO is set at ten for Regular major units, three for Regular minor units, and two for Reserve units.

The RAF VO competency is awarded after completion of a workshop and remains current for four years after which volunteers must attend another briefing day to renew it. Units are expected to aim for 2-5% of their trained strength to have the VO competency.

There is no fixed period of time during which a VO will provide support to a bereaved family. This is dependent upon circumstances but normally would not extend beyond an Inquest or Service Inquiry. Appropriate transition plans will be put in place including arrangements for ongoing support to be provided through a point of contact from either the relevant single Service aftercare cell or unit HR staff.

Via DBS’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), Defence also provides support to the bereaved via its national network of welfare managers (WM). A WM is assigned to families who experience a death in service and usually attends the initial visit alongside the VO. Support from VWS then endures for as long as is required and focuses on access to financial, welfare and wellbeing support as required, including issues in relation to the Armed Forces Pension. WMs who support clients in such circumstances are specifically trained and supervised as part of a VWS experts’ group. VWS is part of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the number of personnel serving in the Russian armed forces in Ukraine who have (a) been killed in action, (b) been wounded and (c) deserted their posts since February 2022.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We estimate that approximately 450,000 Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded, and tens of thousands more have already deserted since the start of the conflict. The number of personnel killed serving in Russian private military companies (PMCs) is not clear.

We also estimate that over 10,000 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 3,000 main battle tanks, 109 fixed wing aircraft, 136 helicopters, 346 unmanned aerial vehicles, 23 naval vessels of all classes, and over 1,500 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed, abandoned, or captured by Ukraine since the start of the conflict.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long visiting officers allocated to a service family who have experienced the bereavement of a member of the armed forces are allocated for.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a caring employer has a comprehensive range of policies and resources in place to support families during the most difficult of times.

With regards to accommodation, Joint Service Publication 464: Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations, makes provision for bereaved families to remain in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for up to two years following the death of a Service person. It is normal to issue a 93 Day Notice to Vacate when two years is reached but retention of SFA may be extended beyond the two-year period on a discretionary case by case basis.

The Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel who die in service is provided by the MOD. A routine review of the pack is underway, with a view to publication in summer 2024. The Purple Pack is supplemented and supported by documentation provided by each of the Services, for example, the Army Families Guide.

The Purple Pack is provided for immediate adult family members. Information is provided for adults to support and manage bereaved children, including signposting to relevant charities and organisations.

The Defence Bereaved Families Group meets twice a year in Spring and Autumn. In the past five years it has met ten times. The next meeting will be in September 2024, with the exact date yet to be confirmed. The Minister for Defence People and Families does not routinely attend the meeting, but he attended in September 2023 and regularly receives briefings from the Chair and co-Chair.

Visiting Officers (VO) are an integral part of the support provided by Defence to bereaved families. VO are provided by each Service and undertake training relevant to their role. The Royal Navy (RN) has 60 personnel trained as VO, the Army has 1,390 and the Royal Air Force (RAF) has 1,103.

Each Service runs training courses that meet their specific requirements, for personnel designated as a VO. For example, all RN VO are either Specialist Welfare Worker trained, having completed the Defence Specialist Welfare Worker Course (a Level Five Social Care training course specifically for the care of service personnel and their families), or Civil Service Social Workers registered with Social Work England (or equivalent devolved UK registration). In addition, all must attend and pass the RN Family & People Support VO training every three years.

For the Army, formal, in person training is provided for those conducting both Casualty Notification Officer and VO duties. The training competency is extant for four years; if not appointed within that time frame a one-day refresher course can be conducted to enable another four years competency. The Army’s recommended minimum provision of VO is set at ten for Regular major units, three for Regular minor units, and two for Reserve units.

The RAF VO competency is awarded after completion of a workshop and remains current for four years after which volunteers must attend another briefing day to renew it. Units are expected to aim for 2-5% of their trained strength to have the VO competency.

There is no fixed period of time during which a VO will provide support to a bereaved family. This is dependent upon circumstances but normally would not extend beyond an Inquest or Service Inquiry. Appropriate transition plans will be put in place including arrangements for ongoing support to be provided through a point of contact from either the relevant single Service aftercare cell or unit HR staff.

Via DBS’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), Defence also provides support to the bereaved via its national network of welfare managers (WM). A WM is assigned to families who experience a death in service and usually attends the initial visit alongside the VO. Support from VWS then endures for as long as is required and focuses on access to financial, welfare and wellbeing support as required, including issues in relation to the Armed Forces Pension. WMs who support clients in such circumstances are specifically trained and supervised as part of a VWS experts’ group. VWS is part of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many designated visiting officers there are in each service of the armed forces; and what are the targeted numbers in each service.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a caring employer has a comprehensive range of policies and resources in place to support families during the most difficult of times.

With regards to accommodation, Joint Service Publication 464: Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations, makes provision for bereaved families to remain in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for up to two years following the death of a Service person. It is normal to issue a 93 Day Notice to Vacate when two years is reached but retention of SFA may be extended beyond the two-year period on a discretionary case by case basis.

The Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel who die in service is provided by the MOD. A routine review of the pack is underway, with a view to publication in summer 2024. The Purple Pack is supplemented and supported by documentation provided by each of the Services, for example, the Army Families Guide.

The Purple Pack is provided for immediate adult family members. Information is provided for adults to support and manage bereaved children, including signposting to relevant charities and organisations.

The Defence Bereaved Families Group meets twice a year in Spring and Autumn. In the past five years it has met ten times. The next meeting will be in September 2024, with the exact date yet to be confirmed. The Minister for Defence People and Families does not routinely attend the meeting, but he attended in September 2023 and regularly receives briefings from the Chair and co-Chair.

Visiting Officers (VO) are an integral part of the support provided by Defence to bereaved families. VO are provided by each Service and undertake training relevant to their role. The Royal Navy (RN) has 60 personnel trained as VO, the Army has 1,390 and the Royal Air Force (RAF) has 1,103.

Each Service runs training courses that meet their specific requirements, for personnel designated as a VO. For example, all RN VO are either Specialist Welfare Worker trained, having completed the Defence Specialist Welfare Worker Course (a Level Five Social Care training course specifically for the care of service personnel and their families), or Civil Service Social Workers registered with Social Work England (or equivalent devolved UK registration). In addition, all must attend and pass the RN Family & People Support VO training every three years.

For the Army, formal, in person training is provided for those conducting both Casualty Notification Officer and VO duties. The training competency is extant for four years; if not appointed within that time frame a one-day refresher course can be conducted to enable another four years competency. The Army’s recommended minimum provision of VO is set at ten for Regular major units, three for Regular minor units, and two for Reserve units.

The RAF VO competency is awarded after completion of a workshop and remains current for four years after which volunteers must attend another briefing day to renew it. Units are expected to aim for 2-5% of their trained strength to have the VO competency.

There is no fixed period of time during which a VO will provide support to a bereaved family. This is dependent upon circumstances but normally would not extend beyond an Inquest or Service Inquiry. Appropriate transition plans will be put in place including arrangements for ongoing support to be provided through a point of contact from either the relevant single Service aftercare cell or unit HR staff.

Via DBS’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), Defence also provides support to the bereaved via its national network of welfare managers (WM). A WM is assigned to families who experience a death in service and usually attends the initial visit alongside the VO. Support from VWS then endures for as long as is required and focuses on access to financial, welfare and wellbeing support as required, including issues in relation to the Armed Forces Pension. WMs who support clients in such circumstances are specifically trained and supervised as part of a VWS experts’ group. VWS is part of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many days after the death of a member of the armed forces are their families required to leave service family accommodation.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) as a caring employer has a comprehensive range of policies and resources in place to support families during the most difficult of times.

With regards to accommodation, Joint Service Publication 464: Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations, makes provision for bereaved families to remain in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for up to two years following the death of a Service person. It is normal to issue a 93 Day Notice to Vacate when two years is reached but retention of SFA may be extended beyond the two-year period on a discretionary case by case basis.

The Purple Pack bereavement guide for families of service personnel who die in service is provided by the MOD. A routine review of the pack is underway, with a view to publication in summer 2024. The Purple Pack is supplemented and supported by documentation provided by each of the Services, for example, the Army Families Guide.

The Purple Pack is provided for immediate adult family members. Information is provided for adults to support and manage bereaved children, including signposting to relevant charities and organisations.

The Defence Bereaved Families Group meets twice a year in Spring and Autumn. In the past five years it has met ten times. The next meeting will be in September 2024, with the exact date yet to be confirmed. The Minister for Defence People and Families does not routinely attend the meeting, but he attended in September 2023 and regularly receives briefings from the Chair and co-Chair.

Visiting Officers (VO) are an integral part of the support provided by Defence to bereaved families. VO are provided by each Service and undertake training relevant to their role. The Royal Navy (RN) has 60 personnel trained as VO, the Army has 1,390 and the Royal Air Force (RAF) has 1,103.

Each Service runs training courses that meet their specific requirements, for personnel designated as a VO. For example, all RN VO are either Specialist Welfare Worker trained, having completed the Defence Specialist Welfare Worker Course (a Level Five Social Care training course specifically for the care of service personnel and their families), or Civil Service Social Workers registered with Social Work England (or equivalent devolved UK registration). In addition, all must attend and pass the RN Family & People Support VO training every three years.

For the Army, formal, in person training is provided for those conducting both Casualty Notification Officer and VO duties. The training competency is extant for four years; if not appointed within that time frame a one-day refresher course can be conducted to enable another four years competency. The Army’s recommended minimum provision of VO is set at ten for Regular major units, three for Regular minor units, and two for Reserve units.

The RAF VO competency is awarded after completion of a workshop and remains current for four years after which volunteers must attend another briefing day to renew it. Units are expected to aim for 2-5% of their trained strength to have the VO competency.

There is no fixed period of time during which a VO will provide support to a bereaved family. This is dependent upon circumstances but normally would not extend beyond an Inquest or Service Inquiry. Appropriate transition plans will be put in place including arrangements for ongoing support to be provided through a point of contact from either the relevant single Service aftercare cell or unit HR staff.

Via DBS’s Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), Defence also provides support to the bereaved via its national network of welfare managers (WM). A WM is assigned to families who experience a death in service and usually attends the initial visit alongside the VO. Support from VWS then endures for as long as is required and focuses on access to financial, welfare and wellbeing support as required, including issues in relation to the Armed Forces Pension. WMs who support clients in such circumstances are specifically trained and supervised as part of a VWS experts’ group. VWS is part of the Defence Bereaved Families Group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel are based at RAF Lossiemouth.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As at 1 January 2024, there were 2,310 UK Armed Forces Service personnel stationed at RAF Lossiemouth.

Please note the following caveats:

1. All UK Forces Service personnel comprises UK Regular Forces, Gurkhas, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel , Volunteer Reserve, Serving Regular Reserve, Sponsored Reserve, and Full-Time Reserve Service (FTRS) of unknown origin. University Officer Cadets are excluded. The figure includes trained and untrained personnel.

2. The figure has been rounded to the nearest 10. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.

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