Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the lessons learned from the Afghanistan data loss incident.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has commissioned several audits at various times since the data protection incident relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy to inform remediation plans. All recommendations from these audits have been accepted and are either complete or work-in-progress.
It is a key priority of this Government to reinforce data handling practices. Within the Defence Afghan Relocation and Resettlement (DARR) team we have introduced a new casework management system which prioritises data protection. We also recently completed a comprehensive review on legacy data held within this casework management system and historic email accounts to ensure information is held at the right security classification and within the right location, which also enhances the case-working capability. This includes the application of need-to-know principles, with shared sites locked down and proactively managed.
A new senior civil servant level Chief Information Officer was appointed within the DARR team in October 2024 with responsibility for a larger and more skilled data and information management team. They produced a data strategy in line with the Government Digital Services’ data maturity assessment and this is shaped by priorities as identified from the myriad internal and external audits.
We regularly emphasise the need to complete the relevant mandatory training across DARR and all current staff have completed it. Bespoke induction training includes security briefings and data protection training, and there are regular communications on protecting information and expected behaviours, including discussions at senior leadership level.
We are continuously investing in our cybersecurity infrastructure to ensure we remain resilient against evolving threats. Through targeted interventions, campaigns, and role-specific training, we are embedding a culture where every individual understands their role in safeguarding Defence. By reinforcing positive cyber habits and reducing human cyber risk, we are building a workforce that is confident, capable, and cyber secure.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports from the government of South Korea that a further 3,000 North Korean troops have been sent to fight in the war in Ukraine this year; and what measures they have taken to hold those responsible to account.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is aware of recent reports in the press citing South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff that DPRK has subsequently deployed a further 3,000 additional troops in support of Russian Forces in Kursk.
As stated by the Foreign Secretary previously, such cooperation between Russia and the DPRK is not only in violation of multiple UNSC resolutions, but also prolongs the suffering of the Ukrainian people and threatens global security, including those in the ROK and the UK, and demonstrates the desperation of the DPRK and Russia. We are committed to providing the support Ukraine requires to secure a just and lasting peace.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the Strategic Defence Review to complete its work and to publish its findings and recommendations.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Reviewers will make their final report to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Defence in the spring of 2025. The Secretary of State for Defence will subsequently publish a version of that report to Parliament. It will then be implemented by the Department.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase the number and frequency of 'freedom of navigation' operations through contested areas in the East and South China Seas, including the Taiwan Strait.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence does not routinely comment on future deployments for reasons of operational security. However, the UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the East and South China Seas along with the Taiwan Strait, and remains committed to upholding international law and to freedom of navigation.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what account was taken of the recent hack of the Electoral Commission and the alleged hack of the Ministry of Defence by China, and its aggressive military action in the South China Sea, before authorising the attendance of the UK’s Air Vice-Marshall at a recent reception at the Chinese Embassy to celebrate the 97th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government is taking a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests, by co-operating where we can as fellow permanent members of the UN Security Council. But we will also compete where we have different interests and challenge where we must, to protect our national security and values.
The bilateral defence relationship with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) plays an important role in this, including recent senior military attendance at the PLA Anniversary Reception in London, where UK attendance was agreed in June 2024.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to achieve their stated ambition to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product; and what investment they are making in new areas of defence technology.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Government has set its aspiration for defence spending to reach 2.5% of GDP as soon as fiscal and economic circumstances allow.
Over the current Spending Review period we will be investing at least £6.6 billion in Research and Development, working closely with UK industry and academia to ensure we are developing the technologies and capabilities Defence needs now and in the future.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to remarks by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 18 December 2023 (HL Deb cols 2046–2049), how they are assisting former Afghan soldiers who were trained by the UK and worked with British forces, particularly those now facing the risk of being sent back to Afghanistan from Pakistan; and what discussions they have had with their Pakistan counterparts to ensure their safe passage and sanctuary.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Ministry of Defence continues to work alongside the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office in constructive talks with the Government of Pakistan to ensure UK-sponsored Afghans in Pakistan are protected from the threat of deportation. However, it is the case that we can only extend UK Government support to Afghans in Pakistan who are eligible for our Afghan resettlement schemes.
The ARAP scheme is more generous in its eligibility criteria than predecessor schemes. Nonetheless, it was designed to support those who worked for, with or alongside the UK's Armed Forces in support - critically - of the UK's mission or national security objectives in Afghanistan.
Each ARAP application is assessed on a case-by-case basis, with all applications, including those from former members of the Afghan security forces, scrutinised on their own merits in line with our published policy and eligibility criteria. All applicants, irrespective of job role, will only be eligible if they individually meet these criteria outlined in the published policy.
This means that some Afghans whose bravery and heroism are in no doubt whatsoever, will not be eligible for relocation under ARAP.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the risk of the Wagner group attacking Poland from Belarus; and what steps they are taking with other NATO countries to support Poland in protecting its borders from any risk of an attack.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The UK continues to condemn the Wagner Group's malign and destabilising impact wherever it operates.
We continue to monitor threats from a range of state and non-state actors, including the Wagner Group, working with and through our partners to protect our security against shared threats.
NATO maintains an appropriate force posture to ensure strong and credible deterrence and defence across the Alliance to protect and defend every inch of Allied territory.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government why CCTV cameras made by Hikvision and Dahua have not yet been removed from UK army bases, following the direction to do so by the Ministry of Defence in November 2021.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
We take the security of our personnel, systems and establishments very seriously and have a range of measures in place to ensure the integrity of our arrangements. These measures are kept under constant review and adjusted according to the threat. It is, however, long standing policy that we do not comment on the detail of those arrangements.