Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements they are making to ensure that the Army Review of Junior Entry (1) seeks and considers external evidence, (2) considers how the armed services can be exemplary standard setters in fulfilling their duty of care and support for young recruits, and (3) examines the proportion of young Army recruits who are destined for a future in the infantry; and what assessment they have made of the implications of the higher death and casualty rates in the infantry service for recruitment practices.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Lord to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces (Mike Penning), in the House of Commons on 27 February 2017 to Question number 64193 and on 14 March 2017 to Question number 67005. The Army is consulting with the Departments for Education, Health and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The Army is conducting a review of its Junior Entry policy to ensure it attracts the best young people and continues to maximise the talent of the individual, to the mutual advantage of both the young person and the Army. The review will report initial findings later this year.
All recruits joining the Army, including those between the ages of 16 and 18, are recruited into a variety of roles depending on their aptitude and available vacancies. The Ministry of Defence does not make assessments of death and casualty rates in the context of recruitment practices.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the threat to UK interests of the development of virtual autonomous weapons systems across the world; and what part effective international regulation could play in controlling the development of such systems.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Government of the United Kingdom does not possess fully autonomous weapon systems and have no intention of developing them. Such systems are not yet in existence and are not likely to be for many years, if at all. The UK believes that international law, in particular, international humanitarian law, remains the correct framework for governing the use of all weapons systems, including fully autonomous ones.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to establish a group of government experts at the forthcoming Review Conference on the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons to consider what legal agreements are required for the management and control of the development of virtual autonomous weapons systems and the necessary level of human control for compliance with international law.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The decision to establish a Group of Government Experts (GGE) to discuss the issue of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems will be taken by consensus by all High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. The UK supports of the formation of a GGE subject to agreement on the mandate for such a group.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the factors on which career advancement is assessed for those military personnel serving with the UN, both in the field and at the UN Headquarters.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by my noble Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (the Rt Hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE) on 20 April 2016 to Question number HL7438.
Further to the information given in the answer by my noble Friend, postings to UN Headquarters are part of UK defence engagement. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) routinely seeks to reinvest the experience gained in such appointments in other challenging defence engagement roles, such as Defence Attachés. The investment by the MOD in such roles is demonstrated in the creation of the new Defence Attaché and Loan Service Centre, which is part of the Defence Academy. This ensures individuals are specifically and extensively trained for such appointments.
The MOD has also created a Defence Engagement Career Field specifically for those appointments that enable and/or deliver engagement between UK Defence and other organisations and audiences. The intent is to develop military practitioners and experts in defence engagement to enhance the UK's influence through soft power.
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Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the tasks and role of UK military personnel committed to service at the headquarters of the UN.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The UK currently has four military personnel at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York:
The Deputy Military Advisor to the UN Secretary General and Deputy Head of the Office of Military Affairs (OMA).
A Special Assistant/Military Assistant to the Military Advisor to the UN Secretary General and Head of the OMA.
A Military Planner within the Military Planning Service of the OMA.
A Gender Advisor seconded to the OMA.
These officers support the UN by: providing strategic and operational military advice on the efficiency and the effectiveness of military components in UN Peacekeeping missions; conducting research and contributing to the development of policy; maintaining close links to national Permanent Missions to the UN; and liaising with non-governmental organisations. The Gender Advisor also ensures implementation of Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), providing advice on recruitment and force generation, and support to military gender advisors at Field Headquarters. WPS and the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative are HMG priorities, and the Gender Advisor is uniquely placed to influence the UN's work on these issues.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they regard as the main objectives of the forthcoming autumn UN Peacekeeping Conference.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Secretary of State for Defence will host a UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial at Lancaster House in London on 8 September 2016. This is a follow-on event to the Leaders' Summit on Peacekeeping hosted by President Obama last September. The event will be an opportunity to take stock of progress made on pledges since last year, as well as to focus on how we can improve peacekeeping and on the role and participation of women in peacekeeping.