Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to involve the military in replacing the nurses, paramedics and border force during the strike action.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Ministry of Defence has no plans to provide military personnel to ‘replace’ nurses and paramedics during the upcoming strike action. Defence will, however, make 500 military personnel available for ambulance driving tasks to support NHS Trusts during January 2023. A further 600 military personnel were made available to support Border Force during the industrial action on the 23-26 and 28-31 December 2022.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to develop a new model for (1) organising, and (2) equipping, the UK’s armed forces, in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The 2021 Integrated Review (IR) and Defence Command Paper outlines the Government's plan for Defence. It recognised the unprecedented challenges posed by geopolitical shifts, including intensifying competition between states, a widening range of security threats, and rapid technological change. It outlines how our Armed Forces will be organised and equipped to be more agile and adaptable to emerging threats.
We are continuing to monitor the situation globally, including in Ukraine, to ensure we remain threat-led and, in line with the agile planning and delivery mechanisms developed following the IR, we will continue to review our capabilities and readiness levels accordingly.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide more (1) anti-aircraft, and (2) anti-tank, missiles to Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
As announced by the Prime Minister on 24 March at the NATO Summit in Brussels, the UK will send an additional 6,000 missiles and provide £25 million in unrestricted funding for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, more than doubling the lethal aid we have provided to date.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase defence spending.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Government is clear that Defence should be led by our understanding of the threats it needs to counter. As such the Ministry of Defence keeps its spending under constant review and is analysing the implications of the increased threat that Russia now poses. Defence is coming into its second year of its four-year spending settlement, in which it has already secured an additional 16.5 billion of funding over the Spending Review period, marking the biggest investment in the Armed Forces since the Cold War.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what preparations they have made to provide emergency mental health support to British soldiers due to return from Afghanistan.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
Armed Forces personnel (Regular and mobilised Reserve) who experience a traumatic event are supported through the Trauma Risk Management process (TRiM). Whilst no system can detect every individual at risk of mental illness, there are measures in place to increase awareness at all levels and to mitigate the development of operational stresses. These include pre- and post-deployment briefing and the availability of support, assessment and (if required) treatment, both during and after deployments.
Post-tour decompression activity which supports the readjustment and reintegration of personnel as smoothly and quickly as possible to sustain readiness has been factored into Op PITTING, with time allocated for peer-to-peer discussion on moral injury. This approach is based on experience in the COVID pandemic where soldiers returning from supporting the civilian authorities have undergone a two-day recovery programme.
Each of the single Services also provide through-career mental resilience and stress management training. The MOD has also produced the HeadFIT website to encourage good management of mental fitness and an online Mental Health Fundamentals course is available to all Armed Forces personnel. Furthermore, from September 2021, all Armed Forces personnel will receive mandatory, annual, mental health and wellbeing briefing designed to increase awareness of mental health and the personal barriers that may prevent the seeking of support.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to widen the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy to include employees of (1) UK based NGOs, and (2) UK funded projects.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Government is strongly committed to fulfilling its responsibilities to current and former locally employed staff in Afghanistan. The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme is not time-limited and will endure, remaining open indefinitely to British Nationals who remain in Afghanistan and Afghan allies who were directly employed by Her Majesty’s Government.
For those not eligible under the ARAP scheme, including employees of UK based NGOs and UK funded projects, the Home Office is working quickly to establish the details of the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). This scheme will provide protection for those identified as most at risk, such as women and girls. The Government has committed to take around 5,000 refugees in the first year and up to 20,000 over the coming years.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to join a United States-led shipping coalition after Brexit.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The UK is part of ongoing conversations with international allies, including the US on how best we can ensure maritime security in the Gulf and protect freedom of navigation. This is not connected to the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union.
Freedom of navigation is in every nation's interest; it is unacceptable to illegally seize a ship going about legitimate business in an internationally recognised shipping lane. Any action we take will be aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation is maintained.
We continue to work for stability in the region with the international community, and to uphold the international rules that protect us all.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use funds made available from the UK’s contributions to EU defence spending to facilitate an increase in UK defence spending after Brexit.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The first duty of any Government is the safety and security of the British people at home and abroad. That is why we have committed to spending at least 2% of our GDP on Defence every year of this Parliament. We prioritise our Defence spending to ensure the British people and UK interests are protected. This includes making contributions to support and uphold our international relationships with key partners. As set out in the Political Declaration on the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, the Government has offered to cooperate closely on defence and security, as part of an ambitious security partnership, on a case-by-case basis, where of mutual benefit.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to increase staff recruitment in the UK Royal Navy; and if so, what steps they are taking to increase skills and training of such staff.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Plans are already in place to increase recruitment as part of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Personnel Recovery and Growth Programme.
All training delivered to Naval Service personnel, from recruitment and throughout their career, is regularly reviewed to maximise talent and ensure that people have the appropriate skills to allow the Navy to continue to meet their operational commitments.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of the report by the National Audit Office Investigation into submarine defueling and dismantling, published on 3 April, and of the impact of that report's findings on the UK defence sector.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The National Audit Office's investigation acknowledges the complex nature of activities to defuel and dismantle decommissioned nuclear powered submarines. It also recognises the Ministry of Defence has taken steps to start initial dismantling and has ensured the storage of all laid-up submarines is safe. The Department is working closely with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and key industrial partners to ensure its programmes are delivered safely, efficiently and effectively.