Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence by David Williams to the Public Accounts Committee on 14 November 2022, HC 727, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of inflation on the delivery of (a) Morpheus, (b) Ajax and (c) other projects.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
We continue to monitor the impact of inflation on the Department's budget. Inflation remains a pressing concern for Defence and we are managing its impact through new and existing controls, including a greater use of index-linked fixed price contracts and forward purchasing of foreign currency.
Additionally our unreserved contingency funding will also help offset this pressure.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence by Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Syme CBE to the Public Accounts Committee on 14 November 2022, HC 727, how many unpaid reservists are working on the Digital Strategy for Defence as of 29 November 2022.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Reservists play an important part in the delivery of the outcomes detailed in the current Digital Strategy for Defence. However, the number of Reserve personnel employed in this domain is being withheld, as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2022 to Question 61035 on Fleet Solid Support Ships: Shipbuilding, if he will include an enforceable clause in the contract requiring that a significant proportion of the build work for the Fleet Solid Support manufacturing contract will be completed in the UK.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 November 2022 to Question number 95799 to the right hon. Member for North Durham (Kevan Jones).
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Elbit Systems UK Ltd will continue to provide the detect and destroy system for the British Army.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
I am answering this question on the assumption that the hon. Member referring to the Dismounted Joint Fires Integrator system, which is currently being developed with Elbit Systems UK Ltd.
The system design and way ahead is currently under review by the MOD. The Department is working with the company to take the system design through its Critical Design Review, after which a decision will be made on the way forward based on the proposed delivery plan.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Elbit Systems UK Ltd provide electronic warfare capabilities for his Department as of 8 November 2022.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Elbit Systems UK provide Electronic Warfare capabilities as part of a consortium with Babcock and QinetiQ, for the Maritime Electronic Warfare System Integrated Capability (MEWSIC) programme announced in November 2021.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Elbit Systems UK Ltd will continue to provide the MORPHEUS Battlefield Management Application.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Battlefield Management Application (BMA) was delivered under the terms of the contract with Elbit, which expired on the 30 April 2022. As all obligations had been met, there was no requirement to extend this contract further.
The Ministry of Defence is actively considering how best to deliver the totality of the MORPHEUS project, including the delivery of a number of subsequent capability elements necessary for a fielded system, including the BMA.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons Elbit Systems UK Ltd was removed from the delivery of the Project Selborne contract.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Negotiations are currently underway regarding Elbit Systems UK's departure from Project Selborne, therefore I am unable to comment further due to commercial sensitivities.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that Frigate support ships are built in Britain.
Answered by Ben Wallace
This Government is firmly committed to the UK’s shipbuilding enterprise. In my role as Shipbuilding Tsar, and chair of the Shipbuilding Inter-Ministerial Group, I regularly discuss with my Cabinet colleagues how we can put in place the conditions for success in the sector.
The Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship programme seeks to maximise the social value contribution shipbuilding can make in the UK, including encouraging investment in domestic shipyards, whilst balancing the need to deliver value for money. As stated previously, the final contract for the manufacture of the FSS ships will be awarded to a UK business, either solely or as part of a consortium. I would like to reiterate that a significant proportion of the build work will be carried out in the UK: the entire final assembly of the ship will take place in a UK shipyard and that FSS is an exciting opportunity for UK workers.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department paid to AWE Management Limited when Atomic Weapons Establishment was returned to Government control as an Arm's Length Body on 1 July 2021.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The decision taken by the Ministry of Defence to trigger the Termination for Convenience clause with AWE Management Limited to transition AWE plc into an Arms-Length Body did not incur a penalty cost.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has set a limit on the consolidated pay offer for staff at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
As a public sector arms-length body, a pay mandate has been agreed with Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) plc. The AWE plc Board have responsibility for negotiating pay arrangements with its employees. It would not be appropriate to comment on specific terms of the mandate.