Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government will take, following the killing by extremists of Afghan girl students at school, to use air power from external bases, in conjunction with the US, to assist the Afghan Government resist terrorism by (a) Daesh and (b) the Taliban, after all NATO land forces have been withdrawn from Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Heappey
We deplore the attack on the Sayed al-Shuhada School in Kabul and send our deepest condolences to the families of those killed.
NATO partners, including the UK, confirmed on 14 April that an orderly and coordinated withdrawal of NATO forces will begin by May. As agreed by NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers, the withdrawal of Resolute Support Mission forces from Afghanistan will be complete within a few months. The UK's Operation TORAL forms a part of the Resolute Support Mission and as such we will draw down this operation in line with our NATO Allies and Partners.
The UK has not engaged in combat operations, including close air support, since the end of Operation HERRICK in 2014. We have no plans to restart combat operations believing instead that the political process must now move forward.
The UK remains committed to supporting Afghanistan on its path to a more peaceful and positive future. Only a negotiated and inclusive settlement will bring sustainable peace. For there to be any chance of a lasting peace, the Taliban must engage meaningfully in a dialogue with the Afghan government. The UK remains committed to supporting the development of the Afghan Security Forces on their path to becoming fully self-sufficient and in maintaining security for the people of Afghanistan. We are committed to continue providing financial support to sustain Afghan forces through to at least 2024.
The Taliban has committed to preventing terrorist groups using Afghanistan to launch international attacks; they must deliver on their commitments. We need to see action that matches their word.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghan (a) present and (b) former (i) interpreters (ii) other locally employed civilians have applied for resettlement to the UK and are currently awaiting a decision; whether all such applications will be fully decided before 11 September 2021; what arrangements will exist after that date to enable further applications to be made in the event that the security situation deteriorates; and if he will take immediate steps to ensure that applications to resettle in the UK made by bona fide former employees of UK armed forces receive positive responses.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Her Majesty's Government has so far relocated 1,358 locally employed Afghan staff and their families to the UK. A total of 532 eligible locally employed staff have applied for relocation to the UK, of which 84 are currently awaiting a decision. Of these, all but six are interpreters and all are former locally employed staff. These applications will be fully decided before 11 September 2021. I cannot comment on arrangements to enable further applications to be made after that date in the event that the security situation deteriorates, as doing so would require me to reveal the details of live operational planning. I have tasked my officials to work in concert with partners across government to explore all options to ensure that current and former locally employed staff who are eligible for relocation under the terms of the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy and the Ex-Gratia Scheme are relocated.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the total of nuclear warheads deployed by (a) Russia, (b) China, (c) the US and (d) France on (i) intercontinental and (ii) intermediate-range missiles in each of the last five years.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence continues to track the threat from nuclear and advanced novel weapons systems held by potential adversaries. Our estimates of our adversaries' nuclear warhead stockpiles remains classified. We judge that Russian strategic and intermediate nuclear capabilities continue to grow, both in terms of warheads and delivery systems. Figures declared by Russia under the New START Treaty do not provide an accurate picture of the growth in the nuclear threat that Russia presents. China does not declare its nuclear warhead numbers but is currently undertaking a significant modernisation programme with an expansion of its nuclear arsenal and development of a nuclear triad. Both countries are also investing heavily in novel weapons systems.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements exist for (a) liaison and (b) training between the Royal Navy and the Merchant Fleet for protecting the latter in the event of (i) terrorist attack, (ii) piracy and (iii) an outbreak of hostilities between states; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Heappey
The Royal Navy (RN) has a global Maritime Trade Operations (MTO) capability with the ability to deploy personnel and resources quickly to support industry in the event of conflict or against a specific maritime security threat. This capability provides timely advice on Maritime Security Incidents to industry and additionally provides deconfliction between the military and the maritime trade.
While industry follows International Maritime Organisation protocols to ensure safety at sea during times of threat, the RN also conduct training scenarios with industry vessels on a regular basis to practice emergency procedures and reporting. Tactics to escort merchant shipping remain in both the UK and NATO doctrine to should there be a requirement in times of hostility. The RN also conduct Merchant Navy liaison courses and a mutual exchange scheme to allow wider familiarisation and experience of both RN and commercial shipping operations.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 June 2020 to Question 60642 on Navy: Coronavirus, what recent assessment his Department has made of the risk of covid-19 infection spreading throughout a ship's company at sea; and what priority he is giving to vaccinating ships' companies before embarkation.
Answered by James Heappey
COVID risk assessments across RN ships are carried out on a continuous basis. All measures are being taken to ensure that risk is as low as is reasonably possible. The priority for the administration of the COVID vaccine has been defined by the Department of Health and Social Care. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has determined the overarching priority order for administration of the vaccine. Healthcare personnel and key vulnerable/age specific groups, are being vaccinated as part of Phase 1, with others following in Phase 2 onwards. Personnel across Defence are assessed under the same criteria.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of standing down the Royal Naval Reservists (RNR) on the incomes of (a) part-time and (b) full-time RNR personnel; how many in each category have served on immigration-related duties in each of the last five years; what contingency plans exist to use RNR personnel for fishery-protection duties; what recent estimate he has made of the value to the (i) reputation and (ii) recruitment goals of the Royal Navy of the role of Royal Naval Reservists as ambassadors for the Royal Navy in wider society; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Heappey
The Maritime Reserve is an integral and highly valued part of the Royal Navy and the brief cessation of some activity will not diminish the relationship between Reservists and their local communities or affect Regular recruitment which is currently experiencing a surge of interest.
There will be no effect on the income of those Royal Naval Reservists who currently have a full-time commitment. It is recognised that there may be some impact for those unable to complete their authorised training due to the current pause, but advice and support will be provided by their Reserve units.
In each year since 2015, less than five Naval Reservists have been deployed to provide assistance to the UK Border Force, except for 2016-17 when 36 Reservists were deployed.
A small number of Reservists are routinely employed in the Overseas Patrol Squadron which conducts fishery patrols alongside their other Defence tasks.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the reasons for the decision to stand down Reservists serving in the Royal Navy but not those serving in the (a) Army and (b) Royal Air Force; and if he will make it his policy to (i) reconsider and (ii) reverse that decision.
Answered by James Heappey
As a result of significant pressure on the Defence budget, sensible and timely decisions have been taken to reduce the in-year financial challenge and this has resulted in the temporary cessation of some Maritime Reserves activity until the beginning of the next financial year.
This decision is part of a package of broader in-year savings measures across the Ministry of Defence, taken following consultation with each of the services , it forms part of the first and necessary step of Defence reform.
These are short term measures and don't reflect our longer-term plans that continue to place an emphasis upon the Maritime Reserve, and nor will they impact the necessary support that is required of the Navy this winter in support of the nation.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Royal Naval and (b) Royal Marines reservists received their bounty in 2019-20; what estimate he has made of those respective personnel who will receive their bounty in 2020-21; and if he will make it his policy to award their bounty to those reservists who would have qualified for it in 2020-21 but for the decision to stand them down.
Answered by James Heappey
In 2019-20, the reserves bounty was paid to 1,587 Royal Naval Reserves and 335 Royal Marines Reserves. It is estimated that approximately 65% of the maritime reserves will achieve the Certificate of Efficiency and consequent bounty payment in 2020-21 compared to 55% in 2019-20.
Reservists who are unable to complete the authorised training due to the current pause in activity will be invited to apply for a waiver to the Bounty Waiver Board.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Royal Naval and (b) Royal Marines Reservists have served on operations in (i) Afghanistan and (ii) Iraq for each year for which figures are available; what recent estimate his Department has made of the added value to each campaign of such service; what specialist skills Reservists have brought to those campaigns from their full-time civilian careers; what assessment he has made of how such skills would have been made available in the absence of volunteer Reservists; and what estimate he has made of the effect on the morale of volunteer Reservists of standing them down for a protracted period.
Answered by James Heappey
Since 2006, 95 Royal Naval Reservists (RNR) and seven Royal Marine Reservists (RMR) have served on operations in Iraq and since 2005, 180 RNR and 330 RMR have served on operations in Afghanistan.
As you know, Reservists bring valuable skills from their civilian employment and their contribution to operations is fully understood and appreciated. This year, Maritime Reserves have used their civilian skills on numerous occasions as part of the Defence contribution to the UK's Government COVID-19 campaign, providing niche expertise, including pandemic statistical modelling, chemistry and pharmaceutical expertise, communications, logistics supply and contract management.
The temporary cessation of some in-year Maritimes Reserves activity may result in disappointment for individual Reservists during the short period that it remains in force, but the current measure will not impact on any Royal Navy operational tasking. Activity undertaken by those on FTRS or Additional Duties Commitments will continue as normal; as will some Transformation projects that are deemed critical to meeting future Royal Navy and Defence outputs.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the out-of-service dates for HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark will remain 2033 and 2034 respectively.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
On current plans, the out-of-service dates for HMS ALBION and HMS BULWARK will remain 2033 and 2034 respectively.