Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average vehicle availability rate was for (a) wheeled support vehicles, (b) Landrovers, (c) Typhoon and (d) Lightning in each year since 2018.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The British Army holds and maintains an appropriate amount of all its platforms to meet operational requirements. For security reasons, I am withholding further information on the number of wheeled support vehicles and Land Rovers available for operational deployment.
Average annual Forward Fleet figures for the Typhoon and F-35B Lightning fleets are given in the table below.
Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Typhoon | 96 | 100 | 100 | 101 | 100 | 99 |
Lightning (1) | 7(2) | 11 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 24 |
The Forward Fleet comprises serviceable and short-term unserviceable aircraft. Typically, the short-term unserviceable fleet aircraft are undergoing minor works, forward maintenance or other unforeseen rectification or technical inspection that can arise on a day-to-day basis. The number of aircraft varies day-to-day, according to normal flight management activities.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of his Department's ammunition stocks.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) holds sufficient munitions to conduct current operational tasks. Munitions stockpile levels are kept under review balancing current holdings against threats, availability, industrial capacity and evolving technology. We are investing in munitions. The Defence Command Paper 2023 announced that the MOD would spend an additional £2.5 billion on munitions. This is in addition to the Government's provision of £560 million over two years in the Autumn Statement 2022 to build our munitions stockpiles and a further £1.9 billion over two years announced in the 2023 Budget for investment in wider readiness and resilience.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2024 to Question 8292 on Vodafone Group: Contracts, when his Department last made an assessment of the adequacy of its contracts with Vodafone; and for what reasons his Department reviewed those contracts.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As previously stated, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) actively monitors all of its key suppliers and their current contracts including those with Vodafone in accordance with MOD policy and process.
The MOD last reviewed its contractual position with Vodafone in the Summer of 2023, following the announcement of the merger between Vodafone UK and Three UK.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's contracts with Vodafone.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) actively monitors all key suppliers and their current contracts, including those with Vodafone in accordance with MOD policy and process.
Each contract is managed at a top level budget level (e.g. Defence Digital) where the adequacy of each contract is assessed on an ongoing basis.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is taking steps to tackle threats towards UK-based journalists working for the Iran International new channel.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK will not tolerate Iranian threats against the lives of individuals in the UK. His Majesty's Government has identified at least 15 such threats since January 2022, including against Iran International employees based in London, and is working to tackle this domestic threat. Iran has established a pattern of this type of behaviour which is deplorable, yet sadly typical of the regime and its lack of respect for basic rights.
On 20 February, the Security Minister gave a statement in the House of Commons on steps being taken to address the activities of the Iranian regime and its operatives in the UK. The Foreign Secretary also summoned Iran's most senior diplomat in the UK on 20 Feb to formally protest against the threats posed by the Iranian regime to the lives of UK-based Iran International employees.
The UK Government, law enforcement and our international partners continue to work together to respond to ensure Iran International's UK operations will resume. Targeting of UK-based journalists is an attack on freedom of speech. Media freedom is a vital part of our society and journalists must be able to investigate and report independently without fear. The UK stands in solidarity with those people under threat from Iran, both at home and around the world.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on permitting Chinese state-owned companies to participate in the development of critical infrastructure in the UK.
Answered by Alec Shelbrooke
The Government reviews foreign involvement in the development of the UK's critical national infrastructure on a regular basis. The UK welcomes foreign investment, which can support jobs and growth, but the Government will not hesitate to act if our national security interests are threatened, irrespective of the foreign entities involved.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for UK security of permitting Chinese state-owned companies to participate in the development of critical infrastructure in the UK.
Answered by Alec Shelbrooke
The Ministry of Defence contributes to cross-Government assessments on national security risks which may be triggered by foreign involvement in the development of critical infrastructure in the UK. Projects are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, irrespective of the foreign entities involved.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average wait time was to begin basic training in the Army by gender for the training facility at (a) Pirbright, (b) Winchester, (c) Harrogate and (d) Catterick in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020 and (iii) 2021 to date.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The average wait time to begin basic training in the Army by gender for the training facility at (a) Pirbright, (b) Winchester, (c) Harrogate and (d) Catterick in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020 and (iii) 2021 to date is given below:
Average Wait Time – Solider Assessment to Basic Training Start (in days) | |||
Training Centre | Year | Gender | |
Ph 1 Input Trg School Name | Ph 1 Input Trg Year | F | M |
Army Foundation College (AFC) Harrogate | 2019/2020 | 135 | 145 |
2020/2021 | 158 | 138 | |
Army Training Centre (ATC) Pirbright | 2019/2020 | 139 | 130 |
2020/2021 | 202 | 162 | |
2021/2022 | 162 | 149 | |
Army Training Regiment (ATR) Winchester | 2019/2020 | 137 | 125 |
2020/2021 | 204 | 153 | |
2021/2022 | 158 | 142 | |
Infantry Training Centre (ITC) Catterick | 2019/2020 | 100 | 97 |
2020/2021 | 104 | 143 | |
2021/2022 | 92 | 143 | |
Notes/Caveats:
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average wait time was to begin basic training in the Army by gender for (a) Reserves and (b) full-time soldiers in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020 and (iii) 2021 to date.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The average wait time to begin basic training in the Army by gender for (a) Reserves and (b) full-time soldiers in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020 and (iii) 2021 to date is given below:
|
| Average Wait Time by Recruiting Year (in days) | ||
Rank | Gender | 19-20 | 20-21 | 21-22 |
Regular Other Ranks | Male | 124 | 149 | 145 |
Female | 128 | 167 | 137 | |
Reserve Other Ranks | Male | 36 | 34 | 17 |
Female | 38 | 18 | 38 | |
Notes/Caveats: