Alan Brown: MOD: Written Answers (48)

Written Question

Air Force

Thursday 25th January 2024

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Air Force personnel there have been on average in each year since 2000.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Year	British Army	Royal Navy and Royal Marines	Royal Air Force
2000	109,600	42,800	54,600
2001	109,200	42,100	53,600
2002	110,100	42,600	52,900
2003	112,000	41,400	53,100
2004	112,100	40,700	53,100
2005	108,800	39,800	51,400
2006	107,200	39,200	47,900
2007	105,900	38,800	45,100
2008	104,610	38,410	43,300
2009	106,890	38,350	43,520
2010	107,740	38,650	43,800
2011	105,940	37,480	42,230
2012	103,820	35,500	39,710
2013	98,630	33,860	36,690
2014	90,390	33,160	35,050
2015	85,590	32,670	33,860
2016	84,700	32,480	33,410
2017	83,000	32,470	33,100
2018	80,590	32,460	32,850
2019	78,800	32,500	32,780
2020	79,290	32,960	32,860
2021	81,720	33,890	33,220
2022	80,060	33,750	33,130
2023	76,950	32,590	31,940

Notes/Caveats

The Average Strength of the UK Regular Forces was calculated on a yearly basis by taking the mean of the corresponding strengths reported on a quarterly basis - e.g for the year 2010, the average was calculated from the strengths as at 1 Jan 2010, 1 Apr 2010, 1 Jul 2010 and 1 Oct 2010.
UK Regulars comprise full time Service Personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Unless otherwise stated, figures include trained and untrained personnel.
Due to the lack of data available for the 1 Jan 2000 strengths, the strengths were estimated via linear interpolation between the known strengths as at 1 Apr 1999 and 1 Apr 2000. Essentially we assume the strengths change linearly from 1 Apr 1999 to 1 Apr 2000, to estimate the strength as at 1 Jan 2000. As such the averages calculated for the year 2000 include an estimated figure, making the calculated average an estimate.
UK Regular Forces strength figures used in the Average Strength calculations in the period 1 Apr 1999 - 1 Jan 2007 (apart from the 1 Jan 2000 strength discussed in caveat 3) were taken from historic "UK Armed Forces Quarterly Press Releases" which can be accessed here: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140116145335/http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/personnel/military/quarterly-personnel-report
UK Regular Forces strength figures used in the Average Strength calculations in the period 1 Apr 1999 – 1 Oct 2023 were taken from the Joint Personnel Administration system (JPA).
The Average Strength in the year 2000 has been rounded to the nearest 100 to reflect the fact that an estimate was used in the calculations (see caveat 3).
Figures from the years 2001 - 2007 have been rounded to the nearest 100. This is due to rounded figures being used to calculate the Average Strengths.
Figures from the year 2008 onwards have been rounded to the nearest 10 in line with disclosure control policy. Figures ending in 5 are rounded to the nearest 20 to avoid systematic bias.

Written Question

Navy

Thursday 25th January 2024

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Navy personnel there have been on average in each year since 2000.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Year	British Army	Royal Navy and Royal Marines	Royal Air Force
2000	109,600	42,800	54,600
2001	109,200	42,100	53,600
2002	110,100	42,600	52,900
2003	112,000	41,400	53,100
2004	112,100	40,700	53,100
2005	108,800	39,800	51,400
2006	107,200	39,200	47,900
2007	105,900	38,800	45,100
2008	104,610	38,410	43,300
2009	106,890	38,350	43,520
2010	107,740	38,650	43,800
2011	105,940	37,480	42,230
2012	103,820	35,500	39,710
2013	98,630	33,860	36,690
2014	90,390	33,160	35,050
2015	85,590	32,670	33,860
2016	84,700	32,480	33,410
2017	83,000	32,470	33,100
2018	80,590	32,460	32,850
2019	78,800	32,500	32,780
2020	79,290	32,960	32,860
2021	81,720	33,890	33,220
2022	80,060	33,750	33,130
2023	76,950	32,590	31,940

Notes/Caveats

The Average Strength of the UK Regular Forces was calculated on a yearly basis by taking the mean of the corresponding strengths reported on a quarterly basis - e.g for the year 2010, the average was calculated from the strengths as at 1 Jan 2010, 1 Apr 2010, 1 Jul 2010 and 1 Oct 2010.
UK Regulars comprise full time Service Personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Unless otherwise stated, figures include trained and untrained personnel.
Due to the lack of data available for the 1 Jan 2000 strengths, the strengths were estimated via linear interpolation between the known strengths as at 1 Apr 1999 and 1 Apr 2000. Essentially we assume the strengths change linearly from 1 Apr 1999 to 1 Apr 2000, to estimate the strength as at 1 Jan 2000. As such the averages calculated for the year 2000 include an estimated figure, making the calculated average an estimate.
UK Regular Forces strength figures used in the Average Strength calculations in the period 1 Apr 1999 - 1 Jan 2007 (apart from the 1 Jan 2000 strength discussed in caveat 3) were taken from historic "UK Armed Forces Quarterly Press Releases" which can be accessed here: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140116145335/http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/personnel/military/quarterly-personnel-report
UK Regular Forces strength figures used in the Average Strength calculations in the period 1 Apr 1999 – 1 Oct 2023 were taken from the Joint Personnel Administration system (JPA).
The Average Strength in the year 2000 has been rounded to the nearest 100 to reflect the fact that an estimate was used in the calculations (see caveat 3).
Figures from the years 2001 - 2007 have been rounded to the nearest 100. This is due to rounded figures being used to calculate the Average Strengths.
Figures from the year 2008 onwards have been rounded to the nearest 10 in line with disclosure control policy. Figures ending in 5 are rounded to the nearest 20 to avoid systematic bias.

Written Question

Army

Thursday 25th January 2024

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Army personnel there have been on average in each year since 2000.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Year	British Army	Royal Navy and Royal Marines	Royal Air Force
2000	109,600	42,800	54,600
2001	109,200	42,100	53,600
2002	110,100	42,600	52,900
2003	112,000	41,400	53,100
2004	112,100	40,700	53,100
2005	108,800	39,800	51,400
2006	107,200	39,200	47,900
2007	105,900	38,800	45,100
2008	104,610	38,410	43,300
2009	106,890	38,350	43,520
2010	107,740	38,650	43,800
2011	105,940	37,480	42,230
2012	103,820	35,500	39,710
2013	98,630	33,860	36,690
2014	90,390	33,160	35,050
2015	85,590	32,670	33,860
2016	84,700	32,480	33,410
2017	83,000	32,470	33,100
2018	80,590	32,460	32,850
2019	78,800	32,500	32,780
2020	79,290	32,960	32,860
2021	81,720	33,890	33,220
2022	80,060	33,750	33,130
2023	76,950	32,590	31,940

Notes/Caveats

The Average Strength of the UK Regular Forces was calculated on a yearly basis by taking the mean of the corresponding strengths reported on a quarterly basis - e.g for the year 2010, the average was calculated from the strengths as at 1 Jan 2010, 1 Apr 2010, 1 Jul 2010 and 1 Oct 2010.
UK Regulars comprise full time Service Personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel, Gurkhas, mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS), Locally Engaged Personnel (LEP), Non Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS), High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Expeditionary Forces Institute (EFI) personnel. Unless otherwise stated, figures include trained and untrained personnel.
Due to the lack of data available for the 1 Jan 2000 strengths, the strengths were estimated via linear interpolation between the known strengths as at 1 Apr 1999 and 1 Apr 2000. Essentially we assume the strengths change linearly from 1 Apr 1999 to 1 Apr 2000, to estimate the strength as at 1 Jan 2000. As such the averages calculated for the year 2000 include an estimated figure, making the calculated average an estimate.
UK Regular Forces strength figures used in the Average Strength calculations in the period 1 Apr 1999 - 1 Jan 2007 (apart from the 1 Jan 2000 strength discussed in caveat 3) were taken from historic "UK Armed Forces Quarterly Press Releases" which can be accessed here: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140116145335/http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/personnel/military/quarterly-personnel-report
UK Regular Forces strength figures used in the Average Strength calculations in the period 1 Apr 1999 – 1 Oct 2023 were taken from the Joint Personnel Administration system (JPA).
The Average Strength in the year 2000 has been rounded to the nearest 100 to reflect the fact that an estimate was used in the calculations (see caveat 3).
Figures from the years 2001 - 2007 have been rounded to the nearest 100. This is due to rounded figures being used to calculate the Average Strengths.
Figures from the year 2008 onwards have been rounded to the nearest 10 in line with disclosure control policy. Figures ending in 5 are rounded to the nearest 20 to avoid systematic bias.

Written Question

Veterans: Pensions

Monday 12th December 2022

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is taking steps to support veterans living in countries that do not have a reciprocal uprating agreement with the UK and whose pensions are frozen.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

State Pensions are the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions.

The UK State Pension is payable worldwide to those who meet the qualifying conditions. It is up-rated where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example, where recipients are living in countries where there is a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating. The Government has no plans to change the policy on up-rating UK State Pensions overseas; the policy is longstanding and has been supported by successive Governments for over 70 years.

The Government understands that people move abroad for many reasons and that this can have an impact on their finances; up-ratings are based on levels of earnings growth and price inflation in the UK which have no direct relevance where the pensioner is resident overseas. The decision to move abroad remains a personal choice and advice has been provided to the public for many years that the UK State Pension is not up-rated overseas except where there is a legal requirement. However, in recognition of the unique nature and commitment of service life, military occupational pensions, Armed Forces Independence Payments, Guaranteed Income Payments and War Pension Scheme payments are paid and uprated every year, including for our veterans anywhere in the world, regardless of whether there is a reciprocal arrangement for the State Pension.

In addition, any veteran who has received a gratuity payment due to disablement resulting from service or is in receipt of a disablement pension under the War Pension Scheme can have the costs of treatment met where there is no free healthcare for that condition available in the country they reside.

Written Question

Clyde Naval Base and RNAD Coulport: Radioactive Materials

Monday 17th October 2022

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nuclear safety events occurred at (a) Coulport and (b) Faslane in each year since 2010.

Answered by Alec Shelbrooke

The table below provides the number of Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) at Coulport and Faslane recorded between 2010 and 2022 (January 2022-June 2022). These are shown according to their categorisation using criteria agreed locally in 2015.

Nuclear Site Events - 2010	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	1	2	0
Faslane	0	1	2	0

Nuclear Site Events - 2011	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	1	0
Faslane	0	0	12	8

Nuclear Site Events - 2012	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	0	0
Faslane	0	0	18	10

Nuclear Site Events - 2013	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	0	1
Faslane	0	0	10	11

Nuclear Site Events - 2014	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	3	3
Faslane	0	0	3	3

Nuclear Site Events – 2015*	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	2	0	0
Faslane	0	0	1	2	3

*Updated categorisation criteria in 2015

Nuclear Site Events - 2016	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	1	4	0
Faslane	0	0	3	5	9

Nuclear Site Events - 2017	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	2	1	0
Faslane	0	0	2	6	19

Nuclear Site Events - 2018	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	2	2	1	16
Faslane	0	0	6	23	86

Nuclear Site Events - 2019	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	1	4	13
Faslane	0	1	5	46	88

Nuclear Site Events - 2020	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	0	0	26
Faslane	0	0	1	26	96

Nuclear Site Events - 2021	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	1	0	8	32
Faslane	0	2	10	33	67

Nuclear Site Events- 2022	Category A	Category B	Category C	Category D	Below Scale
Coulport	0	0	3	3	19
Faslane	0	0	3	9	12

In line with Industry Good Practice and in common with other defence and civil nuclear sites, HMNB Clyde has a well-established system for raising NSERs.

NSERs are raised to foster a robust safety culture that learns from experience, whether that is equipment failures, human error, procedural failings, documentation shortcomings or near-misses.

The safety significance of all reported events remains low and are below Level 1, the lowest of the seven-point International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES).

None of the events caused harm to the health of any member of staff on the Naval Base or to any member of the public or have resulted in any radiological impact to the environment.

Written Question

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Monday 25th October 2021

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average timescale is for a decision to be made on a claim under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

During the 2020 to 2021 financial year the average time for a decision to be made on a claim for injury/illness under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme was 83 days (median average). This was published in the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) bulletin as at 31 March 2021. The Supplementary Tables provide a break down by financial year which allows comparison across years. The bulletin can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/armed-forces-compensation-scheme-statistics-financial-year-202021

Written Question

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Monday 25th October 2021

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many claims under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme are awaiting (a) a decision and (b) an offer.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The information on cases awaiting decision is already published within the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme bulletin and Supplementary Tables (on Table 2) as at 31 March 2021, and can be found at the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/armed-forces-compensation-scheme-statistics-financial-year-202021

The second part of the question cannot be answered in the format requested. The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is a one-step process and awards are made at a specified tariff and financial amount upon a decision being made. Claims cannot be awaiting an offer.

Written Question

Royal Yacht

Tuesday 14th September 2021

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the crew allocation for the proposed Royal Yacht.

Answered by Ben Wallace

Details of the first phase of the competition to design the National Flagship were set out in a Contract Notice published on 19 July 2021. Further details will be made available to industrial partners that express an interest in bidding for phase 1 of the National Flagship design competition. Premature disclosure of this information, or of that pertaining to later stages of the procurement, would be prejudicial to the commercial interests of the Ministry of Defence and its industrial partners and I am therefore withholding it at this time.

The crew allocation of the ship will be dependent upon the selected design.

Written Question

Royal Yacht

Tuesday 14th September 2021

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide details of the (a) specification development, (b) tender and award process, (c) construction, (d) commissioning and handover and (e) other aspects of the procurement programme for the proposed new Royal Yacht.

Answered by Ben Wallace

The crew allocation of the ship will be dependent upon the selected design.

Written Question

Royal Yacht

Friday 10th September 2021

Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which department is responsible for potential (a) risks and (b) overspend in respect of the procurement of the proposed Royal Yacht.

Answered by Ben Wallace

The management of risk and budget will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence. The National Flagship will be delivered in the same way as other shipbuilding programmes run by this department.