Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2025 to Question 66296 on Armed Forces: Conferences, if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) 6 February guidance and (b) previous edition of the guidance.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The MOD's policy for officials on contact with the media and communicating in public is available on gov.uk and has been in place for at least ten years: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-instruction-contact-with-media-and-public Copies of Defence Information Notices are not placed in the Library.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2025 to Question 31166 on Ministers: Aviation, whether the £4,282 figure includes officials accompanying Ministers.
Answered by Maria Eagle
No, the £4,282 figure is for Ministers only.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) he and (b) the Prime Minister are permitted to make use of the King's Helicopter Flight when not in use by the Royal Household.
Answered by Maria Eagle
No. There is no arrangement for the Prime Minister or the Secretary of State for Defence for use of the King's Helicopter Flight.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 29217 on Prime Minister: Aviation, what the cost of helicopter travel for Defence Ministers is since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The Ministry of Defence has spent £1,154.03 on helicopter travel for Defence Ministers since 4 July 2024.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 28652 on Ministers: Aviation, what the amount of air passenger duty that is paid on an individual domestic RAF flight each way was in (a) March 2025 and (b) April 2025, excluding Northern Ireland and the Scottish Highlands and Islands travel; and whether the higher rate of APD is paid.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The Government introduced the domestic rate of Air Passenger Duty (APD) with effect from 1 April 2023 and this is paid on flights from qualifying airports within the UK. Flights on the RAF Envoy incur the higher rate of APD as this relates to an aircraft of 20 tonnes or more equipped to carry fewer than 19 passengers. This rate was set at £78 per person. From 1 April 2025 the rate will increase to £84 per person.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of (a) 21 February 2025 to Question 30825, on Ministers: Helicopters, and (b) 18 February 2025, to Question 30467 on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, what the expected cost to the Department is of an individual flight under the new contract, including any variation by distance travelled; and on what date the new provision went live.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The new method of Ministry of Defence senior leader helicopter travel commenced on 1 January 2025. Costs vary on the basis of a range of factors, including number of passengers, distance, length of time of usage and availability. The Ministerial Air Transport administered contract is available via HM Government Contract Finder here: Provision of Corporate Travel contract - Contracts Finder
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 1248 on Military Aircraft: Helicopter, whether there will be a public procurement exercise for the new helicopter service.
Answered by Maria Eagle
There is no procurement of a new helicopter service. The Ministry of Defence has accessed an existing cross-Government helicopter air transport contract to allow cost-effective, operationally important helicopter transport when needed.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024, to Question 1248 on Military Aircraft: Helicopter, where the Ministerial Transport Office is based; how many staff work in it; and what its budget is .
Answered by Maria Eagle
The helicopter arrangements are managed by the Cabinet Office Commercial team and form part of the Central Departmental Travel contracts which are in place with Corporate Travel Management (North) Limited (CTM). There is one dedicated Full Time official with other resources being used as and when required. CTM provides a travel booking service for Cabinet Office staff, Ministers and Ministry of Defence senior officials when travel is permitted for business and operational reasons. Costs are paid from the end user budget.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025to Question 25863 on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, what is the name of the company now providing the helicopter transport through the Cabinet Office framework.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The Cabinet Office has a cross-Government contract in place with Corporate Travel Management (North) Limited (CTM). CTM provides a travel booking service for Cabinet Office staff, Ministers and Ministry of Defence senior officials when travel is permitted for business and operational reasons. Information on this contract can be found at the following Contracts Finder link:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/da014209-47d7-4805-8097-e191d7d1077f?origin=SearchResults&p=1
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 25862 on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, whether his assessment of the cost has included the additional costs of (a) Royal Household helicopter provision and (b) non-Defence Ministerial travel; and what the estimated total annual cost is .
Answered by Maria Eagle
Provision of Royal Household and non-Defence Ministerial helicopter travel is not a Ministry of Defence responsibility. Therefore, the cost assessment for Ministry of Defence senior leader and official future helicopter transport did not include Royal Household or non-Defence Ministerial travel requirements. Before deletion of Rotary Wing Command Support Air Transport in December 2024, Royal Household and wider Government usage had been on an ‘as available’ basis, when the aircraft was not in use for Ministry of Defence activity.