Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department provides to (a) serving and (b) former members of the armed forces who have mental health problems.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Government takes the mental health of the Armed Forces very seriously, and provides a wide range of support and treatments for those who need them. This includes pre and post-operational stress management training, a wide range of psychiatric and psychological treatments, and initiatives such as Trauma Risk Management. We are also working hard to reduce stigma attached to mental health issues and to encourage Service personnel to come forward.
Personnel leaving the Armed Forces who have had mental health issues during their Service are able to access a Ministry of Defence (MOD) Department of Community Mental Health for up to six months after discharge, to help them during the transition period. The MOD also has a Veterans and Reserves Mental Health Programme which provides mental health assessments for veterans deployed since 1982, and Reservists deployed since 2003.
Veterans' mental healthcare is primarily the responsibility of the NHS in England and Devolved Administrations. A Veterans' Transition Protocol ensures any Service person discharged with a diagnosed mental health illness is handed over appropriately to the civilian healthcare provider.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on encouraging NATO member states to meet the spending target of two per cent of GDP on defence spending.
Answered by Mike Penning
Ministers and officials in the Ministry of Defence regularly discuss the 2% Defence Investment Pledge with Allies and NATO counterparts, including the NATO Secretary General.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funding his Department has allocated for training members of the Royal Naval Reserve in each of the last five years; and what the projected funding for such training is for each of the next five years.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Both initial and specialist training for members of the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) is conducted alongside training for Regular Naval Service personnel. it is, therefore, not possible to identify the specific funding for RNR training.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia on dealing with the threat posed by Daesh activities in the Middle East.
Answered by Michael Fallon
I hold regular discussions with my counterpart, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, on a range of defence and security issues. The Saudi Arabian government has been a leading partner in international efforts to defeat Daesh.
Saudi Arabia co-leads the Global Coalition's work to cut Daesh's resources and established the Islamic Military Coalition to Fight Terrorism.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what training assistance his Department has provided to (a) Saudi Arabia, (b) the United Arab Emirates, (c) Qatar, (d) Kuwait and (e) Oman in the last five years.
Answered by Mike Penning
Over the past five years, UK Armed Forces have provided support to the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman both in-country and in the UK and continue to do so. These States have attended international defence training courses in the UK such as the advanced command and staff course, Royal College of Defence Studies and Initial Officer Training.
UK Armed Forces have also provided training in-country through the delivery of tactical level Short Term Training Teams in the maritime, land and air domains. The Defence Academy has also delivered the Strategic Leadership Programme and Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context courses to Gulf States along with the Royal Navy's Exclusive Economic Zone Protection Officer course.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recruitment targets his Department has set for the Royal Naval Reserve.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Recruitment targets for the Reserve Forces that include targets for Maritime Reserves have been placed in the Library of the House (DEP2013-2063-20131219).
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve the level of retention in the Royal Naval Reserve.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Royal Navy Reserve utilises various initiatives aimed at improving retention. These range from improved leave and financial provision, through to maximizing training opportunities and Divisional support.
Central to this is an improved offer, which includes better training, better equipment, improved remuneration and an improved experience for Reservists. We have also widened the opportunity for Reservists to contribute on operations. As a result, more Reservists are joining either as new entrants to the military, or with prior experience either in the Regulars or in the Reserves.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Royal Naval Reserve to support the Royal Navy in meeting its current operational commitments.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
As set out in Future Reserves 2020, the Royal Navy Reserve continues to be an integral part of the Royal Navy, conducting a wide range of operations and tasking.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to (a) invest in and (b) modernise Territorial Army centres.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Department continues to develop and invest in the Army Reserves, including its infrastructure and estate, in line with commitments set out in the Reserves White Paper (Cm8655) published on 3 July 2013 and accompanying statement (Official Report, column 49WS) and through our wider estate optimisation plans.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what training and logistical support the armed forces have provided to Iraqi forces to combat the threat from Daesh in Iraq in the last 12 months.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
The UK Armed Forces have continued to play a full part in the Global Counter-Daesh Coalition programme to build the capacity of Iraqi (including Kurdish) security forces. Over the past 12 months, we have contributed to the training of over 13,600 Iraqi army personnel and some 2,570 Peshmerga, to build vital counter-IED expertise and to enhance medical and infantry skills. The impact of this training can be seen in the success of Iraqi security forces over the past year in taking back territory previously held by Daesh. Some 40% of occupied territory has now been recovered. In terms of logistic support, following the UK's substantial contributions of non-lethal support, heavy machine guns, ammunition and military equipment to meet immediate Kurdish Peshmerga needs in early 2015, the UK has provided airlift to facilitate other international contributions and, subject to parliamentary approval, is planning to provide a further £1 million of ammunition later this summer for Peshmerga use.