Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of Russia's threat of a military response following the UK's provision of long-range missiles to Ukraine.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK provided long range, precision strike conventional weapons so that the Armed Forces of Ukraine may better defend themselves in Ukraine.
The granting of Storm Shadow was in response to Russia's continued brutality and deliberate targeting of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, and it will help Ukraine restore its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow is the business of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and has successfully put pressure on Russian forces.
The UK, along with other allies, is providing a range of equipment to Ukraine to help it counter Russia's illegal and unprovoked aggression, on the understanding that it will be used in accordance with International Humanitarian Law.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the BGI Group (a) has or (b) has ever had contracts with his Department.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence does not have, nor has ever had, contracts with the BGI Group.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Oral Statement of 24 April 2024, Official Report, column 939, if he will publish details of how his Department's increase in spending will be funded.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The uplift will be funded by providing Defence with a greater share of the Government's overall R&D budget, and by reducing headcount in the Civil Service to pre-pandemic levels by 2029-30.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the announcement on 19 March 2024 by China's Ministry of Defence of the establishment of the Information Support Force.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
On Friday 19 April, the eight-year-old People's Liberation Army (PLA) Strategic Support Force was broken up into three organisations (the Information Support Force, Aerospace Force and Cyberspace Force) as part of China's programme of military modernisation. These three organisations, alongside the pre-existing Joint Logistics Support Force, are now described as the "four arms" of the PLA alongside its "four services" (Ground, Navy, Air Force & Rocket Force).
The UK's Ministry of Defence routinely monitors military developments across the globe as part of its policy and strategy process. This includes developments in China.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the attendance at the 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium took place in Qingdao, China in April 2024. The Royal Navy was represented by the First Sea Lord, supported by three members of the Naval Staff.
Other Chiefs of Navy (or their representatives) attended from: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Fiji, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United States, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Ecuador, India, Mexico, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed joint military base in Ushuaia on the security of the Falkland Islands.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We keep our defence posture in the South Atlantic under regular review, to take account of the full range of developments. I am satisfied that the current military presence in the South Atlantic is at the appropriate level to ensure the defence of the Islands.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answers of 24 June 2021 to Question 19488 and 6 December 2018 to Question 198373, what his most recent estimate is of the (a) anticipated out-turn cost and (b) projected in-service date of each of the approved and planned projects in the Atomic Weapons Establishment Site Development Context Plan.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The currently approved cost and in-service dates for AWE infrastructure projects, are as follows:
Project/Programme | Approved Cost | Approved In-service Date |
MENSA | £1996 million | 2024 |
PEGASUS | £634 million | Material Handling Store - 2025 Manufacture Capability – 2030 |
Project MENSA received a revised approval to its cost and in-service date in February 2022 reflecting, inter alia, the impacts of COVID-19 and amendments to the project to support the future warhead programme.
All outstanding infrastructure related projects at AWE are still subject to internal departmental approval processes and approved outturn cost and in-service dates are not yet available.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help ensure that there is oversight and accountability of the UK's military partnerships and that key policies and processes governing those relationships involve Parliament.
Answered by James Heappey
MOD Ministers are committed to their accountability responsibilities to Parliament on key policies and processes regarding our relationships with our international partners. The Department makes regular announcements on defence activity to ensure Parliament is kept up to date and we also ratify legally binding instruments through Parliament to ensure proper oversight and accountability of these agreements. Parliament holds the Department to account through monthly Defence questions, regular Parliamentary Questions, requests for information through Ministerial Correspondence, Ministerial Statements and announcements, and Select Committee inquiries.
Oversight and monitoring of the UK's military partnerships is managed within the Department through rigorous assessment processes underpinned by formal documentation. This includes regular updates to Ministers both on any new partnership agreements and on operational activity undertaken as part of existing ones.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his most recent estimate is of the (a) anticipated out-turn cost and (b) projected in-service date of each of the projects in the Atomic Weapons Establishment Site Development Context Plan.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The currently approved cost and in-service dates for AWE infrastructure projects, are as follows:
Project/Programme | Approved Cost | Approved In-service Date |
MENSA | £1806 million | 2023 |
PEGASUS | £634 million | Material Handling Store- 2025 Manufacture Capability - 2030 |
All outstanding infrastructure related projects at AWE remain in pre-approval stage and approved outturn cost and in-service dates are not available.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received on the draft text of an International Political Declaration to restrict the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Answered by James Heappey
The final version of the Political Declaration has not yet been published.