Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with representatives of Heathrow on the Airspace and Future Operations Consultation and its potential effect on flight paths into and out of RAF Northolt.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Ministry of Defence officials are engaged with Heathrow Airport about the potential implications to RAF Northolt of airspace changes which may result from the Department for Transport and Civil Aviation Authority Airspace Modernisation Strategy.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2019 to Question 228557 on RAF Northolt: Repairs and Maintenance, what progress he has made on (a) the runway and (b) associated infrastructure construction works; what estimate his Department has made of the cost of those works; and if he make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The runway was closed as planned on 15 April 2019 to fixed wing aircraft. Rotary wing operations have continued, while fixed wing aircraft are now operating from RAF Benson.
Construction works have commenced to remove the existing runway surface and arrestor beds. This will be followed by preparatory works for resurfacing the runway, installation of new arrestor beds and new approach lighting. Works will continue through summer to be completed in late October 2019.
The estimated capital cost of the project is £23 million inclusive of VAT. The works will assure military flying operations in support of UK Defence and the wider Government at RAF Northolt for the next 10 - 15 years.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the merits of the collection of data on military veterans' interactions with government service providers to help support the specific needs of those veterans; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
It is recognised that better identification of the veteran community within and through data can lead to a greater understanding of their needs, trends and geographical distribution - which in turn will provide a more robust evidence base to inform policy making, enable planning and support service delivery.
The UK-wide Strategy for our Veterans champions the changing needs of the ex-Service community. Since Veterans draw on services from across Governments and Departments, implementation of the strategy will be across the three-sitting governments and across Whitehall Departments.
'Data on the Veteran Community' is one of the cross cutting factors of the Strategy and whilst it recognises that there is some reliable data collected across Government Departments, it can be fragmented, making analysis and prediction of needs difficult. The outcome we want by 2028 is for an enhanced collection across Government to better build an evidence base to identify and address the needs of veterans.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if she will publish a list of (a) land and (b) buildings that her Department is in the process of selling and/or disposing of; how many of those buildings are empty; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
A copy of a list showing land and buildings that are in the process of being disposed of has been placed in the Library of the House.
Some 47 sites on the report are empty, each site may contain multiple buildings.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of former military personnel who have experienced difficulties in finding accommodation after their discharge from the armed forces in each of the last three years.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Housing for veterans is the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), and the number of former military personnel who have experienced difficulties in finding accommodation after discharge is not known.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is developing a new tri-Service policy to provide more comprehensive support to Service personnel and their families as they transition out of the Armed Forces, and this will include advice and support on housing matters.
As set out in the Annual Population Survey: UK Armed Forces Veterans Residing in Great Britain 2017 report, published on 31 January 2019, MHCLG has introduced a package of measures to ensure the Armed Forces community have the same access to social housing and are not disadvantaged by the requirement for mobility whilst in Service. In 2016/17 a greater proportion of the UK Armed Forces veterans were estimated to spend less than six months waiting for social housing compared to the non-veteran population.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will fund research into the number of former members of the armed forces who are homeless; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) strongly believes that no-one should be homeless, least of all someone who has served their country. However, there is no substantive evidence to suggest that veterans are over-represented in the homeless population. As part of the recently launched Veterans Strategy the Government has made clear its commitment to tackling rough sleeping and homelessness and ensuring that all veterans have a secure place to live.
We recognise that there are limited statistics on homelessness; that is the why the MOD and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are working together to gather more comprehensive data on this issue. The Combined Homelessness and Information Network statistics suggest that 3% of the rough sleeping population in London have served in the Armed Forces and other independent research shows that the rough sleeping figures for veterans are around 3-4% across the UK. The same research shows that that an individual is less likely to be homeless if they have served in the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects RAF Northolt to close for its runway refurbishment and other works; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Runway and associated infrastructure construction works at RAF Northolt will formally commence on 15 April 2019, although preparatory works have already begun. The runway will be closed from 15 April 2019 until late October 2019, but rotary wing operations will continue throughout this period. During the closure 32(The Royal) Squadron fixed wing aircraft will operate from RAF Benson to ensure adequate support is available to existing and future tasking.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which EU agencies his Department plans to seek continued membership of after the UK has left the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
During the Implementation Period, the terms of the UK's participation in EU agencies and bodies will be as set out in Article 128 of the Withdrawal Agreement.
Following our exit from the European Union, we are committed to maintaining a close and collaborative relationship with the EU. Our future partnership is a matter for the next phase of negotiations and we look forward to constructive discussions with the EU.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials from his Department have been seconded from their primary role to make preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
It is the top priority of the Government to leave the EU with a deal, but it is also the responsibility of Government to prepare for all scenarios, including the prospect of a no deal. The Civil Service is focused on delivering the Government's most pressing priorities, so it is only sensible that we make use of the resources and expertise we have available to make sure the UK is prepared for all Brexit scenarios on exit day. This includes Departments sharing staff and working together on joint projects. The number of staff being seconded from the Ministry of Defence as part of a coordinated exercise is yet to be determined.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which his Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Of the legislation for which the Ministry of Defence is responsible, none create regulatory functions performed by trade associations.