Written Question
Tuesday 1st September 2020
Asked by:
Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question
to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in which countries the UK armed forces are deployed on counter-terrorism operations for which their rules of engagement permit them to use lethal force.
Answered by James Heappey
UK Armed Forces are currently operating in support of counterterrorism operations in four countries (Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Mali). For operational and personnel security reasons we do not comment on specific operational rules of engagement in each theatre. More broadly, UK Armed Forces have an inherent right of self-defence wherever they may be deployed. This permits them to use force, up to and including lethal force, if there is an imminent threat and provided that it is proportionate to the threat faced.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 14 Jan 2019
Oral Answers to Questions
"9. What recent assessment he has made of the UK’s future defence relationship with the EU after the UK leaves the EU. ..."Gill Furniss - View Speech
View all Gill Furniss (Lab - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 14 Jan 2019
Oral Answers to Questions
"The EU Common Security and Defence Policy missions play an extremely important role for peace and security in the European continent and beyond. Can the Minister confirm that, post-Brexit, we will not be withdrawing personnel and operational support from such missions?..."Gill Furniss - View Speech
View all Gill Furniss (Lab - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 11 Jun 2018
Oral Answers to Questions
"19. What assessment he has made of the effect on the defence and military aerospace industry of the UK leaving the EU. ..."Gill Furniss - View Speech
View all Gill Furniss (Lab - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 11 Jun 2018
Oral Answers to Questions
"The Government have often used EU rules as an excuse for not buying British steel for big defence projects. Can the Minister guarantee today that post Brexit, Royal Navy support ships and similar projects will use 100% British steel?..."Gill Furniss - View Speech
View all Gill Furniss (Lab - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 23 Apr 2018
Oral Answers to Questions
"24. What recent assessment he has made of trends in the size of the UK armed forces. ..."Gill Furniss - View Speech
View all Gill Furniss (Lab - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 23 Apr 2018
Oral Answers to Questions
"A recent NAO report found a 26% shortfall in the staffing of intelligence analysis in the armed forces, but those specialists are crucial to our national security and to our fight against cyber-crime. Given the threats of information warfare from a variety of disparate groups—from terrorist organisations to states such …..."Gill Furniss - View Speech
View all Gill Furniss (Lab - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Written Question
Monday 23rd April 2018
Asked by:
Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question
to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to ensure that only British steel is used to build the three new Royal Navy support ships regardless of the outcome of the international tender.
Answered by Guto Bebb
Decisions about the sourcing of steel for our major procurement programmes are taken by our prime contractors, taking into account the cost, timeliness of availability and the specification of steel needed to meet the requirements of defence contracts. These considerations allow defence contractors to deliver value for money for the taxpayer, and will be finalised upon contract award.
European and UK procurement regulations do not allow the Ministry of Defence to mandate the use of specific suppliers as part of the contract.
Written Question
Tuesday 12th September 2017
Asked by:
Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question
to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the proportion of UK steel which will be used to produce the five new frigates announced on 6 September 2017.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
- Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
A competition to design and build the Type 31e General Purpose Frigate in the UK was announced on 7 September 2017. It is therefore too soon to say who the successful supplier(s) will be. The responsibility for steel procurement on major shipbuilding programmes will lie with our prime contractor(s), who take into account cost, time and quality.
However, as part of our support for British steel manufacturers, new public procurement policy guidelines have been introduced, and UK steel suppliers will be strongly encouraged to bid in line with these. Going forward, the Ministry of Defence will continue to carry out early market engagement and forecast our steel requirements for shipbuilding through the publication of the UK Government Steel Pipeline.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 13 Mar 2017
Oral Answers to Questions
"T3. Toolmakers in my constituency such as J. Adams Ltd have made high-quality military knives for the defence sector for six generations. The UK’s manufacturing industry is more than capable of supplying the sector, but new Royal Navy Trident submarines and offshore patrol vessels are being built using foreign steel. …..."Gill Furniss - View Speech
View all Gill Furniss (Lab - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions