Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Secretary of State for Defence and the Ministry of Defence Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) have had one meeting between 1 June to 31 August 2022. CSA has also had meetings with other Defence Ministers; twice between 1 March to 31 May and three times between 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings he had with his Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (a) 1 March to 31 May 2021, (b) 1 June to 31 August 2021 and (c) 1 September to 30 November 2021.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Ministry of Defence draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from (a) 1 March 2020 to 31 May 2020, (b) 1 June 2020 to 31 August 2020, (c) 1 September 2020 to 30 November 2020 and (d) 1 December 2020 to 28 February 2021.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The Ministry of Defence draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise, including from the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, the Chief Scientific Advisers in individual Government Departments, and academics and researchers. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking in response to the National Audit Office’s recommendations in its report, Improving Single Living Accommodation, published on 3 February 2021; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) fully recognises that our Armed Forces personnel are at the heart of everything we do, and it is only right they are provided with good quality and affordable living accommodation. Providing such accommodation is one of the MOD’s top priorities, and work to improve our Single Living Accommodation (SLA) estate is an enduring process, which will continue to be driven forward through investment and effective management. We are grateful to the National Audit Office for their report and are in the process of carefully considering their recommendations.
Defence has invested £1.2 billion over the last decade on construction and upgrades of our SLA accommodation and continues to invest in a range of new-build and renovation projects. As part of the wider £200 million upgrade programme for Service Family Accommodation and SLA announced by the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Defence in July 2020, Defence is investing an additional £78 million in upgrading SLA and the training estate between now and 2022. Further investment is being targeted within the Front Line Command Infrastructure Plans.
The new Future Defence Infrastructure Services Built Estate contracts will improve maintenance of SLA in future by enabling pre-planned maintenance of SLA to be prioritised and scheduled more efficiently across the Defence estate; adopting a ‘fix first time’ approach, targeting the majority of repair tasks being completed at a first visit; providing management information on the condition of SLA in real time which will support the effective maintenance of SLA and implementing new contract performance measures to provide incentives for suppliers to perform well.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser (a) from 1 September to 30 November 2019 and (b) from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Between 1 September 2019 and 29 February 2020, one bilateral meeting was held between the Secretary of State for Defence and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Chief Scientific Adviser. Additionally the Secretary of State for Defence and the MOD Chief Scientific Adviser meet regularly in group briefings.