Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials in his Department held roles that required them to provide information to Troubles-era inquests in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
There are 18 officials in roles within the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Directorate of Judicial Engagement Policy (DJEP) that support the provision of information to Troubles-era inquests in Northern Ireland as all or part of their duties. In addition, there are other teams across MOD providing specialist support to DJEP in providing information to inquests.
We do not hold information on historical staffing records and cannot provide figures in the format requested.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials in his Department are in roles that support the provision of information to Troubles-era inquests in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
There are 18 officials in roles within the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Directorate of Judicial Engagement Policy (DJEP) that support the provision of information to Troubles-era inquests in Northern Ireland as all or part of their duties. In addition, there are other teams across MOD providing specialist support to DJEP in providing information to inquests.
We do not hold information on historical staffing records and cannot provide figures in the format requested.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made a comparative assessment of the policy in (a) the UK and (b) other European countries on whether people affected by Huntington’s disease may serve in the armed forces.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
There has been no comparative assessment of the policy in the UK and other European countries on whether people affected by Huntington’s disease may serve in the Armed Forces. However, all medical entry and in-service standards are regularly reviewed by subject matter experts, military health professionals and military occupational physicians.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 December to Question 103013 on Armed Forces: Huntington's Disease, when he plans to next review the ban on those at risk of developing Huntington's disease from serving in the Armed Forces.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
As stated in the answer to Question 103013, all of the medical employment standards for the Armed Forces, including those relating to Huntington's Disease, are kept under periodic review, taking into account academic reviews of the field, subject matter expert consultation and consensus.
The evidence in policy correlates with national guidelines and there are currently no plans to change existing policy on Huntington's Disease.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 December to Question 103010 on Armed Forces: Huntington's Disease, what evidence would be accepted from an appropriately qualified and experienced specialist to show that a candidate would be unlikely to develop Huntington's disease during a Service career.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
A neurologist review would consider a candidate's genetic coding and prognosis, to indicate if the individual would be likely to develop Huntington's disease during a Service career.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 9 December to Question 103014 on Armed Forces: Huntington's Disease, if he will make an estimate of the average length of time recruits serve in the armed forces.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
The table below details the average (mean) Length of Service of Trained (Royal Navy/Royal Marines and Royal Air Force) and Trade Trained (Army) UK Regulars on Exit (in years) by Service and Officer/Rank:
| 1 Jan 2018-31 Dec 2018 | 1 Jan 2019-31 Dec 2019 | 1 Jan 2020-31 Dec 2020 | 1 Jan 2021-31 Dec 2021 | 1 Jan 2022-31 Dec 2022 |
Tri Service/Officer/Other Rank | 12/19/11 | 13/19/12 | 13/20/12 | 14/21/12 | 13/21/12 |
RN/RM/Officer/Other Rank | 12/20/11 | 13/20/12 | 13/21/12 | 14/21/13 | 13/21/12 |
Army/Officer/Other Rank | 11/18/10 | 11/18/10 | 12/19/11 | 12/20/11 | 12/21/11 |
RAF/Officer/Other Rank | 16/20/15 | 17/21/16 | 17/22/16 | 18/23/17 | 16/21/16 |
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December to Question 103014 on Armed Forces: Huntington's Disease, what medical conditions are currently considered a bar to service.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
Joint Service Publication 950 Leaflet 6-7-7 (JSP 950 Lft 6-7-7) provides a framework for the medical assessment of potential recruits and Serving personnel. I attach a copy.
Fitness to serve may be dependent on several medical conditions. An individual's final grading is determined by using the extensive content in JSP 950 Lft 6-7-7 combined with the judgement of occupational medicine specialists.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is taking steps to enable small and medium UK based engineering businesses to bid for work to provide waste management systems, including shredders, compactors and vacuum storage systems, for new naval vessels.
Answered by Alex Chalk
We recognise that SMEs make a significant contribution to the defence supply chain and wider UK prosperity. That is why the department has published its SME Action Plan to make it easier for SMEs to access opportunities and to bid for requirements. We are also encouraging our major suppliers to publish their own sub-contract opportunities through the Defence Sourcing Portal, making it easier for SMEs to find and bid in for defence work.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether people at risk of Huntington’s disease are able to serve in the armed forces without the need to provide a negative predictive test upon recruitment.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
The genetics of Huntington's disease are complex and the likelihood of an Armed Forces candidate developing the disease and the likely age of presentation are dependent on the number of gene repeats. In some cases it is possible to predict these with a high level of certainty, based either on genetic testing of immediate relatives or of the candidate themselves.
Candidates known to be carriers of the gene associated with Huntington's disease are normally graded medically unfit for service. Candidates with a proven, immediate family history of this condition are also normally graded medically unfit unless known not to carry the gene.
If there is clear evidence that a candidate is unlikely to develop Huntington's disease during a Service career then they may, on a case by case basis, be considered medical fit for service. It is for the candidate to provide this evidence, which must be supported by an appropriately qualified and experienced specialist.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2021 to Question 41667 on Afghanistan: Immigration, and with reference to the email of 6 October 2021 from the Right Hon. Member for Leeds Central, if he will urgently review the application by S, the former interpreter for UK forces whose case was covered on BBC Newsnight on 2 August 2021 and 19 August 2021, under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme.
Answered by James Heappey
This application for relocation under the ARAP scheme is now subject to legal proceedings brought by the applicant against the MOD. These proceedings are ongoing, so it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.