Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the armed forces are trained in biological warfare; and what plans he has to increase the number of such people.
Answered by Mark Francois
In accordance with the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, which prohibits the use of Biological Weapons, UK Armed Forces personnel are not trained in offensive Biological Warfare. The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention does permit programmes and activities to protect against the use of Biological Weapons
In accordance with the UK policy on Chemical Biological Radiation and Nuclear (CBRN) Protection, all members of the Armed Forces receive CBRN defence training on initial entry and thereafter on a routine basis, the frequency of which is determined by role and readiness state.
Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British military personnel have been assigned to support the training of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Answered by Mark Francois
On 24 February 2015 the Prime Minister announced additional UK non-lethal support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Around 75 British military personnel comprising of military trainers, advisors and liaison staff will provide this support, in the areas of medical, logistics, infantry, and intelligence capacity-building. The exact numbers will vary depending on the scheduling of the training activities.
This activity is in addition to ongoing defence engagement in areas such as leadership, defence reform, anti-corruption, strategic communications and procurement.
Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many biological warfare casualty treatment facilities his Department has in place; and what the state of readiness of those facilities is.
Answered by Mark Francois
The Defence Medical Services (DMS) do not maintain treatment facilities which are specifically dedicated to casualties of "biological warfare". The management of a biological casualty would be embedded in an "all-hazards" treatment regime designed for managing infectious diseases, whether caused by natural (endemic) disease or hostile action. We have the capability to put in place facilities to respond to a range of eventualities.
The treatment of biological casualties follows internationally-mandated 'surviving sepsis' guidelines, which are taught to DMS personnel and would be applicable to biological attacks involving such infections as meningococcal disease, plague, and anthrax.
Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruits enlisted in (a) the Regular Army and (b) the Reserve Forces in each region of the UK in the 12 months preceding the award of the contract for recruiting to Capita.
Answered by Julian Brazier
Recruiting for both the Regular Army and Army Reserve is measured on a nationwide basis. Since April 2013 the Army's recruiting has been processed centrally as part of the Recruit Partnering Project (RPP), with applications made online rather than solely at local careers offices.
Official statistics for the Regular Army and Army Reserve intake of untrained and trained direct entrants for the period 2012-13 (the year preceding the start of RPP) and then up to 31 December 2014 are shown below:
Intake | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 to 31 December 2014
|
Regular | 10,300 | 7,020 | 5,340
|
Reserve | 3,960 | 2,960 | 3,600
|
Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruits have enlisted in (a) the Regular Army and (b) the Reserve Forces in each region of the UK since Capita was awarded the contract for recruiting.
Answered by Julian Brazier
Recruiting for both the Regular Army and Army Reserve is measured on a nationwide basis. Since April 2013 the Army's recruiting has been processed centrally as part of the Recruit Partnering Project (RPP), with applications made online rather than solely at local careers offices.
Official statistics for the Regular Army and Army Reserve intake of untrained and trained direct entrants for the period 2012-13 (the year preceding the start of RPP) and then up to 31 December 2014 are shown below:
Intake | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 to 31 December 2014
|
Regular | 10,300 | 7,020 | 5,340
|
Reserve | 3,960 | 2,960 | 3,600
|
Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) RAF Regiment, (b) Royal Marines and (c) Regular Army personnel have been made redundant in each of the last five years; and how many such personnel (i) have been re-hired on full-time reserve service contracts and (ii) have joined the Reserves.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Ministry of Defence began collecting centrally information on the numbers made redundant in October 2011. Of those made redundant, the information on those who then joined the Reserve Forces is readily available post - 1 April 2012 for the Army Reserve and post - 1 October 2012 for the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marine Reserve, Royal Fleet Reserve and Royal Air Force Reserve.
Armed Forces personnel who leave and then join the Reserves or the Full Time Reserve Service do not necessarily do so within the same Financial Year (FY).
The following table records the number of Armed Forces personnel who left the RAF Regiment, Royal Marines or the Regular Army on redundancy during each FY or part FY from 1 October 2011 to 31 December 2014 and the number who then joined the Reserves or the Full-Time Reserve Service (FTRS).
YEAR | SERVICE | ||
ARMY | ROYAL MARINES | ROYAL AIR FORCE REGIMENT (includes the Operational Support Regiment) | |
1 OCTOBER 2011 – 31 MARCH 2012 | |||
Number Made Redundant | 600 | ~ | ~ |
Who Then Joined:-
Reserve Forces Of Which FTRS |
50 10 | ~ | - |
1 APRIL 2012 – 31 MARCH 2013 | |||
Number Made Redundant | 2,060 | 10 | - |
Who Then Joined:-
Reserve Forces Of Which FTRS |
170 10 | - | - |
1 APRIL 2013 – 31 MARCH 2014 | |||
Number Made Redundant | 4,060 | - | - |
Who Then Joined:-
Reserve Forces Of Which FTRS |
390 10 | - | - |
1 APRIL 2014 – 31 DECEMBER 2015 | |||
Number Made Redundant | 1,280 | - | - |
Who Then Joined:-
Reserve Forces Of Which FTRS |
50 - | - | - |
Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
~ denotes 5 or fewer.
- denotes Zero.
The Reserve Forces consist of Volunteer Reserves, Regular Reserves, Sponsored Reserves and Full Time Reserve Service.
Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what response he has made to the recommendation in the Veterans Transition Review, published on 11 February 2014, that security-vetted armed forces champions should be appointed in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Department welcomed Lord Ashcroft's report on the review of the Armed Forces transition process. The report made 43 distinct recommendations; many are now in place either in full or in part. In response to his specific recommendations on an Armed Forces Champion in Northern Ireland, the Northern Irish Government announced last year that from April 2015, Local Authorities will nominate both a non-elected official and a councillor to membership of the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association in Northern Ireland. The latter will also act as a local Veterans Champion.
In addition, the relationship between the Northern Ireland Aftercare Service and the Veterans Welfare Service has been strengthened and close working links developed with The Royal British Legion, Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association, Combat Stress and key charities in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the appointment of a representative from Northern Ireland to the Armed Forces Covenant Reference Group.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Ministry of Defence (MOD) officials have recently held discussions with their opposite numbers in the Northern Ireland Executive. This resulted in the compilation of the most comprehensive record to date of Covenant achievements in Northern Ireland, highlighted in the Covenant Annual Report which I laid before Parliament on 16 December 2014. In addition, the Northern Ireland Executive has recently been invited, with the other Devolved Administrations, to attend a series of quarterly meetings in the MOD to consider specifically Covenant issues.
There is an open invitation to the Northern Ireland Executive to join the Covenant Reference Group although, as yet, this has not been accepted. In the debate on the Covenant in Northern Ireland on 22 October 2014 (Official report, column 1002) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr Andrew Murrison, reminded the House that the offer had been made and that the door was still open, and thoroughly recommended that the Northern Ireland Executive take a full and active part in the group.
Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to make surplus Ministry of Defence housing in Lisburn available for sale to housing associations.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Ministry Of Defence has no plans to release surplus housing in Lisburn to housing associations.
The Department is considering releasing surplus housing in Lisburn to the Northern Ireland Executive.
Asked by: Jeffrey M Donaldson (Independent - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will bring forward the timescale for the revision of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Answered by Michael Fallon
The Government is committed to revising the Strategic Defence and Security Strategy in 2015.