Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support the UK defence industry.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
On 14 March, we provided an update to Parliament on our ambitious Defence Prosperity Programme which includes work to sustain an internationally competitive and productive UK Defence sector. Since the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review introduced a new National Security Objective to Promote UK Prosperity we have published strategies for Shipbuilding and Combat Air and refreshed our Defence Industrial Policy with a new emphasis on supporting growth and competitiveness.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of social class on promotion in the armed forces.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Ministry of Defence has made no recent assessment of the effect of social class on promotion in the Armed Forces.
Armed Forces careers are built on merit, creating an environment where success is determined by potential, effort and talent and not by background. The skills, education and training an Armed Forces career provides allows people the opportunity to progress and prosper not just while they serve, but also once they transition back into civilian life.
With over 50,000 apprenticeships during this Parliament, the Ministry of Defence are the UK's largest apprenticeship provider. In addition, we commission our most talented soldiers, sailors and aircraftmen and women, provide university bursary programmes and we recently announced the STEM Graduate Inflow Scheme which will improve access to our technical graduate programme.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps her Department is taking to encourage competition in defence procurement.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Competition remains the cornerstone of defence procurement policy, except where other strategic considerations need to be taken into account, for example national security, operational advantage and freedom of action.
The Ministry of Defence routinely engages with prime contractors to maximise competition in the supply chain wherever possible; for example, encouraging early visibility of forthcoming requirements.
Above all, our focus is on securing the best capability for the Armed Forces at the best value for money for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has held with counterparts in the governments of Commonwealth member states on the payment of compensation to African veterans of the Second World War.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Defence Ministers have regular discussions with members of the Commonwealth on a range of topics.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of recruits that joined the armed forces before the age of 18 and subsequently left the armed forces before their 18th birthday in each year since 2010.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The requested information is provided in the table below:
Proportions of under-18s who joined the UK Regular Armed Forces and left their Service before their 18th birthday, by Financial Year (FY) and Service
FY | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
Naval Service | 28.4% | 29.9% | 15.9% | 27.3% | 22.3% | 22.7% | 23.5% | 21.4% |
Army | 30.9% | 25.8% | 25.2% | 18.9% | 20.8% | 20.3% | 19.9% | 20.0% |
Royal Air Force | 17.1% | 9.1% | 18.5% | ~ | ~ | 8.3% | 4.2% | 7.9% |
Tri Service | 29.2% | 25.7% | 24.7% | 18.9% | 20.1% | 20.0% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
Notes:
1. FYs relate to the year in which personnel joined the UK Regular Armed Forces.
2. Outflow relates to those who have subsequently left the UK Regular Armed Forces having joined in each FY and includes those who left in the same FY or a later FY.
3. Outflow has been measured to 30 September 2018. There may still be some outflow of personnel who joined before 31 March 2017 and have not yet reached age 18.
4. The proportion of under-18s who joined in FY 2017-18 and subsequently left before the age of 18 is not yet known.
5. Tildes ‘~’ refer to percentages which are suppressed on the basis that the underpinning numbers are below five.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with NATO allies on the security situation between India and Pakistan.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The UK has been working closely with our international partners, including NATO, to support the de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. The UK has been deeply concerned about rising tensions and urgently calls for restraint on both sides to avoid further escalation. The UK is in regular contact with both countries urging for dialogue and diplomatic solutions to ensure regional stability.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to minimise disruption to military procurement in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Defence and Security Public Contracts (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 have been laid before Parliament to allow the legal framework for defence procurement to continue to function in the event of a 'no-deal' exit from the EU. This statutory instrument will correct deficiencies to ensure the law continues to function properly and remove any reciprocal obligations that are no longer appropriate from exit day. This measure will provide the continuity and legal certainty required by public procurers and suppliers.
More broadly, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) continues to engage with Government Departments and with key suppliers to identify risks and opportunities that may arise should the UK leave the EU without a deal. This includes extensive work on MOD supply chains and preparations for any emerging contract issues.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support the mental health of new recruits in the armed forces.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence is absolutely committed to the mental health of all Service personnel. Maintaining good mental health, and providing treatment when required, is fundamental to maintaining a fit, healthy, and effective military force. Our operating model, as set out in the 2017 Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, focuses on the four main strands of Promote, Prevent, Detect and Treat.
Recruits are entitled to the same primary and specialist mental healthcare as their trained counterparts, and initial training includes sessions on stress management, including how to recognise the early signs of a problem, and where to obtain help. A key issue is tackling the perceived stigma around mental health, and this is reinforced by training in programs such as Mental Health First Aid and Trauma Risk Management (TRiM).
For personnel who do need treatment, we can provide a wide range of psychiatric and psychological treatments. The backbone of this care is formed by our 11 military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs) across the UK, plus a network of six satellite mental health teams and a range of visiting clinics, all of which support the provision of healthcare that is available through Service primary care facilities.
Last year, the Secretary of State for Defence announced an additional £2million of annual funding for military mental health services, on top of the £20million a year already spent. Nationally, staffing in DCMHs has increased by 12 posts, and we are working with our in-patient hospital provider (Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust) to provide additional access to treatment through an outpatient psychotherapy service.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the strength of al-Qaeda in Libya; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence does not routinely assess the strength of al-Qaeda in Libya; al-Qaeda has suffered losses and is not the dominant security threat in Libya, although it has long maintained a presence in The South of Libya. The ongoing instability has provided greater freedom of movement, as a result, al-Qaeda has been able to plan and co-ordinate activity that aims to destabilise the local region.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the strength of Daesh (a) in Iraq, (b) in Syria and (c) throughout the rest of the world; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Daesh now holds just a few square kilometres in the Middle Euphrates River Valley. The Global Coalition assesses there are currently not enough Daesh fighters remaining in Iraq and Syria to make any further significant territorial gains. However, Daesh has dispersed into a cellular structure in order to maintain insurgency activity.
Daesh has also attempted to build a global network of affiliates, branches and sympathisers, the strength of which varies country to country. In many countries, Daesh's local network will continue to pose an enduring threat to regional stability. It will likely be limited to terrorist-type activity due to concerted counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations and competition with other militant groups.