Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the (a) financial and (b) related professional services industry is represented on the Defence Industrial Joint Council.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The Defence Industrial Joint Council (DIJC) aims to harness a wide and diverse set of expertise to shape the future of Britain's defence manufacturing, supply chain and innovation. The DIJC's top-level council is comprised of experts from across the sector, including representatives from the finance and investor community (Kerry Baldwin, IQ Capital and Dame Fiona Murray, NATO Innovation Fund). The membership of the DIJC runs on a principle of rotation, with all appointments for an initial tenure of 12 months. The financial sector will have opportunities for participation in DIJC initiatives as these are stood up.
The DIJC has strong links through its membership to the CBI-led Defence Economic Growth Taskforce, an initiative that is mobilising defence and finance leaders, to shape the UK's future prosperity and is co-chaired by the Chancellor and Defence Secretary.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 33375 on Environment Protection: Finance, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) divestment and (b) the UK green finance framework on (i) the economic viability of the UK defence industry and (ii) defence procurement costs.
Answered by Maria Eagle
This Government is clear that we see no conflict between sustainable investment and investment in our world-leading defence sector. The new Defence Industrial Strategy will align the UK’s economic and security priorities and unlock the potential of every region and nation across the UK. This will include creating the conditions needed for the private sector to invest more, and pro-actively, in the defence sector.
The Trade Association ADS’s first Defence Environment, Social and Governance Charter Report highlighted the positive contribution that the defence industry is making to supporting our environment and our communities.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of divestment in the UK defence industry as a consequence of (a) the Paris Climate Agreement and (b) UK Climate Transition Benchmarks.
Answered by Maria Eagle
We have not carried out an assessment into the impacts of divestment in the UK’s Defence Industry due to (a) the Paris Climate Agreement and (b) UK Climate Transition Benchmarks. This is because we see no conflict between investment in Defence and sustainable investment. The Defence Industrial Strategy - Statement of Intent, published in December 2024, identified the mobilisation of additional private sector investment as essential to the Government’s agenda to strengthen our nation’s defences and grow our economy.
Reducing the carbon footprint of Defence is not differentiated from this investment. Accelerating the development and adoption of dual use energy and circular economy technologies can deliver operational advantage and resilience while reducing emissions. For example, trials integrating alternative fuel sources and renewable energy technology can further unlock an ability to operate for longer periods without resupply and at greater reach across a dispersed battlefield.
Our ambition is for a better, more integrated, more innovative and more resilient defence industry and we will be publishing a Defence Industrial Strategy aligned to this ambition.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2024 to Question 1248 on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, whether the Prime Minister’s Office plans to use insourced armed forces’ helicopters for official travel after December 2024.
Answered by Maria Eagle
No. Routine helicopter transport will be sourced through the Ministerial Transport Office, not from Military helicopters.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the planned discontinuation of the Rotary Wing Command Support Air Transport Helicopter Service, whether (a) the Prime Minister, (b) other Ministers, (c) members of the Royal Family and (d) senior defence staff will be permitted to use in sourced (i) Royal Air Force and (ii) Royal Navy helicopters for travel in their official capacities.
Answered by Maria Eagle
An alternative framework for VIP air transport and military command support air transport is being considered. The review will explore means of delivery and consider cost-effectiveness while ensuring the important military command function can be met appropriately.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civil servants, other than special advisers, his Department has appointed without open competition since 4 July 2024; what their (a) job titles and (b) salary bands are; and on what basis each was appointed.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Since 4 July 2024, there have been 30 civil servants in the Ministry of Defence who have been appointed on exemption. I am withholding the information about job titles and salary bands as it contains personal data which cannot be released as individuals could potentially be identified.
I can confirm that of the 30, one was appointed under Exemption 5: Former Civil Servant, 27 under Exemption 1: Temporary appointments, and two under the Military Transition scheme.
The appointments are based on a justifiable need of the Civil Service under Exemption 1: Temporary appointments; where either the urgency of the need or the short duration of the role make a full competition impracticable or disproportionate, Departments may appoint an individual for up to a maximum of two years, to provide managers with the flexibility to meet the short-term needs of the Civil Service, Exemption 5: Former civil servants; Former civil servants who were previously appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition may be re-appointed (to a permanent or fixed-term appointment) within a maximum of five years of leaving the Civil Service.
The Military Transition scheme is a Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) scheme run through the Cabinet Office. In the summer of 2019 this became an accredited scheme to recruit veterans and their spouses into the Civil Service.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) direct ministerial and (b) other public appointments to his Department and associated bodies have (i) been (A) removed from their posts and (B) asked to resign and (ii) made since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Department has not removed any direct Ministerial appointees or public appointees from their posts.
No direct Ministerial appointees or public appointees have been asked to resign.
The Department has made no statutory direct Ministerial appointments.
The Department has made eight non-statutory direct Ministerial appointments.
These are as follows:
Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2024
Lead reviewer- Lord Robertson of Port Ellen
Reviewer - Dr Fiona Hill
Reviewer - General Sir Richard Barrons
Review Team Expert - Rt Hon Sir Jeremy Quin
Review Team Expert - Edward Dinsmore
Review Team Expert - Robin Marshall
Review Team Expert - Grace Cassy
AUKUS
UK Government’s AUKUS Adviser - Sir Stephen Lovegrove
The Department has made four other public appointments.
These are as follows:
Atomic Weapons Establishment
Non-Executive Director - Mark Wild
Defence Infrastructure Organisation
Non-Executive Director - Sarah Albon
Non-Executive Director - Eloise Francis
UK Hydrographic Office
Non-Executive Director - Tom Betts
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to renew the contract with the Rotary Wing Command Support Air Transport Helicopter Service.
Answered by Maria Eagle
No. The current contract will end in December 2024. To ensure value for money for the taxpayer this contract will not be renewed, and a £40 million budget for the provision of a future contract will be returned to the Ministry of Defence core budget.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the total of MBE (military) and BEM (military) awards announced in (a) 1992, (b) 1999, (c) 2006 and (d) 2014 was awarded to members of the armed forces in the equivalent ranks of (i) Chief Petty Officer, (ii) Staff Sergeant and (iii) Flight Sergeant and below.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The requested information is not held by the Ministry of Defence. However, details relating to military awards are in the public domain and can be searched in the 'awards and accreditation' section of the official public record at the following website: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what total amount his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Ministry Of Defence expenditure on Ministerial travel in officially provided cars has been as follows:
| Financial Year | (a) Government Car & Despatch Agency | (b) Other Car Hire (1) |
| 2007-08 | Nil | Not Separately Recorded |
| 2008-09 | £85,100 | £205,000 |
| 2009-10 | £106,343 | £218,090 |
(1) The figures quoted represent an estimate of the Defence Ministers' use of MOD-provided cars.
Road transport for the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Mr Fallon), is normally provided by the Metropolitan Police. The other Ministers have, in accordance with the Ministerial Code published on 21 May 2010, given up their cars with a dedicated driver to reduce costs and now share central MOD pool vehicles with senior staff working in the MOD Main Building. Defence Ministers therefore no longer make use of the service provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.