Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his criteria are for publicly disclosing payments made to contractors working on defence programmes.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Where applicable, the Department publishes a Contract Notice for MOD-issued tenders for new procurements over £12,000 (inc VAT) on Contracts Finder which is in the public domain.
Additionally, the Department provides the Cabinet Office upon request with periodic statistical reports on contracts and tenders over the £12,000 (inc VAT) threshold that have been published or are exempt from publication.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been paid to (a) Harland and Wolff and (b) Navantia UK under the Fleet Solid Support programme.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey) on 23 April 2024 to Question 22462.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many blocks will comprise one vessel in the Fleet Solid Support programme; and how many of those will be fabricated in (a) the UK and (b) Spain.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement (Alex Chalk) to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne on 20 January 2023 to Question 128600.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department paid General Dynamics UK in 2023-24 for the Ajax programme.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 the Ministry of Defence paid General Dynamics UK £437 million for the AJAX programme. All payments have been made in accordance with performance against the payment schedule and milestone plan within the extant fixed price contract. I am unable to publish the details of the milestones and payment schedule as this may prejudice the Department’s commercial interests.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) France and (b) Spain on the procurement of a new modular training aircraft for the Royal Air Force.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The current RAF Capability Investigation seeks to fully understand the UK's sovereign requirements for future advanced fast-jet training solutions ahead of any potential future international engagement.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department expects to take delivery of new Chinook H-47 extended range aircraft.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The programme will deliver a total of 14 Extended Range Chinook Helicopters to the Department with delivery from 2027.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2024 to Question 16073 on HMS Prince of Wales: Salvage, whether artefacts salvaged illegally from HMS Prince of Wales and seized in Malaysia have been (a) seen and (b) inventoried by UK officials.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Investigations into the illegal salvage of HMS Prince of Wales by the Malaysian authorities are still ongoing, therefore, it would be inappropriate to comment further until they have been concluded.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether artefacts salvaged illegally from HMS Prince of Wales and seized in Malaysia are to be accessioned by the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Investigations into the illegal salvage of HMS Prince of Wales by the Malaysian authorities are still ongoing, we are unable to confirm the future preservation of the artefacts until investigations have concluded.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans the upgrade to Type 45's Sea Viper Air Defence system to deliver Ballistic Missile Defence Capability will achieve initial operating capability.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Sea Viper Evolution is the first stage of UK Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) with enhancements to the Type 45 Destroyer's Multi-Function Radar, Combat Management System (CMS), Weapon Command and Control (C2), and the ASTER 30 Block 1 missile. Initial Operating Capability (IOC) is scheduled for February 2028, and the UK is currently in an Assessment Phase for future capability upgrades.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the public purse was for upgrading the Royal Marines' offshore raiding craft to commando raiding craft specification in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
A total cost of £11.35 million provides the full capability requirement and extends the through-life management until 2030.