Asked by: Kirstene Hair (Conservative - Angus)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the local economy in Angus constituency of (a) spending and (b) investment by (i) his Department and (ii) the armed forces since 2015.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) over-riding priority is to provide national security for the UK as a whole and its extensive regional footprint exists to provide UK national security.
Spending or investment decisions are appraised on the basis of costs and benefits to UK society overall irrespective of the location of the expenditure, as required by HM Treasury Green Book.
The department does not routinely undertake assessments of the effect of national spending or investment decisions on local economies.
MOD Regional Expenditure with UK Industry and Commerce and Supported Employment is published at the Government Office Regional level as a National Statistic at the following link:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/774871/Finance_and_economics_annual_statistical_bulletin_201718.pdf
Asked by: Kirstene Hair (Conservative - Angus)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will carry out a review of whether there is sufficient and quality accommodation available to service personnel on the defence estates.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The quality and quantity of all service accommodation is under continual review by the Department. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to providing high quality accommodation within an appropriate locality to where Service personnel live, work and train.
For Service Family Accommodation, the MOD meets the Government Decent Homes Standard, set by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for 95% of its properties, with the overall condition of the accommodation considered as good.
The MOD has delivered more than 50,000 new or upgraded Single Living Accommodation bed-spaces, across the estate over the last 15 years and is committed to invest significant additional funding in Defence infrastructure over the next 10-15 years.
Asked by: Kirstene Hair (Conservative - Angus)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on introducing measures to provide tax relief for armed forces personnel stationed in Scotland who are subject to that administration's tax rates.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 19 July that financial mitigation payments will be made to those Service personnel negatively impacted for tax year 2018-19 by Scottish income tax being higher than the rest of the UK.
The payments will be made to up to 8,000 personnel and will cost in the region of £4 million.
Further details are available in the Written Ministerial Statement laid in the House on 19 July 2018.
Asked by: Kirstene Hair (Conservative - Angus)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether recent reviews of the defence estate have identified any necessary improvements works to current accommodation in Scotland.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Ministry of Defence regularly assesses the condition of accommodation provided for Service personnel, including those based in Scotland. Necessary improvements are identified and prioritised, in discussion with the Front Line Commands, taking unit moves, site longevity and available resources into account.
In this financial year, plans are in place to provide a full external refurbishment to some 30 Service Family Accommodation properties at Helensburgh.
Asked by: Kirstene Hair (Conservative - Angus)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff stationed at RM Condor are (a) military and (b) civilian.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
As at 1 October 2017 there were 650 Military personnel and 40 civilian personnel stationed in Angus Local Authority (where RM Condor is located).
Asked by: Kirstene Hair (Conservative - Angus)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff stationed at RM Condor are (a) military and (b) civilian.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
As at 1 October 2017 there were 650 Military personnel and 40 civilian personnel stationed in Angus Local Authority (where RM Condor is located).
Asked by: Kirstene Hair (Conservative - Angus)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the economic contribution of RM Condor to the local area.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
It is Ministry of Defence policy not to provide a breakdown by geographical or economic area of the potential commercial and economic benefits of Government expenditure.