Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many posts there are for (a) press, (b) media and (c) other communications staff in his Department; and what the salary band is for each post.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) press, media team is made up of 14 employees. Roles range from grades Higher Executive Officer to Grade six and have salary ranges between £36,530 to £40,150 up to £70,450 to £78,790 This figure is for the MOD Directorate of Defence Communications Press Office and Media personnel only.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many post legislative reviews (a) their Department or (b) their predecessor Department has undertaken on (i) primary and (ii) secondary legislation in each of the last five years.
Answered by Leo Docherty
There is an Armed Forces Bill every five years to renew the Armed Forces Act 2006. The provisions of the 2006 Act were therefore subject to review as part of the work to prepare for the Armed Forces Acts of 2011, 2016 and 2021.
The Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Act 2018 amended the Armed Forces Act 2006. The 2018 Act was therefore also subject to review as part of the work to prepare for the Armed Forces Act 2021.
Secondary legislation is kept under review as part of day to day management to ensure it remains up to date with changes in policy or legislation.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of the (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation sponsored by (i) their Department or (ii) their predecessor Department has undergone a post legislative review in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Leo Docherty
There is an Armed Forces Bill every five years to renew the Armed Forces Act 2006. The provisions of the 2006 Act were therefore subject to review as part of the work to prepare for the Armed Forces Acts of 2011, 2016 and 2021.
The Armed Forces (Service Complaints and Financial Assistance) Act 2015 and the Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Act 2018 amended the Armed Forces Act 2006. The 2015 and 2018 Acts were therefore also subject to review as part of the work to prepare for the Armed Forces Act 2021.
The Defence Reform Act 2014 completed its first statutory review in 2017. A second statutory review will conclude with a Command Paper due to be published later this year.
Secondary legislation is kept under review as part of day to day management to ensure it remains up to date with changes in policy or legislation.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many pieces of (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation their Department has sponsored in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The Ministry of Defence has introduced seven pieces of primary legislation in the last decade. These Acts include, in order of receipt of Royal Assent:
The number of pieces of secondary legislation sponsored by Government departments, including the Ministry of Defence could be calculated utilising publicly available information. This information is not held within the Department.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy have been received as of 29 November 2021; and of those, how many have not received an acknowledgment response.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence has received over 90,000 applications to the ARAP Scheme and continues to receive new applications daily.
It is not possible to confirm the number of applicants who have received an acknowledgement response; however, I can advise that upon submitting an ARAP application the applicant will receive a notification that the form has been submitted. Contact will then be made directly to the applicant in order to source further information to determine an eligibility decision.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy have been received as of 29 November 2021; and of those, how many have received a substantive response.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence has received over 90,000 applications to the ARAP Scheme and receives more every day. Efforts to process those applications to a decision, and to inform applicants of those decisions are a high priority and are being progressed as swiftly as possible. All applications are acknowledged, however, a large number of those applications are sifted out as incomplete or duplicate applications and these will not necessarily receive a substantive response. As such, it is not possible to provide a definitive answer.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the (a) current and (b) projected capital costs for the joint logistics support base and regional land training hub at Duqm, Oman.
Answered by James Heappey
I am withholding this information as it would, or would be likely to, prejudice our relations with another State.
The UK will continue to invest into Duqm to provide the UK with a Joint Logistic Support Base and Regional Training and Logistic Hub in Oman. Its location is strategically useful for the UK and facilitates maritime basing east of Suez but outside of the Gulf. The port was used to support the delivery of Ex SAIF SAREEA 3-the UK's largest joint exercise since 2001-which tested our ability to conduct a strategic deployment to the Middle East and to underpin one of the UK's bilateral strategic partnerships.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the annual revenue costs of the joint logistics support base and regional land training hub at Duqm, Oman for each of the next five years.
Answered by James Heappey
I am withholding this information as it would, or would be likely to, prejudice our relations with another State.
The UK will continue to invest into Duqm to provide the UK with a Joint Logistic Support Base and Regional Training and Logistic Hub in Oman. Its location is strategically useful for the UK and facilitates maritime basing east of Suez but outside of the Gulf. The port was used to support the delivery of Ex SAIF SAREEA 3-the UK's largest joint exercise since 2001-which tested our ability to conduct a strategic deployment to the Middle East and to underpin one of the UK's bilateral strategic partnerships.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is to his Department of renting facilities at Duqm, Oman.
Answered by James Heappey
I am withholding this information as it would, or would be likely to, prejudice our relations with another State.
The UK will continue to invest into Duqm to provide the UK with a Joint Logistic Support Base and Regional Training and Logistic Hub in Oman. Its location is strategically useful for the UK and facilitates maritime basing east of Suez but outside of the Gulf. The port was used to support the delivery of Ex SAIF SAREEA 3-the UK's largest joint exercise since 2001-which tested our ability to conduct a strategic deployment to the Middle East and to underpin one of the UK's bilateral strategic partnerships.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the purpose is of the first deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Answered by James Heappey
Following her first deployment in 2019, the next deployment of the HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH will be as part of the Carrier Strike Group in 2021 (CSG21). CSG21 will be a profound moment in the UK's military history, a key milestone in achieving our Carrier Strike Full Operating Capability and an opportunity to showcase this world-leading capability on a global stage. It will be an ambitious deployment which also demonstrates the UK's commitment to upholding a rules-based international system, reinforces the UK's commitment to a global Britain and invests in our relationships with global friends and partners. Once plans have been agreed, the Government will bring a statement on the deployment before Parliament.