Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the public purse was of constructing Glenart Castle Mess in Longbridge.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Glenart Castle Mess was constructed in July 2017. The total construction time for the entire project, including planning/prebuild and post-building works was from 2014 to 29 September 2017. The capital cost of the construction of Glenart Castle Mess in Longbridge, was £29.5 million. This figure reflects the cost of building the Mess itself. However, the total capital cost of the wider project, which included associated infrastructure such as utilities, highways, hardstanding, weather protection shelters, and risk assessments, was c£36.2 million.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress has been made on maintenance works at Glenart Castle Mess in Longbridge, Birmingham.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Glenart Castle Mess closed in July 2025 to allow for an upgrade to the water system infrastructure in the building. The maintenance works have progressed well and are on schedule, with 90% of works being complete.
The mess is planned to reopen on 11 November 2025 back to its original use.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 03 September 2025 to Question 73617, on Armed Forces: Special Educational Needs, if he will publish the February 2025 MODLAP advisory note that is referred to in that Answer.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
With reference to my previous response to Question 73617, dated 3 September 2025, concerning Special Educational Needs (SEND) and the MOD Local Authority Partnership (MODLAP), please find attached the February 2025 MODLAP advisory note.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help support service personnel to obtain education, health and care plans for dependent children.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) established, operates and chairs the MOD Local Authority Partnership (MODLAP) principally consisting of those Authorities with the highest numbers of Service children. MODLAP has developed a number of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) related initiatives, which include the SEND Principles. These focus on supporting Service children that require provisions typically contained within Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
In recognition of the unique circumstances of Service children, the SEND Principles enhance provisions already contained within the SEND Code of Practice. These Principles also include measures to ease the conversion of MOD issued Service Children’s Assessment of Needs (SCAN) documentation (MOD equivalent of EHCPs) to EHCPs, following Service children’s return to England after attendance at MOD schools overseas.
In addition, in February of this year, MODLAP issued an advisory note to every Director of Children’s Services in England. This provided advice to Local Authorities and schools in regard to how SEND services may meet the unique needs of Service children with SEND, in keeping with their Armed Forces Covenant statutory duties.
The MOD also provides Service Personnel with access to SEND information, advice and guidance via its Education Advisory Team, based within Defence Children’s Services. This team is staffed with specialists who are qualified teachers and include backgrounds within SEND services and as school SEN Coordinators. This support, combined with their intimate knowledge of Service-related challenges, means our Service Personnel receive an expert support package.
Alongside ongoing Grant in Aid funding provided to the Armed Forces Families Federations, the MOD also delivers grant programmes focused on education issues, including a specific funding theme for SEND. Over the course of the last two funding cycles, the MOD has provided over £2M in SEND grants to Local Authorities and schools to deliver projects and activities that provide added value to support Service children’s SEND needs.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a salary sacrifice car scheme for armed forces personnel.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 June 2025 to Question 57620 to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mark Pritchard).
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contracts (a) BFS Group Limited and (b) subsidiary companies of BFS Group Limited hold with (i) his Department and (ii) agencies of his Department.
Answered by Maria Eagle
Bidfood, a trading division of BFS Group Limited, currently holds a contract for the Supply of UK Deployable Food. No other contracts between the Department and BFS Group Limited or any of its subsidiary companies have been identified.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) scale and (b) effectiveness of North Korea's contribution to Russia's war against Ukraine.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We are seeing evidence that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has sent troops to Russia.
This is a deeply concerning development, which risks prolonging the war, and augments the DPRK's already significant support to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, which includes the provision of artillery munitions and short-range ballistic missiles.
This further illustrates Russia's growing reliance on third country support and a deepening relationship with the DPRK which has serious security implications for Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
I can reassure the hon. Member that the Ministry of Defence keeps this area under close review.