Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were recruited into the British Army in each of the first three quarters of 2023-24.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 January to Question 7264 from the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (Mr Healey) which shows the Basic Training Starts for British Army Officer and Other Ranks for financial year 2022-23.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-12-18/7264
The below table shows how many Officers and Other Ranks were recruited into the British Army in Q1 & Q2 2023-24. The figures for Q3 2023-24 are not yet available.
Financial year | Total basic Training starts Actuals | Officer Basic Training Starts Actuals | Other Ranks Basic Training Starts Actuals |
2023-24 Quarter 1 | 960 | 150 | 810 |
2023-24 Quarter 2 | 2,120 | 270 | 1,850 |
Notes/caveats:
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks were recruited to the Army in 2022-23.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 January to Question 7264 from the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (Mr Healey) which shows the Basic Training Starts for British Army Officer and Other Ranks for financial year 2022-23.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-12-18/7264
The below table shows how many Officers and Other Ranks were recruited into the British Army in Q1 & Q2 2023-24. The figures for Q3 2023-24 are not yet available.
Financial year | Total basic Training starts Actuals | Officer Basic Training Starts Actuals | Other Ranks Basic Training Starts Actuals |
2023-24 Quarter 1 | 960 | 150 | 810 |
2023-24 Quarter 2 | 2,120 | 270 | 1,850 |
Notes/caveats:
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) duration, (b) purpose and (c) value is of each of his Department's contracts with Fujita; and who the Top Level budget holder is for each contract.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I am taking the right hon. Member’s question to be asking about Fujitsu. The Department has a total of 12 direct contracts with Fujitsu. These are held by both Defence Equipment and Support and Defence Digital. The value of each contract is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Type 23 frigates are in refit; and when those refits are expected to be completed.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
HMS ST ALBANS, HMS SUTHERLAND, HMS WESTMINSTER and HMS ARGYLL are currently in or are awaiting Refit.
The duration of refit periods is determined by a number of factors, including requirements that emerge during the course of the work, as well as pre-planned repairs and capability insertions. It is not therefore possible to provide precise completion dates until late during each refit period.
In the financial year 2023-24, £100 million has been allocated for Type 23 refits and of this sum about £50 million has been expended.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of allocation or expenditure by vessel for future work. Funds for Type 23 refits are not simply allocated on a per ship or per refit basis. The work required to be undertaken on a vessel over and above pre-planned capability insertions, and therefore the overall baseline costs, are established by survey of the vessel at the commencement of each refit period.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on the refit of (a) HMS Argyll and (b) HMS Westminster.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
HMS ST ALBANS, HMS SUTHERLAND, HMS WESTMINSTER and HMS ARGYLL are currently in or are awaiting Refit.
The duration of refit periods is determined by a number of factors, including requirements that emerge during the course of the work, as well as pre-planned repairs and capability insertions. It is not therefore possible to provide precise completion dates until late during each refit period.
In the financial year 2023-24, £100 million has been allocated for Type 23 refits and of this sum about £50 million has been expended.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of allocation or expenditure by vessel for future work. Funds for Type 23 refits are not simply allocated on a per ship or per refit basis. The work required to be undertaken on a vessel over and above pre-planned capability insertions, and therefore the overall baseline costs, are established by survey of the vessel at the commencement of each refit period.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the out of service date is of (a) HMS Albion and (b) HMS Bulwark.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
On current plans, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark will retire from service by the end of 2034.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) inflow and (b) outflow data for the Regular (i) Royal Navy, (ii) Army and (iii) Royal Air Force are for October to December 2023.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The requested information is currently subject to a verification process and will be published in due course with a provisional release date of March 2024 as an Accredited Official Statistic through the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics publication. The latest edition covers the period to 1 October 2023 and can be found at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-index
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what refits of Royal Navy submarines there have been by (a) name, (b) year, (c) length of refit, (d) time taken to complete the refit, (e) the contractor undertaking the refit and (f) the cost of the refit in the last ten years.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
There have been two submarine Deep Maintenance Periods (refits) during the last ten years. HMS Vengeance underwent a refit from March 2012 to February 2016 at a cost of £322 million. HMS Vanguard’s refit and refuel commenced in February 2016. Whilst HMS Vanguard has left His Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport, the upkeep project continues with post refit sea trials. I am withholding the estimated cost as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many AS-90 howitzers are operationally available.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The British Army holds and maintains an appropriate amount of all platforms to meet operational requirements. I am withholding further information on the number of AS90 available for operational deployment as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of when the last of the Trafalgar class submarines will leave operational service.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The planned out-of-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.