Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure preserved Armed Forces Pension benefits are claimed.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence continues to conduct tracing exercises 60 working days after the pension due date to establish the member's address and invite them to claim; we continue to explore additional mechanisms to identify individuals who qualify for an unclaimed deferred pension.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what safeguards have been considered in relation to Meta support for building AI systems for UK national security.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not use services from Meta to build Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems for United Kingdom (UK) national security purposes.
Broader policy on the governance, assurance and oversight of the UK’s relationships with commercial AI developers, including any safeguarding expectations, sits with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), which leads for Government on the regulation and safe development of AI technologies.
The MOD’s role is limited to ensuring that any AI technologies we adopt or develop follow our established Defence AI Strategy, our ethical principles for responsible AI in Defence as set out in our ‘Ambitious, Safe, Responsible’ policy document, and the security requirements set out in UK Government security classifications. These include robust technical; security and assurance measures appropriate to the sensitivity of MOD systems.
We continue to work closely with DSIT, the National Cyber Security Centre and other cross-Government partners to ensure any Defence use of AI is safe, secure and compliant with national policy.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Valour Veterans' Support Programme will include working with existing social enterprises that provide advice, services and support to veterans.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The VALOUR programme will engage across a wide range of stakeholders who provide support services for veterans, including social enterprises. VALOUR Field Officers will work with these stakeholders to improve the coordination of veteran support. The programme will also work with existing organisations to ensure VALOUR Recognised Centres provide a holistic network of support centres for veterans, in areas such as health, housing, employment and finance.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many homes in the Poole constituency will be (a) modernised and (b) upgraded under the Defence Housing Strategy.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
At this stage, we are unable to confirm how many Defence Homes will be improved within the Poole constituency.
Currently, planning is at relatively high level across the whole estate which tells us that around nine out of ten Defence homes will need to be modernised or upgraded under the implementation of the Strategy over 10 years, in a carefully planned renewal programme.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help reduce veteran homelessness in Poole constituency.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
This is a Government that will always stand up for those who serve our country.
This Government is fully committed to ensuring that all veterans, including those living in Poole, have access to the support they need on housing. That is why we have committed an additional £12 million to ensure the continuation of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme.
Op FORTITUDE will also be extended, putting the service that has already housed over 1,000 veterans on a sustainable footing. These programmes will deliver three years of support services across the UK for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness, fulfilling the Prime Minister's pledge that homes will be there for heroes.
Organisations across the UK have been eligible to apply for funding under the Veterans' Capital Housing Fund. This funding is used to refurbish or build new social and affordable accommodation for veterans. Funding from this programme has included two grants to Bournemouth War Memorial Homes totalling £560,000.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military support his Department is providing to Israel.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
UK military support being provided to Israel is for the specific purpose of hostage rescue and recovery. Previously the UK also acted to support Israel's right to self-defence during Iran's direct attacks in April and October 2024.
On hostage rescue, the UK Government continues to work with partners across the region, including Israel, to secure the release of hostages. The Ministry of Defence have been supporting this effort by conducting unarmed surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including in airspace over Israel and Gaza.
Support to hostage rescue does not mean the UK is participating in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Surveillance flights are tasked with the sole purpose of hostage rescue and our mandate is narrowly defined to focus on securing the release and recovery of hostages. We control what information is shared with Israel and only information relating to hostage rescue is passed to the relevant Israeli authority.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new jobs will be created in the UK from the manufacture of 12 new F-35 A jets.
Answered by Maria Eagle
UK industry contributes approximately 15% by value of F-35 production, working with over 100 suppliers and supporting more than 20,000 jobs. The Ministry of Defence will purchase 12 F-35A aircraft as part of the previously agreed F-35B procurement schedule.
It will help sustain the significant employment and industrial benefits provided by the programme. The rear fuselage and tail surfaces of every F-35 are manufactured in Lancashire; the ejection seats are manufactured in Middlesex; and core avionics and electronics systems are manufactured in Scotland, Kent and the South West.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total cost of the 12 new F-35 A jets will be.
Answered by Maria Eagle
Final prices will be identified during contract negotiation.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timeline is for manufacturing 12 new F-35 A jets.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The UK will purchase 12 new F-35A fighter jets and join NATO’s dual capable aircraft nuclear mission in a major boost for national security. The Secretary of State for Defence has said he expects those F-35As to start being delivered before the end of the decade.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where the 12 new F-35 A jets will be manufactured.
Answered by Maria Eagle
UK industry contributes approximately 15% by value of F-35 production, working with over 100 suppliers and supporting more than 20,000 jobs. Although final assembly of all F-35 aircraft takes place at Lockheed Martin's facility in Fort Worth, Texas, the UK plays a significant role in the programme through the manufacture of key components.
The rear fuselage and tail surfaces of every F-35 are manufactured in Lancashire; the ejection seats are manufactured in Middlesex; and core avionics and electronics systems are also produced throughout the UK.