Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will support the search for grave sites of those lost in HMS Dasher in 1943.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
HMS DASHER tragically sank in March 1943 following an explosion onboard where no enemy action was involved. Records show that 23 servicemen are buried in marked graves at the following locations, Ardrossan Cemetery (13), Greenock Cemetery (seven), Frizington Roman Catholic Cemetery (one), Mearns Cemetery (one) and at Paisley (Hawkhead) Cemetery (one).
It is Government policy that, where a wreck of a ship is the final resting place for our Service men and women, they should be allowed to lie undisturbed. As DASHER is the last known resting place for 356 Servicemen, the wreck is designated as a controlled site under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986; this means the site can only be accessed under a licence granted by the Secretary of State for Defence. The lives of those lost are commemorated on war memorials around the country.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a comparative assessment of the percentage increases in the (a) pay for MoD staff and (b) national living wage since 2016; what assessment he has made of the impact of the levels of pay for staff in his Department on the (i) recruitment and (ii) retention of staff in his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The increase, as a percentage, for the national living wage (NLW) rate, the amount the Civil Service (CS) pay remit permitted, and the overall award which the Ministry of Defence (MOD) implemented in each year since 2016 is presented in the table below:
Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
NLW Increase | 7.45% | 4.17% | 4.4% | 4.85% | 6.21% | 2.18% | 6.62% | 9.68% |
CS Remit guidance | 1% | 1% | 1-1.5% | 1-2% | 1.5-2.5% | 0% | 2-3% |
|
MOD pay award | 1% | 1% | 1.5% | 2% | 2.5% | 0% | 3% |
|
Notes to table:
- The MOD has implemented an award at the maximum of the permitted ranges allowed under the Cabinet Office/Treasury guidance in each year. This represents the overall MOD change in pay and not necessarily what every individual received.
- For 2023 the CS guidance, and therefore MOD’s award, are yet to be published/determined and, therefore, their respective cells are blank.
No assessment has been made on the impact of the NLW rise on recruitment and retention. This will be closely monitored from April 2023 when the new NLW rate comes into effect. A multi-disciplinary project team has been created to steer the Defence response to the NLW and any necessary changes in our operating model.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information he holds on the number of military personnel who assisted with covid-19 testing in Liverpool who are currently in isolation at Catterick Garrison; and what representations he has received on the standard of catering services in that location for those personnel affected.
Answered by James Heappey
Of the Service personnel who assisted with COVID-19 testing in Liverpool, which ended in November 2020, none are currently in isolation at Catterick Garrison.
At present, neither the chain of command nor the catering department at Catterick Garrison have received negative comments from personnel in isolation. Spot checks on meals are conducted daily by duty personnel, and menus are routinely monitored by Food Service Warrant Officers to guarantee appropriate standards are maintained.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will review the proposal to close the defined benefit pension scheme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The proposed changes to the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Pension Scheme are a matter for AWE plc to determine as the employer.
The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) role is part of the governance structure only. This requires that certain, specific changes to the scheme be approved by the Board of Trustees and the Secretary of State for Defence.
The MOD has been in close contact with AWE throughout the process. My predecessor met with trade union representatives to discuss the matter and MOD officials have subsequently met with AWE and the trade unions to clarify the Department's position concerning the AWE pension scheme.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to resolve the current impasse between parties on proposals to close the defined benefit pension scheme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The proposed changes to the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Pension Scheme are a matter for AWE plc to determine as the employer.
The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) role is part of the governance structure only. This requires that certain, specific changes to the scheme be approved by the Board of Trustees and the Secretary of State for Defence.
The MOD has been in close contact with AWE throughout the process. My predecessor met with trade union representatives to discuss the matter and MOD officials have subsequently met with AWE and the trade unions to clarify the Department's position concerning the AWE pension scheme.
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much accrued to the public purse from sales of arms to Saudi Arabia in 2015.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Official UK defence export statistics are compiled each year by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the figures for 2015 are not yet available.