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Written Question
Armed Forces
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to recruit armed forces personnel.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

In a challenging labour market, we continue to apply an array of measures to support recruitment and retention and refine the Armed Forces’ offer including last year with the largest pay increase for more than two decades. Haythornthwaite Review teams have been stood up across Defence to implement all of Rick Haythornthwaite’s 67 recommendations, working to establish a reward and incentivisation architecture that will attract and retain the skills we need in the years ahead.


Written Question
Defence Electronics and Components Agency: Defence Equipment & Support
Wednesday 5th July 2023

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the merger of the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA) and Defence Equipment and Support on (a) the number of staff employed by DECA in Wales, (b) DECA’s participation in the Sealand Support Services Limited joint venture and (c) DECA's other business operations (i) as of June 2023 and (ii) in the next three years.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Since merging with Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) in April 2023, the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA) has continued to provide vital services across Defence.

The merger secures the long-term future for DECA, and will deliver significant business growth and investment over the next three years, together with increased learning, development, and career opportunities for the workforce as part of a larger organisation. DECA's workload and capacity are expected to increase across all business operations over the next three years, thereby sustaining current employment levels of around 380 personnel at its avionics and electronics centre of excellence at Sealand in North Wales and 70 personnel located elsewhere in the UK.

The merger has had no impact on DECA's participation in the Sealand Support Services Limited joint venture.

As a part of DE&S, DECA will continue to work as a partner to industry in providing best value solutions to Defence for the support of avionics, electronics, and other specialised components. This will be both through assigned work, as a strategically retained in-house capability where this represents value for money, and through open competition.


Written Question
Ammunition: Procurement
Wednesday 5th July 2023

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with industry representatives on the potential for manufacturers based in Wales to help (a) replenish and (b) increase the UK’s munitions stockpiles.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Ministers and officials in the Ministry of Defence have regular and productive discussions with industry regarding both the replenishment of weapons and munitions granted to Ukraine, as well as potential opportunities to increase munition production. These ongoing discussions are with industry representatives from across the UK, including manufacturers with sites based in Wales.


Written Question
Defence: Research
Wednesday 5th July 2023

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Autumn Statement 2022, published on 17 November 2022, what recent progress his Department has made on (a) establishing and (b) allocating funding to the Advanced Technology Research Centre in Wales.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

As detailed in the Autumn Statement, the UK Government will provide up to £10 million of support, subject to business case, to work collaboratively with the Welsh government to deliver a defence-focussed Advanced Technology Research Centre at Sealand in North Wales. The full business case for its funding allocation is nearing completion and working level engagement continues between the Ministry of Defence and the Welsh Government to implement the joint project.


Written Question
Ammunition: Procurement
Wednesday 5th July 2023

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much and what proportion of the (a) £2 billion announced in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023 to replenish and increase munitions stockpiles and (b) £560 million at the Autumn Statement 2022 will be allocated to manufacturers based in Wales.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Until all of the £560 million from the Autumn Statement 2022 has been contracted it is not possible to provide a breakdown of where the funding will be allocated.


Written Question
Veterans: Railways
Tuesday 4th February 2020

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Transport and (b) Welsh Ministers on the introduction of the Veterans' railcard in Wales.

Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)

The Department for Transport is the lead Government Department working on a railcard for veterans. While the Defence Secretary has discussed the new railcard with the Transport Secretary and is supportive, Defence Ministers have had no discussions with colleagues around the introduction of a railcard for veterans in Wales. However, we are aware that the Transport Secretary has written to his counterparts in Wales and Scotland, inviting them to work with him to ensure that a railcard for veterans is accepted on the services for which they are responsible.


Written Question
Ministry of Defence: Wales
Tuesday 5th November 2019

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the economy of Wales of (a) spending and (b) investment by (i) his Department and (ii) the armed forces since 2010; and if he will place that information in the Library.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 November 2019 to the hon. Members for Moray (Douglas Ross), Harrow East (Bob Blackman), Havant (Alan Mak), Angus (Kirsten Hair), Chatham and Aylesford (Tracey Crouch), Clacton (Giles Watling), West Worcestershire (Harriett Baldwin), North East Hampshire (Ranil Jayawardena) and Cheadle (Mary Robinson) to Questions 7761, 7715, 7772, 7783, 7723, 7790, 7738, 7794 and 7796.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Tuesday 4th June 2019

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2019 to Question 239921 on Armed Forces: Recruitment, when he plans to write to the hon. Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire with the information on the number of recruitment applications declined on medical grounds.

Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton

I apologise to the hon. Member for the time taken to respond to his Question 239921.

The table below shows how many recruitment applications for the Regular Armed Forces were declined after being classified Permanently Medically Unfit in the last five financial years.

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

14,729

16,937

20,573

22,516

23,043

These figures are single service estimates and are not official statistics produced by Defence Statistics.

Although the medical rejection figures have risen each year, the amount of applications over the five-year period has also increased significantly.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Tuesday 4th June 2019

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the medical conditions that trigger automatic rejection for recruitment applications to the armed forces.

Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton

Medical conditions that are an absolute bar to Service entry are set-out in the Joint Service Manual of Medical Fitness (JSMMF). A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

The JSMMF is updated periodically. The next version will be published in June and placed in the Library of the House.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Wednesday 10th April 2019

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruitment applications to the Armed Forces were declined on medical grounds in each of the last five years.

Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton

This information is taking some time to compile, and I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available.