Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recruitment methods and incentives his Department is using to recruit engineers and intelligence officers to the RAF.
Answered by Mike Penning
The RAF is actively promoting careers in the engineering branch through: University Road Shows at universities with courses which focus on Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM); through specifically targeted marketing and media campaigns; and via Station events. The RAF is also offering attractive incentives such as sponsorship of STEM based university students, a 'Golden Hello' for Engineering Officers and the Continued Accelerated Promotion programme. Additionally, the RAF continues to engage with a number of national youth organisations to promote future careers in STEM.
The RAF is not encountering any difficulty in recruiting Intelligence Officers. Therefore, there is no focused recruiting or incentives for the intelligence branch outside of the current recruitment campaign.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when steel will be cut for the first Type 26 Frigate.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2017 to Question 59239 to the right hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Sir Nicholas Soames).
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure safe staffing levels in the NHS.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Staffing in our health service is a priority for this Government. That's why we have invested in the frontline. There are around 11,800 more full time equivalent hospital and community doctors since May 2010, and 13,300 more full time equivalent nurses than in May 2010. With almost 52,000 doctors and 51,000 nurses in training, we will continue to make sure we have the staff available to give patients high quality care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which submarine will undergo Initial Dismantling at Rosyth.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Ministry of Defence has spent to date a total of circa. £34.4 million on the maintenance and checks carried out by the Department and regulators on the decommissioned submarines that are awaiting disposal.
The approximate figures for Her Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport and Rosyth Dockyard are circa. £11.9 million and £22.5 million respectively.
The first submarine to undergo initial dismantling under the Submarine Dismantling Programme will be HMS Swiftsure.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on maintenance and checks for the nuclear-powered submarines in laid-up storage at (a) Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport and (b) Rosyth Dockyard.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Ministry of Defence has spent to date a total of circa. £34.4 million on the maintenance and checks carried out by the Department and regulators on the decommissioned submarines that are awaiting disposal.
The approximate figures for Her Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport and Rosyth Dockyard are circa. £11.9 million and £22.5 million respectively.
The first submarine to undergo initial dismantling under the Submarine Dismantling Programme will be HMS Swiftsure.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what definition of moderate his Department uses when referring to Syrian opposition groups.
Answered by Mike Penning
The moderate Syrian opposition is made up of groups which do not share an extremist ideology, and have affirmed support for a pluralist, inclusive future for Syria and a negotiated political settlement. Such groups will participate actively in political processes and will be represented at UN talks.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what vetting process his Department applies to moderate Syrian opposition groups before they receive training from UK personnel.
Answered by Mike Penning
On 25 October, the Secretary of State for Defence announced that the UK would renew its participation in the US-led Train and Equip Programme to train selected members of vetted moderate Syrian opposition groups outside Syria as part of the wider counter-Daesh campaign. Before being accepted for training, prospective trainees are then individually vetted and subject to security and medical screening.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nuclear-powered submarines are waiting for decommissioning work to be (a) commenced and (b) completed.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
There are 12 submarines in laid-up storage in Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport and seven at Rosyth Dockyard. Under the Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP) one submarine will commence 'Initial Dismantling' at Rosyth later in 2016, subject to regulatory permissions, to refine the process.
While laid-up, the submarines are subject to regular maintenance and checks by both the Ministry of Defence and regulators, and pose no additional risk to workers or members of the public.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contingency plans his Department has for the decommissioning of nuclear-powered submarines if a suitable geological disposal facility is not identified.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) is the only type of waste from submarines that will require the use of a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). A facility for the interim storage of ILW has been arranged at Capenhurst in Cheshire until the proposed GDF is available from 2040. In line with Government guidance, the interim ILW store will have a design life of at least 100 years - considerably longer than it is anticipated will be required.
Asked by: Steven Paterson (Scottish National Party - Stirling)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to complete the ratification of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Answered by Nick Hurd
An explanatory memorandum initiating the UK’s domestic approval of the Agreement was laid on 7th October 2016 with a view to completing the domestic procedures that will enable ratification before the end of the year.