Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his polices of the drone attack on the Tower 22 US base in Jordan on 28 January 2024.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence continuously monitors the security situation within the region, including following the attack on the Tower 22 base. The UK remains firmly committed to the Global Coalition Against Daesh and we are working with our partners across the region to promote regional stability.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the level of risk posed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq to service personnel (a) deployed on Op Shader and (b) otherwise serving overseas.
Answered by James Heappey
The force protection of UK service personnel deployed on Op SHADER and otherwise serving overseas is kept under constant review. For reasons of operational security, I am unable to comment on specific assessments or mitigations.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to send additional defence capabilities to the (a) Gulf of Aden and (b) Red Sea region following the attack on HMS Diamond.
Answered by James Heappey
On 11 January 2024, Royal Air Force aircraft joined coalition forces in striking a number of facilities used by the Houthi rebel faction in Yemen to attack shipping in the southern Red Sea.
This followed the Houthis persistence in threatening merchant ships and deliberate targeting of HMS Diamond and US Navy vessels on 9 January 2024.
This limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence was taken alongside the United States against targets tied to these attacks, to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping.
As announced during the 8 January 2024 Defence Orals, HMS Richmond is sailing from the UK to the Red Sea. We keep operational deployments under review to ensure that we are able to respond to the situation in the region.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish a list of the (a) sea trial and (b) operational start date for each Type 26 frigate.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Initial Operating Capability for the Type 26 Class is forecast to be October 2028. All ships are expected to enter service between 2028 and 2035.
To avoid compromising operational security, the Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose individual out of service dates or specific in-service dates for warships to avoid revealing elements of the Fleet's long-term schedule. However, the Royal Navy continues to ensure that it has sufficient assets available to deliver operational outputs.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department plans to take should Houthi rebels continue to attack commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
Answered by James Heappey
The situation in the Red Sea remains extremely serious. The UK alongside our international partners condemn the illegal and unjustified attacks on commercial shipping by the Houthis. These attacks risk innocent lives, exacerbate the humanitarian suffering in Yemen, threaten regional security and harm the global economy.
The UK alongside allies have previously made clear that these illegal attacks are completely unacceptable and if continued the Houthis will bear the consequences. We will take the action needed to protect innocent lives and the global economy.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the impact of the blockade of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits on the delivery of UK Government military aid to Ukraine.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK does not transport materiel aid intended for Ukraine via the Black Sea / Bosphorus Strait.
As a signatory, the UK is committed to the Montreux Convention and welcomes Turkey's strong support over Ukraine, especially through its implementation of the Montreux Convention in order to prevent escalation in the Black Sea. In this context, there are no plans for two former British minehunting ships, recently transferred to the Ukrainian Navy, to operate in the Black Sea until conditions allow.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the location and tasking of each (a) Type 23 and (b) Type 45 is.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
His Majesty's Government does not routinely comment on operational tasking across the Royal Navy Frigate and Destroyer fleet. The location of deployed Frigates and Destroyers is made public by exception only. We also do not comment on future operations as to do so could, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of the Armed Forces.
However, I can confirm that there are currently seven Type 23 Frigates and three Type 45 Destroyers that are available for operations. As explained by the Secretary of State at Defence Oral questions on Monday 8 January 2024, HMS Richmond is currently sailing to the Middle East where HMS Diamond and HMS Lancaster are already operating.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish a list of the frigates in the Royal Navy by retirement date.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
On current plans, the last Type 23 frigate will transition out of service in 2035.
To avoid compromising operational security, the Ministry of Defence does not routinely disclose individual out of service dates or specific in-service dates for warships to avoid revealing elements of the Fleet's long-term schedule.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to task an aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
Answered by James Heappey
At present, an aircraft carrier is not tasked to the Middle East. However, the UK Carrier Strike Group remains ready to respond to the evolving global threat picture as required. The UK continues to meet its operational commitments at home and abroad.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish a list of the (a) brigades, (b) regiments and (c) supporting units in (i) 1 and (ii) 3 Division.
Answered by James Heappey
The below table shows the organisational structure of 1 (UK) Division and 3 (UK) Division as at January 2024.
Supporting units (c) have been indicated with an asterisk.
1 (UK) Division | ||||||||
16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team | 4 Light Brigade Combat Team | 7 Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team | 11 Security Force Assistance Brigade | 19 Light Brigade | 8 Engineer Brigade | 102 Operational Sustainment Brigade | *Divisional Information Manoeuvre Group | *1 Royal Military Police Group |
2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment | Light Dragoons | Royal Scots Dragoon Guards | 3rd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland | Queen’s Own Yeomanry | 20 Works Group Royal Engineers | 7 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps | 2nd Battalion Royal Yorks | 1 Regiment Royal Military Police |
3rd Regiment Parachute Regiment | 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland | 1st Battalion Scots Guards | 1st Battalion Irish Guards | Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry | 36 Regiment Royal Engineers | 2 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers | 37 Signal Regiment | 3 Regiment Royal Military Police |
2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles | 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards | 1st Battalion Royal Yorks | 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment | 4th Battalion Royal Yorks | 39 Regiment Royal Engineers | 101 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers | 1 Military Intelligence Battalion | Special Operations Unit |
1 Battalion Royal Irish | 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards | 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment | 3rd Battalion The Rifles | 4th Battalion Duke of Lancaster Regiment | 62 Works Group Royal Engineers | 150 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps | 5 Military Intelligence Battalion | Military Provost Staff Corps |
4th Battalion Parachute Regiment | 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles | 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland | 4th Battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment | 6th Battalion Rifles | 63 Works Group Royal Engineers | 158 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps |
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7 Para Regiment Royal Horse Artillery | 2nd Battalion The Rifles | 1st Battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment | Outreach Group | 8th Battalion Rifles | 65 Works Group Royal Engineers | 159 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps |
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23 Regiment Royal Engineers | 103 Regt Royal Artillery | 4 Regiment Royal Artillery |
| 6th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland | 66 Works Group Royal Engineers |
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13 Air Assault Regiment Royal Logistic Corps | 154 Regiment Royal Artillery | 105 Regiment Royal Artillery |
| 7th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland | 71 Regiment Royal Engineers |
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16 Medical Regiment | 102 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers | 32 Regiment Royal Engineers |
| 2nd Battalion Royal Irish | 1 Military Working Dogs |
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Path Finders | 75 Regiment Royal Engineers | 1 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers |
| 3rd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment | 11 EOD Regiment Royal Logistic Corps |
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216 Signal Squadron |
| 6 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps |
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| 28 Regiment Royal Engineers |
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| 3 Medical Regiment |
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| 29 EOD and Search Regiment Royal Engineers |
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| 33 Regiment Royal Engineers |
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| 35 Regiment Royal Engineers |
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| 101 Regiment Royal Engineers |
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3 (UK) Division | |||||||
12 Armoured Brigade Combat Team | 20 Armoured Brigade Combat Team | 1 Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team | 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade | *7 Signal Group | *25 Close Support Engineer Group | *Multi-Domain Operations Group | *7 Air Defence Group |
King’s Royal Hussars | Royal Dragoon Guards | Royal Lancers | 10 Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment | 1 Signal Regiment | 21 Regiment Royal Engineers | 4 Military Intelligence Battalion | 12th Regiment Royal Artillery |
Royal Tank Regiment | Queen’s Royal Hussars | Household Cavalry Regiment | 151 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps | 3 Signal Regiment | 22 Regiment Royal Engineers | 7 Military Intelligence Battalion | 106th Regiment Royal Artillery |
Royal Wessex Yeomanry | 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | Queen’s Dragoon Guards | 27 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps | 15 Signal Regiment | 26 Regiment Royal Engineers |
| 16th Regiment Royal Artillery |
1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment | 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | Royal Yeomanry | 156 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps | 71 Signal Regiment | Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers |
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4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment | 5th Battalion The Rifles | 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery | 157 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps |
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1st Battalion Royal Welsh | 7th Battalion The Rifles | 104 Regiment Royal Artillery | 5 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers |
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3rd Battalion Royal Welsh | 3rd Battalion Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment | 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery | 103 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers |
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4 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers | 1 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps | 101 Regiment Royal Artillery |
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4 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps | 3 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers | 5th Regiment Royal Artillery |
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2 Medical Regiment | 1 Medical Regiment | 19th Regiment Royal Artillery |
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| 26th Regiment Royal Artillery |
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| 6 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers |
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| 100 Regiment Royal Artillery |
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