Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to take steps to amend the National Security Bill to help tackle potential threats to national security arising from former Army Air Corps, Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force personnel being recruited by the People’s Liberation Army.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence has worked closely with the Home Office and the whole of Government on the development of the National Security Bill, currently before Parliament. This Bill will keep pace with this and the wider changing threat.
The Bill makes the UK an even harder target for any states seeking to conduct hostile acts against the UK, steal our information for their advantage, or interfere in our society covertly. It brings together vital new measures to protect the UK, modernising counter espionage laws and addressing the ever-evolving threat to our national security.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any Chinese personnel have attended training courses at (a) the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, (b) Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, (c) Britannia Royal Naval College, (d) Royal Air College Cranwell and (e) other training establishments of the armed forces in the last five years.
Answered by James Heappey
The numbers of Chinese nationals who have attended UK Defence training establishments from 2010 is as follows:
Financial Year | RAF Cranwell | Royal Military Academy Sandhurst | Royal Naval College Dartmouth | Joint Services Command and Staff College Shrivenham | Defence Academy (Royal College of Defence Studies) | All Arms Drill Wing Pirbright | Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search Training Regiment | Total |
2010-11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
2011-12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
2012-13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
2013-14 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
2014-15 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
2015-16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
2016-17 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
2017-18 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
2018-19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 11 |
2019-20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
2020-21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
2021-22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
I offer here a more comprehensive picture than has been previously requested.
Numbers have changed from previous answers for a number of reasons: the inclusion of RCDS (a Defence establishment, but not a military base); the capturing of some activity not previously counted; and some changes due to realigning figures from calendar to financial years.
The UK has never provided training that contained any sensitive information and it did not compromise the Official Secrets Act. No training has been provided to Chinese personnel since 2020, either in the UK or in the People’s Republic of China.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what serving British military personnel are posted in China.
Answered by James Heappey
The Defence Section in British Embassy Beijing currently consists of four serving British military personal led by the Defence Attaché, Air Cdre Mike Blackburn, who is supported by a Deputy Defence Attaché and two Non-Commissioned Officer support staff. There are no other serving British military personnel deployed to China.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many RAF personnel are currently awaiting flying training.
Answered by James Heappey
The tables below show the number of RAF personnel currently awaiting flying training at each stage as of September 2022.
On hold pre-flying training (these personnel are awaiting their first flying training course after completing their Phase 1 training):
Fast Jet / Multi Engine / Air Mobility & ISTAR / Rotary Wing | 20 |
RPAS | 10 |
On hold between Military Flying Training System (MFTS) courses (these personnel are held at various stages of the MFTS):
Fast Jet / Multi Engine / Air Mobility & ISTAR / Rotary Wing | 260 |
RPAS | 20 |
On hold post-MFTS and pre-Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) (these personnel have completed their MFTS training):
Fast Jet | 10 |
Multi Engine / Air Mobility & ISTAR | 20 |
Rotary Wing | 20 |
RPAS | 10 |
In accordance with the Data Protection Act and our obligations in relation to the protection of confidentiality when handling personal data, data have been rounded to the nearest 10. Due to the rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.
There have always been planned holds in the flying training pipeline and the number of pilots holding before starting flying training has decreased since 2019. However, focused work to reduce the pre-UKMFTS hold, coupled with a reduction in frontline places available to ab-initio aircrew due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recent changes to the frontline requirement following the Integrated Review, has led to a greater number of pilots holding in the UKMFTS pipeline. The trainees currently on hold within the UKMFTS pipeline enable the RAF to ensure that all courses are fully utilised throughout the flying training pipeline. Aircrew on hold are fulfilling required and essential roles within the Armed Forces with an aim to expand their skills in other areas of MOD business.
The RAF remains able to meet its frontline operational commitments and has sufficient qualified aircrew to do so.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long it takes on average to train (a) fast jet, (b) heavy lift and (c) rotary pilots.
Answered by James Heappey
The average time for trainee pilots completing flying training in the current Financial Year, to the point of joining an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) is 4.8 years for Fast Jet; 5.4 years for Multi Engine (heavy lift) and; 6.9 years for Rotary Wing.
The time taken to complete OCU training can vary across the aircraft types and will result in newly qualified pilots leaving OCUs as Limited Combat Ready or Combat Ready.
There have always been planned holds built into the flying training pipeline to ensure all courses are fully utilised. Aircrew on hold fulfil other essential roles across Ministry of Defence (MOD), developing their skills in other areas of MOD business.