Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to prevent individuals involved with extreme right organisations from joining the UK Armed Forces.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the risk of Extreme Right Wing Terrorism within the Armed Forces and the attraction that it offers to those who hold such views (and in particular the access to training and weapons). Extremist ideology is completely at odds with the values of the Armed Forces and is a matter the MOD takes extremely seriously. The MOD supports the HMG PREVENT strategy and is committed to addressing any incidence of extremist ideology within the Department. Defence continues to work with partners across government to strengthen our internal policies and procedures for raising awareness and responding at pace when a concern is identified.
Prevention of extremism within the Armed Forces includes initial vetting on enlistment, ongoing training, raising awareness, and implementing procedures to report and rehabilitate those who are at risk of being drawn into extremism. All Defence staff, including members of the Armed Forces, are prohibited from membership of proscribed organisations. Staff are permitted to join non-proscribed groups if it is compatible with service values and standards, in line with an individual’s rights to exercise their freedom of opinion and expression. This ensures that the Armed Forces are able to continue to recruit and retain personnel drawn from across society, whilst maintaining our service values and standards. Therefore, while Armed Forces personnel are permitted to join political parties and attend political meetings in a personal capacity (provided they do not wear uniform and their Service duties are not impeded); involvement in political marches or demonstrations are prohibited under the Queen’s Regulations.
The majority of Defence personnel, including members of the Armed Forces, are subject to a level of national security vetting in accordance with HMG policy, with those in particularly sensitive roles undergoing further, enhanced vetting. As part of the initial vetting process applicants are required to self-declare associations and memberships of any groups involved in espionage, terrorism, sabotage, or activities intended to overthrow or undermine parliamentary democracy by political, industrial, or violent means. In addition to this, in all recruitment applications, information provided by applicants is checked against security service records. On joining the Armed Forces, personnel receive training and instruction on the expectations of Service life, including the values and standards they are expected to uphold. This world class training, combined with the preventative measures above, help ensure that membership of extremist organisations is either minimised or identified and managed at the earliest opportunity
It must be noted that, while the MOD may refer any civilian staff it may have concerns about to PREVENT, this does not reflect any non-MOD referrals to the scheme of any MOD civilians by third parties. PREVENT is a cross-government scheme, and anyone can refer a person to PREVENT. The MOD does not hold records of any non-MOD referrals to PREVENT for civilian staff. As such, the MOD is unable to provide an accurate figure for civilian PREVENT Referrals. No Defence civil servants have been identified as being a member of Generation Identity since 2019. No member of the Armed Forces or Defence civil servants have been identified or convicted as being a member of a Proscribed Organisation under the Terrorism Act since 2019.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any personnel from the Chinese Armed Forces that have provided training at UK military bases since 2010 have been involved in the recruitment of former UK Armed Forces personnel to train the Chinese Armed Forces.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence is not aware of any Chinese military personnel who have provided training at UK military bases since 2010. The recruitment of UK ex-Service pilots that we are aware of has not been conducted directly by Chinese military personnel or by its civil servants, but by a third-party training school.
Asked by: Julian Sturdy (Conservative - York Outer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department plans to take with respect to former RAF pilots who have helped to train the People’s Republic of China’s military personnel.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) are taking a range of measures to dissuade current and former UK pilots from being recruited.
The Department is issuing threat guidance to personnel at risk of being approached and are reminding personnel of their obligations to protect sensitive information acquired during their tenure as crown or civil servants and will be looking at options to tighten the contractual obligations of Service leavers and are also encouraging the reporting of any recruitment activity targeting pilots or any other specialist area of Defence. The alert has been issued to relevant personnel across Defence, including to partners in Defence industry. MOD are also actively sharing information with key allies.
The MOD has no evidence that anyone has breached the high threshold of the Officials Secrets Act (OSA), but if any evidence were to be forthcoming, we would not hesitate to bring criminal charges. The Department takes this matter extremely seriously and are actively taking measures to deter future recruitment as well as engaging with the individuals already involved to ensure they are fully aware of the risk of prosecution under the OSA.
The Government's National Security Bill (led by the Home Office) will capture a range of relevant activity and provide additional possible routes to prosecution. A review of the use of confidentiality agreements is being conducted across Defence, with the aim of providing additional contractual levers to prevent individuals breaching security.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 19 October to Question 66920 on China: Armed Forces, what guidance his Department provides to (a) serving and (b) retired pilots on advisory roles with the armed forces of China.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence disapproves of this activity and strongly dissuades current and former serving personnel from engaging with it. Where we have identified personnel who may be tempted by the offer, we have undertaken a range of measures to remind them of their obligations under the official secrets act.
We are issuing threat guidance to personnel at risk of being approached. We are reminding personnel of their obligations to protect sensitive information acquired during their tenure as crown or civil servants; we will be looking at options to tighten the contractual obligations of Service leavers. We are also encouraging the reporting of any recruitment activity targeting pilots or any other specialist area of Defence. The alert has been issued to relevant personnel across Defence, including to partners in Defence industry. We are also actively sharing information with key allies.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 19 October to Question 66920 on China: Armed Forces, what steps his Department is taking to deter UK pilots from providing training for the Chinese Air Force.
Answered by James Heappey
We are taking a range of measures to dissuade current and former UK pilots from being recruited. We also want to ensure that China understands that our previous silence on this matter should not be interpreted as acceptance or approval of this activity.
We are issuing threat guidance to personnel at risk of being approached. We are reminding personnel of their obligations to protect sensitive information acquired during their tenure as crown or civil servants; we will be looking at options to tighten the contractual obligations of Service leavers. We are also encouraging the reporting of any recruitment activity targeting pilots or any other specialist area of Defence. The alert has been issued to relevant personnel across Defence, including to partners in Defence industry. We are also actively sharing information with key allies.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Chinese Government recruiting ex-British RAF jet pilots for training purposes on national security.
Answered by James Heappey
This practice poses a significant threat to UK and Western interests. We are taking a range of measures to dissuade current and former UK pilots from being recruited. We also want to ensure that China understands that our previous silence on this matter should not be interpreted as acceptance or approval of this activity.
We are issuing threat guidance to personnel at risk of being approached. We are reminding personnel of their obligations to protect sensitive information acquired during their tenure as crown or civil servants; we will be looking at options to tighten the contractual obligations of Service leavers. We are also encouraging the reporting of any recruitment activity targeting pilots or any other specialist area of Defence. The alert has been issued to relevant personnel across Defence, including to partners in defence industry. We are also actively sharing information with key allies.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Answer of 19 October 2022 to Question 63322, what proportion of the civil servants who will support levelling up directors she expects will be (a) recruited for that role and (b) already employed in the civil service.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
As my answer of 19 October 2022 made clear - the recruitment of Levelling Up Directors is still underway and a further statement will be made in due course including how they will be supported.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate his Department has made of the funding required for (a) costs, (b) salaries and (c) other spending associated with (i) local levelling up directors and (ii) their offices.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Government set out in the Levelling Up White Paper its plan to explore the introduction of Levelling Up Directors. The department is in the process of recruitment (with interviews conducted in the summer) and more details will be available in due course when the Secretary of State has considered official advice.
In terms of funding required, Levelling Up Directors would be supported by civil servants from relevant departments. The costs for the Directors themselves and their office will be part of DLUHC's settlement.
The Government is committed to delivering levelling up outcomes in the best way possible.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the offices of local levelling up directors will employ their own staff.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Government set out in the Levelling Up White Paper its plan to explore the introduction of Levelling Up Directors. The department is in the process of recruitment (with interviews conducted in the summer) and more details will be available in due course when the Secretary of State has considered official advice.
In terms of funding required, Levelling Up Directors would be supported by civil servants from relevant departments. The costs for the Directors themselves and their office will be part of DLUHC's settlement.
The Government is committed to delivering levelling up outcomes in the best way possible.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding his Department plans to provide to support the (a) set up and (b) day to day running of the offices of new local levelling up directors.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Government set out in the Levelling Up White Paper its plan to explore the introduction of Levelling Up Directors. The department is in the process of recruitment (with interviews conducted in the summer) and more details will be available in due course when the Secretary of State has considered official advice.
In terms of funding required, Levelling Up Directors would be supported by civil servants from relevant departments. The costs for the Directors themselves and their office will be part of DLUHC's settlement.
The Government is committed to delivering levelling up outcomes in the best way possible.