Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many full-time permanent MOD staff have worked on coordinating Operation Interflex in each year since 2002.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The table below is based on those who have been involved in co-ordinating Operation INTERFLEX for each of the six Tranches, which to date have delivered more than 51,000 trained Ukrainians. The table includes those assigned to INTERFLEX HQ, the training delivery units and the logistic support element.
Please note the UK delivers Op INTERFLEX in conjunction with our partners. Canada, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Lithuania, Australia, Romania, Netherlands, Kosovo, and Estonia are all supporting the training programme. Albania will also be joining from the end of February, so UK personnel numbers alone do not represent output of total personnel.
Tranche | Dates from | No of UK Personnel |
1 | Jun-22 | 1,389 |
2 | Jan-23 | 1,270 |
3 | Jul-23 | 1,270 |
4 | Jan-24 | 388 |
5 | Jul-24 | 428 |
6 | Jan-25 | 369 |
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, beyond the previously announced restrictions on 10 ships, they have taken any further action against Russia’s "shadow fleet" following recent events in the Baltic.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government has led the way in targeting Russia's shadow fleet of vessels transporting Russian oil and gas in breach of sanctions. On 17 December we sanctioned a further 20 oil tankers, bringing the total designated by this Government to 89, alongside 9 Liquified Natural Gas carriers. We have also sanctioned 7 vessels involved in the transport of military goods.
Sanctions against individual tankers are working. UK sanctioned ships have transported at least $695 million less in Russian crude and refined oil in the 3 months since we introduced sanctions compared to the previous quarter; and a significant number of tankers have ceased trading altogether.
Following the incident damaging the Estlink 2 undersea cable between Finland and Estonia on 25 December, the UK as a framework nation for the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) activated NORDIC WARDEN. This harnesses AI to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitors the movements of the shadow fleet. On 10 January, the UK and US introduced further sanctions to clamp down on Putin's flow of energy revenues. The launch of BALTIC SENTRY on 14 January further improves Allies' ability to respond to destabilising acts.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last had discussions with his Finnish counterpart on Russian shadow fleet aggression in the Baltic Sea.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence contacted his Finnish counterpart immediately following the incident damaging the Estlink 2 undersea cable between Finland and Estonia on Christmas Day. They also discussed the incident when they met at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base on 9 January.
Acting as framework nation for the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), we have activated a JEF Response Option, known as NORDIC WARDEN, which will harness AI to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor the Russian shadow fleet, sending out real-time warnings of suspicious activity to JEF nations as well as NATO.
This JEF activity reinforces existing and planned NATO responses.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help protect sub-sea cables in the North Sea from the Russian shadow fleet.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK Government constantly monitors and regularly assesses the security of critical national infrastructure, including energy and telecommunications assets. Following the incident damaging the Estlink 2 undersea cable between Finland and Estonia on 25 December, the UK – as framework nation for the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) – activated NORDIC WARDEN which will harness AI to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and to monitor the movements of the Russian shadow fleet, sending out real-time warnings of suspicious activity to JEF nations and to NATO, in support of NATO activity to help protect critical undersea infrastructure.
Our adversaries should be in no doubt of our steadfast determination and formidable ability to protect the UK and our interests. We have led the way in pursuing Russia's shadow fleet of vessels, sanctioning more oil tankers than any other nation and spearheading a 49-nation 'Call to Action' against the fleet.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding he has allocated for urgent capability requirements for Estonia in (a) this financial year and (b) each of the next three financial years.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Urgent Capability Requirements (UCRs) are rapidly implemented capabilities delivered to the front line to meet urgent operational needs. The department cannot comment publicly on the specific costs associated with operations in Estonia, as the Ministry of Defence continues to deploy to this location and must protect operationally sensitive information. UCRs are reviewed on a rolling monthly basis to ensure the capability is still required and provides value for money.
Asked by: Andrew Lewin (Labour - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve defence relationships with European allies.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Deepening our defence relationships with European allies continues to be a priority.
Since July 2024 we have signed several new agreements to deepen cooperation, including the UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement and the UK-Estonia roadmap. During 2025 we will also reinvigorate the UK-France Lancaster House Agreement.
Our NATO first approach will complement this work. Investing in our collective defence and security is crucial to further improving our defence relationship with Europe as a whole.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where and when (a) Watchkeeper Mk 1, (b) Puma, (c) the 14 Chinook helicopters that are being retired, (d) HMS Northumberland, (e) HMS Albion, (f) HMS Bulwark, (g) RFA Wave Knight and (h) RFA Wave Ruler were last used on operations.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Defence has taken the decision to retire some ageing equipment, as we transition to new capabilities and make our Armed Forces fit for the future.
HMS BULWARK was last operation in 2017; HMS NORTHUMBERLAND in 2022; HMS ALBION in 2023; RFA WAVE RULER in 2017; and RFA WAVE KNIGHT in 2022. A Watchkeeper Mk1 battery deployed Estonia in August 2024 as part of Exercise ATHENA SHIELD. Puma HC2 is deployed now in Cyprus and Brunei and will continue to provide operational support until retirement on 31 Mar 25. The 14 Chinooks being retired continue to provide operational output as part of the forward fleet – the available fleet available for operations. They will remain in service until their flying hours reach the next deep maintenance requirement period. Defence is considering a range of options to replace these platforms – this includes the commitment to numerous next generation capabilities such as Type 26 and 31 Frigates, and the Extended Range version of the Chinook helicopter.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) causes and (b) consequences of the recent road traffic incident in Estonia involving British armed forces personnel.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The safety and welfare of our personnel is of the utmost importance. An Estonian investigation is underway and it would be inappropriate to comment whilst inquiries are ongoing. In addition, as with all incidents of this nature, an internal review is being conducted in-theatre about further preventative measures to ensure the safety of our deployed personnel.
My thoughts are with all those affected, and I wish those injured a full, swift recovery.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
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 Department's policies of the results of training flights using Watchkeeper WK450 tactical unmanned aerial vehicle systems in Estonia in August 2024.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
A battery from 47th Regiment Royal Artillery successfully deployed to Estonia this August to operate the Watchkeeper system as part of Exercise ATHENA SHIELD. This was a proof-of-concept exercise to fly Watchkeeper at the latest build standard, in a strategically relevant theatre.
Lessons from this deployment are still being analysed and no decisions about Watchkeeper’s future commitments have been made. While there are no current plans to permanently deploy a full Drone Regiment to Estonia, the recently updated defence roadmap with Estonia demonstrates the UK’s continuing commitment to Estonia and securing NATO’s eastern flank.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to permanently deploy a drone-specialist regiment in Estonia.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
A battery from 47th Regiment Royal Artillery successfully deployed to Estonia this August to operate the Watchkeeper system as part of Exercise ATHENA SHIELD. This was a proof-of-concept exercise to fly Watchkeeper at the latest build standard, in a strategically relevant theatre.
Lessons from this deployment are still being analysed and no decisions about Watchkeeper’s future commitments have been made. While there are no current plans to permanently deploy a full Drone Regiment to Estonia, the recently updated defence roadmap with Estonia demonstrates the UK’s continuing commitment to Estonia and securing NATO’s eastern flank.