theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_48
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_48

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32366 on Undocumented Migrants: Organised Crime, if she will publish the agreed deliverables of the UK/Italy Illicit Finance Taskforce. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The taskforce is in the process of agreeing deliverables. As part of this we will consider what it may be possible to publish noting the critical importance of safeguarding the integrity of operational activity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national offenders were (a) in prison and (b) living in the UK in the latest period for which data is available. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Ministry of Justice publishes information which includes the number of foreign national offenders (FNOs), in the Offender management statistics quarterly - GOV.UK release, within the  latest release of which covers the period up to 31 December 2024 data release.

The Home Office publishes the number of FNOs subject to deportation and living in the community within its Immigration Enforcement quarterly transparency release. The latest release can be found at: Immigration Enforcement data: Q4 2024 - GOV.UK.

The Home Office works tirelessly to clear legal barriers, secure documentation or overcome other impediments to a return, and between 5 July 2024 and 31 January 2025, there were 2,925 enforced and voluntary returns of FNOs. This is an increase of 21% compared to 2,422 FNO returns in the same period 12 months prior.

The Home Office continues to work closely with HMPPS (HM Prisons and Probation Service) to focus on driving up the returns of FNOs direct from prison, delivering 1,557 early removal scheme (ERS) returns, which is a 26% increase compared to 1,231 in the same period 12 months prior.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting the adult social care sector from proposed increases in the certificate of sponsorship fee. \p Seema Malhotra: Fees for immigration and nationality applications are kept under review.

However, there are no current plans to exempt the adult social care sector from the certificate of sponsorship fee increase.

A provisional estimate of the impact of increasing sponsorship fees is a less than 0.2% increase in the cost of hiring an average skilled worker.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on housing asylum seekers in (a) Essex and (b) South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency since 2022. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Information on asylum expenditure is published on gov.uk in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 34060 on Afghanistan: Resettlement, what the (a) required entry clearance processes and (b) relevant suitability requirements are that need to be met in order for family members to obtain entry clearance to the UK. \p Seema Malhotra: Applicants for the ARAP, including family member applicants, apply to the MoD for eligibility consideration. If found eligible, the MoD make an application for entry clearance to the Home Office on behalf of each eligible person, part of which requires the applicant to attend a visa application centre to submit their biometrics.

Suitability requirements are set out in Part 9 of the Immigration Rules: Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal - Guidance - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department has provided to local authorities for the provision of refugee and asylum services in each of the last five years. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Home Office publishes information on asylum and refugee expenditure on a regular basis in the Home Office Annual Report, available on gov.uk.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 35834 on Immigration: Afghanistan, how many people who have been resettled or relocated under the Afghan Resettlement Programme were granted (a) Indefinite Leave to Enter and (b) Indefinite Leave to Remain (i) before and (ii) after 15th August 2021. \p Seema Malhotra: The Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) brings together existing Afghan resettlement ACRS & ARAP into a single, efficient pipeline.

Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) was launched on 1 April 2021. The UK formally opened the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) on 6 January 2022.

Statistics on individuals resettled or relocated under the Afghan schemes are available in the Immigration System Statistics release. For a summary of the data, see the resettlement section of the ‘How many people come to the UK via safe and legal (humanitarian) routes?’ chapter; for detailed data, see table Asy_D02 of the asylum and resettlement datasets.

Afghan Operational Data is published quarterly and is viewable at: Afghan Resettlement Programme: operational data - GOV.UK

The latest release was on the 27 February 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Kirsty Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were granted statelessness status by her Department in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The information requested is not available from published statistics and could only be collated and verified for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department conducted any audits into services provided by contractors to refugees and asylum seekers in the last five years. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Home Office applies robust controls to the management of expenditure and performance in relation to all departmental contracts, including publishing on a quarterly basis the rating of the most important contracts against key performance indicators.

The specific information requested regarding a particular category of contracts is not centrally held, and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) restrictions on freedom of movement and (b) other preventative measures are placed on migrants who have (i) arrived in the UK illegally and (ii) been identified as supporters of foreign terrorist organisations. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We have a range of powers at our disposal including prosecution, detention and removal and will not seek to hesitate to use those, as appropriate, against individuals who arrive here illegally and seek to threaten the security of our country.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Luke Akehurst:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the adequacy of legislation related to the policing of the operations of (a) Palestine Action and (b) other direct action groups. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Whilst the right to protest is a fundamental part of our democracy, this right does not extend to activities that promote violence or criminal damage.

The decision to investigate potential criminal activity is a matter for the police, who are operationally independent of government. Home Office Ministers cannot interfere in operational decisions of this nature, as to do so could undermine their independence.

However, the Government will always support the police in using their powers as robustly as possible to prevent crime and maintain public order and safety where appropriate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Steve Witherden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to make anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes an aggravated offence. \p Dame Diana Johnson: All hate crimes, including those targeting the LGBT+ community, are completely unacceptable. This Government is determined to tackle these appalling crimes, and we back the police in taking strong action against the perpetrators of these offences.

We have already committed to ensuring parity of protection for LGBT+ and disabled people under the aggravated offences and will implement this change in an appropriate legislative vehicle in due course.

The Government funds an online hate crime reporting portal, True Vision, designed so victims of all types of hate crime - including transgender hate crime - do not have to visit a police station to report. We are also continuing to fund the National Online Hate Crime Hub, which supports individual local police forces in dealing specifically with online hate crime, providing expert advice to police to support them in investigating these abhorrent offences.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Connor Naismith:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of police community support officers in Crewe and Nantwich constituency. \p Dame Diana Johnson: In January 2025, the Government announced a total of £200 million in 2025/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel in communities across the country.

Our approach to delivery in 2025/26, which will be year 1 of a 4-year programme, is designed to deliver an initial increase to the neighbourhood policing workforce in a manner that is flexible and can be adapted to the local context and varied crime demands.

This means the precise workforce mix is a local decision. More information will be available in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to monitor the compliance of use of predictive policing and risk prediction sytems by police forces with the UK's national and international human rights obligations. \p Dame Diana Johnson: AI, and other technologies, can provide a wide range of benefits to improve efficiency and productivity in policing, as well as boosting public confidence by improving the prevention, detection and investigation of crime. However, the procurement and deployment of AI technology to assist with forecasting potential areas of crime or disorder, commonly known as ‘predictive policing’, must always be subject to strong safeguards.

The AI Covenant for Policing was agreed at National Police Chiefs Council in September 2023. This provides practical high-level principles that, if followed, will ensure that the police develop and use AI tools that are lawful, transparent, explainable, responsible, accountable and robust. The Home Office has provided funding to support the National Police Chiefs Council AI Portfolio to drive consistency and create guidance for forces to develop and deploy AI tools, and we are undertaking further detailed work in this area. There are a number of essential wider protections in place, including the Public Sector Equality Duty, to ensure that all Government policies take account of the human rights impacts on individuals.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Danny Beales:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle the international trading of stolen vehicles. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Vehicle theft is a serious crime that has a deeply damaging impact on vehicle owners, manufacturers and the insurance industry.

A network of vehicle crime leads has been established in every police force in England and Wales, ensuring forces share information and are better able to respond. The Crime and Policing Bill will ban the electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing, and supplying them.

Stolen vehicles often end up being sent overseas so we have provided £250,000 this financial year to provide additional staff and specialist equipment to help enforcement at ports and prevent stolen vehicles and vehicle parts being shipped abroad. We are also engaging international partners to explore what more can be done to disrupt the international marketplace for stolen vehicles.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade. \p Jess Phillips: We are committed to going further than ever before to deliver a cross-government transformative approach to tackling violence against women and girls, which will be underpinned by a new VAWG strategy later this year.

We are investing £13.1 million pounds next financial year (25/26) to set up a new National Policing Centre for VAWG and Public Protection to transform the police response to these devastating crimes. Alongside that, we have begun the roll-out of domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms as part of Raneem’s Law, and launched new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in selected police forces and courts.

We recently launched a package of six new measures to tackle stalking, including plans to give stalking victims the right to know the identity of online stalkers, following the formidable campaigning of Nicola Thorp.

Our Crime and Policing Bill will introduce a new criminal offence of spiking, new laws to tackle intimate image abuse, and stronger arrangements for the management of sex offenders.

These are just some of the crucial first steps we are taking as part of our unprecedented mission to halve VAWG in a decade.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Home Affairs on the prevention of femicide. \p Jess Phillips: The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable and this Government has set out a mission to halve these crimes over the next decade. This is an ambitious aim that will require a transformative approach to the way we work together across Government through the safer streets mission.

We will be publishing a new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy later this year, which will cover all forms of violence and abuse which disproportionately impact women, including femicide.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) technology companies, (b) legal experts and (c) privacy advocates on the potential implications for her policies of requiring companies to create backdoors into encrypted systems. \p Dan Jarvis: Home Office Ministers and senior officials regularly meet with key stakeholders, including technology companies, legal experts and privacy advocates, on a range of policies and issues.

Details of Ministerial meetings are published on a quarterly basis on gov.uk.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 30 September 2024 to HL1115 Home Office: Equality, how many staff in his Department have been permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours since 1 January 2025. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The requested data is not readily available and could only be obtained for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any staff in her Department have had their employment terminated due to a failure to declare a conflict of interest when overseeing the granting of contracts in the last ten years. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Current Home Office ministers are not aware of any such cases, but to go back over the department’s disciplinary process for the last decade to see if any such situation has featured in a termination case could only be done for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 33153 on Marshall Bioresources, when the last (a) announced and (b) unannounced audit of Marshall BioResources in Huntingdon was undertaken by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit. \p Dan Jarvis: The last announced audit at Marshall BioResources occurred in September 2021. The last unannounced audit occurred in April 2024.

The Animals in Science Regulation Unit conducts both announced and unannounced audits to ensure establishments are compliant with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and the terms of their licences and the Code of Practice.

Each establishment that holds specially protected species, such as dogs, will be audited at least once every year. All other establishments will receive an audit at least every three years.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of food procured by her Department is sourced in the UK. \p Dame Diana Johnson: I refer the Rt Honourable member to the answer he was given on 10 March 2025 to Question UIN 34773.
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Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle crime that occurs on the border of multiple police forces. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government is committed to ensuring that law enforcement has the resources it needs to tackle crime effectively, including when crimes occur on the border of multiple police forces.

When it does, the National Crime Agency (NCA), which leads the UK's fight to cut serious and organised crime, and policing’s Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) network have specialised intelligence and investigative teams that are deployed across the full range of threats to bring offenders to justice. This includes tackling ‘borderless’ serious crimes including fraud, cyber-enabled criminality, online child sexual exploitation and abuse and County Lines.

Both the NCA and ROCU network have been allocated significant resources to enhance their capacity and capability to continue tackling serious crime at both national and regional levels.

The Home Office is also funding the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response to County Lines. This is vital in strengthening the law enforcement response and enabling police forces to work together to tackle this complex issue.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Matt Bishop:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to reconvene the Police Covenant Oversight Board; and if she will include the National Association of Retired Police Officers in the membership of that Board. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Police Covenant Oversight Board was most recently convened in January, with the next meeting planned for the Spring.

Beyond the oversight board, interested organisations, such as the National Association of Retired Police Officers, are engaged on the Covenant through a consultation group.

Individual organisations may be invited to attend the oversight board, as they have in the past, where specific discussions are of particular relevance to the interests of those they represent.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Helen Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to review regulations allowing police forces to remove officers suspected of gross misconduct. \p Dame Diana Johnson: In October last year, the Home Secretary announced a package of reforms to strengthen police misconduct.

That included a presumption of dismissal for proven gross misconduct, specified criminal offences automatically amounting to gross misconduct, and a presumption of accelerated hearings for former officers.

These changes to regulations are expected to be laid as soon as practicable in the coming months
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she had with local police forces on smartphone thefts. \p Dame Diana Johnson: I refer the Hon. Member to my response to UIN 33968 and 33969 on 7th March 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Anna Sabine:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on ensuring eligible retired firefighters receive due compensation under the McCloud remedy. \p Dame Diana Johnson: While the Home Office has responsibility for overarching policy and legislative changes to the firefighters’ pension scheme regulations, the firefighters’ pension scheme is locally administered by each individual Fire and Rescue Authority.

The Home Office continues to work with the fire sector to support the effective implementation of the McCloud remedy for all affected individuals.

As the designated scheme manager, it is for each Fire and Rescue Authority to determine their administrative timetable, in accordance with the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022, including when remedy payments will be distributed.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial arrangements have been made for the continued lease of the Diego Garcia military base; and what estimate he has made of the annual costs of that base. \p Luke Pollard: There is no lease with respect to Diego Garcia. US presence and operations in the British Indian Ocean Territory are governed by a series of international agreements, beginning with a 1966 Exchange of Notes between the US and UK

The direct cost to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for running the UK element of the UK-US military base in the British Indian Ocean Territory in financial year 2023-24 was £3.8 million. This excludes minor costs incurred directly by, for example, visiting units or HQ elements in the UK. Any costs incurred by other government departments cannot be provided by MOD

With regard to the agreement reached between the UK and Mauritius, details of the proposed treaty will come before Parliament for scrutiny in the usual manner following its signature.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many RAF personnel were awaiting flying training on 10 March 2025. \p Luke Pollard: As of 3 March 2025, there were 35 RAF Aircrew who had completed their initial non-role specific RAF training and were awaiting commencement of formal flying training; consisting of 21 Officers and 14 Non-Commissioned Aircrew.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of Royal Air Force fighter pilots. \p Luke Pollard: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continually assesses pilot numbers to appropriately resource the Combat Air Force and are comfortable with the number of Royal Air Force fighter pilots against extant Defence Tasks. The MOD has a range of governance measures in place to analyse UK Military Flying Training System throughput to ensure pilot numbers meet the demand for Defence both now and in the future.

The MOD will continue to provide quarterly statistics to the Hon Gentleman’s select committee on pilot training as agreed in the last Parliament.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Brendan O'Hara:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the British Palestinian Committee entitled British Military Collaboration with Israel, published on 28 January 2025. \p Luke Pollard: We will consider the report and continue to act in line with our obligations to International Law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made a comparative an assessment of the career trajectories of (a) non-UK and (b) UK personnel. \p Al Carns: Work is ongoing to better understand and improve the careers and lived experience of all members of our Armed Forces.

Defence will only meet current and future security challenges and threats if all our people, regardless of background, are confident that their efforts and skills are properly recognised, their individuality and experience respected, and are able to achieve their full potential.

The new Government’s work in improving retention and recruitment is part of a package of measures aimed to renew the contract between the nation and those who serve. We are modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract, and then retain the best possible talent, highlighting that Defence is a modern, forward-facing employer which offers a valuable and rewarding career. Our aim is to attract and recruit more, as well as maximise the number of applicants that successfully enter and remain in Armed Forces employment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average wait time is for a training slot for RAF trainee pilots for (a) Typhoons, (b) F35s and (c) Hawk jets. \p Luke Pollard: The average wait time for a training slot for RAF trainee pilots in Training Year 2024-25 has been:

a. Six weeks for Typhoon

b. 10 weeks for F35 Lightning

c. Six weeks for Hawk T2
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions staff at the Army Foundation College have been disciplined for violent behaviour against recruits in each year since 2013; and what the nature was of each incident. \p Al Carns: From 2013 to 2024, there have been 14 occasions where staff or former staff at the Army Foundation College Harrogate were convicted of an offence via Court Martial or Summary Hearing for violent behaviour against recruits.

The 14 occasions consisted of eight Court Martials and six Summary Hearings. A further break down of figures may be disclosive and trigger potential breaches of the Data Protection Act.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Alex Burghart:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Historic £1.6bn deal provides thousands of air defence missiles for Ukraine and boosts UK jobs and growth), published on 2 March 2025, whether (a) an open prior information notice or (b) a voluntary ex-ante transparency notice was published in relation to the procurement. \p Luke Pollard: Neither a Prior Information Notice nor voluntary ex-ante transparency notice were published, noting that this procurement is excluded from applicable procurement legislation as it is pursuant to an international agreement between the UK and Ukraine.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on sharing US-derived intelligence with the Government of Ukraine. \p Luke Pollard: The Defence Secretary regularly speaks with his US counterpart, most recently on 6 March 2025, regarding our collective support to Ukraine’s armed forces in response to Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion.

It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of intelligence sharing matters.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that Britain's soft power (a) is maintained (b) continues to play a part in the defence of the UK and her allies, in the context of the reduction in ODA spending. \p Luke Pollard: The Strategic Defence Review will set out the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats, and opportunities of the twenty first century. This takes account of the commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027 recently set out by the Prime Minister in Parliament.
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Terry Jermy:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to protect UK (a) military personnel and (b) armed forces bases from potential drone attacks from Russia. \p Luke Pollard: The UK employs a broad approach to deterring and defeating air and missile threats, including those from Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS or drones). The Ministry of Defence (MOD) collaborates closely with the Home Office on Homeland C-UAS issues, providing expertise on threat identification and capability requirements to ensure a whole of Government approach to defending against these threats.

We pursue counter-proliferation and military activities to counter threats before an attack is ever launched. However, if those approaches fail, we can employ a range of active and passive defence measures to intercept the threat and increase our resilience.

Given the significant threat posed by UAS to our personnel and bases, counter-UAS (C-UAS) remains a crucial component of our Defence approach. UK Defence has developed and procured a broad range of cutting-edge C-UAS capabilities, including from UK industries, much of which is now operationally proven. Alongside this we are perusing a variety of further C-UAS projects, for example the Navy’s Dragonfire programme.

We are committed to enhancing our capabilities and modernising our Air Defence approach to ensure our Armed Forces have the capabilities they need to meet current and future threats. As part of this commitment, a Strategic Defence Review is being conducted with C-UAS capabilities forming a vital part of our inputs to this review.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_86
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_86

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of main battle tanks are operational to a deployment standard. \p Luke Pollard: I hope the hon. Member will understand that we do not routinely disclose figures relating to Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks in the active fleet in the interests of security and operational effectiveness.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_87
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_87

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to increase the UK's explosive ordnance disposal capacity. \p Luke Pollard: The Ministry of Defence has a world leading Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search (EOD&S) capability, providing critical support not just to military operations, but also to UK resilience and security through established arrangements in support of the Home Office.

Future force designs of the Royal Navy and British Army will be part of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) so it would be inappropriate to provide further detail until SDR decisions have been made.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_88
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_88

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress has been made on the NATO anti-submarine warfare barrier smart defence initiative. \p Luke Pollard: The Smart Defence Initiative is one part of our portfolio of work to maintain operational advantage in the underwater domain. Subject to Strategic Defence Review outcomes it will be deployed alongside other fixed and crewed systems and will be complimented by advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and autonomy.

The NATO Anti-Submarine Warfare Smart Defence Initiative is UK led with a mandate to accelerate the exploitation of maritime uncrewed systems to support theatre undersea capability. The UK is taking the lead on the flagship project, the Allied Underwater Battlespace Mission Network. Industry engagement is already underway and closes at the end of the month.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_89
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_89

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many 30mm cannon rounds have been procured for Ukraine since 5 July 2024. \p Luke Pollard: The UK has provided over six million rounds of small arms and light weapons ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

We cannot comment on specific calibres of ammunition or more detailed procurement and delivery schedules due to operational security.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_90
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_90

Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what provisional allocation of defence spending he has made to cover the costs associated with the (a) Chagos Islands deal and (b) the transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius. \p Luke Pollard: The terms of the treaty and the associated funding arrangements are still being finalised, and no decision has been made at this time. This will be laid before Parliament in the usual way.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_91
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_91

Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average cost was of training a Royal Air Force pilot to Phase 2 Military Flying Training in each training year from 2019-20 to 2024-25; and whether the Department has conducted any further cost modelling since the 2021-22 financial year. \p Luke Pollard: In-depth cost modelling for UK military flying training was conducted in Financial Year 2021-22. There has been no requirement to update since 2021-22 but a review is expected as work commences to consider future options for UK Military Flying Training beyond the current contract in 2033.

The average cost of flying training for Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots in Financial Year 2021-22 was as follows:

RAF Fast Jet: £5,362,085

RAF Multi Engine: £ 953,817

RAF Rotary Wing: £1,041,843

The above figures include pay, support costs and costs within UKMFTS contract up to the point a trainee pilot commences training on a front line aircraft as part of an Operational Conversion Unit.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_92
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_92

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered appointing a veterans commissioner for England. \p Al Carns: This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country, no matter which community they are based in. I am working across Government and with civil society to ensure veterans get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.

I work closely with the Veterans Commissioners for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I have also asked officials to look holistically at the support available to veterans, how it is delivered and explore options for simplifying access to that support and also improving governance to increase institutional resilience. That governance work will look at what are the most appropriate requirements for support across both England and the United Kingdom.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_93
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_93

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 33147 on Armed Forces: Commonwealth, which (a) units and (b) independent sub-units form the Brigade of Gurkhas; and which regular armed forces units include Nepalese service personnel. \p Al Carns: The units and independent sub-units which form the Brigade of Gurkhas; and the Regular Armed Forces units that include Nepalese Service personnel are shown in the tables below.

Table 1: Units and Independent Sub-Units that form the Brigade of Gurkhas

Unit / Sub-Unit

Brigade of Gurkhas Capbadges

1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles (1 RGR)

2nd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles (2 RGR)

The Queen’s Gurkha Engineers (QGE)

The Queen’s Gurkha Signals (QG SIGNALS)

Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment (QOGLR)

Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas (Band BG)

Gurkha Staff & Personnel Support (GSPS)

Extra Regimentally Employed (ERE) Units

British Gurkhas Nepal (BGN)

Gurkha ARRC Support Battalion (GARRC Sp Bn)

ERE Sub-Units

Gurkha Company Catterick

Gurkha Company Babaji

Gurkha Company Sittang

Gurkha Company Tavoleto

Gurkha Company Mandalay

A (Krithia) Company, 1 RANGER

F (Falklands) Company, 2 RANGER

G (Coriano) Company, 4 RANGER

Table 2: Units in UK Regular Armed Forces which include Nepalese Service personnel

Army Arm/Services

Army Air Corps

Adjutant General’s Corps

Royal Army Physical Training Corps

Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps

Infantry

Other

Royal Corps of Signals

Royal Regiment of Artillery

Royal Army Medical Services

Royal Corps of Army Music

Corps of Royal Engineers

Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

The Royal Logistic Corps

Small Arms School Corps

Royal Navy/Marines

RN Engineer GS (OF)

RN Logistics GS

RN Royal Marines GS

RAF

RAF Engineering

RAF Logistics

Source: Analysis Tri-Service

Notes to Table 2
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_94
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_94

Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to increase the (a) offer and (b) size of cadet forces in the context of proposed increases to defence expenditure. \p Al Carns: We want more young people to be able to become Cadets given the tremendous benefits which can be gained from the experience. We are committed to sustaining Cadet Forces across the UK, and we are looking to significantly grow Cadet numbers and support youngsters throughout the UK to enrich their lives by choosing to join the Cadets.

To this end, I have directed that a review is carried out to look at how we can increase the size and offer of the Cadet Forces. Defence officials have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders to consider how we can deliver these aims. Input has been provided by advocates and subject matter experts including Cadet leaders within the Ministry of Defence, Lords Lieutenants, Cadet Honorary Colonels, through the Cadet Force chains of command, and from many other interested parties.

The review is closely aligned with the Strategic Defence Review and is undertaken in the context of recent announcements of increases in Defence spending. The resource requirements of any expansion will be evaluated in light of competing priorities, but our investment in Cadets is fantastic value for money. The total annual cost of the Cadets is fully covered if the life outcomes of just 1% of Cadets change each year so that they are in education, training, or employment.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_95
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_95

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to provide information for non-UK personnel at recruitment and transition about their rights and entitlements. \p Al Carns: There is a wide range of information and support available to non-UK recruits and Serving personnel on the Ministry of Defence website and intranet pages, from the single Services, the HIVE Information Centres, the Families Federations, Service Charities and on the Home Office website. This includes single Service guides and policy documents, briefings to personnel, articles in publications such as Welfare Matters and Soldier Magazine and information in:

Information is kept under review and updated to ensure it is clear, concise and reflects current policy and rules.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_96
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_96

Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were employed in the UK Military Flying Training Systems Team at Defence Equipment and Support in each year from 2019 to 2024; and how many were employed on 10 March 2025. \p Maria Eagle: The number of Full Time Equivalent Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) staff employed within the Military Flying Training Systems teams as at 31 March in each complete Financial Year since 2019 is detailed in the table below. The figures include civilian and military employees and workforce substitutes.

Financial Year

Military Flying Training System

2019-20

xx-xxxx-xxxx

2020-21

162.81

2021-22

171.83

2022-23

180.12

2023-24

167

The number of Full Time Equivalent DE&S staff employed within the Military Flying Training Systems teams as of 10 March 2025 is 130. This figure represents data taken from a resource planning dashboard used temporarily whilst the resource management software is reconfigured to reflect DE&S’ new Operating Model, and as such is not directly comparable with the figures in the table.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_97
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_97

Jeremy Corbyn:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the red rating of the Core Production Capability programme by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority in its Annual Report on Major Projects 2023-24, published on 17 January 2025, on the Strategic Defence Review. \p Maria Eagle: Infrastructure and Projects Authority delivery confidence assessments reflect a judgement at a particular point in time. They do not represent the likelihood or not of successful delivery but are a representation of the level of risk and what further mitigation may be required in order to reduce such risk. The Infrastructure and Projects Authority has confirmed ongoing actions are appropriate.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_98
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_98

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the current status is of the Dreadnought-class submarine programme. \p Maria Eagle: The programme remains on track to manufacture four Dreadnought Class submarines within the original cost estimate of £41 billion, consisting of £31 billion and a contingency of £10 billion. The First of Class, HMS Dreadnought, will enter service in the early 2030s.
wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_99
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-13 conversation_99

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new jobs have been created to support the Next Generation Munitions Solution agreement (a) between 11 July 2023 and 4 July 2024 and (b) since 5 July 2024 in (i) Washington in Tyne & Wear, (ii) Glascoed, Wales and (iii) the UK. \p Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not currently hold information about the number of jobs created to support the Next Generation Munitions Solution agreement in the specified time period. The Department has requested BAE Systems, who deliver the Next Generation Munitions Solution for MOD, to provide updated figures. Once they are received, I will write to the hon. Member and will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.