theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_54
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_54

Jenny Riddell-Carpenter:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that the application process for (a) Pension Credit and (b) other benefits is (i) accessible and (ii) supportive to (A) elderly and (B) vulnerable people. \p Torsten Bell: Claims for Pension Credit can be made online at: www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim. The service is available to use 24/7, and provides those who may struggle to make their claim alone the flexibility to have a friend or family member to support them when making their claim at a time that is most convenient to them. Pension Credit claims can also be made through the Freephone telephone number xx-xxxx-xxxx, and there is an option to complete a paper application form.

DWP Agents and third-party organisations are also available to support customers with the application process. For customers who are unable to complete forms themselves a home visit from a visiting officer can be arranged. For customers who are deaf and use British Sign Language a Video Relay Service (known as VRS) is available and for customers who cannot hear or speak on the phone, can use Relay UK service. Further information can be found on Gov.uk Easy read: Pension Credit - GOV.UK.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to providing the best possible support for all customers claiming benefits. We recognise as a Department we come into contact with claimants who are vulnerable. Many, particularly those with severe heath conditions and disabilities, already have support in place from third parties (friends, relatives or appointees for example). However, for those who don’t, DWP provide a range of information and services to support customers through its benefit application processes. For the most vulnerable customers we offer support through the Visiting Service. This can include help with form completion or the application process more generally. Support visits if you need help to claim benefits - GOV.UK

DWP staff are trained to identify those who may need additional support, and Jobcentres will continue to provide face-to-face support as business as usual for those who cannot access support through telephony and digital channels. The Jobcentre will also consider whether the individual should be referred to specialist support within their geographical area.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of workplace health and safety enforcement; and what steps her Department is taking to strengthen health and safety protections for workers. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It is an independent regulator and it acts in the public interest to reduce work-related death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces. HSE uses a number of intervention techniques to utilise its resources in the most effective way using a variety of enforcement tools to drive improvements in health and safety.

The Department obtains assurance as to the adequacy of workplace health and safety enforcement through a range of measures including its Quarterly Assurance Review process.

At the start of each financial year HSE publishes its Business Plan which details what it will deliver during the year, which this year included a strong focus on performance, further improving the effectiveness of its investigations and changing its ways of working to deliver it objectives. Each year I approve HSE’s business plan on behalf of the Government.

Then at the end of each financial year HSE produces its Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) that are laid in Parliament. The ARA is a report to Parliament that sets out information on HSE’s financial position and activity which includes risks to the achievement of its objectives and how it has performed during the year.

The Government’s Make Work Pay agenda sets out an ambition to review health and safety guidance and regulations with a view to modernising legislation and guidance where it does not fully reflect the modern workplace, which will help to strengthen health and safety protections for workers. HSE is working on three areas of legislative change: chemicals, energy and health but reviewing the Approved Code of Practice and guidance on temperature and welfare in the Health, Safety & Welfare Regulations.

Under the heading of Safer Workplaces, Make Work Pay sets four key areas of focus that are within HSE’s remit: work related stress and mental health; workplace violence and aggression; menopause in the workplace and review of health and safety legislation.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_56
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_56

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of eligible pensioners who were not claiming Pension Credit in Wokingham constituency on 31 January 2025. \p Torsten Bell: Published DWP Pension Credit Take-up statistics estimate that up to 760,000 households who were entitled to receive Pension Credit did not claim the benefit. These statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas. The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics for Great Britain cover the financial year 2022 to 2023 and are available at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2023 - GOV.UK

Latest caseload statistics show that as of August 2024, there were 1,359,773 people in receipt of Pension Credit in Great Britain, of which 798 were in Wokingham constituency. This data is available via DWP Stat-Xplore.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_57
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_57

Apsana Begum:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether she has any plans to abolish the Shared Accommodation Rate as part of the Government’s Universal Credit review. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Individual policies cannot be considered in isolation and there are currently no plans to abolish the Shared Accommodation Rate (SAR), which is the rate of housing support for individuals under 35 living in the private sector. Government will prioritise the best way to achieve its mission goals within the current challenging fiscal situation at the appropriate fiscal event.

The Government’s housing strategy will set out a long-term vision for a housing market that works for communities and builds 1.5m high-quality homes, including the biggest increase in affordable housing for a generation. We continue to work across-Government to support the development of the strategy and through the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping.

Meanwhile the Department is committed to reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to, to make work pay and tackle poverty. Parliament will be updated on progress and future changes accordingly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_58

Sir Desmond Swayne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to abolish clawback by pension providers. \p Torsten Bell: The aim of integrated or so-called ‘clawback’ schemes is to provide, overall, the same level of benefits before and after a person reaches State Pension age. A higher amount of occupational pension is paid before the member begins to receives their State Pension, thereby smoothing benefit income over time.

The Government has no plans to abolish the provision of integrated pensions.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_59
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_59

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure people receiving Universal Credit have adequate support for accessing employment (a) opportunities and (b) training in Lincolnshire. \p Alison McGovern: As announced in the recent Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers advice. This new service will transform our ability to support people into work, help those on low pay to increase their earnings, and create a more flexible workforce for a fast changing, higher skilled jobs market. This transformation is expected to contribute to economic growth by addressing local skills gaps and providing tailored support to meet the needs of local labour markets.

In Lincolnshire, our Jobcentre Employer and Partnership Teams work with a range of employers and partners to enhance the skills and employment support available locally. An example of this includes working closely with South and East Lincolnshire Council on the commissioning of skills and employment support programmes using Shared Prosperity Funding.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_60
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_60

Adrian Ramsay:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have registered for Pension Credit since the announcement of changes to the eligibility requirements for the Winter Fuel Payment in Waveney Valley constituency. \p Torsten Bell: The latest statistics on Pension Credit application volumes were published on 27 February 2025. This provides an update to the Applications and Awards data, including those awarded and not awarded and also statistics on the number of outstanding Pension Credit applications. The statistics provide weekly information for the period 3 April 2023 up to 23 February 2025. Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK.

We do not hold data at regional or constituency level for applications made.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_61

Kirsty Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the priorities are of the joint Work and Health Unit. \p Alison McGovern: The Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care Joint Work and Health Directorate (JWHD) (formerly Unit) was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to improve employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions.

The goal of the JWHD is to open up opportunities to good work and to support a healthier, more productive and inclusive nation, by helping more disabled people and people with health conditions to: get appropriate work, get on in that work, and to return to work as quickly as possible if they leave it. This supports the Government priority of tackling economic inactivity, set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper.

The JWHD works to join up the health and employment systems, including the addition of employment support in existing care pathways, such as placing Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapy services and WorkWell, which is part of the plan to Get Britain Working and enables local areas to lead, design and deliver work and health support that meets the needs of their communities.

It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, JWHD is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025. Additionally, the JWHD has developed a digital information service for employers, and continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_62
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_62

Jas Athwal:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help ensure that employers support women managing menopause. \p Alison McGovern: The Government has introduced the Employment Rights Bill which [if passed] would require large employers with more than 250 employees to produce Menopause Action Plans on how they will support employees through the menopause. Alongside this we have committed to publishing guidance, including for small employers, on measures to consider relating to uniform and temperature, flexible working and recording menopause-related leave and absence. The Secretary of State has also appointed Mariella Frostrup as the Government’s independent Menopause Employment Ambassador. The Menopause Employment Ambassador will work closely with employers across the country to improve workplace support for women experiencing menopause.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_63
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_63

John Milne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an estimate of the level Universal Credit Standard Allowance should sit at per week in order to enable households to afford the essentials. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No assessment has been made at this point. The Government recognises the critical role Universal Credit has to play in tackling poverty and making work pay and has already taken steps to help those in need.

Benefit rates are reviewed each year, increasing by 6.7% in April 2024 and by a further 1.7% from April 2025, in line with inflation.

Around 5.7 million Universal Credit families are forecast to benefit from uprating in financial year 2025 to 2026, with an average annual gain for a family estimated to be £150.

The Fair Repayment Rate, to be introduced from April, will reduce the Universal Credit overall cap on deductions from 25% to 15%. This measure will help approximately 1.2 million of the poorest households benefit by an average of £420 a year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help ensure that people in (a) low-paid and (b) insecure work receive an adequate income in retirement. \p Torsten Bell: The new State Pension has been designed to provide a foundation for private saving, supported through Automatic Enrolment (AE). The new State Pension improves State Pension outcomes for those who often did less well under the previous system, including those on low incomes. Alongside qualifying through work or self-employment, there is also a wide range of National Insurance credits available, ensuring people can achieve the best possible State Pension outcome.

We have made a commitment to the Triple Lock throughout this Parliament which will mean spending on people’s State Pensions is forecast to rise by over £31 billion. As a result, over 12 million pensioners will receive up to £1,900 a year more by the end of the Parliament. Pension Credit also provides a means-tested safety-net for those on low-incomes in retirement.

AE has succeeded in transforming retirement saving with over 11 million employees having been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension since 2012. AE has been a particular success for lower earners with participation for eligible employees earning between £10,000 and £20,000 in the private sector, increasing from 17% in 2012 to 75% in 2023. However, we know we need to do even more to build on the success of AE in getting people into saving by ensuring security in retirement for all.

The first phase of our review is focused on investment and growth with the twin objectives of increasing investment in the UK and delivering improved returns for savers. In November 2024 we published the interim report of this review with consultations on unlocking the UK pensions market for growth and reforming the Local Government Pension Scheme. These consultations closed in January, and we expect to provide our response in Spring 2025.

However, it is also important that we then consider the broader question of adequacy and how to build on the success of AE to ensure that people are saving enough for retirement. Therefore, the second phase of the review will in due course look at further steps to improve pension outcomes, and pension adequacy for all.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_65
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_65

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) scope and (b) planned timeline is for her Department’s planned benefit reforms in 2025. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We are committed to reforming the system of health and disability benefits so that it promotes and enables employment among as many people as possible. The system must also work to support disabled people to live independently. It is also vital to ensure that the system is financially sustainable in the long term.

We are working to develop proposals for reform to the system of health and disability benefits and will set them out in a green paper in the spring.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_66
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_66

Jerome Mayhew:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for resolutions to missed child maintenance payments. \p Andrew Western: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) will do everything it can to address the nonpayment of child maintenance and reduce waiting times for missed payments. We use our enforcement powers fairly and quickly to get cases back into payment.

These powers include deductions from earnings orders, removal of driving licenses, disqualification from holding a passport, and committal to prison. The CMS has also introduced powers to deduct child maintenance directly from a wider range of bank accounts and can apply for a liability order. A liability order legally recognizes the debt and is required before the CMS can take certain enforcement actions against non-compliant parents to enforce those arrears.

Following the Child Support (Enforcement) Act 2023 receiving royal assent in July 2023, secondary legislation is required to bring into force existing powers that allow the CMS to make an administrative liability order against a person who has failed to pay child maintenance and is in arrears.

The administrative liability order will replace the current requirement for the CMS to apply to the court for a liability order, which can take up to 22 weeks. Introducing a simpler administrative process will enable the CMS to take faster action against parents who actively avoid their responsibilities and will get money to children more quickly. We expect the new liability order process to take around six to eight weeks, allowing for delays.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_67
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_67

Sojan Joseph:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the age limits for soldiers and officers to rejoin the Army Reserves. \p Luke Pollard: The Minister for Veterans and People has commissioned an internal review in Defence to ensure that we are making the most of the unique contribution our Reserve Forces offer. The review will examine the Reserves landscape and will include some aspects of their terms and conditions of Service.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_68

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) current and (b) former military personnel have been diagnosed with cancer after serving on UK military helicopters. \p Al Carns: Ministry of Defence Analysts are undertaking a review to determine the number of Serving personnel who have served as air crew and been diagnosed with cancer. I will write to hon. Member when information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_69
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_69

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many reports of sexual assault have been filed by male service personnel in (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the British Army and (c) the Royal Air Force in each year since 2014. \p Al Carns: An annual official statistic on cases of sexual offending handled by the Service Justice System has been published since 2015:  https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/murder-manslaughter-sexual-offences-and-domestic-abuse-in-the-service-justice-system-2023

This shows the numbers of sexual assault cases investigated by the Service police by Service and, separately, the numbers of females and males who have been victims of such assaults. The latter category is not further broken down by Service. Data for 2024 will be published shortly. Cases reported to the civilian police are not captured in the official statistic.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_70
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_70

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the retention of the skilled defence workforce to develop the Global Combat Air Programme. \p Maria Eagle: Over the last three months I have held regular discussions with BAE Systems and a wide range of other stakeholders on Typhoon production and in support of ongoing Typhoon export campaigns. To provide the UK with the most relevant and capable force, the Ministry of Defence continually reviews the demand for Combat Aircraft which will be required to operate in increasingly demanding and changing threat environments. The ongoing Strategic Defence Review is also examining this area.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_71
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of UK Regular Forces personnel were classified as (a) Medically Fully Deployable, (b) Medically Limited Deployable and (c) Medically Not Deployable as of 1 January 2025. \p Luke Pollard: The table below presents the Medical Deployability Standard of UK Armed Forces personnel, broken down by Service, as at 1 January 2025.

Medically Fully Deployable (MFD)

Medically Limited Deployable (MLD)

Medically Not Deployable (MND)

n

%

n

%

n

%

All

99,162

78.1%

14,361

11.3%

13,503

10.6%

Royal Navy

17,858

79.9%

1,994

8.9%

2,495

11.2%

Royal Marines

4,989

87.0%

356

6.2%

389

6.8%

Army

54,695

76.9%

9,478

13.3%

6,973

9.8%

RAF

21,620

77.8%

2,533

9.1%

3,646

13.1%

Source: DMICP & JPA.

1. MDS was missing for 10 personnel.

2.The figures provided are for full time trained (Royal Navy and RAF)/trade trained (army) and serving against

requirement personnel in service.

3. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to MDS being missing for a small number of personnel.

Personnel with a grade of MLD are medically fit for duty with minor employment limitations. A grade of MLD requires a medical risk assessment to be carried out for deployment. The decision on that deployment will depend on the medical condition, individual function, the proposed employment, length of the deployment and the medical support available.

Personnel graded as Medically Non-Deployable are not fit to deploy on Operations; however, they may be deployable on UK based exercises and should be able to work effectively for at least 32.5 hours per week. Personnel graded Medically Non-Deployable may require continued medical care, long term medication and access to secondary care facilities.

This new Government is committed to providing world-class medical treatment to ensure personnel can return to duty where possible, or to support their transition to civilian life.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 28962, whether his Department has conducted a value for money assessment of the proposed agreement with Mauritius on the Chagos Islands. \p Luke Pollard: The treaty is not finalised yet, when the deal is finalised, the Government will put it before the House.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, whether responsibility for the intelligence security services will be moved to his Department. \p Luke Pollard: There are no plans for the Ministry of Defence to have responsibility for the intelligence and security services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, what the total cost to the public purse will be of the UK defence budget in financial year (a) 2025-26, (b) 2026-27, (c) 2027-28 and (d) 2028-29. \p Luke Pollard: This commitment will be funded by reductions in Overseas Development Aid to 0.3% of GNI and does not require the Government to change the spending envelope.

HMT is currently undertaking the second phase of the Spending Review. This will set Departmental budgets for three years from 2026-27 for RDEL and four years for CDEL, on 11 June 2025.

The Defence Budget for financial year 2025-26 is £59.8 billion and was published in the Autumn Budget in October 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, whether payments to Mauritius for the continued lease of the Diego Garcia military base will be included in the announced increase in defence spending. \p Luke Pollard: The terms of the treaty are still being finalised, once the treaty is finalised it will be put before Parliament for scrutiny in the usual way.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with veterans charities on the potential issuing of compensation payments to persons formally associated with Irish Republicanism. \p Al Carns: Neither the Secretary of State for Defence, nor any of his Ministerial team, have had any discussions with veterans charities on the potential issuing of compensation payments to persons formerly associated with Irish Republicanism.
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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what security assessment his Department has conducted on the potential risks associated with Mingyang Smart Energy supplying turbines for the Green Volt North Sea wind farm. \p Maria Eagle: Defence works in close collaboration with other Departments as part of the Government’s process to assess and mitigate national security risks to UK interests at home and abroad.

It would be inappropriate to comment on individual cases, but any investment in the energy sector or other parts of our Critical National Infrastructure is subject to the highest levels of scrutiny.

The Government continues to welcome investment, but we will not hesitate to protect national security wherever we identify specific areas of concern.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what process there is for former members of the armed forces who left service after 6 May 2023 to apply for the King’s Coronation Medal; and when his Department plans to provide further details on this application process. \p Al Carns: As at 26 February 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Medal Office has despatched 144,155 medals to Service personnel, Veterans, Cadets, MOD civilian personnel and agency personnel sponsored by the MOD.

The timeline for issuing the remainder of medals to eligible personnel is dependent on the confirmation from Veterans of their home address as once an individual leaves service, the efficacy of records significantly reduces. The MOD continues to explore methods of contacting those individuals who have left the Armed Forces since the 6 May 2023, as it is important to ensure that medals do not go astray by sending to unconfirmed addresses.

Any veteran can apply for medals at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-medal-or-veterans-badge/apply-for-a-medal.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department. \p Al Carns: Advance desk reservations are encouraged to secure appropriate workspace within Ministry of Defence (MOD) Main Building. Desk booking services for the wider MOD including arm’s length bodies are not centrally held and would come at disproportionate cost to the Department in producing this information.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_80
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what grants his Department plans to make available to support events for Armed Forces Day 2025. \p Al Carns: Armed Forces Day will take place on Saturday 28 June 2025 and provides an opportunity for the country to show support for those who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently Serving personnel to Service families, Veterans and Cadets. The Ministry of Defence will, as in previous years, make a number of grants available (up to £10,000 each) for communities to help host an event. Details of eligibility and how to apply for a grant are available on our website www.armedforcesday.org.uk
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many families of (a) current and (b) former military personnel are actively pursuing legal action against his Department after receiving a cancer diagnosis after having served on UK military helicopters. \p Al Carns: Currently, 27 compensation claims are being actively pursued by, or on behalf of, military personnel. Of these, five claims are from current personnel and 22 claims concern former military personnel.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_82
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason has the signature of the full business case for the E-7 Wedgetail programme been delayed. \p Maria Eagle: The E7 Full Business Case is undergoing due consideration within the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) approvals process. The MOD operates a robust approvals process in accordance with HM Treasury's approvals control framework.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Rebecca Long Bailey:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish information held in National Archives document reference DEFE13/1870/1 on nuclear testing veteran health studies. \p Al Carns: The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We recognise their service and the huge contribution they have made to the UK's security.

As the hon. Member will be aware from our previous discussions, I am committed to looking into questions regarding medical records. That is why I have commissioned officials to look into what information the Department holds in relation to the medical testing of Service personnel who took part in the UK nuclear weapons tests.

I am committed to regular engagement with individuals and families associated with the Nuclear Test Veteran community. As part of this engagement, I have already met with parliamentarians and representatives from Nuclear Test Veteran groups to discuss their concerns further and officials are also maintaining regular contact.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_84
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_84

Josh Fenton-Glynn:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many social media accounts his Department operates; and how much his Department spent on social media (a) subscriptions and (b) advertisements on each social media platform in each of the last three years. \p Al Carns: The Government communicates across a range of media channels in order to reach its target audience effectively. Channels are selected based on whether they will reach the intended audience on a specific issue to have the most impact. Social media is an essential part of government communications and is used to inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests. A full departmental response is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Social media accounts are managed locally across the various departments within the Ministrt of Defence (MOD). Any costs associated with social media platforms including advertisements are also managed within individual teams’ departmental budgets. A list of the main MOD social media accounts are published on Gov.UK via the following link https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence/about/social-media-use.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_85
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_85

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, whether the Defence Industrial Strategy will be included in the National Security Strategy or published separately. \p Maria Eagle: This Government is committed to bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy which ensures the imperatives of national security, and a high-growth economy are aligned.

The Statement of Intent outlined that the Defence Industrial Strategy will be published in late-Spring 2025.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_86
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Chris Bloore:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether their Department offers (a) paid time off work and (b) other support to employees who become kinship carers. \p Al Carns: The Ministry of Defence does not have a policy which explicitly covers paid time off work and other support to employees who become kinship carers. This applies to both Civil Servants and Armed Forces personnel. Employees are able to take time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant or are able to request other leave, paid and unpaid, as well as annual and flexi leave as required to support them when they become a kinship carer. Employees are also able to request flexible working to support both short term and longer term arrangements.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_87
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 31092 on Armed Forces: Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of that proposal on service members at pension age. \p Al Carns: This is a Government of service and I am leading work across Government and with civil society to look at the best ways to ensure all Veterans get access to the support and opportunities they need and deserve. This year, we will set out our plans for Veterans in our updated Veterans’ Strategy. This Government will always stand up for those who have served our country. That said, the rules governing Armed Forces’ pensions are designed to be fair to all military personnel and thus the awarding of periodic payments is not under consideration by this Department.

The Social Security Act 1973 brought about changes by requiring all occupational pension schemes to preserve pension rights for those who left service after 6 April 1975 having completed at least five years qualifying service and having attained the age of 26. It is a fact that the legacy issues associated with the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975 are replicated in other public sector schemes in existence prior to the Social Security Act 1973.

Where legacy issues are common across public sector schemes, any provisions or change implemented for the Armed Forces would certainly result in pressure from others for similar treatment. To concede retrospection or make provisions for one group would place great pressure on other public service schemes and this would have huge financial implications. This would also impact any future meaningful improvements to pension schemes for current employees and make them unaffordable.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_88
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timetable is for when RFA Fort Victoria will rejoin the active fleet. \p Maria Eagle: RFA Fort Victoria is in a period of planned maintenance, which was delayed to prioritise higher priority outputs. We do not disclose the details of forward availability forecasts to preserve the operational security of the fleet, however I can confirm that she will be regenerated in accordance with defence requirements.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_89
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Lola McEvoy:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking with the Cabinet colleagues to help support Armed Forces Veterans into publicly sector jobs. \p Al Carns: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence represents veterans at Cabinet. Both he and I are working across Government and with Civil Society to strengthen the support we offer to our veterans and Armed Forces Community. This includes ensuring that the Civil Service benefits from the wide range of skills and talents the veteran community has to offer.

The ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ (GPTW) scheme is designed to encourage more veterans to join the Civil Service when they leave the armed forces. It is an opt-in recruitment scheme which allows those eligible, who meet the minimum standard required for a role, to progress to the next stage of the application process.

‘Going Forward into Employment’ (GFiE) is a Life Chances scheme, which provides eligible veterans, spouses, and partners with opportunities within the Civil Service in a variety of roles, most of which are for entry level and up to first line management grades. GFiE recognises that some veterans face unique barriers to employment and aims to address this by making the Civil Service application process as straightforward as possible.

Other public sector initiatives include ‘Step into Health’, which supports NHS employers in the recruitment and retention of talent from the Armed Forces community and seeks to promote the value that veterans can bring to the NHS.

A range of cross-government employment support is also available to veterans and their families after their time in service. This includes the MOD-hosted Career Transition Partnership which is the initial point of resettlement provision for veterans leaving military service, with directly provided support available for two years before and two years after leaving service.

The Government is expanding UK-wide career support for the armed forces community, ensuring support for all veterans, regardless of when they left service. The careers advice service Op ASCEND offer will include a broader range of job support for veterans, helping more into employment and boosting growth under this Government’s Plan for Change. This service will work with industry bodies to make sure businesses are set up to make the most of the talents veterans have to offer, showing how the Government is renewing the contract with those who serve and have served.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_90
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff his Department has seconded from Palantir since July 2024. \p Al Carns: No staff have been seconded from Palantir into the Ministry of Defence or its Executive Agencies since July 2024.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_91
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Gravehawk air defence system recently supplied to Ukraine in countering Russian aerial threats. \p Luke Pollard: Gravehawk is a bespoke air defence system rapidly developed for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and jointly funded by the United Kingdom and Denmark. Designed to be capable of engaging air threats in Ukraine, it was tested in the UK prior to transfer to Ukraine, proving basic operating capability.

In Autumn 2024, two prototypes were handed over to the AFU and completed successful testing against representative targets, which confirmed full operating capability. The positive response from the AFU and their subsequent formal request for additional Gravehawk systems corroborated this assessment.

We cannot comment on the operational employment of systems by the AFU.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_92
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Damien Egan:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on achieving Goal 4 of the National Space Strategy, published in September 2021. \p Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Defence has achieved major progress on the 'Protect and Defend' mission in space. This has been achieved through the development of our own capabilities, collaboration with our international partners and across government. The creation of a UK Space Command has brought a renewed focus to the importance of space, delivering new cross-government capabilities such as a National Space Operations Centre. We have committed to the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability alongside the US and Australia as a highly advanced tool to enhance our understanding of this vital domain. This has been underpinned by a £6.5 billion commitment over ten years to develop space capabilities, and through the Strategic Defence Review we are assessing the strategic landscape and threat picture to inform long-term decisions on investment in future capabilities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Kanishka Narayan:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support (a) defence and (b) aerospace innovation in Vale of Glamorgan constituency. \p Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the vital importance of the defence and aerospace industry in the Vale of Glamorgan, and in Wales more widely.

The Defence and Security Accelerator has a dedicated Innovation Partner in Wales and is supporting a number of projects with innovative small and medium-sized enterprises. The Defence Technology Exploitation Programme, for example, has funded Raplas Technologies, based in the Vale of Glamorgan who specialise in 3D printing applications within defence. While the MOD does not allocate spending to specific nations and regions in the UK, MOD spending in Wales totalled £914 million in 2023-24, equivalent to £290 per person.

The Defence Industrial Strategy will set out how we will prioritise and support businesses to create a more innovative and resilient defence sector across the UK, including in Wales.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_94
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Foreign and Commonwealth soldiers are in the UK Armed Forces, by nationality. \p Luke Pollard: The number of non-UK personnel serving in the Trained and Trade Trained Strength of the Regular Armed Forces and the Brigade of Gurkhas as at 1 January 2025 is shown in the table(s) below.

Table 1: Number of Non-UK Regulars1 by Nationality2 as at 1 January 2025

Nationality

Total

British Hong Kong

20

British Overseas Citizen

[c]

British Overseas Territory Citizen

40

Australian

30

Bahamian

[c]

Bangladeshi

10

Barbadian

10

Belizean

20

Botswanan

10

Cameroonian

30

Canadian

30

Citizen of Fiji

2,270

Citizen of Seychelles

[c]

Citizen of Sri Lanka

10

Cypriot

[c]

Dominican

20

Gambian

30

Ghanaian

810

Grenadian

170

Guyanese

[c]

Indian

90

Jamaican

110

Kenyan

230

Malawian

220

Malaysian

[c]

Maltese

[c]

Mauritian

20

Namibian

[c]

Nepalese

780

New Zealander

30

Nigerian

110

Pakistani

10

Papua New Guinean

[c]

Samoan

[c]

Sierra Leonean

[c]

Singaporean

[c]

Solomon Islander

[c]

South African

280

St Lucian

510

Swazi

[c]

Tanzanian

10

Tongan

[c]

Trinidad and Tobago citizen

60

Ugandan

20

Vincentian

1,300

Zambian

10

Zimbabwean

20

Table 2: Number of Brigade of Gurkhas by Nationality2 as at 1 January 2025

Nationality

Total

Nepalese

4,130

Notes/Caveats
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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

Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the sale of (a) HMS Albion and (b) HMS Bulwark; and what the estimated market value of each vessel was at the time of decommissioning. \p Maria Eagle: Due to commercial sensitivities, we are unable to disclose progress regarding the sale of HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark.