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To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings the Earl of Minto has had with the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police since November 2023.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings the Earl of Minto has had with the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police since November 2023.
Owing to a combination of diary constraints and scheduled calls being cancelled due to urgent business on both sides, I have not had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings the Earl of Minto has had with representatives from the Defence Police Federation since November 2023.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings the Earl of Minto has had with representatives from the Defence Police Federation since November 2023.
I have had written correspondence with the Defence Police Federation since taking up post in November 2023, but have held no meetings to date; I did, however, offer for the Defence Police Federation to meet with Senior Officials which took place in early March 2024.
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Secretary of State for Defence on 7 May (HC Deb cols 466–467), how many retired military personnel have been affected by the data breach of the armed forces payment network; and what steps they are taking to reassure veterans...
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Secretary of State for Defence on 7 May (HC Deb cols 466–467), how many retired military personnel have been affected by the data breach of the armed forces payment network; and what steps they are taking to reassure veterans...
At present there is no indication that this data has been accessed, exploited or made publicly available. This is being actively monitored. We have taken a precautionary approach of writing to those who have received salary or lump sum payments under either the Armed Forces Pension Scheme or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme since 2018.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total number of personnel in the armed forces in the UK, including reserve forces.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total number of personnel in the armed forces in the UK, including reserve forces.
As at 1 January 2024, there were 138,100 UK Forces personnel, of which 132,360 are based in-country.
As at 1 January 2024 there were 32,650 Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) of which an estimated 32,310 are based in-country.
The stationed location data for Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) Reserves has not been fully verified, therefore the figure provided is considered to be an estimate. Future Reserves 2020 includes volunteer reserves who are mobilised, HRR and volunteer reserve personnel serving on Additional Duties Commitment (ADC) or FTRS contracts.
Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias. Totals and its constituent numbers have been rounded separately, and so totals may not equal the sums of their rounded parts.
Further Stationed Location Stats for UK Regulars can be found in the Annual Location Statistics (ALS) publication:
To ask His Majesty's Government who funded the recent trip of the Minister for the Armed Forces, Leo Docherty MP, to Bahrain; and, insofar as sponsorship was provided by the government of Bahrain, what this sponsorship covered.
To ask His Majesty's Government who funded the recent trip of the Minister for the Armed Forces, Leo Docherty MP, to Bahrain; and, insofar as sponsorship was provided by the government of Bahrain, what this sponsorship covered.
I can confirm that this visit was funded only through HMG, there was no funding or sponsorship from Bahrain.
To ask His Majesty's Government what role they have played in providing funding for the commemoration events in Northern Ireland for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings; and what additional allocations they have made to each of the 11 councils in Northern Ireland to help them (1) commemorate, or (2)...
To ask His Majesty's Government what role they have played in providing funding for the commemoration events in Northern Ireland for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings; and what additional allocations they have made to each of the 11 councils in Northern Ireland to help them (1) commemorate, or (2)...
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to allow Multi Role Support Ships to be assembled outside the UK.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to allow Multi Role Support Ships to be assembled outside the UK.
The Multi-role Support Ships Programme has entered its concept phase. The Royal Navy and Defence Equipment and Support, will now conduct detailed work on the design and procurement strategy, informed by industry engagement. As announced by the Secretary of State, it is intended that these ships will be built in the UK.
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that more people from minority faith groups are recruited and retained by the UK armed forces.
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that more people from minority faith groups are recruited and retained by the UK armed forces.
Defence is dedicated to recruiting and retaining the best talent, drawn from the broadest diversity of thought, skills, and background, to reflect the society we serve.
In addition to the various informal Defence staff networks that reflect faith and beliefs, the Armed Forces Chaplaincy is evolving to increase the proportion of minority faith chaplains, as well as non-religious pastoral officers to support Service personnel.
Lords motion to approve. Agreed to on question.
Lords motion to approve. Agreed to on question.
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the current arrangements for the assessment of literacy and numeracy competence at the first stage of recruitment into any branch of the armed forces; what provision exists for adult education for (1) literacy, (2) numeracy, and (3) broader educational purposes, after the first...
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the current arrangements for the assessment of literacy and numeracy competence at the first stage of recruitment into any branch of the armed forces; what provision exists for adult education for (1) literacy, (2) numeracy, and (3) broader educational purposes, after the first...
The Armed Forces conduct a range of eligibility checks and assessments within recruitment pipelines, and these include the requirement for candidates to have minimum educational qualifications for entry into the Armed Forces. The single Services set their own minimum educational entry standards, and these are specific to the individual requirements of employment groups. Minimum educational qualifications for entry are regularly reviewed and amended to reflect the most up to date requirements of employment groups.
Following initial training, 95% of enlisted personnel are enrolled onto apprenticeships, which require Functional Skills standards. We support all Service personnel up to Level 2 Functional Skills English and Maths and provide further additional support for those with Specific Learning Differences. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) also promotes lifelong learning among members of the Armed Forces, using the Elective Education Schemes to gain higher level qualifications. MOD, and each of the Armed Forces, have specialist education and training policy teams to assist senior officers.
To ask His Majesty's Government when HMS Somerset will carry out test firings of the new Naval Strike Missile.
To ask His Majesty's Government when HMS Somerset will carry out test firings of the new Naval Strike Missile.
HMS Somerset is available if needed, whilst undertaking a period of planned survey and defect repair work. The completion of a comprehensive trials package will culminate with operational acceptance of the new Naval Strike Missile. In order to preserve the operational security of the Fleet, the Royal Navy does not disclose the dates of planned test firings in advance.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the operational status of HMS Somerset.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the operational status of HMS Somerset.
HMS Somerset is available if needed, whilst undertaking a period of planned survey and defect repair work. The completion of a comprehensive trials package will culminate with operational acceptance of the new Naval Strike Missile. In order to preserve the operational security of the Fleet, the Royal Navy does not disclose the dates of planned test firings in advance.
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the recent cyber-attack targeting the personal details of UK military personnel, what steps they are taking, if any, to review their current data security protocols and cyber defence strategies.
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the recent cyber-attack targeting the personal details of UK military personnel, what steps they are taking, if any, to review their current data security protocols and cyber defence strategies.
The Cyber Resilience Strategy for Defence is already driving forward a programme of work to improve Defence’s cyber security. The Cyber Resilience Strategy was reviewed recently and remains valid. This includes adopting a Secure by Design approach to ensure security is built into our programmes from the outset and managed effectively on a through life basis.
With regards to the recent cyber incident specifically, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has commissioned an independent review into what happened and lessons that can be learned. This will include examining Data and Information Security, the involvement with the contractor and the wider use of systems which process personal data. In addition the MOD are conducting a full review of the Information Security measures that were in place in this contract. Should the independent review suggest that further measures are necessary, the MOD will review these recommendations and implement such changes as are necessary to ensure the continued security of all MOD's data.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total number of young people in the cadet forces in the UK.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total number of young people in the cadet forces in the UK.
The latest available data for Cadets as at 1 April 2023, showed there to be 83,170 individuals in the Community Cadet Force, and 50,950 individuals in the Combined Cadet Force.
Figures for total Cadets can be found in the Ministry of Defence Sponsored Cadet Forces Statistics publication:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mod-sponsored-cadet-forces-statistics-index
My right hon. Friend The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence People and Families (Dr Andrew Murrison) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
On 28 November 2023, I made a commitment during the debate on Nuclear Test Veterans: Medical Records (Official Report, column 245WH) to personally review...
My right hon. Friend The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence People and Families (Dr Andrew Murrison) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
On 28 November 2023, I made a commitment during the debate on Nuclear Test Veterans: Medical Records (Official Report, column 245WH) to personally review...
My Lords, I cannot but agree with the noble and gallant Lord. It is obviously extremely important to maintain the correct numbers and have the recruitment and retention process running as smoothly as possible. We are making improvements to recruitment, and I am delighted to say that things are speeding up. We are taking quite a broad look at some of the medical requirements now. I am not aware of the broken leg example, but it is indicative of some of the challenges that we have faced in the past.
My Lords, I cannot but agree with the noble and gallant Lord. It is obviously extremely important to maintain the correct numbers and have the recruitment and retention process running as smoothly as possible. We are making improvements to recruitment, and I am delighted to say that things are speeding up. We are taking quite a broad look at some of the medical requirements now. I am not aware of the broken leg example, but it is indicative of some of the challenges that we have faced in the past.
My Lords, one essential requirement for an effective land war fighting capability is to have enough people to man the existing posts within the force structure. Last year, the outflow from the Army far exceeded the intake. A very large proportion of potential Army recruits give up because the process takes far too long. There are also many medical rejections, some of which seem rather baffling. I know of one case where an athletic young lady was refused because she had broken her leg some years previously. Given the importance of manning the force structure, is it not time that the military, and the Army in particular, focused much more on how to get people in, rather than how to keep them out?
My Lords, the question of absolute numbers must be overlaid with that of capability. There is no question that we do not need the numbers that we have required in the past. In fact, the First Sea Lord has mentioned that modern warships will have fewer fighting troops on them. I fully agree on the challenges that we face with the existing numbers. War fighting readiness obviously involves modernisation and mobilisation of conventional forces, as well as upgrading nuclear systems. It also involves intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance capabilities, electronic warfare, signals, intelligence, cyber and electronics. It is a very broad base so, to the previous question from the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Stirrup, the breadth of recruitment needs to be very carefully looked at.
My Lords, the question of absolute numbers must be overlaid with that of capability. There is no question that we do not need the numbers that we have required in the past. In fact, the First Sea Lord has mentioned that modern warships will have fewer fighting troops on them. I fully agree on the challenges that we face with the existing numbers. War fighting readiness obviously involves modernisation and mobilisation of conventional forces, as well as upgrading nuclear systems. It also involves intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance capabilities, electronic warfare, signals, intelligence, cyber and electronics. It is a very broad base so, to the previous question from the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Stirrup, the breadth of recruitment needs to be very carefully looked at.
My Lords, we have seen from the wars in Ukraine and Gaza that, if Britain did become involved in a land war, it would look very different from any war that we have ever fought in the past. The skills that our troops will need are changing all the time, as the Minister has alluded to, but we will have 9,000 fewer troops to work with by 2025—a policy that my party would reverse. Are the lower numbers compatible with the greater skills that we would need to fight a modern land war?
I entirely agree with the right reverend Prelate.
I entirely agree with the right reverend Prelate.
My Lords, there are 280 regular chaplains serving in the Armed Forces, including more than 150 from the Church of England, and they are working closely with the wider Church to build strong partnerships, which would be essential in the event of a major deployment. Their work is for the whole Armed Forces and the families who would be left behind, irrespective of faith. Does the Minister agree that chaplains continue to play a crucial role in the life of the Armed Forces both at home and when deployed in conflict zones?
My Lords, I will certainly take a look at the website and ensure that it is made a lot clearer on what the differences are. As regards valuing the reservists, I can assure the House that the
Ministry of Defence values them extremely highly and will continue to make certain that the level of readiness is appropriate.
My Lords, I will certainly take a look at the website and ensure that it is made a lot clearer on what the differences are. As regards valuing the reservists, I can assure the House that the
Ministry of Defence values them extremely highly and will continue to make certain that the level of readiness is appropriate.
I apologise to the admiral; I am sure his time will come. Does my noble friend the Minister agree that the Government website details on our reserve situation are curiously uninformative? They do not make a clear distinction between the regular reserves and the Army reserves, which are two separate concepts and have been for the past 10 years. They do not make clear how many of our units are high-readiness or how many are combat ready. Will he encourage his colleagues to provide clearer information online about the state of the reserves, and give us more information on how we are developing a new relationship between our reserves and regular troops of a kind that is being rapidly developed by several of our NATO allies?
To ask His Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have made of land war readiness of regular and reserve troops across the armed forces.
To ask His Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have made of land war readiness of regular and reserve troops across the armed forces.
My Lords, our Armed Forces are at all times ready to protect and defend the UK, and we continue to meet all operational commitments, both at home and overseas. The global security environment is undoubtedly challenging, and that is why this Government have committed to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2030, including a £10 billion investment in the UK’s munitions infrastructure. We are also heavily investing in equipping and modernising both the Regular Army and the reserves. By 2026, the Army will have built the foundations for the force of 2030, with readiness and resilience fit for the next decade.