06 Sep 18. Defence Committee. Mental Health And The Armed Forces, Part Two: The Provision Of Care.
Tuesday 11 September 2018 11.30am
Committee Room 6, Palace of Westminster
- Dr Jon Bashford, Director, Community Innovations Enterprise
- Professor Alan Finnegan, Professor of Nursing & Military Mental Health, University of Chester
- Matthew Green, Journalist, Author
In its first oral evidence session, the Defence Committee takes evidence from witnesses across academia, social policy research and journalism on the current provision of mental health care to serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families in the UK.
03 Sep 18. Defence Committee. Statute Of Limitations – Veterans Protection.
Tuesday 4 September 2018. 16.00
Committee Room 18, Palace of Westminster
- Colonel (Rtd) Tim Collins OBE; and
- Colonel (Rtd) Jorge Mendonça DSO MBE
This is the first evidence session of the Committee’s inquiry into the question of how former service personnel can be protected from the spectre of investigation and re-investigation for events that happened many years, and often decades, in the past.
This session will take evidence from Colonel Tim Collins OBE, former Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, and Colonel Jorge Mendonça MBE, former Commanding Officer 1st Battalion, the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment. The session will explore the legal underpinnings for the legacy investigations into Operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland; the support provided by the MoD to service personnel and veterans who are the subject of investigations and whether more support and protection could and should be provided.
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Q
Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 23 July 2018
Ministry of Defence
Defence: Procurement
167181
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which units within the (a) Royal Navy and (b) Army are the primary agencies within those respective bodies for identifying and investigating innovative solutions to future combat requirements.
A
Answered by: Stuart Andrew
Answered on: 05 September 2018
There is a dedicated innovation cell in Navy Command’s Maritime Capability Division that has responsibility for identifying the future combat capability requirements for the Royal Navy and for developing potential capability solutions as cost-effectively as possible.
For the Army, the Future Force Development Branch of the Army Headquarters’ Capability Directorate leads on considering how the Army will fight in the future and identifying related combat capability requirements. In addition, the Land Warfare Centre leads on innovating solutions to the shorter term future, and 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade is leading on ‘Strike Experimentation’ in support of the Joint Force 2025.
Q
Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 23 July 2018
Ministry of Defence
Weapons
167182
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to investigate the potential uses of directed energy on future UK armed forces platforms.
A
Answered by: Stuart Andrew
Answered on: 05 September 2018
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is making a significant investment in the development of Directed Energy Weapons technology and continues to do so as part of its science and technology portfolio; this includes the development of Dragonfire, the UKs first Laser Directed Energy Weapon technology demonstrator.
The MOD recognises that directed energy technologies and systems are now reaching maturity. It has appointed a Senior Responsible Owner and established a Novel Weapons team to specifically investigate the military utility of Directed Energy Weapons. The team is addressing key enablers such as logistics, doctrine, interoperability and is also focused on understanding safety, legal and ethical aspects of deploying them as part of future military capability. It is undertaking this work with the front line commands and consulting with the UK supplier base; acting as a focal point for a cross defence effort.
Q
Asked by Chris Stephens
(Glasgow South West)
Asked on: 23 July 2018
Ministry of Defence
Type 31 Frigates
167315
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on procuring Type 31e frigates; and if he will make a statement.
A
Answered by: Stuart Andrew
Answered on: 05 September 2018
The Ministry of Defence took the decision to stop the procurement of the Type 31e Frigate because we had not received sufficient compliant bids for the Competitive Design Phase. The market was formally notified on 20 July 2018.
We communicated our plans for the first stage of the new procurement on 13 August 2018 by issuing a Prior Information Notice (PIN). This PIN invited potential suppliers to a short period of early market engagement to allow us to share with industry key elements of the new procurement, including technical and commercial information. The outcome of this market engagement will inform the next steps of the new procurement process.
There has been no change in our plan to procure a first batch of five new Type 31e Frigates for £1.25 billion.
Grouped Questions: 167940 | 167941 | 167942 | 167945
Q
Asked by Nia Griffith
(Llanelli)
[N]
Asked on: 20 July 2018
Ministry of Defence
Germany: Army
166473
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress has been made on the re-basing of the British Army from Germany to the UK.
A
Answered by: Mr Tobias Ellwood
Answered on: 04 September 2018
The programme to deliver re-basing of the British Army from Germany to the UK is on schedule.
Defence continues to work closely with other Departments and local providers to ensure schooling, medical and welfare provision for Service personnel and their families as the units return to the UK.
Q
Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 23 July 2018
Ministry of Defence
Defence: Procurement
167179
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which UK companies are participating in the Autonomous Last Mile Resupply project.
A
Answered by: Stuart Andrew
Answered on: 04 September 2018
Five bids were selected for Phase 2 of the Autonomous Last Mile Resupply Challenge, four of which feature UK-based lead contractors. These are: QinetiQ Ltd; Animal Dynamics Ltd; Barnard Microsystems Ltd; and, Horiba Mira Ltd. The fifth lead is Fleetonomy ai, a Finnish-based company.
All of these lead contractors will be utilising broader support from additional UK-based sub-contractors (which include industry and academia) in order to maximise the delivered capability under this phase of the project.
Q
Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
Asked on: 23 July 2018
Ministry of Defence
RAF Rapid Capability Office
167180
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the remit is of the Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office.
A
Answered by: Mark Lancaster
Answered on: 04 September 2018
The Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) supports the delivery of capability to our Armed Forces personnel. RCO programmes extend beyond equipment delivery into information analysis, and people and process improvements. Through this, it aims to enhance capability delivered to the front line. It also explores opportunities presented by emerging technologies, and leverages diversity in thought with novel and innovative ways of working.