31 Oct 19. Revisiting the UK’s national security strategy: The National Security Capability Review and the Modernising Defence Programme: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2017–19. The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy will publish its First Special Report, on Monday 4 November 2019 at 11.00am. This will be the Government Response to the Committee’s Report on the NSCR/MDP, published in July 2019. Find the inquiry details and Report here. The accompanying news story is published here, with the headline ‘Members recommend an increase in the defence budget’.
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Q
Asked by Lord Touhig
Asked on: 23 October 2019
Department for International Trade
Arms Trade: Turkey
HL378
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 October (HL Deb, col 25), when they expect to complete the review of arms export licences to Turkey.
A
Answered by: The Earl of Courtown
Answered on: 29 October 2019
The Government is keeping defence exports to Turkey under careful and continual review. We are monitoring the situation in Syria very closely and are considering the licensing position in the light of recent developments. No further export licences to Turkey for items which might be used in military operations in Syria will be granted while we do so.
Q
Asked by Christian Matheson
(City of Chester)
[N]
Asked on: 22 October 2019
Ministry of Defence
Defence: Research
3616
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on military research and development of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
A
Answered by: Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Answered on: 28 October 2019
The Ministry of Defence does not anticipate any significant effect on military Research and Development should the UK leave the EU without a deal and has put in place plans to manage the most likely short-term impacts.
We will continue to work with our European partners to improve our defence capabilities through co-operative research and armaments projects via our existing bilateral and multilateral relationships – and much of this already takes place outside an EU framework. This will help UK defence industry to continue to operate effectively in the global markets as a trusted, capable, collaborative partner.
Q
Asked by Jessica Morden
(Newport East)
[N]
Asked on: 22 October 2019
Ministry of Defence
Defence: Infrastructure
3652
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of steel sourced from the UK was used in defence infrastructure organisation programmes in each of the last five years.
A
Answered by: Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Answered on: 28 October 2019
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold a central record of the origin of all steel used in infrastructure projects. Steel for our major Defence Infrastructure Organisation programmes is mainly sourced by our prime contractors and the supply chains are complex.
The MOD does collate some information about the origin of steel for major Defence projects with the largest steel requirements. This information can be found within the ‘compliance with the steel procurement guidance’ document at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/steel-public-procurement
Q
Asked by Nia Griffith
(Llanelli)
[N]
Asked on: 22 October 2019
Ministry of Defence
Defence: Expenditure
3680
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 October 2019 to Question 292879 on Defence: Expenditure, if he will provide the information requested in that Question.
A
Answered by: Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Answered on: 28 October 2019
The questions refer to two distinct financial years’ supply estimates. Those estimates reflect the sum of activities planned by the Department for those years. The Department’s main estimate covers the outcome of its annual financial planning activity which allocates its budget to the projects and activities Defence will deliver that year. Annual plans are based on long term planning and forecasting, particularly the ten year Equipment Plan.
Supplementary Estimates are a more mature position reflecting actual spend against these plans. Changes may reflect reprioritisation or updated plans as work progresses. These differences were not unexpected as the Ministry of Defence (MOD) adjusts budget profiles to reflect emerging requirements. The MOD’s spending activities are set out in its Annual Report and Accounts. These can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-annual-report-and-accounts-2018-to-19
Grouped Questions: 3681 | 3683
Q
Asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald
(Glasgow South)
Asked on: 23 October 2019
Ministry of Defence
Nuclear Submarines
4356
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to public purse is of the delay to the delivery of HMS Audacious and other Astute-class nuclear submarines; and whether funding will be (a) reduced or (b) withheld from other defence projects to fund additional costs.
A
Answered by: Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Answered on: 28 October 2019
Any additional costs related to the delay to the delivery of Audacious have been contained within the current Astute Equipment Programme budget.
Q
Asked by Jamie Stone
(Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
[N]
Asked on: 21 October 2019
Ministry of Defence
Defence: Modernisation
2911
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to modernise defence strategy to ensure the UK can address hybrid threats.
A
Answered by: Mark Lancaster
Answered on: 24 October 2019
Hybrid threats require a whole of Government approach, not just Defence. Accordingly, the UK approach has centred upon using all arms of Government and the levers available to deter, respond to, and counter hostile activity.
The Modernising Defence Programme, published in 2018, acknowledged that hybrid threats are one of the driving factors fundamentally changing the character of warfare and set out the ways in which Defence would mobilise, modernise and transform to address this. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is actively working to develop the right capabilities, policies and permissions to effectively respond to hybrid threats, and the additional £2.2 billion funding for Defence announced as part of Spending Round 19 is supporting that effort.
We are also working to protect our conventional capabilities from new threats. The MOD has already invested significantly in cyber defence and security, across a broad range of its capabilities and infrastructure. This includes investing £12 million in the Defence Cyber School, £22 million on the creation of new cyber operations centres, and £40 million in the Cyber Security Operations Capability. £265 million has also been invested in a pioneering approach to root out cyber vulnerabilities within military platforms and wider cyber-dependent systems, helping Defence better understand and mitigate cyber risks.
Q
Asked by Lord Touhig
Asked on: 23 October 2019
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence: Contracts
HL375
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to reports that the Ministry of Defence’s management of outsourcing contracts has wasted £3.9 billion, what plans they have to review such contracts for defence work.
A
Answered by: Baroness Goldie
Answered on: 29 October 2019
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) routinely reviews and monitors all its contracts, including outsourced services.
In February 2019, the Government Commercial Function launched the ‘Outsourcing Playbook’ which sets out Government policy and guidelines on outsourcing procurement activities. The aim is to improve both the decision making around outsourcing, and the quality of contracts.
The MOD has been engaged throughout the development of the ‘Outsourcing Playbook’ and is now implementing its policies.