18 Jun 21. Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, faces questioning from Defence Committee. On Wednesday 23 June, at 14.00, Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, will face questions from the Defence Committee on a range of topics, including the role of UK Defence, the future shape of UK Armed Forces and the capabilities they will rely on, as outlined in recent papers such as the Integrated Review, the Defence Command Paper and the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy. This will be an opportunity to explore how Her Majesty’s Government intends to implement the objectives it has set itself. Mr Wallace will appear alongside Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability), Air Marshal Richard Knighton and Director General Finance, Charlie Pate. Air Marshal Knighton has served in the post of Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff since 2018, having previous worked in a variety of roles within the RAF. In his current role, Air Marshal Knighton is responsible for overseeing strategic force development across Defence lines of development, and for making strategic balance of investment recommendations to the Armed Forces Committee and Defence Board. Mr Pate has been in the UK civil service since 1999 and joined the Ministry of Defence in 2015 as Director of Resources at Air Command. Mr Pate is currently the Director General Finance, and is the principal financial advisor for defence and responsible for all aspects of financial management and control, including the overall defence budget and forecasting within the MOD.
14.00, 23 June:
- Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, Secretary of State for Defence
- Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Financial and Military Capability), Air Marshal Richard Knighton
- Director General Finance, Charlie Pate
14 June 21. Chair Comment Defence Committee. Responding to the NATO Leaders’ Summit, Chair of the Defence Committee, Tobias Ellwood MP, said:
“I welcome the recognition in the Communique both of the significant and wide-ranging threat posed by Russia, and of the need for NATO engagement with the challenge presented by China – it is vital that, as Allies, we share a collective view of the tests we face.
“In light of that recognition, I warmly welcome the endorsement of the NATO 2030 agenda. The development of a new Strategic Concept will allow NATO to configure itself to better respond to the complex and increasingly dangerous security environment. However, for the higher level of ambition set by the NATO 2030 agenda to be achieved, an increase in both national defence expenditure and NATO common funding is required – un-resourced commitments are, quite simply, a failure to recognise the gravity of the threats we face. I call on Her Majesty’s Government to ensure that it leads by example in such negotiations and commits to increase Defence spending from 2.29% to 3% of GDP.
“It is absolutely right that NATO has recognised that its engagement in Afghanistan has not ended, but rather that it has moved to the next chapter in this book.
“I also welcome NATO’s continued engagement in the policy areas of hybrid threats, cyber and Space. These are areas of increasing importance which the Defence Committee intends to explore within this Parliament.
“Finally, I applaud the revitalised Atlantic Charter which reaffirms the commitment of the UK and US to our shared values and to defending them against new and old challenges. Such leadership will be vital in the coming era as we work together to protect our people and way of life.
“Today marks an important moment for democracies across the world, as we’ve heard universal and robust reiteration of support for the Alliance. When NATO is stronger, the world is safer.”
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Ajax Vehicles: Procurement
UIN 13864, tabled on 10 June 2021
Question
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he plans to take on the AJAX programme, in response to the conclusion of the Millbrook Proving Ground assessment; and if he will make a statement.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on
16 June 2021
The independent Millbrook trials have been commissioned and are due to conclude next month. The Ministry of Defence will carefully consider the results of the trials to determine what further steps may be required. The Ministry of Defence will not take Ajax into Initial Operating Capability until the Department are satisfied that the capability meets our requirements.
Ajax Vehicles: Procurement
UIN 13866, tabled on 10 June 2021
Question
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many AJAX (a) hulls, (b) turrets (c) vehicles have been produced by General Dynamics to date.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on
15 June 2021
As at the end of May 2021, General Dynamics has completed 263 hulls. 58 turrets have been manufactured under a sub-contract with Lockheed Martin. A total of 107 vehicles have been produced.
AWE Aldermaston
UIN 13847, tabled on 10 June 2021
Question
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of projected total cost of project PEGASUS.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on
15 June 2021
The existing approved cost of Project PEGASUS is £634 million. Following a pause to reassess the requirements for the project, it will now run in two phases. Firstly, the delivery of the store capability, which is due to complete by June 2025. The second stage will be the manufacturing capability, and an assessment phase is underway to determine the best value for money solution with a target for delivery of the first unit in 2030.
AWE Burghfield
UIN 13845, tabled on 10 June 2021
Question
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the projected total cost for MENSA.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on
15 June 2021
The approved cost of Project MENSA, the new-build warhead assembly and disassembly facility at AWE Burghfield, is £1.8 billion.
Answered by