17 Sep 21. Defence Committee. Following AUKUS agreement, former Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne to give evidence on the UK’s naval role in the Indo-Pacific. At 09.00, on 21 September, the Defence Committee will hear evidence from former Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne and Professor Tetsuo Kotani at Meikai University on the Navy and naval procurement. The session will hear from these local regional experts live from the Indo-Pacific and will examine what role the UK can play in the region in the future, and will include questions on AUKUS and the Carrier Strike Group deployment to the Indo-Pacific. It will also cover what lessons the UK shipbuilding industry and National Shipbuilding Strategy can learn from partners in the region with large or growing shipbuilding sectors.
Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne served as Minister for Defence Industry from 2016 to 2018 and Minister for Defence from 2018-2019. During his three years in office as a Cabinet Minister in the Defence portfolio he created and implemented the Naval Shipbuilding Plan and oversaw several naval programs. He also started the Pacific Step Up to strengthen Australia’s strategic role in the South Pacific in 2018 and helped found the Australia France Initiative (Afiniti) to take advantage of the closer relationship with France due to the Attack Class Submarine Project. Professor Tetsuo Kotani is a Professor at Meikai University. His research focus is the US-Japan Alliance, Maritime Security, Geopolitics and Geostrategy. He won the 2003 Japanese Defense Minister Prize. He has published numerous articles both in English and Japanese, and his recent English publications include “Crisis Management in the East China Sea”.
09.00, 21 September:
- Christopher Pyne, Former Australian Minister of Defence
- Professor Tetsuo Kotani, Professor, Meikai University and Senior Research Fellow, The Japan Institute of International Affairs
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Ammunition
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2021 to Question 40676 on Ammunition, what the last safe year of use is for those batches of 30mm ammunition.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 16 September 2021
The current service life expiry date for each type of ammunition is shown below:
Type of 30mm ammunition Year of last Purchase Latest Service Life Expiry Date
Practice 2019 1 Nov 2024
Reduced Range Practice 2014 1 Dec 2021
High Explosive Tracer 2011 1 Jun 2021
Armour Piercing 1991 1 May 2021
As is normal practise for most higher value General Munitions, an assessment process, considering both safety and performance, is ongoing to extend the service life.
Ajax Vehicles: Ammunition
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of a single round of 40mm armoured piercing ammunition for the Ajax Armoured Fighting Vehicle.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 16 September 2021
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 September to question 40704.
Ammunition: Manufacturing Industries
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 48151, tabled on 13 September 2021
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where the ammunition for the CT40 cannon will be manufactured.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 16 September 2021
The ammunition for the CT40 cannon is manufactured at the BAE Systems Glascoed site in South Wales.
BOWMAN Combat Radio System: Costs
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 48156, tabled on 13 September 2021
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2021 to Question 40637 on BOWMAN Combat Radio System, what the forecast RDEL (run cost) is to maintain BCIP 5.6 until its out of service date.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 16 September 2021
The Ministry of Defence is not able to release financial information regarding forecasted RDEL (run cost) to maintain BCIP 5.6 until its out of service date, as this would prejudice our ability to conduct future negotiations with Industry in order to deliver best value for money.
BOWMAN Combat Radio System
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2021 to Question 40635 on BOWMAN Combat Radio System, which units have (a) tested and (b) accepted BCIP 5.6.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 16 September 2021
BCIP 5.6 has already been tested and accepted into service. It has been fielded to all units, including those deployed on operations, who are equipped with BCIP. Full Operational Capability was formally declared in December 2020.
Ajax Vehicles: Procurement
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Defence Procurement of 9 September 2021, Official report, column 485, whether he plans to publish the programmatic review of the Ajax programme.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 15 September 2021
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 June 2021 to Question 8558 to the Rt Hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones).
Ajax Vehicles: Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the armed forces personnel injured during the trials of the Ajax Armoured Fighting Vehicle programme will be entitled to compensation under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 15 September 2021
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) is a no-fault scheme which provides benefit for injury, illness or death caused wholly or predominantly by service on or after 6 April 2005. Personnel who have sustained injuries or illness whilst participating in the Armed Forces activities can make a claim under the scheme. Any award made is then offset by any successful common law damages settlement or vice versa to ensure there is no double recovery of compensation.
Ajax Vehicles: Armed Conflict
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Defence Procurement of 9 September 2021, Official report, column 485, whether Ajax crews will only be permitted to engage enemy targets in battle with single round bursts of 40mm…
Show full question
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 15 September 2021
The vehicle is capable of firing a single round or burst engagement and it will be the decision of the vehicle commander at the time, which engagement is most appropriate for the tactical situation.
This capability provides us with enhanced resilience to meet future threats as armour and defence suites evolve.
LE TacCIS Programme: Staff
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who the Senior Responsible Owner for the Le Tacsis programme is; and whether that person is employed (a) part-time or (b) full-time on Le Tacsis.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 15 September 2021
The Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for the LE TacCIS programme is currently Major General Jonathan Cole. He combines his duties as SRO on LE TacCIS with being the Army’s Chief information officer.
The SRO is supported by a dedicated Programme Director and programme team and, where appropriate, industry.
Ajax Vehicles: Testing
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated total cost is of the new trials which have recommenced at Millbrook on the Ajax Armoured Fighting Vehicle; and from which Top Level Budget the funding for those trials will come.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 17 September 2021
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 September to question 44327 to the Hon. Member for Islwyn (Mr Evans).