28 Apr 22. Tobias Ellwood, Defence Chair, writes to Secretary of State on naval fleet and Navy procurement.
Tobias Ellwood MP, Chair of the Defence Committee, has written to Rt Hon Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence, on a range of issues relating to the Navy’s purpose and procurement following the Committee’s earlier report “We’re going to need a bigger Navy”.
The correspondence (19 April) raises a series of questions with the Secretary of State concerning the Navy’s procurement programme, including the availability of the UK’s Type 45 destroyers, uncertainty around the replacement of the Harpoon anti-ship missile, and options to replace RFA Argus, the UK’s floating medical facility Chair Letters.pdf (parliament.uk).
The correspondence also expresses regret at the Government’s reluctance to engage with the Defence Committee on questions of submarine availability.
Chair of the Defence Committee, Tobias Ellwood MP, said: “The Royal Navy remains one of the most capable forces in the world, but it will face significant challenges in the years ahead. I welcome the Secretary of State’s engagement on these issues and the Government’s recognition of the strategic importance of the Navy, However, as we have found in our inquiry, it is crucial there is the right investment in our fleet to ensure the UK has the capability to act in an increasingly complex international security environment.
“The Government needs to ensure that current ships are available and ready to fight, and that new ones come into service quickly. We will continue to scrutinise the Navy’s progress on these critical projects, particularly how they can address the increasing delays to the Type 45 PIP and ensure that these vital ships are ready to defend the UK in an increasingly insecure world.”
The Committee’s report highlighted the importance of strengthening the British shipbuilding industry. This latest correspondence confirms the Defence Committee will hold a future evidence session on the Government’s shipbuilding policy, following the recently published National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh.
Background – “We’re going to need a bigger Navy” inquiry
On 14 December 2021, the Defence Committee published its report “We’re going to need a bigger Navy” following their inquiry into The Navy: purpose and procurement (see also news item here).
On 25 February, the Defence Committee published the Government’s response to the report (see also news item here).
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Ajax Vehicles
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of what the whole life cost of the Ajax Programme will be, including the contract cost and support costs.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The whole life cost of any platform includes the initial procurement, support, maintenance, associated infrastructure and disposal costs over its decades-long life cycle. An estimate of whole life costs was provided to the NAO and is set out on Page 23, Paragraph 1.20 of the NAO report.
Ajax Vehicles
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many critical milestones on the Ajax Programme are outstanding; and how late each of those milestones is.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
As highlighted in the NAO report the contract contains payment milestones. However the details of these remain commercially sensitive.
Type 23 Frigates
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the status of each of the Royal Navy’s thirteen Type 23 frigates is, as at 1 April 2022.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
Twelve Type 23 frigates remain in service with the Royal Navy.
HMS MONMOUTH was decommissioned in June 2021. This was an element of the optimisation of the Type 23 programme announced in the Integrated Review, which will deliver improved availability across the next seven years. She was retired ahead of a lengthy refit period, during which she would have been unavailable. The savings from the cancellation of that refit period were re-invested into extending HM Ships ARGYLL, IRON DUKE and LANCASTER in service, maximising the return on the resource already invested in them. As of 1 April 2022, HM Ships ARGYLL, IRON DUKE, SUTHERLAND and ST ALBANS are in long term refit, the remaining eight are available for operations.
Ukraine: Military Aid
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many stormer vehicles the UK is sending to Ukraine.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
In the coming weeks, we will deliver a small number of Stormer armoured vehicles with day and night anti-air capabilities to Ukraine; these will be gifted in-kind directly from the Army. The exact number will be formally agreed in the coming days, and I will update the House at the first opportunity.
Ukraine: Military Aid
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Harpoon missiles the UK has supplied to Ukraine since February 2022.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
We are currently not providing Harpoon launchers or missiles to Ukraine.
Ukraine: Humanitarian Aid
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2022 to Question 148045 Ukraine: Humanitarian Aid, how many (a) of the 700 Humanitarian Assistance Task Force personnel have been deployed and (b) requests for deployment have been made.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The answer I provided to Question 148045 on 1 April 2022 remains extant, subject to the following developments:
At present 82 personnel continue to maintain a vehicle fleet in Poland in support of the Humanitarian Assistance Task Force (HATF). The remainder of the personnel assigned to the HATF remain at readiness to support should they be called.
No further requests for deployment have been made as of 25 April 2022.
Defence Equipment: Finance
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2022 to Question 156381, on Defence Equipment: Finance, how many of the £7 bn of planned cost reductions are accompanied by detailed plans on how those reductions will be made.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
As outlined in the recent Equipment Plan 2021, the Department’s top level budget holders (TLBs) have planned £7 bn of cost reductions over ten years. The total includes some of the savings decisions taken in the Integrated Review to delete or descope large programmes for which there are clear plans. £4 bn out of the £7 bn are reductions in costs in areas of spending consisting of many smaller projects, which make up a substantial portion of the equipment plan, and further savings. Based on previous experience, the Department judges the scale of savings as achievable, and are now developing more detailed plans to build confidence in delivery.
Defence Equipment
Question for Ministry of Defence
Lord Moonie
Non-affiliated
Life peer
Lords
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in light of the conflict in Ukraine, what plans they have to increase the quantity of UK defensive war stocks.
Answer
Baroness Goldie
Conservative
Life peer
Lords
Answered on 28 April 2022
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) keeps weapons stockpile levels and requirements under constant review, balancing current holdings against threats, availability, industrial capacity and evolving technology. This is especially true in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, and these considerations have also informed the numbers of munitions granted in kind to the armed forces of Ukraine. The Department is fully engaged with industry, allies and partners to ensure that all munitions stocks granted in kind to the armed forces of Ukraine are replaced as expeditiously as possible. For reasons of safeguarding operational security, it would be inappropriate to discuss timelines or numbers at this stage in relation to any orders placed with industry. The MOD continuously reviews the capability required to counter threats and monitors the global security situation, including in Ukraine, to ensure appropriate levels of operational readiness.
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 April 2022 to Question 153776, on Armed Forces: Recruitment, which company is the NCSC Assured Provider of Cyber Incident Response services.
Answer
Leo Docherty
Conservative
Aldershot
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The NCSC Assured Provider of Cyber Incident Response services for the defence recruitment system incident was Accenture.
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 April 2022 to Question 153788, on Armed Forces: Recruitment, which company, other than Capita, bid for the Defence Recruitment System contract.
Answer
Leo Docherty
Conservative
Aldershot
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The other company that bid for the Defence Recruitment System contract was Serco Ltd.
Multi Role Ocean Surveillance Ship
Question for Ministry of Defence
Lord West of Spithead
Labour
Life peer
Lords
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the timescales for building the new multi-ocean surveillance ship referred to in the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
Answer
Baroness Goldie
Conservative
Life peer
Lords
Answered on 28 April 2022
The Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ship (MROS) programme will provide several capabilities, including those currently provided by HMS SCOTT.
Funding was provided for that programme in the Integrated Review as part of the uplift to the Royal Navy’s shipbuilding pipeline; the nature of the shipping and systems that will deliver the capabilities are being developed, along with the timeline for implementation.
European Fighter Aircraft: Advanced Short-range Air-to-air Missile
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles will be integrated onto Typhoon aircraft by the end of this calendar year.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The Block 6 standard Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile has been successfully integrated onto the Typhoon aircraft with Initial Operating Capability formally declared on 1 April 2022.
Serbia: Military Aircraft
Question for Ministry of Defence
Alicia Kearns
Conservative
Rutland and Melton
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with (a) NATO allies and (b) Cabinet colleagues on the sale of military jets to Serbia in the context of the (i) level of risk of escalation in Bosnia and (ii) failure of Serbia to sanction Russia.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The Government carefully considers its support to Defence exports given the range of opportunities they can provide to support the UK industrial base and expand our global economic and security partnerships. Export licences are granted only in accordance with the UK’s robust Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, which provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require us to consider the possible impact of providing equipment and capabilities. We do not issue licences where we determine there is a clear risk that the items would, overall, undermine peace and security.
Ministry of Defence: Staff
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
Rayleigh and Wickford
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2022 to Question 153789 on Ministry of Defence: Staff, if he will list the nine senior personnel who have applied for ACOBA clearance to join Capita over the last 10 years.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
Details of all applications to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA), including names, appointment sought, rank, and date, have been published by ACOBA and can be found in their published reports.
Pre-2014 these details are given at Annex D of the ACOBA annual reports; post-2014, this information is provided in a separate ACOBA publication, which are available from the following links:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/396938/Twelfth_Annual_Report_2010-2011.pdf
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/396936/ACOBA_Thirteenth_Annual_Report_2011-12.pdf
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/381551/acoba_12-13_annual_report.pdf
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380879/acoba_13-14_annual_report.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/appointments-taken-up-by-former-crown-servants
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/appointments-taken-up-by-former-crown-servants-2019-2020
Cameroon: Russia
Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Ms Lyn Brown
Labour
West Ham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the defence agreement recently signed between the Republic of Cameroon and the Russian Federation.
Answer
Vicky Ford
Conservative
Chelmsford
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
We are aware of reports that Cameroon has recently signed a military cooperation deal with Russia. This follows an earlier Russia/Cameroon military agreement, signed in 2015. We continue to closely monitor security developments in the region.
Military Aid: Ukraine
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total amount spent by his Department on military support to Ukraine has been since 24 February 2022.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The Department has committed more than £450 m in financial backing for the Ukrainian military.
RAF Cosford
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mark Pritchard
Conservative
The Wrekin
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish his plans for the expansion of RAF Cosford.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The Ministry of Defence continues to develop its plans for expansion at RAF Cosford, which remains a core site for Defence. Final decisions are still to be taken, but we will confirm our plans in due course.
Ajax Vehicles: LE TacCIS Programme
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the integration and deployment of Morpheus with AJAX is a requirement for the AJAX programme to reach Full Operational Capability.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The delivery of Morpheus is not a requirement for the Armoured Cavalry Programme to achieve Full Operating Capability.
Ajax Vehicles
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, The Ajax Programme, published 11 March 2022, how many of the 136 open concerns raised by DSTL that his Department were tracking as of October 2021 have been resolved.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 28 April 2022
The National Audit Office report, published in March 2022 noted that 136 concerns relating to the Ajax programme were raised by DSTL in October 2021. Such issues relate to aspects of the capability that could be improved, may be at risk or would benefit from additional design, test or trials evidence. This is a live list and is primarily managed through Technical and Trials Expert Working Groups that include both the MOD and General Dynamics. Ultimately, it is the Joint Assurance Verification and Acceptance Team that reviews evidence to determine whether contracted requirements have been met.
Challenger Tanks
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mark Pritchard
Conservative
The Wrekin
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish his timetable for the introduction of the Challenger 3 tank into service with the British Army.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 27 April 2022
Challenger 3 is scheduled to enter service in 2027. The next major milestone is the Critical Design Review in late 2022.
Maritime Patrol Aircraft
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Poseidon maritime aircraft will reach full operational capability.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 27 April 2022
RAF Poseidon MRA Mk1 will reach Full Operating Capability in 2024.
Devonport Dockyard: Climate Change
Question for Ministry of Defence
Dave Doogan
Scottish National Party
Angus
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the report entitled Climate Change UK Nuclear Military, published by Dr Paul Dorfman, Nuclear Consulting Group in September 2021, what assessment he has made of the risk of the nuclear submarine base HM Naval Base Devonport.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 27 April 2022
We closely monitor and track potential risks to our infrastructure, including from flooding, both now and in the future.
We are aware of the content of this report, which is based on a worst-case scenario. The Ministry of Defence invests significant resources to regularly assure protection against all possible threats and we have absolute confidence in our robust measures to keep our submarines safe and secure.
In terms of future proofing, HM Naval Base Devonport has an extant Climate Infrastructure Risk Assessment that has modelled the potential impact of climate change on sea defences and site infrastructure. This has been independently validated by Ministry of Defence specialists and the Assessment concludes that HMNB Devonport’s Sea Defences are adequate to meet potential sea level changes.
Nuclear Weapons
Question for Ministry of Defence
Jonathan Edwards
Independent
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the nuclear emergency response policy following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 26 April 2022
There has been no need to review Defence nuclear emergency response policy in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine as it is focused on emergency preparedness and response requirements in the event of a radiation emergency involving UK defence nuclear assets. Adequacy and currency of the policy and associated emergency response arrangements are ensured through regular review and testing.
Business: Cybersecurity
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Laurence Robertson
Conservative
Tewkesbury
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many companies (a) made bids and (b) are being considered for the supply of protective electronic countermeasures; and if he will make a statement.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 26 April 2022
It is assumed this question is referring to the current competition to appoint a System Integrator for Project CRENIC, related to the provision of Force Protection Electronic Countermeasures. Following receipt of answers from industry to a dynamic pre qualification questionnaire, three separate industry teams received an Invitation to Negotiate and submitted tenders. Contract award is expected to be announced later in 2022.
Iran: International Military Services
Question for Ministry of Defence
Tulip Siddiq
Labour
Hampstead and Kilburn
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2021 to Question 41086 on Iran: International Military Services, whether court proceedings between International Military Services Ltd and Modsaf have closed or if further hearings are expected.
Answer
Mr Ben Wallace
Conservative
Wyre and Preston North
Commons
Answered on 26 April 2022
All legal proceedings in the dispute between International Military Services (IMS) Ltd and Iran’s Ministry of Defence (MODSAF) have been dismissed.
Nuclear Submarines: Fuels
Question for Ministry of Defence
Dave Doogan
Scottish National Party
Angus
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when remaining nuclear submarines that require defueling will undergo that process; and how much funding his Department has allocated to that process.
Answer
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
Commons
Answered on 26 April 2022
There are currently 21 decommissioned submarines in afloat storage; seven at Rosyth Dockyard and 14 at Devonport Dockyard. The seven submarines at Rosyth Dockyard have already been defueled and of the 14 decommissioned submarines in Devonport, four have been defueled and 10 remain fuelled and await completion of the new defueling facilities at Devonport.
As set out in the United Kingdom’s future nuclear deterrent: the 2021 update to Parliament, we continue to develop the submarine dismantling techniques necessary to meet all safety and sustainability standards and establish the long-term solution that provides best value for the taxpayer. Our commitment to the safe, secure, environmentally sound and cost-effective defueling and dismantling of all our decommissioned nuclear submarines as soon as practicably possible remains undiminished.
Construction of the new facilities to defuel decommissioned submarines is continuing at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport. It is not MOD policy to pre-announce the funding of its projects for reasons of protecting commercial interests.