26 Feb 24. Are conditions in military accommodation acceptable? MPs to quiz Minister. On Tuesday 27 February at 14.30, the Minister for Defence Procurement will appear before the Defence Committee to give evidence on service accommodation.
Servicepeople’s satisfaction with both family and single living accommodation fell to its lowest levels in 2023, according to the Armed Forces Continuous Attitudes Survey.
In April 2022, the MoD undertook new Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) contracts for accommodation services, worth £640m. But the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) reported a large backlog in maintenance work, with nearly a third of homes requiring repair and performance issues with the contractors. This resulted in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) apologising to service families for “unacceptable levels of service received under the new accommodation contracts.”
Serious issues with single living accommodation have been reported to the Committee, including failures with heating and hot water supply, flooding, damp, rat infestations, asbestos, and legionnaires disease. Some servicepeople have also raised concern about the impact of the New Accommodation Offer, designed to prioritise families’ needs over rank.
MPs are likely to press the Minister on where the rollout of FDIS contracts went wrong, and how the DIO plans to fix these problems.
They may also ask the Minister how the MoD plans to improve conditions in single living accommodation, and how it will implement the controversial New Accommodation Offer.
Witnesses
From 14.30:
- James Cartlidge MP, Minister for Defence Procurement
- Mike Green, Chief Executive, Defence Infrastructure Organisation
- Vice Admiral Philip Hally, Chief of Defence People
- Major General Richard Clements, Director Army Basing and Infrastructure
23 Feb 24. Defence AI: Industry leaders to give evidence to Sub-Committee. On Tuesday 27 February, at 10.30, the Defence Sub-Committee on Defence AI will hold an evidence session with industry experts, including Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems and Palantir Technologies.
In the first panel, Members will hear from representatives from the defence industry, asking whether the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is giving industry the strategic direction it needs to build up the UK’s defence AI capacity. It is likely to cover how MOD procures AI-enabled technology and the problems with recruitment and retention.
The second panel will hear from witnesses within the AI sector. Topics likely to be covered include new innovations in UK defence AI, experiences working with the MOD as a “customer” and how the department can improve its AI readiness. The panel may also discuss how to encourage innovation within the UK’s defence technology sector and the barriers to entry for small- and medium-sized companies.
Tuesday 27 February, 10.30:
- Dr Simon Harwood, Director of Capability and Chief Technology Officer, Leonardo UK
- Neil Morphett, Chief Engineer, Advanced Technology, Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems UK
Approx. 11.30:
- Rich Drake, General Manager, Anduril UK
- Phil Morris, Head of Defence AI (United Kingdom), Palantir Technologies
- Andrew van der Lem, Head of Defence, Faculty AI
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Ministry of Defence: Expenditure
Question for Ministry of Defence
Maria Eagle
Labour
Garston and Halewood
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 120 of his Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2022 to 2023, HC 1468, for what reason Project GRACE was cancelled.
Answer
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
Answered on 29 February 2024
Project GRACE was cancelled as a result of UK Defence consolidating its infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
Ukraine: Military Aid
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled UK to boost Ukraine’s artillery reserves with £245 m munitions package, published on 24 February 2024, whether this funding will be drawn from the International Fund for…
Show full question
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 29 February 2024
The funding for the recently announced £245 m munitions package for Ukraine will be drawn from the £2.5 bn of Special Reserve funding allocated for financial year 2024-25, not the International Fund for Ukraine.A competition for the manufacture and supply of artillery ammunition is also underway on behalf of the International Fund for Ukraine. The potential costs of this competition are commercially sensitive and cannot be made public.
Middle East: Armed Forces
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel are (a) stationed in and (b) deployed to the Middle East.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 29 February 2024
There are approximately 300 Service personnel stationed; and approximately 2,100 Service personnel deployed on operations in the Middle East. On any given date these figures can vary due to routine force rebalancing, rest and recuperation periods and relief in place.
Ministry of Defence: Expenditure
Question for Ministry of Defence
Maria Eagle
Labour
Garston and Halewood
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 120 of his Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2022 to 2023, HC 1468, published on 20 July 2023, for what reason there was a loss in relation to Project Bodywork.
Answer
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
Answered on 28 February 2024
Project Bodywork was cancelled in February 2021 due to a failure to meet critical design requirements.
Military Bases
Question for Ministry of Defence
Maria Eagle
Labour
Garston and Halewood
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 120 of his Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2022 to 2023, HC 1468, published on 20 July 2023, for what reason there was a constructive loss in relation to the Army Basing Programme.
Answer
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
Answered on 28 February 2024
Several proposed projects under the Army Basing Programme were subject to initial assessment but did not proceed further. The costs incurred through assessment of these requirements are subject to write-off as Constructive Losses.