House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Future Combat Air System
Question for Ministry of Defence
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much spending on the (a) Future Combat Air System and (b) Global Combat Air Programme he plans to defer from the current financial year.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
The UK expects to invest over £1.3 billion in the Future Combat Air System/Global Combat Air Programme and the associated Team Tempest R&D programme, in the current financial year.
Ministry of Defence: MBDA
Question for Ministry of Defence
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the non-commercially sensitive details of his Department’s Portfolio Management Agreement with MBDA.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
Non-commercially sensitive details of the Ministry of Defence’s Portfolio Management Agreement with MBDA have been announced. There are no plans to publish further details.
Type 45 Destroyers: Guided Weapons
Question for Ministry of Defence
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to provide funding for Sea Viper’s enhancement.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
The enhancement of Sea Viper is named Sea Viper Evolution, which includes upgrades to the Type 45 Destroyer’s Multi-Function Radar, Combat Management System (CMS), Weapon Command and Control (C2), and the Aster 30 missile. The first stage, called Capability 1, is in Demonstration and Manufacture Phase as of March 2023. The next stage, called Capability 2, is in Assessment Phase as of June 2023, completing in 2025.
Departmental spending plans will be set out in the usual way.
Type 31 Frigates: Sales
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Question for Ministry of Defence
Graeme Downie
Labour
Dunfermline and Dollar
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with international partners on the sale of Type 31 frigates.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
The Ministry of Defence is actively supporting live and prospective export campaigns based on the Type 31 (with the export variant known as the Arrowhead 140) capability with support from the Department of Business and Trade. For example, the Secretary of State for Defence recently met his Polish counterpart where they discussed the Miecznik programme and its progress.
Type 31 Frigates: Sales
Question for Ministry of Defence
Graeme Downie
Labour
Dunfermline and Dollar
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with international partners on the sale of Type 31 frigates.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
The Ministry of Defence is actively supporting live and prospective export campaigns based on the Type 31 (with the export variant known as the Arrowhead 140) capability with support from the Department of Business and Trade. For example, the Secretary of State for Defence recently met his Polish counterpart where they discussed the Miecznik programme and its progress.
Warships: Construction
Question for Ministry of Defence
Graeme Downie
Labour
Dunfermline and Dollar
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) welders and (b) electricians required to complete surface warship construction.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
The Ministry of Defence has regular engagement across all aspects of surface warship construction, including the skills required to support it. This Government recognises the vital role Defence, and its skilled workforce, play not only in our national security but also to the economic prosperity and growth of the United Kingdom.
The Strategic Defence Review will look at the approach to recruiting, educating, training and retaining the people needed across the whole of Defence, including industry.
Lasers
Question for Ministry of Defence
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the number of jobs created by Team Hersa.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
Since the creation of Team Hersa and Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Directed Energy Weapons Demonstrator Programme in 2020, the MOD estimate is that 49 jobs have been created.
Defence: Contracts
Question for Ministry of Defence
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has written to defence contractors to seek efficiency savings.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
Senior officials continue to engage with our strategic suppliers on how we can drive efficiency into our contracts and ensure we deliver the Defence programme affordably.
Ministry of Defence: Surrey Satellite Technology
Question for Ministry of Defence
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the number of supply chain jobs supported by his Department’s contract with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
It is estimated the current live Ministry of Defence contracts with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd to deliver TYCHE to orbit have supported approximately 100 jobs in the direct supply chain.
Satellites
Question for Ministry of Defence
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to continue its support for the Minerva satellite project.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
The Ministry of Defence’s development of space-based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance continues with Minerva providing game-changing innovation and technology for this programme. The Strategic Defence Review will guide future capability development priorities, to ensure the United Kingdom is both secure at home and strong abroad – now and for the years to come.
Defence: Research
Question for Ministry of Defence
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much he plans to spend on defence research and development in (a) this financial year and (b) the next four financial years.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
The Chancellor has confirmed a challenging in year deficit across all Departments. A spending review process is underway. Departmental spending plans will be set out in the usual way.
Global Combat Air Programme
Question for Ministry of Defence
James Cartlidge
Conservative
South Suffolk
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK-based jobs are (a) directly and (b) indirectly linked to the Global Combat Air Programme.
Answer
Maria Eagle
Labour
Liverpool Garston
Commons
Answered on 19 September 2024
There are over 3,500 personnel working directly on Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) in the UK across Ministry of Defence and our industry partners; BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo UK and MBDA UK.
These partners are supported by hundreds of organisations, including SMEs and academic institutions, spread across the UK. Major combat air industrial hubs in the north-west and south-west of England, and Edinburgh are supporting the development of the advanced skills base and industrial technologies right across the country.