The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of the armed forces were convicted by court martial or in civilian courts of sexual assault or rape in the past year.
Earl Howe
In 2015, the Courts Martial convicted 13 Service personnel of sexual assault and two personnel of rape.
The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on convictions which may have been obtained by the civilian courts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effects on (1) the individual, and (2) the armed forces, of the enlistment of persons under the age of 18.
Earl Howe
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) operates in a competitive employment market and will continue to recruit from the widest available talent pool, including from the age of 16 in order to sustain the required manning levels for the UK Armed Forces. Young people bring fresh ideas, knowledge and talent to the Armed Forces. MOD policy dictates that no one under the age of 18 can join the Armed Forces without specific parental consent, both for the recruiting process to begin and again prior to joining; nor can they be deployed on front line operations.
All recruits aged under 18 benefit from key skills education in literacy and numeracy, should they need it, and all are enrolled onto apprenticeships. The Armed Forces remain the UK’s largest apprenticeship provider, equipping young people with valuable and transferable skills for life. Ofsted regularly inspects our care of newly joined young recruits, and we are very proud of the standards we achieve.
The provision of education and training for 16 year-old school leavers provides a route into the Armed Forces that complies with Government education policy and offers a significant foundation for emotional, physical and educational development throughout an individual’s career.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many male and female enlistments in the armed forces there were in the past year.
Earl Howe
In the 12 months to 30 September 2015, 12,250 males and 1,330 females joined the UK Regular Armed Forces. In the same period, 380 males and 30 females aged under 18 years left the UK Regular Armed Forces.
A full breakdown of these figures can be found in, respectively, tables six and 11 of our Biannual Diversity Statistics publication (the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet) at the following address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-biannual-diversity-statistics-2015
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many males and females left the armed forces in the last year before reaching the age of 18.
Earl Howe
In the 12 months to 30 September 2015, 12,250 males and 1,330 females joined the UK Regular Armed Forces. In the same period, 380 males and 30 females aged under 18 years left the UK Regular Armed Forces.
A full breakdown of these figures can be found in, respectively, tables six and 11 of our Biannual Diversity Statistics publication (the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet) at the following address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-biannual-diversity-statistics-2015
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of the armed forces left or were discharged in the last year on mental health grounds.
Earl Howe
In the 12 months to 31 March 2015, 359 UK Regular Armed Forces personnel were medically discharged with a principal cause of Mental and Behavioural Disorders.
Comprehensive statistical information on medical discharges among UK Regular Armed Forces personnel is published on an annual basis. The latest report, covering medical discharges during the five Financial Years 2010-11 to 2014-15 can be found at the following address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/medical-discharges-among-uk-service-personnel-statistics-index
Information covering Financial Year 2015-16 is scheduled for publication on 14 July 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what funding increases they have proposed for type 1 diabetes in 2016–17 and in subsequent years.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) commission services for people with type 1 diabetes and we would expect them to prioritise their funding in accordance with local needs and within the overall resources available.
The effective treatment and care of diabetes is one of the clinical priority areas highlighted in the CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework recently published by NHS England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Pensions Regulator will appoint an investment bank and retail consultancy to support its investigation into the events preceding BHS going into administration.
Baroness Altmann
Parliament gave the Pensions Regulator independence in how it operates. It is for the Regulator to determine how it wishes to undertake any investigation into matters relating to the BHS pension scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review decisions taken by the Pensions Regulator in connection with the BHS pension schemes.
Baroness Altmann
In accordance with Parliament’s wishes, the Regulator has operational independence. Whilst performance against its key targets is regularly reviewed by the Department, this does not encompass its regulatory decision-making or the conduct of its investigations. It would be entirely inappropriate and improper for Ministers to comment on or intervene in these areas.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish an estimate of the likely impact of the additional levy that will be imposed on well managed and solvent pension schemes in relation to the BHS pension schemes.
Baroness Altmann
Parliament gave the Pensions Protection Fund independence in how it operates. The PPF sets the pension protection levy at the level it considers necessary to meet its long term funding strategy rather than in direct response to recent claims. Factors relevant to the level of the levy include: the PPF’s existing funding position (£3.6bn in reserves at March 2015); the potential level of future claims; the potential level of assets that may be received from transferred schemes; and expected future investment returns.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will order an inquiry into actions taken by the trustees of the BHS pension schemes in agreeing revisions to funding rates and supporting the sale of the employer.
Baroness Altmann
The Pensions Regulator regulates work-based pension schemes, including trust-based schemes. In accordance with Parliament’s wishes, it has operational independence so it would be entirely inappropriate for Ministers to intervene in its decisions or on-going investigations.