The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2015 to Question 15947, on the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees, how long he expects the matter to be under consideration.
Mark Lancaster
I have considered this matter and will bring forward an amendment in the Armed Forces Bill to extend the remit of the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to provide a pension to part-time soldiers who served in the Ulster Defence Regiment.
Mark Lancaster
Full time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) had an automatic entitlement to become members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. Part-time members of the UDR were engaged under different terms to the full time regular members of the Regiment. These terms were similar to those of the Territorial Army and reflected that part-time engagements were often on an irregular, intermittent and short-term basis.Part-time membersof the UDR were not members of an Armed Forces Pension Scheme.
There are no plans to review the pension entitlement for former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether a pension was provided to (a) full and (b) part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who latterly served in the Home Battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment.
Mark Lancaster
Full time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) had an automatic entitlement to become members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. Part-time members of the UDR were engaged under different terms to the full time regular members of the Regiment. These terms were similar to those of the Territorial Army and reflected that part-time engagements were often on an irregular, intermittent and short-term basis.Part-time membersof the UDR were not members of an Armed Forces Pension Scheme.
There are no plans to review the pension entitlement for former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the files held at Swadlincote that are subject to the Public Records Act 1958 have been (a) assessed by and (b) released to the National Archive.
Mark Lancaster
All Ministry of Defence (MOD) records held at Swadlincote that are subject to the Public Records Acts have been assessed for ongoing business or potential historical value. More than one third of the files at Swadlincote have been selected for transfer to The National Archives. These are largely military service records, which The National Archives has identified as being required for permanent preservation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in what instances special or additional pension provision has been made for part-time military personnel in the last 20 years.
Mark Lancaster
Since the mid 1990s Reserves have had a variety of pension options to choose from when mobilised, including access to an Armed Forces pension scheme for the period of their mobilisation. However, there has been no special or additional pension provision made for part-time military personnel beyond the following statutory arrangements.
Since 1 April 2015 all members of the UK part-time Volunteer Reserves have been enrolled in the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015 and for the first time all their attendance-based paid service now counts as pensionable. Prior to that, from 6 April 2005 to 31 March 2015, personnel serving on an Additional Duties Commitment (ADC) were eligible to join the Reserve Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (RFPS 05). Those members of the RFPS 05 still serving on an ADC on 1 April 2015 transferred to the new scheme unless they met the criteria for transitional protection.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of national lottery sales income has been allocated to the Big Lottery Fund budget for Scotland in each of the last five years.
Tracey Crouch
The Big Lottery Fund decides how much of its funding to allocate to each of the home nations. Scotland is allocated 11.5 per cent of the Big Lottery Funds proceeds from the National Lottery after administration costs, and 10 per cent of the Fund’s Lottery income is allocated to a UK portfolio, from which Scotland also benefits.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department has had with the voluntary sector in Scotland on the level of funding for Scotland’s Big Lottery Fund.
Tracey Crouch
The Big Lottery Fund decides how much of its funding to allocate to Scotland.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department plans to reduce the Big Lottery Fund budget for Scotland.
Tracey Crouch
In line with the arms’ length principle of lottery distribution, the Big Lottery Fund itself decides how much of its funding to allocate to Scotland and to each of the other home nations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to redirect proceeds from the National Lottery away from the Big Lottery Fund to fulfil his Department’s existing commitments to fund the arts, heritage and sport.
Tracey Crouch
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for the regulatory framework for the distribution of National Lottery good causes, which is currently 40% for good causes, 20% for arts, 20% for heritage and 20% for sports.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in the number of firefighter posts was in Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.
Greg Clark
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 6 November 2015, PQ 13946.