The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will place in the Library a copy of the 1984 Joint Intelligence Committee paper JIC(84)(N)45, entitled Soviet Union: concern about a surprise NATO attack.
Mr Oliver Letwin
It would not be appropriate to release this report on grounds of National Security.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has been provided with a copy of the US President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board report of 15 February 1990, entitled The Soviet ‘War Scare’, by the US administration.
Penny Mordaunt
The document referred to by the hon. Member is available in redacted version over the internet. This Department has no record of receiving a copy from the United States administration.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many L86A1-SA-80 light support weapons have been returned from the Middlesex North West London Army cadet force to his Department’s Donnington barracks since 2003.
Mr Philip Dunne
Since 2003 the Middlesex North West London Army Cadet Force have returned L86A1-SA-80 light support weapons to Ministry of Defence Donnington on one occasion. Four L86 A1-SA-80 weapons were returned in January 2011.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to table a new statutory instrument relating to the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees and to change their title to reflect their new role.
Mark Lancaster
This matter is under consideration.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues about providing more comprehensive support for ex-servicemen and women and their families.
Mark Lancaster
The Career Transition Partership (CTP) contract for Service personnel was re-let on 1 October 2015; for the first time, CTP pulls all elements of transition support under one mechanism so that every Service leaver, regardless of time-served or reason for departure, has access to transition support. In addition, using the CTP contract mechanism, Joint Forces Command and the Royal Air Force are running an initial two year Spouse Employment Support trial offering a limited number of places for eligible Service spouses to access tailored employment support at selected locations.
Spousal support is mirrored in wider initiatives, such as the Wolverhampton University business startup course. Originally funded for a two year period by the Armed Forces Covenant (LIBOR) funding, HSBC have provided additional funding to extend the project. It is a 10 month business start-up and mentoring programme designed specifically for Armed Forces families. Current funding will provide 540 places between now and 2020.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD)has announced the development of a Families Strategy, in coordination with families and the 3rd Sector, during its annual Welfare Conference on 9 November 2015. At the same event, the Secretary of State welcomed Barclay’s Veterans Employment Transition Support (VETS) programme, which was launched on 19 November 2015 following an initial trial period; this is due to provide mentoring, training and advice to veterans. A partnership of leading companies and charities, it will support the MOD and CTP with additional avenues of support to help veterans and Service leavers.
As part of the Armed Forces Covenant, the Covenant Reference Group (CRG) chaired by the Cabinet Office includes representatives from all of the main Government Departments. The CRG meets regularly to guide and direct work on the Armed Forces Covenant, including support for the veteran community. Other members of the CRG include the three Service Families Federations, the Confederation of Service Charities and other Armed Forces charities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to provide additional support for ex-servicemen and women and their families.
Mark Lancaster
The Career Transition Partership (CTP) contract for Service personnel was re-let on 1 October 2015; for the first time, CTP pulls all elements of transition support under one mechanism so that every Service leaver, regardless of time-served or reason for departure, has access to transition support. In addition, using the CTP contract mechanism, Joint Forces Command and the Royal Air Force are running an initial two year Spouse Employment Support trial offering a limited number of places for eligible Service spouses to access tailored employment support at selected locations.
Spousal support is mirrored in wider initiatives, such as the Wolverhampton University business startup course. Originally funded for a two year period by the Armed Forces Covenant (LIBOR) funding, HSBC have provided additional funding to extend the project. It is a 10 month business start-up and mentoring programme designed specifically for Armed Forces families. Current funding will provide 540 places between now and 2020.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD)has announced the development of a Families Strategy, in coordination with families and the 3rd Sector, during its annual Welfare Conference on 9 November 2015. At the same event, the Secretary of State welcomed Barclay’s Veterans Employment Transition Support (VETS) programme, which was launched on 19 November 2015 following an initial trial period; this is due to provide mentoring, training and advice to veterans. A partnership of leading companies and charities, it will support the MOD and CTP with additional avenues of support to help veterans and Service leavers.
As part of the Armed Forces Covenant, the Covenant Reference Group (CRG) chaired by the Cabinet Office includes representatives from all of the main Government Departments. The CRG meets regularly to guide and direct work on the Armed Forces Covenant, including support for the veteran community. Other members of the CRG include the three Service Families Federations, the Confederation of Service Charities and other Armed Forces charities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many referrals for treatment for post traumatic stress disorder from 13 and 39 Squadron service personnel there have been over the last two years.
Mark Lancaster
During Financial Years 2013-14 and 2014-15, there were no Regular Royal Air Force personnel from 13 Squadron or 39 Squadron who were seen for an initial assessment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at Ministry of Defence Specialist Mental Health Services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of (a) the indicators of mental disorders including stress, depression, fatigue and post traumatic stress disorder and (b) the provision of support by service providers or others to personnel in 13 and 39 Squadrons.
Mark Lancaster
The Government is committed to improving the mental health of our Armed Forces and has long recognised that Service life can cause stress. Support to personnel has improved in a number of ways, including providing pre and post-operational stress management training, a wide range of psychiatric and psychological treatments and initiatives such as Decompression and Trauma Risk Incident Management (TRiM) and Post Operational Stress Management.
Measures are in place to increase awareness at all levels of the risk of Mental Health disorders and indicators to help identify these. Trained TRiM providers are embedded within both Squadrons to offer peer group mentoring and support, whilst also educating non-medical Service personnel on how to identify indicators of mental health problems.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Typhoon aircraft are unable to fly because parts of them have been removed for use in other aircraft.
Mr Philip Dunne
It is routine practice to move parts between aircraft within the RAF Typhoon fleet to ensure optimum aircraft availability. Four Typhoon aircraft held in the sustainment fleet are currently being used as donor aircraft and consequently are unable to fly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel from 13 and 39 Squadron have not taken their full entitlement to annual leave over the last two years.
Mark Lancaster
The number of Service personnel from 13 and 39 Squadrons who have not taken their full annual leave entitlement of 38 days over the last two years is given below:
|
2013-14 |
Number of personnel |
2014-15 |
Number of personnel |
|
39 Squadron |
56 |
39 Squadron |
47 |
|
13 Squadron |
67 |
13 Squadron |
69 |
Up to a maximum of 15 of the 38 days can be carried forward to the next leave year.
More than 90% of Service personnel from 13 and 39 Squadrons have taken 28 or more days leave during the last two years.