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Tag: Ben Wallace

  • Ben Wallace – 2022 Statement on Defence Equipment Plan

    Ben Wallace – 2022 Statement on Defence Equipment Plan

    The statement made by Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence, in the House of Commons on 29 November 2022.

    I am pleased to place in the Library of the House a copy of the 2022 defence equipment plan report, which details the Department’s spending plans in equipment procurement and support projects over a period of 10 years.

    This year’s equipment plan report comes at a pivotal point in time as the Ministry of Defence has become increasingly in the spotlight over the last year in the wake of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

    The uplift received from the 2020 spending review meant we were able to rectify an existing deficit and produce an affordable equipment plan. We have retained this affordable position for the 2022 plan and continue to hold a contingency to mitigate against emerging financial pressures.

    Since the publication of the last report the Department has made significant improvements in the process and production of the equipment plan. We have revised guidance to improve realism judgments, strengthened our assessment of affordability and ensured closer engagement between top-level budget holders and head office to mitigate finance and capability risks.

    The recent autumn statement has recognised the need to increase defence spending, and we look forward to the outcomes of this once the integrated review is refreshed. For now, however, we are assured that the spending decisions we have set out remain in line with departmental priorities.

    The plan is not immune to risk, we have set ambitious savings targets and made hard decisions in spending priorities across the commands. The defence landscape has shifted, and we must and will remain agile to those emerging threats. We are entering a new age of warfare and will face pressure from the rising levels of inflation; the Department however remains confident in the resilience of our spending decisions despite now living in a more volatile environment.

  • Ben Wallace – 2022 Comments on the Promotion of Vice Admiral Keith Blount

    Ben Wallace – 2022 Comments on the Promotion of Vice Admiral Keith Blount

    The comments made by Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence, on 18 November 2022.

    I am delighted to congratulate Vice Admiral Keith Blount on his promotion to Admiral and appointment as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

    His appointment demonstrates the United Kingdom’s unwavering commitment to NATO and our leadership in European defence. I pay tribute to the contribution Vice Admiral Blount has made to the Royal Navy and the Alliance in his career to date. He brings extensive leadership experience and has served on operations across the globe alongside our allies and partners. I look forward to continuing to work with him and NATO.

  • Ben Wallace – 2022 Update on Shipbuilding

    Ben Wallace – 2022 Update on Shipbuilding

    The statement made by Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence, in the House of Commons on 16 November 2022.

    Today I am providing an update on our plans for the next stage of the fleet solid support ship programme.

    I am pleased to announce that Team Resolute has been selected as the preferred bidder to provide three solid support ships for the Royal Navy. This appointment follows on from the award to BAE Systems in Glasgow of the £4 billion contract for five Type 26 frigates earlier this week. Both are good news for UK shipyards and the skill base.

    Team Resolute, comprising Harland & Wolff, BMT and Navantia UK will, subject to final approvals from Ministers and HM Treasury, be awarded a contract worth £1.6 billion, before inflation, to manufacture the crucial vessels providing munitions, stores and provisions to the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates deployed at sea. The contract will deliver more than 1,000 UK shipyard jobs, generate hundreds of graduate and apprentice opportunities across the UK and a significant number of further jobs throughout the supply chain. Team Resolute has pledged to invest £77 million in shipyard infrastructure to support the UK shipbuilding sector.

    Blocks and modules for the ships will be constructed at Harland & Wolff’s facilities in Belfast and Appledore, and this work will also support a significant UK-based supply chain. Some build work will also take place at Navantia’s shipyard in Cadiz in Spain, in a collaboration allowing for key skills and technology transfer to the UK from a world-leading shipbuilder.

    The entire final assembly will be completed at Harland & Wolffs shipyard in Belfast, to Bath-based BMT’s British design.

    The awarding of the contract will see jobs created and work delivered in Appledore, Devon, Harland & Wolff Belfast and within the supply chain up and down the country. This announcement is good news for the UK shipbuilding industry. It will strengthen and secure the UK shipbuilding enterprise as set out in the national shipbuilding strategy.

  • Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Wallace on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will amend paragraph 98 of the National Planning Policy Framework to require applicants for onshore wind energy developments to demonstrate an overall national need for renewable energy.

    Kris Hopkins

    Inappropriately sited wind turbines can cause significant harm to the local environment. Hence, last year, we changed planning guidance to strengthen the protection of landscape and heritage in relation to onshore wind.

    Looking forward, we are keeping planning policy on renewable energy under review and will consider whether any further steps are appropriate in the light of this monitoring. We are open to representations.

  • Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Wallace on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the extension of the lease for Diego Garcia Airbase.

    Mark Simmonds

    We welcome the US presence on Diego Garcia, and we have said we want to see it continue. The current agreement does not conclude until December 2016, and we have not yet held substantive discussions with the US about this subject. I expect my officials to begin doing so later this year.

  • Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Wallace on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what economic assessment he has made on the effect on tourism jobs in seaside areas and seaside economies of deregulating school holidays.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Government is giving more schools greater flexibility to adapt the shape of the school year in the interests of their pupils’ education.

    Whilst this will extend an existing flexibility to a greater number of schools, our advice will continue to include a clear expectation of schools working with each other and the local authority to coordinate dates to avoid unnecessary disruption to parents and their employers.

    The Department has consulted with representatives of the tourist industry. Where schools choose to change their holiday dates, following discussion locally with parents and local businesses, there may well be a positive impact on seaside economies. In areas of high-seasonal employment, for example, small variations to term-dates agreed locally may help parents to holiday outside of peak periods.

  • Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Wallace on 2014-06-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assistance his Department makes available to schools to survey for and remove asbestos.

    Mr David Laws

    The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 set out the standards and duties to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises including schools. This includes the need to assess and manage the risks through the formulation of a site-specific asbestos management plan.

    On 24 January I announced the 2014-15 maintenance allocations, which are released as a non-ringfenced capital grant. The priorities for its use are decided locally and this can include supporting schools with asbestos issues.

  • Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Wallace on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to review the boundaries of the county of Lancashire.

    Brandon Lewis

    It is not possible to make changes to county areas other than as a consequence of local government structural or boundary changes recommended by the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England. We have no intention of seeking such change. We are however keen to recognise and acknowledge the continuing role of England’s traditional counties in the public and cultural life of the nation and the Government has sought to encourage the marking and continued use of traditional county names and areas irrespective of current tiers of local administration.

  • Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Wallace on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will add economics, English literature and computing to the list of facilitating subjects for Key Stage 5 performance tables.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The facilitating subjects are identified by the Russell Group of universities as A level subjects that are required more often than others by universities. The list includes English literature along with mathematics, further mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, history and languages (classical and modern).

    The Russell Group is an independent organisation; it recently reviewed the list of facilitating subjects and confirmed no change was needed. The Department for Education publishes a measure in the key stage 5 performance tables of the percentage of students achieving AAB grades at A level, including in at least two facilitating subjects.

  • Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ben Wallace – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Wallace on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to review the list of facilitating subjects for Key Stage 5 performance tables.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The facilitating subjects are identified by the Russell Group of universities as A level subjects that are required more often than others by universities. The list includes English literature along with mathematics, further mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, history and languages (classical and modern).

    The Russell Group is an independent organisation; it recently reviewed the list of facilitating subjects and confirmed no change was needed. The Department for Education publishes a measure in the key stage 5 performance tables of the percentage of students achieving AAB grades at A level, including in at least two facilitating subjects.