Tag: Emily Thornberry

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the amount spent was from the public purse was on decommissioning and disposal of (a) HMS Ark Royal and (b) HMS Illustrious.

Mr Philip Dunne

Much of the work to decommission Royal Navy ships is undertaken using contracts that provide support services for all ships conducting Fleet activities at HM Naval Base, Portsmouth. Costs are not attributed to individual vessels.

Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) was responsible for the removal of classified equipment and known hazardous materials from the former HMS ARK ROYAL. This work cost £0.7 million. Similar work is being carried out on the former HMS ILLUSTRIOUS which has yet to be sold. Expenditure incurred to date is £0.5 million.

The Disposal Services Authority (DSA), part of DE&S, disposes of defence equipment that is surplus to requirement. DSA costs are not attributed to individual platforms and information on these ships is not held in the format requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26719, how many civilian staff posts have been removed to date as a result of (a) the Army 2020 plan and (b) outsourcing logistics to Leidos; and how many such posts are subject to planned reductions over the remaining course of each such programme.

Mark Lancaster

The Civilian Structures Project (CSP) was established to align the civilian workforce structure with Army 2020 changes; under this programme, 577 civilian posts have been removed to date. The Army is currently undertaking a study to establish the necessary refinements to Army 2020 capability and structures to meet the requirements of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Further work on CSP is on hold while this study is conducted.

In August 2015, 1,130 civilian posts transferred to the Delivery Partner, Team Leidos, under Transfer of Undertaking Protection of Employment (TUPE). Future staffing levels are a matter for Team Leidos.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many days there have been (a) five, (b) four, (c) three, (d) two, (e) one and (f) zero Border Force Cutters conducting active patrols in UK territorial waters in the last 12 months.

James Brokenshire

Border Force does not record individual vessel patrols as this does not represent the full activity of a Border Force vessel. Border Force vessels operate 365 days per year and have maintained a three cutter capability in UK waters throughout the last 12 months.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions his Department has received a request from the Home Office for assistance from special forces with domestic counter-terrorism policing in each of the last 10 years; and on how many occasions such a request was approved in each such year.

Penny Mordaunt

This Government has demonstrated its commitment to our Special Forces by announcing a £2 billion programme of investment over the course of this Parliament. All military operations, including the activities of the Special Forces, are discussed and scrutinised at the highest levels of Government, including at the National Security Council. However, as it is the longstanding policy of the Government not to comment on our Special Forces, or to release information relating to them, I cannot comment on specific questions about personnel, equipment, discussions or activities in relation to these units.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ministry of Defence Police stations there were in each of the last six years.

Mark Lancaster

The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) do not have any designated police stations as defined by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.The MDP work collaboratively with Home Office forces, Police Scotland and Police Service Northern Ireland in locations where the force is deployed.

The MDP has regularly collaborated to provide support to national police operations. However the information requested will take time to collate and I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the proposed international conference on a Middle East weapons of mass destruction free zone.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

As one of the Co-Convenors of the proposed Conference on a Middle East Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone, the British Government fully supports work towards such a Zone. We support the convening of a Conference as soon as possible, once the states of the region reach agreement on Conference arrangements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Navy personnel took part in under-ice training in each of the last six years.

Penny Mordaunt

The Astute class submarines are the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, combining world-leading sensors, design and weaponry in a versatile vessel. The Royal Navy maintains world-wide deployability with its submarines, this includes under-ice capability.

We do not discuss the detail of such submarine operations, as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of households in receipt of universal credit qualify for (a) free school meals and (b) free NHS prescriptions; and how many such qualifying households are in receipt of those benefits.

Priti Patel

The information requested is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what total amount has been spent by his Department to date on the (a) design and (b) implementation of universal credit.

Priti Patel

In ‘Universal Credit at Work’ published in October 2014, we stated that the total cost of implementation is £1.8bn, of which a third (c£0.6bn) has been spent.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people who are in receipt of support for mortgage interest are also in receipt of (a) income-based jobseeker’s allowance, (b) income-based employment and support allowance, (c) income support and (d) pension credit.

Justin Tomlinson

The information requested is in the table:

2015/16	Number of SMI claims	As % of all SMI claims
Jobseekers allowance	16,000	10%
Employment and support allowance	56,000	34%
Income support	24,000	14%
Pension credit	71,000	43%
Total	167,000	100%

*The percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding

These figures are from the DWP summer budget 2015 benefit expenditure and caseload tables, which can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2015

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