Tag: Kevan Jones

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what timetable he has set for the introduction of the Rapid Strike brigade as set out in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Mr Philip Dunne

The two Strike Brigades will provide a rapidly deployable agile force, with enhanced range, speed, protection and firepower, significantly enhancing the UK’s ability to respond to international crises.

As previously announced on 3 September 2014 by My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary (Michael Fallon) (Official Report, column 19WS) a contract has been awarded to deliver 589 Ajax vehicles. Detailed allocation plans have yet to be finalised. Fielding of Strike Brigades will start from 2018, delivering an initial operating capability in 2021 and moving towards Full Operating Capability from 2025.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been allocated to armed forces veterans’ mental health services in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2018-19, (e) 2019-20.

Alistair Burt

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 December 2015 to question 19176.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of whether the Project Centurion configuration for the Typhoon will be completed by the end of 2018.

Mr Philip Dunne

Working closely with Industry and the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA), the Ministry of Defence conducts regular reviews as to the status of Project CENTURION as part of its Typhoon Programme delivery activity to ensure it delivers the planned capability upgrades by the end of 2018.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has plans to modernise Warrior to retain the Army’s capability to field these vehicles to 2040. We placed a contract with Lockheed Martin UK in October 2011 for the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme which will include an improved turret with a new stabilised 40mm cannon.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on safeguarding the future of the UK helicopter industry.

Anna Soubry

We are working with the UK aerospace industry to sustain and grow helicopter capability through the Aerospace Growth Partnership and the Defence Growth Partnership, both of which bring Government and industry together to tackle barriers to growth, boost exports and grow high value jobs.

Through this work we are supporting the industry’s private investment in technology, competitiveness, productivity, manufacturing capability and skills. For example, we have supported Finmeccanica Helicopters’ investment in new civil helicopter capability at Yeovil, safeguarding employment through diversification into the growing civil aerospace market. In addition, we are co-investing with industry in collaborative R&D projects led by Finmeccanica Helicopters and Airbus Helicopters on new technologies including advanced rotor blades and lightweight structures.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK (a) flight crew, (b) ground crew and (c) intelligence analysts have served on US P-8 Poseidon aircraft under the Seedcorn exchange programme; and what the cost to the UK public purse has been of deploying those people since the start of that programme.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Seedcorn programme in the US on P8 aircraft started in 2012 with 20 personnel involved and has remained at 20 for each subsequent year (allowing for minor fluctuations during transitory periods). As the Seedcorn programme is an aircrew initiative, no ground crew or intelligence analysts have served on US P8 under it.

The total cost of the Seedcorn programme since inception is some £14.1 million. It is not possible to break out actual costs for personnel by location and aircraft type.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s planning assumptions are for formulating the in-service date for the first of the Vanguard-successor submarines.

Harriett Baldwin

As set out in Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, we expect the first Successor submarine to enter service in the early 2030s. I am witholding details of the planning assumptions for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) senior officials and (b) Ministers of his Department are over the age of 45.

Harriett Baldwin

A total of 235 of the 315 Senior Civil Servants (SCS), including those in equivalent posts and SCS personnel in DE&S Trading Entity employed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) were aged 46 or above as at 1 July 2016. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. All MOD Ministers are over the age of 45.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made under what working assumptions of the cost and the salary and other elements of the remuneration package for the potential future position of regional mayor of the North East of England.

James Wharton

We have made no such estimates as all these costs are matters for the councils concerned which will have considered such matters when giving their provisional agreement to the North East Devolution Deal, which in addition to establishing a North East regional mayor, will create an Investment Fund to support the North East, worth up to £1.5 billion, with an initial allocation of revenue funding for capital financing of £30 million a year for 30 years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 49 of his Department’s Defence Equipment Plan 2015, what the reasons are for the increase in planned spending on land equipment; and on what items that additional funding will be spent.

Mr Philip Dunne

I refer the hon. Member to the Defence Equipment Plan 2015, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-defence-equipment-plan-2015. Paragraph 11 explains the movements in the high level elements of the equipment plan from the previous financial year. Each of the operating centre breakdowns in Section C of the Equipment Plan contains an explanation of any increase or decrease in spending from the previous financial year.

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