Tag: Lord West of Spithead

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-03-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many orders for major surface warships have been made since the last General Election.

Earl Howe

None.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many major surface warships were ordered between the 2010 general election and the 2015 general election.

Earl Howe

Her Majesty’s Government did not order any major surface warships between the 2010 and 2015 general elections. However, the work to deliver the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers continued during this period and in August 2014 we placed an order for three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), which will provide valuable capability to the Royal Navy and sustain the skills needed to build the Type 26 Global Combat Ship.

Since the 2015 general election, the White Paper ‘National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015’ (Cmd 9161) has set the Government’s commitment to build eight anti-submarine Type 26 Global Combat Ships, preceded by two additional OPVs, and to launch a concept study and then design and build a new class of lighter, flexible general purpose frigate. Additionally, the White Paper confirmed we will buy three new logistic ships to support the fleet, in addition to the four Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability tankers ordered in 2012.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-04-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 25 April (HL7482), whether views have been expressed by non-executive members of any Service Boards to the Permanent Secretary about rebalancing funds between the fighting environments.

Earl Howe

Non-executive members of Service Boards are able to offer their views on defence matters to the Permanent Secretary. We do not comment on the detail of internal discussions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-09-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much Ascent Flight Training has been fined for failing to deliver an adequate service since it signed the 25-year contract with the Ministry of Defence.

Earl Howe

Up to June 2015, £308,000 was deducted from payments to Ascent Flight Training. No further deductions have been made since that time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-11-25.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, whether they plan for the Royal Navy to have a two-tier escort force in the future.

Earl Howe

In addition to setting out the Government’s commitment to build eight Type 26 anti-submarine warfare ships, the statement by the Prime Minister on the outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (Official Report, column 1049 dated 23 November 2015) announced the launch of a concept study for a new class of lighter, flexible general purpose frigates, so that by the 2030s we can further increase the total number of frigates and destroyers. This study will consider the utility of the new frigate within the wider force structure across the spectrum of tasks the Royal Navy undertakes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-12-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new Ebola medal takes precedence over jubilee medals in the order of wear.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The Jubilee Medals come ahead of the Ebola Medal for Service in West Africa in the current Order of Wear.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-01-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 18 December 2015 (HL4510), which part of the Strategic Headquarters in the Ministry of Defence will make the decision for Sea Lightning squadrons to be embarked; and whether that part of the Strategic Headquarters is responsible for programming all aspects of ship training that constitute the basis for complex training involving all aspects of whole ship and Sea Lightning operation.

Earl Howe

Following Ministerial direction, the decision to embark our Lightning II Squadrons for operational purposes would be taken by the Chief of Defence Staff, as the military strategic commander responsible for the planning, direction and conduct of all military operations. The Front Line Commands remain responsible for force generation and for ensuring that training requirements are met for all carrier assets.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-03-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what factors led to the change of plans about keeping a warship building capability in Portsmouth as discussed prior to the last General Election.

Earl Howe

Following a review of its business needs, Magma Structures, the company considering commercial use of shiphall A in HM Naval Base Portsmouth, has decided it does not want to proceed with a lease. It has confirmed its intention to lease office space within the naval base in order to develop a centre of excellence for composite materials on site and to develop a broad range of composite projects within the defence and other sectors.

Instead, the shiphall will be used by the Royal Navy (supported by BAE Systems (BAES) as part of contracts that are already in place) for maintenance works that support wider frigate and destroyer maintenance programmes on the base. It provides the ideal under cover facility to support the BAES/RN Centre of Excellence by providing a weather-protected maintenance area immediately adjacent to the operational repair facilities.

Shiphall B will be used to create a centre of excellence for minehunter maintenance. Royal Navy minehunter HMS Brocklesby moved into the hall for a year-long comprehensive maintenance programme on 9 March, marking the return of engineering to the site which has been vacant since BAES relocated its shipbuilding activities to Scotland in 2014. The upgraded facilities will provide the opportunity for vessels to be maintained on the site under cover, which allows the work to be completed more efficiently and will result in ships being returned to the operational fleet more quickly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-04-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an assessment of the number of UK merchant seamen, officers and men required to man the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and other merchant shipping taken up from trade in time of national emergency or war.

Earl Howe

Should extra capability or capacity be required at a time of national emergency or war, as has been the case in the past, the Ministry of Defence would charter suitable merchant ships from the commercial market. The extent of such a requirement would of course depend on the nature of the circumstances faced.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-04-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 25 April (HL7484), whether they still stand by the commitment, made by the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Defence during the launch of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, to increase the number of ships in the Royal Navy.

Earl Howe

The 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review announced our intention to launch a concept study and then design and build a new class of lighter, flexible general purpose frigate so that by the 2030s we can further increase the total numbers of frigates and destroyers. We stand by this commitment and work has begun.