Tag: Maria Eagle

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) the amount of any underspend expected against departmental expenditure limits in the current fiscal year and (b) his Department’s latest forecast of total AME spend for this year is; and what the forecasts were for those sums at the time of the Summer Budget 2015 and March Budget 2015.

Michael Fallon

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is not forecasting an underspend against its total Departmental expenditure limit in 2015-16. The forecast of total Annually Managed Expenditure spend for 2015-16 is included in MOD’s Main Estimate [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441360/PU_1815_Main_Estimates_book_WEB.pdf]. These forecasts will be updated in our Supplementary Estimate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, from which branches of the armed forces the 10,000 military personnel on standby to assist civil authorities in case of significant terrorist incidents referred to in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 are to be drawn.

Michael Fallon

Of the 10,000 military personnel on standby in the UK, some units are placed on standby on a rolling basis, while others have specific geographic responsibilities which they meet from their available manpower.

Military personnel will be drawn from all three Services, with the majority being supplied from the Army.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what planning assumptions he has made of the Royal Navy’s frigate fleet size in each year from 2015 to 2040.

Mr Philip Dunne

As explained in the White Paper National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 (Cmd 9161) we intend to maintain a fleet of 19 frigates and destroyers until the 2030s when the introduction of a new class of general purpose frigate will allow this size of the fleet to increase. The timetable for the general purpose frigate programme, and the number of ships we intend to buy, have yet to be determined and will be shaped by the Shipbuilding Strategy we will publish in 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 25 of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, what projects he plans to fund from the £300 million investment in operational communications.

Mr Philip Dunne

Up to £300 million will be spread across Front Line Commands and a number of capabilities. It will not only be invested to enhance operational communications, but also to renew the existing air defence system and upgrade infrastructure, all in the context of the Falkland Islands.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of how many serving members of each branch of the armed forces are likely to be affected by the phasing out of the commitment bonus for armed forces personnel.

Mark Lancaster

Commitment Bonuses are being phased out over the next five years as there is insufficient evidence they significantly influence retention in the Armed Forces.

In Financial Year 2014-15 approximately 14,000 Service personnel claimed a Commitment Bonus payment. Eligibility for Commitment Bonuses ceases with effect from 1April 2021, providing eligible Other Ranks with the opportunity to claim any payments they might have already included in their financial plans.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the planned reductions in current staff numbers in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, how many of those job reductions will be in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2018-19, (e) 2019-20 and (f) 2020-21; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster

The civilian staff reductions announced as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review will be managed in a number of different ways. In the short term, the Ministry of Defence has agreed to make further savings and adjustments in this current financial year as part of the Government’s commitment to reducing the deficit. This is still on-going and may mean restrictions on recruitment.

Over the longer term, a number of change programmes already under way across the Department are reducing our civilian workforce. These programmes will continue, and individuals are already aware if they are affected. We will also drive forward programmes to consider better ways of delivering services, and explore opportunities to deliver outputs in more efficient or innovative ways.

We are confident these programmes will deliver the required reductions to meet the efficiency and reform savings announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of those eligible service personnel who have left the armed forces have participated in the Specialist Support Programme of the Careers Transition Partnership in each year since 2010.

Mark Lancaster

Information is held on personnel that have participated in the Specialist Support Programme (SSP) (formerly the Recovery Careers Service and now called CTP Assist) for the period 1 April 2013 – 30 September 2014. Data prior to this date is not held as there was no requirement to collate this information prior to April 2013.

All eligible individuals who require support from the SSP are referred to it. Between 2013-14 and 2014-15 the following numbers of personnel have participated in the SSP:

2013-14 – 3,000

2014-15 (1 April 2014 – 30 September 2014) – 1,960

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Boeing P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft he expects to enter service in 2019-20.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Ministry of Defence is currently engaged in detailed negotiations on the Boeing P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft. As the Prime Minister announced to the House on 23 November 2015 (Official Report, column 1059), we intend for at least three of the aircraft to be in place by the end of the Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on what dates the inter-Ministerial group on tourism has met; and who is a member of that group.

David Evennett

The inter-ministerial group on tourism meets quarterly. The first meeting was held on 16th September 2015 and Ministers will meet again in February. Membership is composed of the following Departments, and attendance is subject to the agenda for the meeting:

• DCMS

• BIS

• Home Office

• DCLG

• DfT

• HMT

DEFRA.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to provide details of each of the meetings that (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department have had with the Department for Communities and Local Government since May 2015 on the impact of the local government finance settlement on local arts and culture organisations and projects.

Mr Edward Vaizey

DCMS and CLG Ministers and officials regularly discuss matters of shared interest including arts, culture and public libraries.