Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mark Francois this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 381–394 of 394 · Ministry of Defence
How many vacancies there are for (a) engineers, (b) submariners and (c) other critical roles in the Royal Navy.
The Royal Navy continues to fill the highest priority roles first in accordance with current and future output requirements. Where demand exceeds supply, the Royal Navy and employers actively prioritise where personnel are assigned. Due to operational security, The Royal Navy does not comment on the number of specific vacancies for critical roles.
When he plans to publish the Strategic Defence Review.
As previously announced by the Secretary of State for Defence to the House of Commons, the Reviewers will make their final report to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Defence in the Spring of 2025. The Secretary of State for Defence will subsequently publish a version of that report to Parliament.
What the timeline is for the delivery of the Mobile Fires Platform; and what the potential impact is of delays to the programme on the Army’s long-range artillery capabilities.
The Mobile Fires Platform will deliver the Army's Close Support Fires capability. The project aims to achieve Minimum Deployable Capability (MDC) within this decade and will deliver the Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155) Calibre Wheeled Artillery System through a collaborative procurement with Germany. The project is in its assessment phase and a timeline or definition of MDC is yet to be determined, both of which will be guided by the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The Army is currently undergoing a combined programme of work to ensure our Land Forces will have the lethality, protection and mobility to fight and win against any adversary. Whilst the Army's modernisation will continue over the next decade with a programme of investment worth billions of pounds, future capability development priorities, including long-range artillery capabilities, will be guided by the SDR.
Whether the data associated with the new digital veterans ID will be stored only within the UK.
All data associated with the new virtual HM Armed Forces Veteran Card will be stored within the UK. The digitisation project is currently in the Discovery Phase. However, when it moves into development, it will operate under Government Security and Ministry of Defence Secure by Design frameworks as part of the whole life management of the service. This will include independent IT health checks and penetration testing throughout the duration of use.
What the cost is of refits to HMS (a) Albion and (b) Bulwark since 2010.
The total cost of refits to HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark since 2010 is £132.7 million. This excludes HMS Bulwark's 2022-2025 refit which was estimated to cost £72.1 million. As HMS Bulwark was retired before her refit was completed, the refit costs are under review.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of maintaining sovereign capability in the (a) production and (b) sustainment of the Hawk aircraft; and what the estimate he has made of the economic impact of that capability on the defence industry.
The Hawk T1 aircraft is scheduled to remain in service until 2030 and the Hawk T2 aircraft out-of-service date is in 2040. A decision on the production, sustainment and replacement of the aircraft will not be taken until after the Strategic Defence Review is completed.
If his Department will provide a table detailing the most recent data on UK Regular Forces by (a) Service and (b) Medical Deployability Standards.
The following table provides the Medical Deployability Standards for UK Armed Forces personnel, broken down by service as of the 1 October 2024: Medically Fully Deployable (MFD)Medically Limited Deployable (MLD)Medically Not Deployable (MND)Total99,56014,35013,522Royal Navy22,8382,3632,922Army55,0059,4566,879RAF21,7172,5313,721
When he plans to conclude his Department's review into cadets and reserves; and whether he plans to publish that review.
The review of Reserves and Cadets is underway and is closely aligned with the Ministry of Defence’s wider Strategic Defence Review which will report in the first half of 2025. Once Ministers have considered the findings of the Reserves and Cadets review, a decision will be taken about publication.
If he will make an assessment of the (a) applicability of the Treaty of Pelindaba to the Chagos Archipelago and (b) potential impact of that Treaty on the UK's Defence arrangements.
The agreement with Mauritius has been negotiated based on international law, and with regards to both parties' obligations under international law. The UK is not a Party to the Pelindaba Treaty, although it is a Party to Protocols I and II to that Treaty. The operation of the UK/US base on Deigo Garcia will continue unchanged.
With reference to the keynote recording of the Chief of the General Staff at the RUSI Land Warfare Conference 2024, published on 23 June 2024, whether his Department has taken recent steps to double the lethality of the British Army by 2027 and treble it by 2030.
The Chief of the General Staff is working hard to fulfil the ambition outlined at the RUSI Land Warfare conference. The British Army continues to work to these goals, in tandem with the ongoing Strategic Defence Review.
What assessment he has made of the extent of the damage caused by the fire at BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness on 30 October 2024.
I refer the right hon. Member to the written statement I laid in the House on 30 October 2024, HCWS176.
What the estimated minimum deployable capability date is for the Boxer (a) 120mm self-propelled mortar system and (b) 155mm self-propelled artillery system.
The Mechanised Infantry (BOXER) programme uses the terms Initial Operating Capability (IOC) and Full Operating Capability. The Armoured Mortar Vehicle is a project within this programme and therefore uses those terms. The Mobile Fires Platform project is a part of the Close Support Fires Programme, which uses the term Minimum Deployable Capability instead. Whilst the Mechanised Infantry (BOXER) programme has an IOC, the definition of the IOC for the Armoured Mortar Vehicle project within the programme is yet to be confirmed. The Mobile Fires Platform project does not have a confirmed definition for Minimum Deployable Capability (MDC). Therefore, an estimated IOC or MDC for either variant cannot be projected at this time.
What assumed increase in the UK's defence budget his Department is using for the purposes of estimating its 10-year Equipment Plan, calculated (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of gross domestic product.
On 30 October His Majesty's Treasury published the Autumn Budget which confirmed the Ministry of Defence's Departmental Expenditure Limit for financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26. The longer-term budget will be confirmed through phase two of the Spending Review which is planned for late Spring 2025.
If he will outline the UK's defence budget for (a) this and (b) the next two financial years expressed as a (i) total cash amount and (ii) percentage of gross domestic product, excluding expenditure related to Ukraine.
Total Defence spending, in line with NATO definitions, is expected to be £64.4 billion in 2024-25 and £67.7 billion in 2025-26. This equates to 2.29% of GDP in 2024-25 and 2.30% in 2025-26. Excluding expenditure on support to Ukraine, Defence spending in line with NATO definitions would be £61.4 billion in 2024-25 and £64.7 billion in 2025-26. This equates to 2.18% of GDP in 2024-25 and 2.19% in 2025-26. Future financial years’ figures are subject to the outcome of the second phase of the Spending Review.