Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 86 · Ministry of Defence
Pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 44594 on Ministers: Aviation, how many of the five tasks were (a) domestic flights within Great Britain and (b) flights from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
None. All tasks were outside of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the EU's Security Action for Europe procurement programme of the effectiveness of the UK’s defence procurement; and what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 programme.
This is a critical moment for the security of Europe. We welcome European efforts to increase defence spending, through the ReArm initiative and proposed Security Action for Europe (SAFE) mechanism. This must be a whole-of-Europe effort, in alignment with NATO, which remains the cornerstone of European security. We share many of the same priorities to those identified by our European allies and continue to work with the European Union to ensure defence industrial initiatives maximise our offer of support to Ukraine. It is in our shared interest for SAFE to allow EU Member States to partner with the UK, recognising the vital role the UK’s defence industry plays for European security.
Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 39113 on Armed Forces: Equality, when he took the decision to (a) pause and (b) cancel the review into armed forces equality, diversity and inclusion.
Following the announcement of the General Election on 22 May 2024, a decision was taken to pause work on the Secretary of State’s review of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy. On 4 September 2024 direction was given that the Review would not be staffed to Ministers as it was commissioned by the previous Government and did not align with the new Government’s priorities for the Department.
Whether he has made an estimate of expenditure by the armed forces on equality, diversity and inclusion.
Ministry of Defence accounts are published annually and made public; there are no plans to provide a further breakdown of the data to include, among other things, an estimate of expenditure relating to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Whether the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is taking steps to protect the expression of gender-critical views within that organisation.
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is fully committed to being a place of work where people can be themselves, feel included and where all voices are heard. Dstl values and embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities in all its employment practices, and this forms an integral part of the way people in Dstl work and behave.
If he will publish the declared interests of each of the external reviewers to the Strategic Defence Review 2024-2025.
The Reviewers were all Direct Ministerial Appointments (DMAs) and are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Board Members and follow the Seven Principles of Public Life.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36276 on Military Aircraft: Helicopter, which Ministers are now eligible to use the rotary wing air transportation service.
All Defence Ministers have access to the Cabinet Office Ministerial Air Transport Office administered helicopter transport contract, in line with their cross-Government peers. This contract is not administered by the Ministry of Defence.
Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 39113 on Armed Forces: Equality, if he will list the terms of reference of the previous review into Armed Forces equality, diversity and inclusion.
As previously advised in the answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 39113 on Armed Forces: Equality, the review was commissioned by the previous Government and was not published. As such, there is no intention to publish any internal correspondence related to this work.
If he will publish the learning content for the diversity and inclusion elements of the Defence Leadership Centre portfolio.
The Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) elements of the Defence Leadership Centre portfolio include D&I Fundamentals, D&I Practitioner, D&I Advisor, Holistic Allies Training, Leading Diverse and Inclusive Organisations (currently pending revision) and Active Bystander. Further information on these courses can be found on the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom website at the following links:https://www.da.mod.uk/courses/diversity-and-inclusion-fundamentals/https://www.da.mod.uk/courses/diversity-and-inclusion-practitioner/https://www.da.mod.uk/courses/diversity-and-inclusion-adviser/https://www.da.mod.uk/courses/holistic-allies-training/https://www.da.mod.uk/courses/leading-diverse-and-inclusive-organisations/https://www.da.mod.uk/courses/active-bystander-fundamentals/ These courses are consistently reviewed and updated, to ensure that they are in accordance with relevant policies.
Whether the appointment of a Diversity and Inclusion Learning and Development Professional was approved by Ministers as an exception to the Civil Service equality, diversity and inclusion spending controls.
The appointment of a Diversity and Inclusion Learning and Development professional within the Defence Academy was in keeping with Civil Service recruitment policy and did not require Ministerial approval. Recruitment in this case was compliant with internal efficiency measures as stipulated in the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion spending controls.
Pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 39690 on Ministers: Aviation, whether all of the RAF Envoy flights were domestic flights; and how many different Minsters travelled on them.
The RAF Envoy flights over the period were predominantly international, not domestic and were taken by 2 ministers. It has been the practice of successive administrations not to publish granular information relating to the official movements of Ministers and those accompanying them within the United Kingdom. Information about official overseas Ministerial travel is published as part of the Cabinet Office transparency returns and made available on the GOV.UK website.
Whether his Department provided helicopter journeys for Ministers from other Departments between 4 July 2024 and 31 December 2024.
No Command Support Air Transport helicopter flights were provided to Ministers from other Departments between 4 July 2024 and 31 December 2024.
Pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 39690 on Ministers: Aviation, how many RAF Envoy flights for Ministers have been made since 1 January 2025.
Since 1 January 2025 there have been five tasks relating to travel by Ministers on the RAF Envoy.It has been the practice of successive administrations not to publish granular information relating to the official movements of Ministers and those accompanying them within the United Kingdom. Information about official overseas ministerial travel is published as part of the Cabinet Office transparency returns and made available on the GOV.UK website.
Whether UK Defence Innovation will be an arm’s length body.
No. UK Defence Innovation will report to the National Armaments Director in the Ministry of Defence, as part of the new operating model being established through Defence Reform.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 28586 on HMS Achilles, for what reason the Committee chose to recommend to the Sovereign the name of HMS Achilles.
The name HMS Achilles was considered in light of the forthcoming VE and VJ Day anniversaries and given its WWII battle honours at the River Plate and Okinawa. The name also has a very fine heritage outside of WWII, having been borne by six ships previously and having earned battle honours including Trafalgar.
With reference to the consultation entitled UK Green Taxonomy, published on 13 November 2024, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of a green taxonomy on trends in the level of divestment in the defence sector.
The proposed green taxonomy aims to promote market integrity and transparency, and mobilise further investment to help the UK achieve its sustainability goals. This Government has been clear that we see no conflict between sustainable investment and investment in our world-leading defence sector, of which we are rightly proud. The Defence Industrial Strategy Statement of Intent, published in December 2024, identified the ‘crowding-in’ of private sector investment as critical to the Government’s agenda to grow our economy and strengthen our nation’s defences. The Trade Association ADS recently released their first defence Environment, Social and Governance Charter Report, highlighting the positive contribution that the defence industry is making to supporting our environment and our communities.
Pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 21390 on Armed Forces: Equality, whether the previous Government commissioned a review into equality, diversity and inclusion (a) policies and (b) spending in the armed forces that was separate to the review into the civil service.
In February 2024 the previous Government commissioned a review into equality, diversity and inclusion policies in the Armed Forces. This review did not extend to equality, diversity and inclusion spending in the Armed Forces, and was separate to the review into the Civil Service. Following the change in Government, staffing of this work to Ministers was paused, and the review was not published.
With reference to the AI tool entitled MOD: Textio, published on 17 December 2024, whether the tool has been programmed to (a) avoid unconscious bias and (b) promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
Textio is a recruitment AI tool, procured for use within the Ministry of Defence to support recruitment of the best candidates. Whilst Defence is not privy to the specific programming of the software by its developers, we have utilised it over several years to create more appealing and more widely accessible job adverts. Defence utilises the software to highlight the use of jargon and acronyms, as well as to identify opportunities for more inclusive wording, thereby creating attractive adverts for potential applicants.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes to (a) Business Property Relief and (b) employer National Insurance contributions on SMEs in the defence sector.
The Ministry of Defence recognises the vital contribution that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make within the defence industry, and we have a long-standing commitment to improve our engagement with such suppliers in order to broaden and strengthen our supply-base. As individual suppliers and contractors will manage the changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions and Business Property Relief differently, it would be extremely difficult for the Department to estimate the impact this will have on SMEs in the defence sector.
Pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question HL1878 on Armed Forces: Equality, if he will publish the report of the review into equality, diversity and inclusion spending in the Armed Forces.
The review into equality, diversity and inclusion spending in Government Departments, including Civil Service expenditure of behalf of the Armed Forces, was conducted between June 2023 and May 2024 at the request of the then Chancellor of the Exchequer. T...