Every parliamentary written question tabled by Andrew Bowie this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 53 · Ministry of Defence
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of inviting Canada to join Pillar II of the AUKUS agreement.
In recognition of the enduring partnership the UK holds with Canada, alongside Canada's close bilateral defence partnerships with each member of AUKUS, the Prime Minister, President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese, announced on 17 September that we were...
What assessment he has made of the requirement to secure critical minerals supply chains for the development of the AUKUS agreement.
In recognition of the enduring partnership the UK holds with Canada, alongside Canada's close bilateral defence partnerships with each member of AUKUS, the Prime Minister, President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese, announced on 17 September that we were...
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK’s decision to suspend some arms exports licenses with Israel on intelligence-sharing with that country.
It is a long-standing policy that we do not discuss detailed intelligence matters and so I regret I am unable to provide any additional detail.
What the timeframe is for the eligibility review for the Nuclear Test Medal.
As directed by the Defence Secretary, the review of the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal is already underway. The Ministry of Defence is prioritising this work and will provide an update in due course.
When his Department purchased combat arms earplugs from 3M.
Combat Arms Ear Plugs, specifically the 3M Combat Ear Plugs Generation 4.1, were purchased by the Ministry of Defence from 3M as part of the Tactical Hearing Protection – Basic User capability via a NATO Support and Procurement Agency contract. A total of...
How many combat arms earplugs his Department purchased from 3M; and what the cost was.
Combat Arms Ear Plugs, specifically the 3M Combat Ear Plugs Generation 4.1, were purchased by the Ministry of Defence from 3M as part of the Tactical Hearing Protection – Basic User capability via a NATO Support and Procurement Agency contract. A total of...
If he will make an assessment of the potential (a) impact of the proposed repeal and replacement of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 on veterans and (b) need for support for veterans in the context of potential civil action.
The Government recognises the dedicated service of veterans and serving personnel who did so much to keep people in Northern Ireland safe during the Troubles. We will engage closely with the veterans community on the way forwards in the Government’s approach to legacy. We recognise the impact that historical investigations can have on serving and retired Service personnel, including on their mental health. This Government is committed to supporting our veterans by providing welfare and appropriate legal support, at public expense, to those involved in ongoing legal processes. Veterans are offered a range of welfare support, for their individual needs and circumstances.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed repeal and replacement of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 on veterans.
The Government recognises the dedicated service of veterans and serving personnel who did so much to keep people in Northern Ireland safe during the Troubles. We will engage closely with the veterans community on the way forwards in the Government’s approach to legacy. We recognise the impact that historical investigations can have on serving and retired Service personnel, including on their mental health. This Government is committed to supporting our veterans by providing welfare and appropriate legal support, at public expense, to those involved in ongoing legal processes. Veterans are offered a range of welfare support, for their individual needs and circumstances.
What steps he is taking to improve support for veterans in Northern Ireland.
This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who have served our country. I am leading work across Government and with civil society to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need, across the whole of the United Kingdom. In Northern Ireland, the Veterans Welfare Service provides information and practical support to veterans and their families, including timely physiotherapy and psychological therapies to eligible veterans. The Defence Medical Welfare Service pilot supports veterans’ health and wellbeing in Northern Ireland and provides insight that will improve our understanding of veterans’ health needs. Veterans in need of housing advice can contact the Government's single housing support pathway, Op FORTITUDE, where a dedicated team of advisers work to assist veterans across the UK.
What steps he is taking to help ensure better provision of mental health support for veterans.
This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country. I am leading work across Government and with Civil Society to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need. NHS England offers Op COURAGE: the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, which provides a broad range of specialist mental health and wellbeing care and support for service leavers, reservists, veterans and their families. More information and contact details on Op COURAGE can be found here:www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/armed-forces-community/mental-health/veterans-reservists. As health is devolved, I am also looking forward to working with counterparts in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Governments on this important issue.
If he will fund further research relating to suicide amongst (a) serving personnel and (b) veterans.
As the responsible Minister for leading the work on the mental health of all our serving and former Serving personnel, I take this matter extremely seriously.The Ministry of Defence continues to monitor the long-term impact of operational deployments. A study mapping the mortality rates and causes of death, including suicide, of military personnel who served since 2001, including those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is underway. The focus of this study is to understand the long-term impact of military service. It will compare findings with the general population. The Defence Suicide Register has also been launched. This is an ongoing Defence-led project to provide an evidence-base specific to Serving personnel by better understanding circumstances surrounding individual deaths. It draws together information from multiple data sources across Defence, enabling internal analysis across organisational boundaries to inform evidence-based prevention, intervention, and postvention activity. Research suggests that the risk of suicide in our veteran population as a whole is no higher than that in the general population. However, it suggests that certain younger cohorts of veterans may be at a higher risk. The Office for Veterans’ Affairs is working across Government and with civil society to ensure veterans have access to the health support they need.
What steps he is taking to improve support for female veterans.
This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country. I am leading work across Government and with Civil Society to look at the best ways to ensure all veterans, including women veterans, and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.
What funding he plans to provide to support the Veterans Welfare Service in Northern Ireland.
The Veterans Welfare Service (Northern Ireland) became the responsibility of Defence Business Services on 1 April 2023. Budgets are allocated within Defence Business Services at the delivery of veterans' services level, and it is not normally possible to break this information down to individual services. As part of the transfer of responsibility, funding of £805,000 for Financial Year 2024-25 was transferred to Defence Business Services to cover the pay and ongoing contract costs of the Veterans Welfare Service (Northern Ireland).
What steps he is taking to tackle the (a) risks and (b) challenges arising from their service that military personnel can face to their mental health.
Ensuring veterans have access to the mental heath support they need is a priority for this Government. I am leading work across Government and with Civil Society to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need The MOD delivers a number of existing initiatives that firstly aim to prevent mental ill-health through adopting healthy practices and awareness training, and subsequently to provide support to those who may be struggling. For those personnel requiring medical intervention the Defence Medical Services (DMS) provide a responsive, flexible, accessible, and comprehensive treatment service, through its mental health clinical professionals who have extensive experience in treatment of mental health problems and psychological injury. In addition to the specialist diagnosis and treatment, there is a range of other options for mental health support for Service Personnel including on-demand digital resources, and in-person welfare establishments. Pre and post deployment briefing is provided to all personnel (whether Regular or mobilised Reservists) to ensure that the availability of support is highlighted at times when stressors may be heightened.
When he plans to appoint the Armed Forces Commissioner.
The Armed Forces Commissioner is the first in a series of steps that will be taken by the new Government to improve Service life and renew the contract between the nation and those who serve.The Armed Forces Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for Service personnel and their families to raise issues which impact on service life.The Armed Forces Commissioner will have the power to investigate individual complaints and to proactively launch independent reviews into issues affecting Service personnel and their families more widely, and to lay those reports before Parliament. The new Commissioner will have a right of access to information, sites and personnel in order to fulfil their role. The Commissioner will incorporate the functions currently undertaken by the Service Complaints Ombudsman.The Armed Forces Commissioner will strengthen Parliamentary oversight of issues facing our Armed Forces personnel and their families. The Commissioner will be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the Defence Select Committee and will report directly to Parliament, not ministers, via an annual report.There will be opportunities to debate all aspects of the role, remit and operation of Armed Forces Commissioner when the Government brings forward the Legislation outlined in the King’s Speech. Details on budget, pay, grade, staffing and office location will be set out in due course.
What the salary will be of the Armed Forces Commissioner.
The Armed Forces Commissioner is the first in a series of steps that will be taken by the new Government to improve Service life and renew the contract between the nation and those who serve.The Armed Forces Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for Service personnel and their families to raise issues which impact on service life.The Armed Forces Commissioner will have the power to investigate individual complaints and to proactively launch independent reviews into issues affecting Service personnel and their families more widely, and to lay those reports before Parliament. The new Commissioner will have a right of access to information, sites and personnel in order to fulfil their role. The Commissioner will incorporate the functions currently undertaken by the Service Complaints Ombudsman.The Armed Forces Commissioner will strengthen Parliamentary oversight of issues facing our Armed Forces personnel and their families. The Commissioner will be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the Defence Select Committee and will report directly to Parliament, not ministers, via an annual report.There will be opportunities to debate all aspects of the role, remit and operation of Armed Forces Commissioner when the Government brings forward the Legislation outlined in the King’s Speech. Details on budget, pay, grade, staffing and office location will be set out in due course.
Where the office of Armed Forces Commissioner will be based.
The Armed Forces Commissioner is the first in a series of steps that will be taken by the new Government to improve Service life and renew the contract between the nation and those who serve.The Armed Forces Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for Service personnel and their families to raise issues which impact on service life.The Armed Forces Commissioner will have the power to investigate individual complaints and to proactively launch independent reviews into issues affecting Service personnel and their families more widely, and to lay those reports before Parliament. The new Commissioner will have a right of access to information, sites and personnel in order to fulfil their role. The Commissioner will incorporate the functions currently undertaken by the Service Complaints Ombudsman.The Armed Forces Commissioner will strengthen Parliamentary oversight of issues facing our Armed Forces personnel and their families. The Commissioner will be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the Defence Select Committee and will report directly to Parliament, not ministers, via an annual report.There will be opportunities to debate all aspects of the role, remit and operation of Armed Forces Commissioner when the Government brings forward the Legislation outlined in the King’s Speech. Details on budget, pay, grade, staffing and office location will be set out in due course.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of having the Office for Veterans' Affairs within his Department.
The Government is fully committed to delivering for veterans as an integral part of our Armed Forces community. The Secretary of State for Defence will represent veterans at Cabinet, and as the Minister for Veterans and People I will look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need. Our focus is on improving outcomes for veterans and delivering for those who serve our nation, and we believe this work will be strengthened by bringing the Office for Veterans Affairs under the Ministry of Defence.
How much funding he plans to allocate to Op Prosper over this Parliament.
The Government is fully committed to delivering for veterans as an integral part of our Armed Forces community. I am leading work across Government to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need. Work is ongoing to determine the spend for Operation PROSPER and Operation FORTITUDE for the current financial year. The budget for the remainder of this Parliament will be determined by the next Spending Review, which has not yet commenced.
How much his Department plans to spend on Op Fortitude in each financial year of this Parliament.
The Government is fully committed to delivering for veterans as an integral part of our Armed Forces community. I am leading work across Government to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need. Work is ongoing to determine the spend for Operation PROSPER and Operation FORTITUDE for the current financial year. The budget for the remainder of this Parliament will be determined by the next Spending Review, which has not yet commenced.