Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1693449

registered interest
date	04/03/2024
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Defence Business Services: Serco
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish any (a) performance reports, (b) business plans, (c) annual reviews and (d) other documents relating to the (i) performance of and (ii) relationship between Defence Business Services and Serco in the years between 2011 and 2016.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	16865
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2024 answer text <p>There are no plans to publish material relating to the performance of Defence Business Services or the commercial relationship with SERCO during the period 2011-2016.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 12/03/2024 15:15:08 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1693450

registered interest
date	04/03/2024
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans UK: Legal Profession
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) lawyers and (b) paralegals are employed by Veterans UK as of 4 March 2024.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	16866
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2024 answer text <p>Veterans UK is the public facing name given to the administration and payment by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) of Armed Forces Pensions and the War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Schemes, and Veterans Welfare Service. It does not exist as an executive agency or standalone entity and consequently does not employ any lawyers or paralegals.</p><p>Legal advice and representation on Veterans related matters is provide by the MOD Legal Advisors and the Government Legal Department and I refer to the answer I gave to Question 1803, Tabled on 14 November 2023.</p><p>The MOD Legal Advisors' lawyers - as Government Legal Department employees - do not distinctly record time involved on veteran-related matters and, therefore, the MOD cannot specify how much work was undertaken.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 12/03/2024 15:16:24 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1693451

registered interest
date	04/03/2024
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Defence Business Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason does Defence Business Services not publish its annual plan.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	16867
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2024 answer text <p>Defence Business Services is an integral part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), not an arm's length body (ALB). Its annual business plan is approved by the MOD Chief Operating Officer and, in common with many other annual business plans written by other parts of the Department, is for internal use.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 12/03/2024 15:17:50 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1682556

registered interest
date	16/01/2024
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Army: Commonwealth
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's policy is on the roles Commonwealth soldiers are eligible to apply for while serving in the British Army.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	9899
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2024 answer text <p>Commonwealth citizens are eligible to apply to join the UK Armed Forces. Like their British and Irish counterparts, they must meet the required eligibility criteria including age, educational, fitness and medical, as well as UK residency for security vetting purposes which varies depending on rank and role. In addition, since November 2018 there has been an annual limit of up to 1,350 Commonwealth citizens who can be recruited each year by the Armed Forces. The Army also has a 15% limit on the number of Commonwealth citizens serving in each cap badge. These requirements can limit the number of roles available at a particular time.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 26/01/2024 10:54:30 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1680288

registered interest
date	19/12/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Recruitment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of trends in the level of armed forces recruitment since 2020.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	900873
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/01/2024 answer text <p>The Armed Forces continue to meet all their current commitments, keeping the country and its interests safe. The Government remain committed to ensuring that this country has the world class Armed Forces that it needs and deserves.</p><p> </p><p>Defence is firmly focused on responding to the current recruitment challenges faced across the western world, with a range of measures now, anticipating the successor Armed Forces Recruitment Programme.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/01/2024 16:43:13 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1674582

registered interest
date	01/12/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces Compensation Scheme: Tax Allowances
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will hold discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of granting tax-free status to the Survivors' Guaranteed Income Payment.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	4847
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>The Department has no current plans to discuss with the Chancellor of the Exchequer making the Survivors’ Guaranteed Income Payment (SGIP) tax free. The SGIP is paid to dependents who may have other sources of income and therefore it is taken into account for tax purposes.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 11/12/2023 17:12:54 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1672663

registered interest
date	23/11/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending post-service transition support services for people medically discharged from the armed forces from six months to two years.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	3520
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2023 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) provides post-transition support services beyond six months for those medically discharged from the Armed Forces. The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) provides resettlement and career transition services to all Regular Armed Forces Service leavers as part of their resettlement process, helping to make the transition from military to civilian life as smooth and successful as possible. The Core Resettlement Programme is afforded to all medically discharged Service leavers irrespective of time served.</p><p> </p><p>A bespoke service called CTP Assist is provided for the most vulnerable leavers, and delivers an individualised, needs-based service to those Service personnel who face the greatest barriers to employment because of their medical condition. This comprehensive employment support is made available to all those subject to medical discharge to maximise their successful transition to civilian life. Employment support is available through the CTP two years prior to discharge and for two years afterwards.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Welfare support from the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) is also available to all Regular and Reserve Service personnel and their families via the Defence Transition Referral Protocol. All those who are medically discharged are contacted by VWS, on behalf of MOD, to provide contact details should they experience need after discharge and want to re-engage with VWS at a subsequent point in time. VWS supports service leavers, veterans, and their families by providing ongoing support, guidance and information with issues that will endure beyond discharge. VWS clients are supported according to their needs and preferences, with support remaining in place for as long as required.</p><p> </p><p>As the Minister responsible for Defence People and Families, I regularly meet with The First Sea Lord, Chief of the General Staff and Chief of the Air Staff to discuss topics that fall within my portfolio and tackle prevalent issues.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison grouped question UIN 3522 question first answered 01/12/2023 12:04:14 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1672664

registered interest
date	23/11/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans: Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on implementation of Project Cortisone; and when he plans that it will be fully operational.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	3521
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2023 answer text <p>Programme CORTISONE has now provided the ability to access archived healthcare records and users are able to interrogate operational healthcare data in a faster, more accurate and timely manner. New digital triage and remote video consultation capabilities have been prioritised for delivery in addition to e-rostering and caseload management systems by the end of 2025.</p><p> </p><p>The current estimate for the Full Operating Capability is December 2027.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 01/12/2023 12:10:12 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1672665

registered interest
date	23/11/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the (a) First Sea Lord, (b) Chief of the General Staff and (c) Chief of the Air Staff on tackling gaps in transition services for people who are medically discharged from the armed forces.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	3522
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2023 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) provides post-transition support services beyond six months for those medically discharged from the Armed Forces. The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) provides resettlement and career transition services to all Regular Armed Forces Service leavers as part of their resettlement process, helping to make the transition from military to civilian life as smooth and successful as possible. The Core Resettlement Programme is afforded to all medically discharged Service leavers irrespective of time served.</p><p> </p><p>A bespoke service called CTP Assist is provided for the most vulnerable leavers, and delivers an individualised, needs-based service to those Service personnel who face the greatest barriers to employment because of their medical condition. This comprehensive employment support is made available to all those subject to medical discharge to maximise their successful transition to civilian life. Employment support is available through the CTP two years prior to discharge and for two years afterwards.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Welfare support from the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) is also available to all Regular and Reserve Service personnel and their families via the Defence Transition Referral Protocol. All those who are medically discharged are contacted by VWS, on behalf of MOD, to provide contact details should they experience need after discharge and want to re-engage with VWS at a subsequent point in time. VWS supports service leavers, veterans, and their families by providing ongoing support, guidance and information with issues that will endure beyond discharge. VWS clients are supported according to their needs and preferences, with support remaining in place for as long as required.</p><p> </p><p>As the Minister responsible for Defence People and Families, I regularly meet with The First Sea Lord, Chief of the General Staff and Chief of the Air Staff to discuss topics that fall within my portfolio and tackle prevalent issues.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison grouped question UIN 3520 question first answered 01/12/2023 12:04:15 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1658369

registered interest
date	05/09/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	War Widow(er)s: Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many war widows had their war pensions wrongly classed as taxable income in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022; and how many times his Department has been asked to rectify their records accordingly in this time period.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	197882
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2023 answer text <p>I can confirm that the War Widow Pension has not been taxable since 1979 as per Section 639 of the Income Tax (earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.</p><p>Any tax wrongly applied to the payment would be as a result of a tax code provided by HMRC, which is responsible for correcting any tax records.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 19/09/2023 14:37:06 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson