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512492

registered interest
date	13/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	World War I
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his Department's policy that DNA samples should be taken when the remains of British soldiers who died in World War One are recovered.
tabling member constituency	Bury North
tabling member printed	Mr David Nuttall
uin	33754
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>When remains thought to be of a British Serviceman are located, DNA samples may be taken if there is a realistic chance of a positive match to living descendants.</p><p>With over 300,000 British and Commonwealth personnel who died in World War One still having no known grave, the chances of one individual being linked to recovered remains alone are extremely remote.</p><p>Whilst extensive efforts are made to positively identify any recovered remains, these must first concentrate on forensic analysis of the remains, artefacts and clothing recovered, along with examination of documentary records such as Regimental War Diaries. Only once this work has identified a relatively small group cohort of likely names would DNA testing prove practical.</p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster question first answered 18/04/2016 15:43:59 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
tabling member	4140 label Biography information for Mr David Nuttall

512501

registered interest
date	13/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Death
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many non-combat deaths of service personnel have occurred (a) in total, (b) in the UK and (c) overseas in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	33943
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>The information requested is provided in the attached table.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster question first answered 18/04/2016 15:43:15 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton attachment 1 file name 33943 - UK Armed Forces non-combat deaths by year and place of death.docx title UK Armed Forces non-combat deaths
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

511323

registered interest
date	12/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: GCSE
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many enlisted soldiers who were not commissioned officers gained GCSEs in (a) English and (b) mathematics while serving in the army in each of the last five years; and how many such soldiers gained GCSEs in (i) English and (ii) mathematics within four years of enlisting.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	33691
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>The Army provides opportunities for personnel to gain functional skills in literacy and numeracy. These are the standards that the Army has determined it requires and links these functional skills qualifications with promotion to certain ranks. Individuals are free to pursue GCSEs as part of their elective personal development with the support of learning credits schemes but the details of such GCSE qualifications are not held centrally.</p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster question first answered 18/04/2016 15:40:57 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

511326

registered interest
date	12/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: GCSE
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial provision he has made for supporting armed forces recruits to obtain A* to C passes in GCSE English and mathematics if required.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	33689
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence does not make financial provision to improve the Functional Skills (FS) of recruits before they are selected to join the UK Armed Forces.</p><p>For those who join the UK Armed Forces, there are clearly identified routes to ensure acceptable levels of FS. Over 95% of all recruits, no matter what their age or prior qualifications, enrol in an Apprenticeship Programme each year. Apprenticeships ensure that Service personnel (SP) will gain level 2 in literacy and numeracy - which is the equivalent to GCSE level. The Armed Forces also offer courses in a wide range of skills, such as engineering, information and communications technology (ICT), construction, driving, and animal care.</p><p>All recruits aged under 18 receive key skills education in literacy and numeracy, should they need it, and all are enrolled onto apprenticeships. The Armed Forces remain the UK's largest apprenticeship provider, equipping young people with valuable and transferable skills for life. Ofsted regularly inspects our care of newly joined young recruits, and we are very proud of the standards we achieve.</p><p>Since September 2012, Defence has adopted FS qualifications (FS (English) and FS (Mathematics)) as the accredited measures of literacy and numeracy skills for all SP accessing in-Service literacy and numeracy provision. Defence FS provision will be (in most cases) a blend of in-house and external provision. FS provision and qualifications have been available and publicly funded in England since September 2010, with the single Services funding the following elements:</p><p><strong>Specialist manpower</strong>. Sufficient in-house specialist practitioners to meet the FS requirements that are not met from external or Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency funded providers and, co-ordinate the delivery of that provision across their Service.</p><p><strong>FS staff training</strong>. Training for in-house specialist practitioners and support staff to meet the required professional standards, where this is not externally funded.</p><p><strong>Trainee costs.</strong> All direct and indirect costs incurred by Initial Training Establishments, where training has to be extended to cover FS provision to meet the minimum FS Entry Level 3 standard, by the start of Phase 2 training.</p><p><strong>FS resources. </strong>FS support materials, essential ICT, audio-visual equipment and associated consumables, and any other essential resource costs.</p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster grouped question UIN 33690 question first answered 18/04/2016 15:39:51 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

511327

registered interest
date	12/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: GCSE
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on supporting all new armed forces recruits who arrive without A* to C passes in GCSE English and mathematics to gain such qualifications; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	33690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence does not make financial provision to improve the Functional Skills (FS) of recruits before they are selected to join the UK Armed Forces.</p><p>For those who join the UK Armed Forces, there are clearly identified routes to ensure acceptable levels of FS. Over 95% of all recruits, no matter what their age or prior qualifications, enrol in an Apprenticeship Programme each year. Apprenticeships ensure that Service personnel (SP) will gain level 2 in literacy and numeracy - which is the equivalent to GCSE level. The Armed Forces also offer courses in a wide range of skills, such as engineering, information and communications technology (ICT), construction, driving, and animal care.</p><p>All recruits aged under 18 receive key skills education in literacy and numeracy, should they need it, and all are enrolled onto apprenticeships. The Armed Forces remain the UK's largest apprenticeship provider, equipping young people with valuable and transferable skills for life. Ofsted regularly inspects our care of newly joined young recruits, and we are very proud of the standards we achieve.</p><p>Since September 2012, Defence has adopted FS qualifications (FS (English) and FS (Mathematics)) as the accredited measures of literacy and numeracy skills for all SP accessing in-Service literacy and numeracy provision. Defence FS provision will be (in most cases) a blend of in-house and external provision. FS provision and qualifications have been available and publicly funded in England since September 2010, with the single Services funding the following elements:</p><p><strong>Specialist manpower</strong>. Sufficient in-house specialist practitioners to meet the FS requirements that are not met from external or Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency funded providers and, co-ordinate the delivery of that provision across their Service.</p><p><strong>FS staff training</strong>. Training for in-house specialist practitioners and support staff to meet the required professional standards, where this is not externally funded.</p><p><strong>Trainee costs.</strong> All direct and indirect costs incurred by Initial Training Establishments, where training has to be extended to cover FS provision to meet the minimum FS Entry Level 3 standard, by the start of Phase 2 training.</p><p><strong>FS resources. </strong>FS support materials, essential ICT, audio-visual equipment and associated consumables, and any other essential resource costs.</p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster grouped question UIN 33689 question first answered 18/04/2016 15:39:51 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

511328

registered interest
date	12/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Discrimination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to protect serving and former members of the armed forces from discrimination in obtaining goods and services.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	33693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>The Government is fully committed to eliminating discrimination against Service personnel which is why we enshrined our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant into law. One of the core principles of the Covenant is that Service personnel should not suffer disadvantage as a result of their membership, or former membership, of the Armed Forces. The Covenant exists to redress the disadvantages that the Armed Forces community may face in comparison to other citizens.</p><p>Every Local Authority in mainland Great Britain, and two in Northern Ireland, have signed the Armed Forces Covenant which encourages local communities to support the Armed Forces in their area and promote public understanding and awareness. Additionally, over 930 organisations have now signed a Corporate Pledge to the Armed Forces Covenant, demonstrating their support for the Armed Forces Community.</p><p>Examples of steps being taken include developing shadow postcodes for British Forces Post Office (BFPO) addresses so that Service personnel can access online goods and services and launching the Defence Discount Service which offers a privilege card entitling members of the Armed Forces and their families to a range of discounts on goods and services.</p><p>Information on benefits and concessions available to the Armed Forces and veterans can be found at the following address:</p><p>https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/armed-forces-and-veterans/benefits-and-concessions-for-the-armed-forces-veterans-and-their-families/</p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster question first answered 18/04/2016 15:45:08 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

511330

registered interest
date	12/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Catering
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that the food served to members of the armed forces at his Department's facilities run by Sodexo meets his Department's standards; and what sanctions are in place to deter violations of such standards.
tabling member constituency	Warley
tabling member printed	John Spellar
uin	33554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>The Department is aware of concerns that have been expressed about the standard of food served to members of the Armed Forces.</p><p>The Department has in place a number of safeguards to ensure a good quality of food. These include; contract monitoring, site visits, reviews, customer engagement and assurance by Single Service catering subject matter experts to improve on the service provided.</p><p>Any complaint over food can be raised through the chain of command or directly with the contractor by way of a complaints book.</p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster question first answered 18/04/2016 16:47:18 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
tabling member	318 label Biography information for John Spellar

511336

registered interest
date	12/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Politically Exposed Persons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will identify for the purpose of Article 3(9)(F) of the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive which ranks in the armed services will be classed as high-ranking.
tabling member constituency	Broxbourne
tabling member printed	Mr Charles Walker
uin	33498
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>The Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive seeks to prevent the financial and certain non-financial sectors from being used for money laundering (the conversion, by various means, of the proceeds of crime into apparently 'clean money') and terrorist financing (the provision or collection of funds used to carry out any terrorist offences).</p><p> </p><p>In addition to the financial sector, the directive applies to certain non-financial sectors including lawyers, notaries, accountants, estate agents, providers of gambling services, trust and company service providers, and to all providers of goods when payments are made in cash in excess of €15,000.</p><p> </p><p>The directive introduces additional requirements and safeguards ('enhanced due diligence') for situations posing a higher risk of money laundering and terrorist financing, for example, trading with correspondent banks situated outside the EU. Amongst those additional requirements is a broader definition of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).</p><p> </p><p>Those subject to the directive are required to:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Identify and verify the identity of their customer ('customer due diligence') and of the beneficial owner (person(s) who ultimately owns or controls the customer on whose behalf a transaction is being carried out, e.g. in the case of a company, the owner of a sufficient percentage of the shares or votes), and to monitor their business relationship with the customer,</p><p> </p><p>Report suspicions of money laundering or terrorist financing to the public authorities</p><p> </p><p>Ensure that personnel are properly trained and that appropriate internal preventive policies and procedures are set up.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is not a financial institution nor does it fall into the non-financial sector organisations identified by the Directive, and it is not a provider of goods where payments are made in cash in excess of €15,000.</p><p> </p><p>The responsibility of implementing the requirements of the Directive is for the financial sector and the non-financial sectors identified by the Directive and not the MOD.</p><p> </p><p>The new Directive gives additional guidance in dealing with those risks and issues relating to corrupt activities. As with all legislation it cannot differentiate between those nations, sectors and institutions that are more or in the UK's case, less corrupt. What this Directive attempts to do is give those organisations and sectors at risk of money laundering and terrorist finances the ability to make their own judgements as to what they deem as a high risk person (PEP) or transaction. Whilst ambassadors, chargés d'affaires and high-ranking officers in the Armed Forces are included in the Directive as PEP's, the financial institutions in particular will assess their individual risk. In some countries the military are involved and in some cases run the political and governing systems, this makes them a significant corruption risk. The UK, its ambassadors, chargés d'affaires and high-ranking officers carry a lesser risk than some others; it is therefore unlikely that the extended Directive will affect them. But the interpretation of the Directive is for the financial and certain non-financial sectors to interpret.</p><p> </p><p>The MOD takes its responsibility to prevent, detect, deter and investigate fraud (including corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing) very seriously and has undertaken detailed risk assessments to identify its risks, where needed implementing additional preventative and detective controls and undertakes due diligence on its suppliers.</p><p> </p><p>Transparency International publishes a Government Defence Anti-Corruption Index based on 77 indicators which assesses the existence, effectiveness and enforcement of a nation's ability to manage the risk of corruption including money laundering.</p><p> </p><p>The UK MOD scored an 'A' (very low corruption risk) in the 2015 index, the only country to achieve this in the G20 and NATO as well as being one of only two in the world to achieve this.</p><p> </p><p>Transparency International attributed the 'A' to the UK MOD having strong anti-corruption systems underpinned by effective independent oversight mechanisms.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster question first answered 18/04/2016 15:39:02 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
tabling member	1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker

510016

registered interest
date	11/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans: Supported Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of supported housing in helping the transition of war veterans back to civilian life.
tabling member constituency	Waveney
tabling member printed	Peter Aldous
uin	33425
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>Ministry of Defence (MOD) housing supports serving members of the Armed Forces and their families. Given the mobility of our people, and the sometimes sudden changes in their needs, we keep a margin of unoccupied properties available. Where housing is no longer needed, it is MOD policy to release it. The vast majority of veterans make a successful transition to civilian life and we have in place a range of support including for those who find it difficult to find accommodation. This includes the allocation of £40 million to a Veterans Accommodation Fund. The MOD has also gifted land for new veterans housing in the past; Mike Jackson House in Aldershot and The Beacon in Catterick</p> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster question first answered 18/04/2016 16:49:05 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
tabling member	4069 label Biography information for Peter Aldous

510023

registered interest
date	11/04/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Ministry of Defence: Resignations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	33287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text <p>Information on the number of Civil Servants who have left their posts within the Ministry of Defence is shown in the table below.</p><p><strong>MOD Top Level Budget and Trading Fund Resignation Profile – By Financial Year</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="6"><p><strong>12 Months Ending</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Headcount</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>31 March 2010</p></td><td><p>31 March 2011</p></td><td><p>31 March 2012</p></td><td><p>31 March 2013</p></td><td><p>31 March 2014</p></td><td><p>31March 2015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>MOD Main TLBs Total Outflow</strong></p></td><td><p>4,710</p></td><td><p>4,470</p></td><td><p>9,425</p></td><td><p>6,190</p></td><td><p>4,585</p></td><td><p>3,755</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Resignation</p></td><td><p>1,190</p></td><td><p>1,220</p></td><td><p>970</p></td><td><p>1,040</p></td><td><p>1,070</p></td><td><p>1,135</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Proportion of Outflow</p></td><td><p>25.3%</p></td><td><p>27.3%</p></td><td><p>10.3%</p></td><td><p>16.8%</p></td><td><p>23.3%</p></td><td><p>30.2%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Trading Fund Total Outflow</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>830</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>805</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,935</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>555</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>570</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2,800</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Resignation</p></td><td><p>195</p></td><td><p>220</p></td><td><p>195</p></td><td><p>180</p></td><td><p>225</p></td><td><p>270</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Proportion of Outflow</p></td><td><p>23.4%</p></td><td><p>27.5%</p></td><td><p>6.7%</p></td><td><p>32.4%</p></td><td><p>39.6%</p></td><td><p>9.7%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong>Source Defence Statistics (Civilian)</strong></p><ol><li>Data is based on Total exits and Reasons for Leaving covering Resignation and related sub categories as recorded on Human Resources Management System (HRMS) by TLBs or provided directly by MOD Trading Funds.</li><li>Totals have been rounded to the nearest 5.</li><li>Proportion of outflow has been calculated from raw unrounded totals.</li><li>Data excludes exits for personnel employed by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary or Locally Engaged Civilians for whom exit data is not available.</li></ol> answering member constituency Milton Keynes North answering member printed Mark Lancaster question first answered 18/04/2016 16:50:36 answering member 1544 label Biography information for Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth