The Thames Barrier forms part of a complex system of assets along the Thames and its tributaries to manage the risk of flooding in London. The barrier is expected to provide the required standard of protection out to 2070 based on projected rates of sea levels rise and with significant investment to upgrade and improve the mechanical, electrical, forecasting and supporting systems.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Thames Barrier needs to be maintained to ensure its operational reliability. Closing it too frequently could reduce its reliability, because it would make it difficult to maintain to the required standards, as well as negatively impacting on shipping. As such the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan sets out a strategy to manage the frequency of closures and its lifespan. This includes implementing measures to manage non-tidal flooding (i.e., flooding driven by high river flows coming down the Thames) in west London without relying on the Thames Barrier by 2035, as well as raising defences upstream of the barrier by 2050 to allow higher tides upriver, thereby reducing the number of times the barrier needs to close.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Thames Estuary Plan takes an adaptation pathways approach, planning for a range of future climate scenarios with a light touch review every five years and a comprehensive review every 10 years. At present all end of century options for upgrading or replacing the Thames Barrier remain available, with a decision needed by 2040 so that an option can be in place by 2070.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/5006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Douglas-Miller"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-23T15:04:36.717Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Thames Flood Barrier"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what is the life expectancy of the Thames Barrier; and whether there are any plans to alter the current pattern or frequency of use in order to manage its expected lifespan.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1132", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Lee of Trafford"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Lee of Trafford"} ], "uin" : "HL4817"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1700731", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1700731/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Interest in the Observer Status request was recognised by both nations. The next step will involve France and Germany convening a conference for prospective 'observers' to discuss administrative procedures before any formal invitation is made to adopt this status. No decision has yet been made regarding full participation in the Main Ground Combat System programme.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4952", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Earl of Minto"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "The Earl of Minto"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-29T12:25:28.937Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "France and Germany: Tanks"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by The Earl of Minto on 9 April (HL3588), whether they will now answer the question put, namely whether they were invited to participate in the Main Ground Combat System programme.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1132", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Lee of Trafford"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Lee of Trafford"} ], "uin" : "HL3764"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698284", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698284/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Ministry of Defence has requested observer status for the Main Ground Combat System programme.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4952", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Earl of Minto"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "The Earl of Minto"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-09T09:56:20.757Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "France and Germany: Tanks"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government whether they were invited to participate in the recently announced Franco-German Main Ground Combat System which is intended to jointly provide a successor tank to the Leopard and Leclerc.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1132", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Lee of Trafford"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Lee of Trafford"} ], "uin" : "HL3588"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683970", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683970/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Defence Command Paper 2023 (DCP23) set out how the Armed Forces and wider Defence would modernise and adapt to the changing context. We are investing over £50 billion in Defence to ensure we can protect the nation and help it prosper. We will continue to review our holdings of all essential expendable items, and will invest in such capabilities as complex weapons, general munitions, and operational spares stocks to meet the needs of sustained operations.<\/p>
As DCP23 set out, strengthening our resilience is critical. That is why we will continue to work with our partners across Government to identify vulnerabilities and test how we would better secure and defend the homeland in times of war.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4952", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Earl of Minto"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "The Earl of Minto"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-02-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-02-05T17:26:20.947Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Defence: Standards"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the comments by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on 14 January, and by the Secretary of State for Defence on 15 January, regarding global instability and possible conflicts, what immediate improvements they plan to make to national defence capabilities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1132", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Lee of Trafford"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Lee of Trafford"} ], "uin" : "HL1795"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1675005", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1675005/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The size of the Regular Armed Forces and that of the Civilian workforce are not directly linked.<\/p>
<\/p>
The breadth of tasks performed by Civilians in the MOD is significant; they perform over 200 different, vital roles and are key to the delivery of Defence outputs. Defence is unique in that it comprises a variety of workforce types including Civilians and both Regular and Reserve Service Personnel, which together, as the \u2018Whole force\u2019 is essential for providing the critical services which Defence delivers on behalf of the nation.<\/p>
<\/p>
Following the Chancellor\u2019s announcement on 2 October regarding the immediate cap on Civil Servant headcount over this spending review and further reductions longer term, Defence is engaging in broader strategic workforce planning activity to ensure it plays its part in delivering increased productivity and efficiency.<\/p>
<\/p>
Defence, in line with other Government departments, segments its Civilian workforce by profession. The breadth of tasks performed by Civilians in the MOD is illustrated in \u2018Defence in Numbers\u2019 which shows some of the main professions that make up the Defence workforce. For security purposes we have not provided information about the number of Civil Servants who work in sensitive roles.<\/p>
<\/p>
(Source: Defence in Numbers 2022 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1137992/UK_Defence_in_Numbers_2022.pdf<\/a><\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4952", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Earl of Minto"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "The Earl of Minto"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL826"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-12-18T16:45:58.513Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ministry of Defence: Staff"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government whether they believe that the Ministry of Defence still needs to employ 60,000 civilian personnel, in the light of the declining number of regular forces.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1132", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Lee of Trafford"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Lee of Trafford"}
], "uin" : "HL825"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1675006", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1675006/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The size of the Regular Armed Forces and that of the Civilian workforce are not directly linked.<\/p> <\/p> The breadth of tasks performed by Civilians in the MOD is significant; they perform over 200 different, vital roles and are key to the delivery of Defence outputs. Defence is unique in that it comprises a variety of workforce types including Civilians and both Regular and Reserve Service Personnel, which together, as the \u2018Whole force\u2019 is essential for providing the critical services which Defence delivers on behalf of the nation.<\/p> <\/p> Following the Chancellor\u2019s announcement on 2 October regarding the immediate cap on Civil Servant headcount over this spending review and further reductions longer term, Defence is engaging in broader strategic workforce planning activity to ensure it plays its part in delivering increased productivity and efficiency.<\/p> <\/p> Defence, in line with other Government departments, segments its Civilian workforce by profession. The breadth of tasks performed by Civilians in the MOD is illustrated in \u2018Defence in Numbers\u2019 which shows some of the main professions that make up the Defence workforce. For security purposes we have not provided information about the number of Civil Servants who work in sensitive roles.<\/p> <\/p>