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1222939

registered interest
date	10/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Justice 4 Troops
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the organisation Justice 4 Troops, established on 5 June to address military grievances.
tabling member printed	Baroness Garden of Frognal
uin	HL6714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2020 answer text <p>There is a well-established Service Complaints process for those personnel who wish to raise grievances about any aspect of their Service life. This is underpinned by legislation and independently overseen by the Service Complaints Ombudsman (SCO) for the Armed Forces. Justice 4 Troops is a community interest company incorporated in July 2019. Justice4Troops has no official mandate to intervene in grievances or their handling; this is a role it has self-appointed. Accordingly, no assessment has been made, nor is one appropriate. Representations received from this organisation are not afforded any particular status within the Ministry of Defence, but we do remain concerned to ensure that the individuals who engage with Justice4Troops are provided with unbiased advice to ensure that they do not miss the opportunity to raise any grievance through the official channels.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 22/07/2020 13:37:04 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3842 label Biography information for Baroness Garden of Frognal

1222762

registered interest
date	09/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Domestic Abuse
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many houses on the defence estate are available to survivors of domestic abuse.
tabling member printed	Lord Tunnicliffe
uin	HL6692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2020 answer text <p>There is no statutory offence of ‘domestic abuse’ and actions amounting to it could be recorded under a number of offences such as Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), Actual Bodily Harm (ABH), Common Assault or sexual offences. Furthermore, within military police crime-recording systems, the categorisation of whether an incident involves ‘domestic violence’ or not, is not a mandatory field, meaning that the figures provided are indicative only.</p><p> </p><p>The first document provided gives figures for the number of reported offences for each Service for the years 2015-2020 to date where the incident has been categorised as involving domestic violence. The second document provided gives figures for each Service for the years 2015-2020 to date, for the number of GBH, ABH, and Common Assault offences. The noble Lord should note that in both of the documents, the figures given are for reported offences – that is, to say an allegation has been made. These figures do not relate to charges brought or court convictions.</p><p> </p><p>An average time cannot be given regarding the Chain of Command (CoC) reporting such incidents to the Service Police. Every case would require examination to determine when it was reported to the Service Police and not every investigation file may contain the date when an incident was originally reported to the CoC. Therefore, we would not be able to provide a complete answer and what we could provide could be provided only at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>However where reported to the CoC, any incident of domestic abuse must be reported to the Service Police no later than 24 hours after the incident has occurred. Further to this, a referral to the Welfare Service must be made in any situation involving domestic abuse or similar allegations.</p><p>Whilst there are no houses on the defence estate dedicated specifically for survivors of domestic abuse, support is provided through a suite of policies which seek to provide housing options for families in times of estrangement.</p><p> </p><p>Short term accommodation for welfare or compassionate reasons is administered by Service welfare associations. Tri-Service accommodation policy requires the provision of welfare houses at each designated establishment, scaled to reflect density of Service population. Unit welfare staff, in conjunction with civilian police and local authorities assess whether utilisation of such are in the best interests of safeguarding abuse survivors, and may provide alternative accommodation (through local authority or charitable provision) if distance between perpetrator and survivor is required.</p><p> </p><p>The MOD is currently reviewing the tri-service policy on domestic abuse with the help of leading charity Hestia, who sit alongside MOD on the Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse. It is intended that this policy apply to the whole force – civilians, contractors and the single Services. The review will also focus on the availability of accommodation for survivors, taking advice from the domestic abuse charity Standing Together. MOD intends to refresh and re-launch the policy towards the end of 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The MOD continually monitors whole force data on domestic abuse for prevalence and risk factors – this has been of particular focus during the Covid-19 pandemic. This data is disseminated and discussed within the MOD Domestic Abuse Stakeholder Forum the Domestic Abuse Working Group (DAWG), which meets quarterly. The DAWG seeks advice and guidance from national domestic abuse charities like Hestia, Aurora New Dawn and the Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse, resulting in continual policy improvement.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie grouped question UIN HL6648 HL6693 HL6694 question first answered 16/07/2020 15:11:17 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3671 label Biography information for Lord Tunnicliffe

1222763

registered interest
date	09/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Domestic Abuse
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many days, on average, it takes for the British Armed Forces chain of command to engage with the Royal Military Police on reports of domestic abuse.
tabling member printed	Lord Tunnicliffe
uin	HL6693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2020 answer text <p>There is no statutory offence of ‘domestic abuse’ and actions amounting to it could be recorded under a number of offences such as Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), Actual Bodily Harm (ABH), Common Assault or sexual offences. Furthermore, within military police crime-recording systems, the categorisation of whether an incident involves ‘domestic violence’ or not, is not a mandatory field, meaning that the figures provided are indicative only.</p><p> </p><p>The first document provided gives figures for the number of reported offences for each Service for the years 2015-2020 to date where the incident has been categorised as involving domestic violence. The second document provided gives figures for each Service for the years 2015-2020 to date, for the number of GBH, ABH, and Common Assault offences. The noble Lord should note that in both of the documents, the figures given are for reported offences – that is, to say an allegation has been made. These figures do not relate to charges brought or court convictions.</p><p> </p><p>An average time cannot be given regarding the Chain of Command (CoC) reporting such incidents to the Service Police. Every case would require examination to determine when it was reported to the Service Police and not every investigation file may contain the date when an incident was originally reported to the CoC. Therefore, we would not be able to provide a complete answer and what we could provide could be provided only at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>However where reported to the CoC, any incident of domestic abuse must be reported to the Service Police no later than 24 hours after the incident has occurred. Further to this, a referral to the Welfare Service must be made in any situation involving domestic abuse or similar allegations.</p><p>Whilst there are no houses on the defence estate dedicated specifically for survivors of domestic abuse, support is provided through a suite of policies which seek to provide housing options for families in times of estrangement.</p><p> </p><p>Short term accommodation for welfare or compassionate reasons is administered by Service welfare associations. Tri-Service accommodation policy requires the provision of welfare houses at each designated establishment, scaled to reflect density of Service population. Unit welfare staff, in conjunction with civilian police and local authorities assess whether utilisation of such are in the best interests of safeguarding abuse survivors, and may provide alternative accommodation (through local authority or charitable provision) if distance between perpetrator and survivor is required.</p><p> </p><p>The MOD is currently reviewing the tri-service policy on domestic abuse with the help of leading charity Hestia, who sit alongside MOD on the Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse. It is intended that this policy apply to the whole force – civilians, contractors and the single Services. The review will also focus on the availability of accommodation for survivors, taking advice from the domestic abuse charity Standing Together. MOD intends to refresh and re-launch the policy towards the end of 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The MOD continually monitors whole force data on domestic abuse for prevalence and risk factors – this has been of particular focus during the Covid-19 pandemic. This data is disseminated and discussed within the MOD Domestic Abuse Stakeholder Forum the Domestic Abuse Working Group (DAWG), which meets quarterly. The DAWG seeks advice and guidance from national domestic abuse charities like Hestia, Aurora New Dawn and the Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse, resulting in continual policy improvement.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie grouped question UIN HL6648 HL6692 HL6694 question first answered 16/07/2020 15:11:17 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3671 label Biography information for Lord Tunnicliffe

1222764

registered interest
date	09/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Domestic Abuse
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to analyse 'Whole Force' data (1) to identify the prevalence of domestic abuse and potential risk factors, and (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention measures and interventions, in order to refine and improve the policy and practice of the British Armed Forces.
tabling member printed	Lord Tunnicliffe
uin	HL6694
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2020 answer text <p>There is no statutory offence of ‘domestic abuse’ and actions amounting to it could be recorded under a number of offences such as Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), Actual Bodily Harm (ABH), Common Assault or sexual offences. Furthermore, within military police crime-recording systems, the categorisation of whether an incident involves ‘domestic violence’ or not, is not a mandatory field, meaning that the figures provided are indicative only.</p><p> </p><p>The first document provided gives figures for the number of reported offences for each Service for the years 2015-2020 to date where the incident has been categorised as involving domestic violence. The second document provided gives figures for each Service for the years 2015-2020 to date, for the number of GBH, ABH, and Common Assault offences. The noble Lord should note that in both of the documents, the figures given are for reported offences – that is, to say an allegation has been made. These figures do not relate to charges brought or court convictions.</p><p> </p><p>An average time cannot be given regarding the Chain of Command (CoC) reporting such incidents to the Service Police. Every case would require examination to determine when it was reported to the Service Police and not every investigation file may contain the date when an incident was originally reported to the CoC. Therefore, we would not be able to provide a complete answer and what we could provide could be provided only at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>However where reported to the CoC, any incident of domestic abuse must be reported to the Service Police no later than 24 hours after the incident has occurred. Further to this, a referral to the Welfare Service must be made in any situation involving domestic abuse or similar allegations.</p><p>Whilst there are no houses on the defence estate dedicated specifically for survivors of domestic abuse, support is provided through a suite of policies which seek to provide housing options for families in times of estrangement.</p><p> </p><p>Short term accommodation for welfare or compassionate reasons is administered by Service welfare associations. Tri-Service accommodation policy requires the provision of welfare houses at each designated establishment, scaled to reflect density of Service population. Unit welfare staff, in conjunction with civilian police and local authorities assess whether utilisation of such are in the best interests of safeguarding abuse survivors, and may provide alternative accommodation (through local authority or charitable provision) if distance between perpetrator and survivor is required.</p><p> </p><p>The MOD is currently reviewing the tri-service policy on domestic abuse with the help of leading charity Hestia, who sit alongside MOD on the Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse. It is intended that this policy apply to the whole force – civilians, contractors and the single Services. The review will also focus on the availability of accommodation for survivors, taking advice from the domestic abuse charity Standing Together. MOD intends to refresh and re-launch the policy towards the end of 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The MOD continually monitors whole force data on domestic abuse for prevalence and risk factors – this has been of particular focus during the Covid-19 pandemic. This data is disseminated and discussed within the MOD Domestic Abuse Stakeholder Forum the Domestic Abuse Working Group (DAWG), which meets quarterly. The DAWG seeks advice and guidance from national domestic abuse charities like Hestia, Aurora New Dawn and the Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse, resulting in continual policy improvement.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie grouped question UIN HL6648 HL6692 HL6693 question first answered 16/07/2020 15:11:17 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3671 label Biography information for Lord Tunnicliffe

1222765

registered interest
date	09/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Families
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding has been spent by the Ministry of Defence to implement the Armed Forces Families' Strategy in (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, and (5) 2020 to date.
tabling member printed	Lord Tunnicliffe
uin	HL6695
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2020 answer text <p>Although it is not possible to provide the figures requested, the UK Armed Forces Families Strategy remains one of our priorities, setting the principles against which the Ministry of Defence (MOD) formulates policy; this acknowledges the challenges which mobility and separation present to family life, alongside the numerous positive aspects of Service life. Success is measured in satisfaction levels and improved outcomes for families, rather than in financial expenditure. In adhering to the principles of the strategy MOD has introduced flexible working, the Future Accommodation Model and is working across government, in the devolved administrations and the charitable sector to mitigate disadvantage in access to education and healthcare through the Armed Forces Covenant. £317 million has been provided by MOD to circa 21,000 families under the Forces Help to Buy Scheme - the current tranche of the scheme runs until December 2022 and we will actively look to extend this. This Government has committed to funding wrap around childcare for Armed Forces families, and recently announced the launch of a pilot programme beginning in September.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 16/07/2020 15:09:55 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3671 label Biography information for Lord Tunnicliffe

1222199

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Littoral Warfare
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the future of the amphibious capability of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Shrewsbury
uin	HL6639
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2020 answer text <p>As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made clear during Defence oral questions in the House of Commons on Monday 6 July 2020, the size and shape of our Armed Forces should be dictated by the threat we face as a nation and our global ambition. The Integrated Review is not about cutting defence and I can assure you that this country will continue to have the world class Armed Forces that it needs and deserves.</p><p> </p><p>The Littoral Strike programme, announced by the Secretary of State for Defence in February 2019, is a complete transformation of the UK's amphibious force. The programme identifies 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines as the central fighting formation used to deliver Littoral Strike and the Future Commando Force. It is driven by the requirement to counter the threats we will face in the future and forms a pillar to the Royal Navy's Integrated Review offer.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie grouped question UIN HL6580 question first answered 15/07/2020 13:18:46 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	2147 label Biography information for The Earl of Shrewsbury

1222204

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Satellites
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice the Ministry of Defence has provided to other Government departments on the military capability of the OneWeb satellite system.
tabling member printed	Lord Tunnicliffe
uin	HL6644
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2020 answer text <p>The investment in OneWeb is not a Defence matter. The SKYNET satellite programme will provide for global military communications and no formal assessment has been made of the military use of OneWeb.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie grouped question UIN HL6645 question first answered 14/07/2020 15:56:10 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3671 label Biography information for Lord Tunnicliffe

1222205

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Satellites
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment the Ministry of Defence has made of the military capability of the OneWeb satellite system.
tabling member printed	Lord Tunnicliffe
uin	HL6645
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2020 answer text <p>The investment in OneWeb is not a Defence matter. The SKYNET satellite programme will provide for global military communications and no formal assessment has been made of the military use of OneWeb.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie grouped question UIN HL6644 question first answered 14/07/2020 15:56:10 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3671 label Biography information for Lord Tunnicliffe

1222206

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Conflict Resolution: Females
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Ministry of Defence has spent on training related to (1) the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and (2) preventing sexual violence initiatives, in (a) 2016, (b) 2017, (c) 2018, (d) 2019, and (e) 2020 to date.
tabling member printed	Lord Tunnicliffe
uin	HL6646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) are unable to answer the noble Lord’s question due to the way funding is tracked and division of policy areas. Defence have approached the implementation of UNSCR 1325 in military operations through a combination of dedicated training courses and specific modules added to existing training.</p><p> </p><p>In support of the UK National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2018 – 2022, the MOD have issued a Joint Service Publication 1325; ‘Human Security in Military Operations’ supported by a two-week Human security Advisers Course. This provides an advanced understanding of Defence’s role in the prevention of sexual violence in conflict through; gendered approaches to planning and operations, appropriate response to survivors, and reporting mechanisms.</p><p> </p><p>Tailored modules have also been embedded to routine training for; deploying peacekeepers, overseas capacity building for troop contributing countries, military planners, policy advisers, Defence Attachés and headquarters and units across the Royal Navy, the Army and the RAF at home and overseas.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 20/07/2020 12:25:37 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3671 label Biography information for Lord Tunnicliffe

1222207

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	National Suicide Prevention Alliance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Ministry of Defence is a member of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance.
tabling member printed	Lord Tunnicliffe
uin	HL6647
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2020 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a full member of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance; the Army act as the lead point of contact for MOD.</p><p> </p><p>The MOD’s Suicide Prevention Working Group (now renamed as the Suicide Prevention Review Implementation Board (SPRIB)) was created in 2018 in response to an internal review on suicide within the Armed Forces. The first meeting took place on 13 November 2018, with the group meeting on three occasions in 2019 (March, May and September). The majority of recommendations were actioned within this time, yet further work was required on the key recommendation on the creation of a Defence Suicide Registry (DSR). To enable focus on this work, the SPRIB was paused until the DSR Project had completed its discovery phase, which concluded in March 2020, and the SPRIB will reconvene in the autumn.</p><p> </p><p>Suicide rates in the UK Regular Armed Forces have shown a declining trend since the 1990’s, and for the last twenty years rates have been lower than the general population. The suicide rate among males aged 16-59 years in the UK between the general population in 2018 (latest data available) was 20 per 100,000 compared to a UK Armed Forces rate of 11 per 100,000 in 2018.</p><p> </p><p>However, we are not complacent. One suicide is one too many and a tragedy for the individual, their family, friends and colleagues. The MOD and NHS(England) have jointly commissioned Manchester university to undertake a study into the factors which led to suicide for both serving and veteran personnel.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie grouped question UIN HL6649 question first answered 21/07/2020 13:22:11 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3671 label Biography information for Lord Tunnicliffe