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1644618

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Surveys
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to publish regional breakdowns of the armed forces continuous attitudes survey results 2023.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	189613
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The latest Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS) was published on 1 June 2023. The survey has held National Statistics status since 2013, which means it meets the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value.</p><p>AFCAS utilises a stratified sample by Service and rank, which helps to ensure sufficient representation. Segmenting the data by different demographic variables other than Service or rank, such as by region, would mean we could not be as confident that the results are representative of that group. It would only be possible to construct a regional breakdown by combining AFCAS data with other existing databases. There are no plans to undertake such an exercise given the inherent issues with generating unrepresentative, and therefore unreliable, results.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison grouped question UIN 189674 question first answered 19/06/2023 15:22:56 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1644726

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Surveys
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department holds the data in the UK Regular Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey at a (a) national and (b) regional level.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	189674
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The latest Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS) was published on 1 June 2023. The survey has held National Statistics status since 2013, which means it meets the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value.</p><p>AFCAS utilises a stratified sample by Service and rank, which helps to ensure sufficient representation. Segmenting the data by different demographic variables other than Service or rank, such as by region, would mean we could not be as confident that the results are representative of that group. It would only be possible to construct a regional breakdown by combining AFCAS data with other existing databases. There are no plans to undertake such an exercise given the inherent issues with generating unrepresentative, and therefore unreliable, results.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison grouped question UIN 189613 question first answered 19/06/2023 15:22:56 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1644123

registered interest
date	13/06/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Age
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of lowering the state pension age for construction workers.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	189317
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The Government believes that the principle of having a State Pension age that is the same for everybody is fundamental in the UK. It has the merit of simplicity and clarity including giving a clear signal to those planning for retirement.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Laura Trott question first answered 19/06/2023 14:37:28 answering member 4780 label Biography information for Laura Trott
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1644126

registered interest
date	13/06/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Artificial Intelligence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department (a) is taking steps to (i) monitor and (ii) regulate and (b) has made a recent assessment of the implications for her policies of the development of artificial consciousness technology.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	189319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2023 answer text <p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-regulation-a-pro-innovation-approach/white-paper" target="_blank">The AI Regulation White Paper</a> proposes a proportionate, collaborative approach to AI regulation, and aims to promote innovation while protecting the UK’s values. Our approach is designed to ensure the Government is able to adapt and respond to the risks and opportunities that emerge as the technology develops at pace.</p><p>It is important to distinguish between AI as we define and understand it today, and concepts such as Artificial Consciousness and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). As our AI Regulation White Paper sets out, AI systems are ‘trained’ – once or continually – and operate by inferring patterns and connections in data which are not always easily discernible to humans. This includes a spectrum of AI systems that perform specific and less-specific tasks, and includes forms of generative AI that are in use and under development currently. This is not the same as AGI, and there are different views amongst experts regarding the feasibility and timescales associated with AGI becoming a reality. Whilst people have argued that AGI and Artificial Consciousness are theoretically possible, many researchers disagree.</p><p>The Government is working with international partners to understand emerging technologies and AI trends, while promoting the UK’s values, including through key multilateral fora, such as the OECD, the G7, the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), the Council of Europe, and UNESCO, and through bilateral relationships.</p><p>The AI Regulation White Paper proposes a range of new central functions, including a horizon scanning function intended to support the anticipation assessment of emerging risks. This will complement the existing work undertaken by regulators and other government departments to identify and address risks arising from AI.</p><p>As set out in the white paper, the Government will continue to convene a wide range of stakeholders – including frontier researchers from industry – to ensure that we hear the full spectrum of viewpoints.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 20/06/2023 08:01:00 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1625778

registered interest
date	03/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department last conducted an assessment of the accommodation of (a) military and (b) civilian defence personnel.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	183756
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2023 answer text <p>Full condition surveys of our circa 47,900 Service Family Accommodation (SFA) are carried out on a six-yearly cycle by qualified surveyors. On average, 8,000 SFA are assessed each year. Condition is assessed against the Decent Homes (DH) Standard. The DH standard is a technical standard for public housing, defined by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.</p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 10/05/2023 14:46:47 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1625779

registered interest
date	03/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to improve the condition of military accommodation; and what progress his Department has made on that work to date.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	183757
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2023 answer text <p>In the last seven years, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has invested more than £936 million in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) improvements.</p><p>During financial year 2021-22, around £179 million (including £36 million of Government Fiscal Stimulus funding) was invested to improve the quality of SFA.</p><p>The 2022-23 investment of around £185 million focussed on modernising homes, tackling damp and mould, replacing kitchens and bathrooms and improving thermal efficiency to maintain/improve Decent Homes (DH) standard to an estimated 9788 SFA, which is 20% of the housing stock.</p><p>In financial year 2022-23, the MOD also invested £88 million to replace some of our poorer quality stock with 310 brand new homes. As a result of this investment, 96.75% of SFA are now assessed as meeting or exceeding DH Standard, up from 87% in 2016.</p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 10/05/2023 14:47:48 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1625780

registered interest
date	03/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the anual budget is for (a) maintaining and (b) upgrading military accommodation; and what that budget was in each of the last 10 years.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	183758
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2023 answer text <p>In the last seven years, the Ministry of Defence has invested more than £936 million in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) improvements. During financial year (FY) 2021-22, c£179 million (including £36 million of Government Fiscal Stimulus funding) was invested to improve the quality of SFA. The 2022-23 improvement programme was based on a funding level of £185 million.</p><p> </p><p>The expenditure for each of the last 10 years is shown below:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>£million</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2013-14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2014-15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2015-16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2016-17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2017-18</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2018-19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2019-20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2020-21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2021-22</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2022-23</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Core (Maintenance)</strong></p></td><td><p>101.893</p></td><td><p>115.154</p></td><td><p>82.649</p></td><td><p>73.997</p></td><td><p>82.108</p></td><td><p>80.084</p></td><td><p>88.535</p></td><td><p>122.501</p></td><td><p>137.828</p></td><td><p>103.437</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Additional Works (Upgrades)</strong></p></td><td><p>106.636</p></td><td><p>74.455</p></td><td><p>66.788</p></td><td><p>87.747</p></td><td><p>82.424</p></td><td><p>115.580</p></td><td><p>123.437</p></td><td><p>152.824</p></td><td><p>179.265</p></td><td><p>185.448</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>In addition to the above the following was spent on Capital Purchases (new builds):</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>£million</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2013-14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2014-15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2015-16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2016-17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2017-18</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2018-19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2019-20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2020-21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2021-22</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2022-23</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Capital Purchases</strong></p></td><td><p>116.103</p></td><td><p>39.634</p></td><td><p>19.804</p></td><td><p>11.031</p></td><td><p>0.690</p></td><td><p>27.547</p></td><td><p>42.830</p></td><td><p>30.965</p></td><td><p>75.412</p></td><td><p>143.448</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 15/05/2023 16:36:36 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1625781

registered interest
date	03/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the armed forces prioritise which military housing units are scheduled for (a) renovation and (b) replacement.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	183759
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2023 answer text <p>Service Family Accommodation (SFA) renovation works and replacements are prioritised based on enduring need and current condition. As well as prioritising the most urgent cases for renovation or replacement, improvement programmes also seek to address thermal efficiency of homes to reduce energy bills for Service families, improve the comfort of their homes, help prevent the occurrence of damp and mould, and reduce the MOD’s carbon footprint.</p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 10/05/2023 13:30:14 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1625782

registered interest
date	03/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of armed forces accommodation units are empty.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	183760
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2023 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has approximately 47,900 Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties in the UK. As of 4 May 2023, 9,189 (circa 19%) are void.</p><p> </p><p>Our Service personnel have a mobile lifestyle, and the Department manages between 13,000 and 16,000 planned moves every year. Nevertheless, the MOD recognises that it is holding too many vacant properties. There are several reasons for this: the need to retain void SFA at sites where there is a known, future increase in requirement, but not for several years; the large numbers of void SFA 'behind the wire' which are difficult to dispose of; and ongoing uncertainty over housing requirements, specifically the impact of the Future Accommodation Model which will significantly increase entitlement to SFA.</p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 10/05/2023 12:29:13 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson

1625783

registered interest
date	03/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department takes to collect feedback from armed forces personnel on the condition of their accomodation; and how that information is used to inform armed forces accomodation improvement decisions.
tabling member constituency	Midlothian
tabling member printed	Owen Thompson
uin	183761
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2023 answer text <p>The Department collects feedback from Armed Forces personnel on the condition of their accommodation through a number of surveys.</p><p> </p><p>The results from these surveys are used by both internal Ministry of Defence teams and external bodies to inform the development of policy and measure the impact of decisions effecting personnel.</p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 10/05/2023 12:29:45 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
tabling member	4482 label Biography information for Owen Thompson