South China Sea Operations
(Northampton South) (Con)
Whether the Royal Navy plans to continue operations in the South
China sea. [902468]
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
May I just pay tribute to the men and women of the armed forces
who have risen to the challenge of helping to deal with covid? We
will find them up and down this country, and indeed in Whitehall,
embedded right across the system helping to deliver the response.
May I also welcome to his place the shadow Secretary of State,
the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne ()? I look forward to working
with him to tackle the issues around defence.
The Royal Navy, along with other NATO allies, will continue to
uphold the right of navigation across the globe. This is an
inviolable right, and, where it is threatened, the UK will always
be at the forefront of defending it.
[V]
The Royal Navy is at its best when it works closely with our
allies. Will the Minister update the House on recent co-operation
with the Royal Australian Navy?
Mr Wallace
The Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy collaborate across
the globe on a near daily basis. Only this morning, I had an
hour-long conversation with my counterpart in Australia. The Type
26 Hunter-class frigate partnership has flourished through the
Global Combat Ship user group. Operationally, we have worked
closely on the management and challenges of covid-19 in the
maritime sector, as well as in the Strait of Hormuz, providing
security to global shipping.
(Bournemouth East) (Con)
I echo the comments of the Defence Secretary and say thank you to
our armed forces for what they are doing to tackle the
coronavirus. The British people may have come together as one
nation, but the same cannot be said on an international level,
which is a very different picture. Our world order was already in
a fragile state, but now, under the fog of covid-19, countries
such as China and Russia are exploiting this global distraction
to further their own geopolitical agendas. May I ask him to call
for an urgent meeting of the National Security Council to review
our competitors’ activities, which, left unchecked, could lead to
serious conflict in the future?
Mr Wallace
My right hon. Friend makes an important point that there are
adversaries and competitors around the world seeking to use this
horrendous outbreak not only to exploit our differences, but to
further their ambitions. I urge them to focus on the matter at
hand, which is tackling covid collectively around the world,
rather than taking advantage of that. On the point about the NSC,
the decision to call an NSC meeting is a matter for the
Government Security Directorate in the Cabinet Office, the
Cabinet and the Prime Minister. It is not the case that, by not
having such a meeting, we have no agenda on security. We meet the
threat every single day and, indeed, many of the decisions made
at NSC are enduring and do not need to be refreshed unless there
is a major turn of events. We will keep the situation under
review, as will, I know, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
Covid-19: Departmental Support
(Bridgend) (Con)
What support his Department has provided in tackling the covid-19
outbreak. [902472]
(Banff and Buchan) (Con)
What support his Department has provided in tackling the covid-19
outbreak. [902477]
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
On any given day, up to 4,000 men and women of the armed forces
support the Government’s response to covid.
Dr Wallis [V]
Does my right hon. Friend agree that, in times of crisis such as
the current covid-19 pandemic, our best approach is a united one?
Can he therefore describe how the military has helped the people
of Wales in dealing with covid-19?
Mr Wallace
Joint Military Command Wales has provided mobile decontamination
teams and drivers to support the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust.
It has also provided general duties personnel to unload PPE from
aircraft at Cardiff Airport and transfer it to civilian trucks
for onward distribution to Bridgend. As of 10 May, there are 30
military planners also embedded with the Welsh Government.
Mr Speaker
Let us head up to north of the border to .
[V]
I welcome the intervention of the Ministry of Defence in
supporting the covid-19 testing capacity across the whole UK, but
can my right hon. Friend tell me what discussions he has had with
the Department of Health and Social Care and the devolved
Administrations on the effectiveness of those MOD testing
facilities, and will he meet me, at least virtually, to discuss
specific issues that we have had recently in Peterhead in my own
constituency?
Mr Wallace
Mobile testing is a capability developed between the Department
of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Defence under DHSC
direction. NHS Scotland decides on the location to which each
mobile testing unit will be deployed in Scotland. Peterhead, to
which my hon. Friend refers, was an isolated incident in which
the opening of the site was delayed due to capacity issues with
central laboratories. Unfortunately, the site incorrectly
remained open on the digital booking portal for a few hours
longer. Such bookings were accepted when the site opened on 4
May. I am happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss further the use
and deployment of mobile facilities throughout Scotland.
Mr Speaker
In calling the new shadow Secretary of State, I welcome him to
his post.
(Wentworth and Dearne)
(Lab)
Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the Secretary of State for his
welcome, too. It is a privilege to take on this role, which has
always been so important to the Labour party. We will do right by
our armed forces and veterans and we will promote their role as a
force for good at home and abroad. Like the Secretary of State, I
pay tribute to our military’s essential role in helping the
country to respond to the covid crisis. They are keeping us safe,
and it is right that we do everything we can to keep them safe.
The US Defence Department has increased its testing capacity to
30,000 military personnel a week. It has set out a strategic
testing plan and has now tested everyone deemed a priority for
national security, including strategic deterrence, nuclear
deterrence, anti-terror forces and healthcare as well as, of
course, its entire covid support force. Has the Secretary of
State done the same here in the UK?
Mr Wallace
I am grateful to the right hon. Member. May I place on record a
tribute to his predecessor, the hon. Member for Llanelli
(), who did a great job as
shadow Defence Secretary, sometimes in difficult circumstances?
We have done it slightly differently from the United States with
testing our personnel. We have no problems whatsoever testing
whoever we want, when we want. The best example I can give is
that, before embarkation, we tested all 799 of the crew of the
Queen Elizabeth carrier. We will test them again throughout their
period of sailing and when they return.
We have a strategy around protecting the national security-vital
parts of our forces, which involves testing and quarantine. That
is also being carried out in areas that I will not particularly
comment on; nevertheless, the right hon. Member mentioned what
the Americans view as strategically important. We do not have a
mass programme; we have testing that is available—we do not have
any problems acquiring it—and, as we bring forces up to either
readiness or deployment, there is an opportunity if required, if
quarantine has not done the job, to test them as well.
Mr Speaker
We need to shorten the answers.
The Secretary of State talked about testing who we want when we
want, but he gave no definition of that. The last published
figures show that we had tested just 1% of our entire military
personnel. This is about keeping our armed forces safe and
safeguarding our national security. There is no fix for
coronavirus without mass testing, and we really expect the
Ministry of Defence to lead the way, not lag behind, so will he
get a grip of this? Will he produce a plan for testing our
military, set a target for the number of tests and publish the
results, just as our allies in the US have done?
Mr Wallace
I am grateful to the right hon. Member. The reality is that we
have a grip, because we do have a plan. We have certain
individuals whom we treat as a priority and, at the same time, we
have all the availability we need for testing; getting it is not
a problem. He will know that the vast majority of our military in
the UK have been sent home to self-isolate in their homes and
follow what the rest of society is doing; they are not on duty,
en masse back in their barracks unless they are part of the covid
force.
Those who are part of the covid force and either feel symptoms or
come into contact with someone will be tested. There is a clear
path for them, through the medical officers and the direction of
the commands, to get testing. There is a plan. Unlike the United
States, we have sent many of our personnel home. They can acquire
testing, if they feel the need, in the same way as the rest of
the public. When we bring them back for duty, we will have a
proper regime for getting back to work, following the
Government’s changes to advice. In getting back to work, a
comprehensive testing plan will be included.
Covid-19 Support: Armed Forces
(Stevenage) (Con)
What assessment his Department has made of the additional support
that armed forces personnel could provide to help tackle the
covid-19 outbreak. [902479]
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
Defence remains ready to contribute however requested, with a
further 16,000 troops available at high readiness if required. We
keep our support under constant review and adjust the
capabilities available to meet demand. We have liaison officers
deployed in the other Government Departments and local resilience
fora, which provide the standing joint commander and the Defence
head office with insight into developing needs.
[V]
As the crisis develops in our care homes across the country, does
my right hon. Friend agree that our military are ready and able
to help our local authorities if they need that support to get
into care homes and provide the logistical support to get PPE to
the people who need it?
Mr Wallace
My hon. Friend raises a very important point about care homes.
There are two parts to the issue: one is infections in care
homes; and one is, effectively, leakage of infections from care
homes into the wider community. Only this morning I spoke to the
Prime Minister about offering up more military support if needed
to make sure that our local resilience fora and care homes get
the assistance they need, whether that is bringing testing to
care homes or helping them with the routine and structure of
decontamination, so that staff can come and go better from care
homes. We stand ready to do that as required by the Department of
Health and Social Care and any other stakeholder.
Covid-19 Support: Armed Forces
(Southampton, Itchen)
(Con)
What assessment he has made of the contribution of the armed
forces in tackling the covid-19 outbreak. [902484]
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
Reflecting on where the armed forces have been needed most shows
that we have helped the most in logistics, command and control,
and testing. The MOD’s strengths of moving at pace, assessing the
situation, and resilience have been key enablers to the rest of
Government.
[V]
I take this opportunity to pay tribute to all our armed forces
personnel for their significant contribution to the nation’s
efforts to tackle the covid-19 virus. What plans does my right
hon. Friend have for service personnel in the continuing battle
as we enter phase two of this process?
Mr Wallace
As I have said, the armed forces have played a vital role in
supporting the NHS and others to manage the situation, and I join
my hon. Friend in paying tribute to them. Defence remains ready
to contribute, as requested, by any civil authorities through the
MACA—military assistance to civilian authority—system. After this
crisis started, as Defence Secretary, I took the decision very
early on to devolve the power to grant military assistance right
down to the regional commands—so it is not from my desk, from the
bureaucracy of head office—and those regional commanders stand
ready to call on the whole forces of the covid force for support
as needed.
Mr Speaker
We go up to Sunderland again—I welcome the shadow Minister, the
hon. Member for Washington and Sunderland West (Mrs Hodgson), to
her new position.
(Washington and Sunderland
West) (Lab) [V]
Thank you, Mr Speaker. The armed forces are indeed playing a
vital part in helping the country through this coronavirus
crisis, as are our veterans, who, across the country, are
volunteering to help their local community, and I commend them
all for their contribution. Many are helping other veterans
because the Government have closed the Veterans UK helpline. Will
the Secretary of State set out why he decided to close the
helpline in the midst of this crisis, when many veterans will
need its help and support?
Mr Wallace
From my understanding of the helpline, the activity that it did
remained and, in fact, the vast majority moved online, reflecting
the changes to the working patterns that we all have to face. We
have found that the services are still being delivered. My hon.
Friend the Minister for Defence People and Veterans has reported
that there is no decline in the service being given to those
veterans—this is about the medium that is currently being used.
However, as soon as possible—indeed, maybe it has already
started—we will be returning to some form of telephone service
alongside the online service. The feedback, both from charities
and veterans, is that they are getting the service they require,
and my hon. Friend is absolutely, on a daily basis, keeping on
top of that.
Covid-19: Disinformation
(Dundee West) (SNP)
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
tackling the spread of disinformation on covid-19. [902492]
The Secretary of State for Defence ( )
Defence is supporting the Government’s campaign against covid-19
disinformation, specifically to counter disinformation,
misinformation and malign information from abroad. The Government
are also working closely with social media platforms, academia
and civil society to tackle this issue, although I stress that
this is not a role undertaken by our military personnel. The
Government’s particular focus remains on promoting factual public
health advice and countering inaccurate content.
[V]
In many cases, disinformation about covid-19 can travel faster
than the virus itself and pose just as great a threat to our
security. Does the Secretary of State agree with me and with the
majority of the public surveyed by the Open Knowledge Foundation
that the Government need urgently to impose compulsory action on
social media sites to clamp down on the spread of such
disinformation?
Mr Wallace
The hon. Member will know that, not just in this world of the
coronavirus battle but previously, in the world of exploitation,
misinformation, radicalisation and other areas, the biggest
challenge for Governments across Europe has been how to deal with
social media companies, many of which are based abroad. The
extent of our powers and jurisdiction is sometimes limited. We
have consulted widely about duties of care, but in this outbreak
we are seeing media outlets way away from this part of the world
that have no regard for the fact or truth magnifying or spreading
propaganda in real time. That is the challenge we have. No amount
of legislation will be able to deal with some foreign outlets
that are based elsewhere or linked to Governments elsewhere, and
that is a challenge. To be fair, the mainstream social media
outlets, which are often United States-based, have been more
responsible in this; Facebook, Twitter and so on have stood up to
the plate and removed lots of content when it has been pointed
out to them.
Covid-19: Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
(North Ayrshire and Arran)
(SNP)
What work the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is
undertaking to tackle the spread of covid-19. [902469]
The Minister for Defence Procurement () [V]
Two hundred and seventy-five civilian scientists and 13 embedded
military personnel from the Defence Science and Technology
Laboratory are currently deploying their unique capabilities
right across Government. That includes statistical analysis,
decontamination trials, assistance on testing laboratories, and
experiments on how the virus survives in the atmosphere.
[V]
It has been reported that the Defence Science and Technology
Laboratory is conducting studies on Citriodiol, an ingredient
found in insect repellent, to test its effect on covid-19. Can
the Minister tell us if and how our armed forces are involved in
those tests? If the tests show that the ingredient is effective
against the virus, when will it be available for use on the covid
frontline?
[V]
As the hon. Lady will be aware, Citriodiol is a natural extract
of lemon eucalyptus oil, and it is readily available to the
public in a range of insect repellents. It has been issued to
members of the armed forces to use at their discretion if they
wish to. We are aware that it was efficacious against SARS. There
is no evidence as yet as to whether it is useful against
covid-19, but I can confirm, as per the hon. Lady’s question,
that, at the request of the Surgeon General, DSTL is conducting
tests on this product to see whether it is efficacious. If it is,
we will of course let the House know and let that be known more
widely as soon as possible.
(Glasgow South)
(SNP) [V]
May I, too, put on the record my thanks to the armed forces,
particularly for helping with building the NHS Louisa Jordan in
my home city, Glasgow?
This Citriodiol issue is deeply serious. The Minister has just
said himself that there is no evidence that it is effective in
the fight against covid-19, yet it was dished out to the armed
forces without being tested. Can he tell us on what basis it was
given out? Will he publish the guidance that was given to members
of the armed forces? Did it go through an ethics committee? Who
signed off on it without it being tested? A false sense of
security can be deadly.
Mr Speaker
I do not know whether you got that, Minister; it was a bad line.
[V]
As I emphasised in response to the hon. Member for North Ayrshire
and Arran (), Citriodiol is a natural
product—it is a natural extract of lemon eucalyptus oil—and it is
readily available to the public as an insect repellent. We know
that it was efficacious in the past, and the view was that if it
was efficacious against SARS in the past, it may have properties
that are useful against covid-19, but we have been very clear
that that is not as a result of tests. It is very early days.
Those tests are ongoing. If they prove that there are positive
properties, that will be shared. However, this is just one very
small element in a range of protections provided to our armed
forces personnel, including appropriate PPE and all the
appropriate hygiene and other instructions that are widely shared
and widely known.
Mr Speaker
We need to speed up the answers as well.
Covid-19: Government Procurement
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
What steps his Department has taken to support Government
procurement during the covid-19 outbreak. [902471]
The Minister for Defence Procurement () [V]
Defence’s considerable commercial expertise is actively
supporting the national effort in providing procurement, supply
chain and logistics advice and expertise across Government. As a
purchaser of some £19 billion of equipment and services annually,
we are also working closely with our suppliers to support them at
this difficult time.
[V]
In times of trouble, we rely on our armed forces as much now as
we did 75 years ago, as embodied by Basildon resident and veteran
Don Sheppard, who celebrated his 100th birthday last week. There
are many who also rely on defence procurement for their
livelihoods. How has my hon. Friend ensured that small businesses
and the jobs they provide, which are particularly important in my
constituency, are being protected at this time?
[V]
I am sure we would all wish to congratulate Mr Sheppard on his
century, just as we all thank his extraordinary generation for
their fortitude and service to our country.
My hon. Friend is right about the importance of defence jobs.
There are 119,000 employed directly in the defence industry, and
we are hugely grateful to all who have persevered in maintaining
critical defence tasks at this difficult time. Our suppliers have
made clear their determination to ensure safe working
environments. We have worked with them to support the industry
right through the supply chain, especially small and medium-sized
enterprises, and we are grateful for all their work.
Covid-19: Defence Industry
(Manchester Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
What recent assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19
pandemic on the defence industry. [902473]
The Minister for Defence Procurement () [V]
We remain closely engaged with our strategic suppliers and
continue to monitor the impact of covid-19 on the defence sector
during this difficult time. We are engaged with defence primes
and with SMEs, directly and via the prime contractors. As I said,
the sector employs 119,000 people directly, and we are committed
to its success.
Mr Speaker
We now go up to sunny Manchester and .
[V]
It’s always sunny here, Mr Speaker.
The UK’s world-leading defence industry is critical to our
national security as well as our prosperity, particularly here in
the north-west, as the Minister has just outlined, but its future
capability is inextricably linked to the aviation industry, which
is now suffering a collapse in demand. Will the Government now
commit to bringing forward major research and development
programmes and clean tech to help support the whole sector,
especially SMEs and others, to retain jobs and capability?
[V]
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her question from sunny
Manchester. The Government are providing a range of help and
support across the board to every industry, as she is aware. In
defence in particular—she is absolutely right that many defence
companies have aerospace arms—we have been clear that we want to
do everything we can to help. That includes ensuring prompt
payment and looking, where appropriate, at interim payments to
support companies where they are requested and required. We are
doing our utmost to work with the industry, and I will be saying
that again at the defence suppliers forum, which I will chair
virtually later this week.
Armed Forces: Capabilities
(Bracknell) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the projected
capabilities of the armed forces over the next 10 years are
adequate to meet future expected threats to national security.
[902475]
The Minister for Defence Procurement () [V]
The Ministry of Defence has rigorous processes to test its
capabilities and force structure to ensure they are robust
against the ever evolving threats to our country and our allies.
We will be assisted in doing this by the forthcoming
cross-Government integrated review.
I pay tribute to everyone involved in the covid support force.
Will the Minister give an early indication of how this current
deployment might influence the integrated review and whether
defence planning assumptions will be amended to reflect the fact
that the MOD has again provided extensive liability to support
the civil power?
[V]
My hon. and gallant Friend is absolutely right that the lessons
learned will be picked up by the IR. There will be many points to
take on board from what has been a formidable military effort,
including the value of being plugged in early for effective
working at regional and devolved level. The huge value of our
reserves, not only to their local links but for the specialist
skills they can bring to bear, and for their agility in coping
with all the tasks of our brilliant military planners and
logisticians, is a point that will not be lost on my hon. and
gallant Friend, a former commanding officer of 27 Regiment Royal
Logistics Corps.
VE Day Commemoration
(South East Cornwall)
(Con)
What steps his Department is taking to commemorate VE Day.
[902478]
The Minister for the Armed Forces () [V]
I am sure the whole country was disappointed that the planned
parades and commemorations could not take place, but the
activities we did manage were, I felt, still a very fitting
tribute to the greatest generation. From the Red Arrows over
London to our ships at sea and the military banners in the
gardens of Downing Street, I was proud of the way our armed
forces still managed to mark such an important moment for our
nation.
Mrs Murray [V]
My dad fought in Burma during the second world war, and clearly
VJ Day has always been very significant to my family. What plans
does my hon. Friend have to celebrate VJ Day in the middle of
August?
[V]
First, may I thank my hon. Friend for her unstinting support for
our nation’s armed forces? Like everybody, I am hoping the
lockdown measures will have been lifted further to allow us to
celebrate and commemorate VJ Day properly later in the summer.
That day is every bit as important as VE Day, and the MOD wants
to make sure that it is marked just as enthusiastically.
Covid-19: Overseas Territories
(Peterborough) (Con)
What support his Department has provided to the overseas
territories during the covid-19 pandemic. [902485]
The Minister for the Armed Forces () [V]
HMS Medway and RFA Argus, along with 30 military personnel, are
currently deployed in the Caribbean, and our garrisons in the
overseas territories have been engaged in supporting the local
communities as they are required.
[V]
It is great to hear how our country has helped the Caribbean
overseas territories during this emergency. Will the Minister
also assure me that our armed forces will have enough resources
to support any future humanitarian assistance or disaster relief,
if that is needed?
[V]
People in the overseas territories will be reassured to see their
plight being raised by my hon. Friend in the House today. HMS
Medway and RFA Argus are already on post in the Caribbean, but
additional naval assets and personnel are on standby. The
commitment of our armed forces to support the overseas
territories in times of pandemic or national disaster, or
whatever else, is unwavering.
Covid-19: Support for Veterans
(Bury South) (Con)
What support his Department has provided to veterans during the
covid-19 outbreak. [902470]
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
What support his Department is providing for veterans during the
covid-19 outbreak. [902480]
(Liverpool, Wavertree)
(Lab)
What support his Department is providing for veterans during the
covid-19 outbreak. [902482]
(Liverpool, Walton) (Lab)
What support his Department is providing for veterans during the
covid-19 outbreak. [902483]
(Kingston upon Hull West and
Hessle) (Lab)
What support his Department is providing for veterans during the
covid-19 outbreak. [902489]
The Minister for Defence People and Veterans () [V]
I have used this unprecedented situation to continue to modernise
and improve our support to veterans in the UK. Last week, I
launch the first stage in placing veterans’ care in the palm of
the hand of every veteran in the country, with the launch of the
smartphone application of Veterans UK. I have also secured £6
million of funding from the Treasury for service charities at
this time.
[V]
Although the UK was unable to celebrate VE Day as originally
planned, because of the threat of covid-19, it is still important
that we remember and support the veterans who bravely played
their part in fighting for peace and who sacrificed so much for
our freedom. The UK’s armed forces compensation scheme, which
helps veterans claim for injuries obtained while in the armed
forces, was temporarily paused because of the covid-19 lockdown.
Can the Minister assure my constituents that payments will be
made as soon as possible? When will those payments be made?
[V]
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. I am afraid he may be
slightly misinformed; we have not missed any payments. We made
470,000 payments last month. Veterans’ care has not been
suspended in the UK. We have, as the Secretary of State alluded
to earlier, changed the way we provide services, but I am unaware
of a single veteran currently in the care of Veterans UK who has
not had their need met during this time.
[V]
But that is not good enough. Other Departments and businesses
have found ways of operating call centres safely, so at a time
when the nation has been awed by the efforts of Captain Tom
Moore, why has the Ministry of Defence closed its vital Veterans
UK helpline—the telephone service? It is not good enough.
I am certainly not going to take lectures on what is and is not
good enough from a Labour party whose veterans’ care I
experienced over a number of years. No services have been closed.
We have changed the way of doing business. Clearly we cannot do
new face-to-face consultations at this time. Again, I reiterate
that not a single veteran in the care of Veterans UK has had
their needs unmet at this time. I would caution Members against
politicising what is clearly a very important issue.
[V]
Half of respondents to a recent Army Families Federation survey
said that they had received no information at all about the
Ministry of Defence’s future accommodation model. What are the
Government doing to rectify that?
Again, I find that hard to believe, because we have gone out on a
huge programme of engagement around the future accommodation
model. This is a significant part of what the Government are
doing to invest in what we call the offer to keep people within
the military. If anybody requires that information, I am more
than happy for them to get in touch with me. We have used the
Army Families Federation’s publications and so on. I am always
happy to do more. This is a communications battle we are
determined to win. It is a positive step, and I look forward to
engaging further with the Army Families Federation in future.
Mr Speaker
The final question is from in Hull.
[V]
Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Minister has heard me speak previously
about how fortunate veterans in Hull are to be supported by the
Hull Veterans Support Centre and Hull 4 Heroes, which have been
doing an incredible job in providing resources and mental health
support. But I remain concerned that these are charities and are
therefore competing with all other charities for donations at
this time. So what specific funding can the Minister make
available to support veterans’ charities?
I pay tribute to Hull 4 Heroes, which the hon. Lady knows I have
been in contact with. It has done an amazing job during this
time, as have many in the veterans’ sector. We have secured an
initial £6 million out of the Treasury to support veterans’
charities at this time. But make no mistake—the environment that
these charities operate in is changing, and will change, as a
result of covid-19. I am absolutely determined to make sure that
the ambition the Prime Minister has set out—that this is the best
country in the world to be a veteran—is realised in due course.
