Parliamentary Answers – to 28 April 2011

This is a regular round up of Parliamentary questions and answers from ministers relevant to defence issues In addition to oral questions, MPs and Peers can ask government ministers questions for written answer. These are often used to obtain detailed information about policies and statistics on the activities of government departments. In the House of Commons ‘ordinary’ questions do not have to be answered on a specific date. An MP will date a written question for two days after they have tabled it (ie, submitted it for answer via the Table Office). The convention is that the MP can expect it to be answered within seven days of the question being tabled.

Question

Jim Cunningham (Coventry South, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made in identifying the non-frontline savings set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review; and if he will make a statement.

Answer

Liam Fox (Secretary of State, Defence; North Somerset, Conservative)

We have made good progress in identifying how best to deliver the non-frontline savings set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review in the course of a recent Planning Round. However, there remains further work to drive some of the detailed implementation. This will be actively monitored by the Defence Operating Board (Transformation) including working with the relevant senior responsible owners for these measures to ensure that they are delivered.

 

 

Question

Jim Cunningham (Coventry South, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether further savings in his Department’s budget in addition to those identified in the Strategic Defence and Security Review will need to be identified up to 2015-16.

Answer

Liam Fox (Secretary of State, Defence; North Somerset, Conservative)

The Ministry of Defence has always been clear that the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) was the start of a process and that there were still difficult decisions that would need to be taken as it was implemented as a result of the situation inherited from the previous Labour Government. We will also need to ensure that for usual budgetary purposes-due to changes such as fuel prices, foreign exchange, inflation, changes in valuations in our estate, and armed forces pay awards-that we match our resources to our highest priorities. This we do on an annual basis utilising the Department’s Planning Round process. I will make a statement to the House on the progress of implementing the SDSR and the Department’s finances shortly.

 

 

 

Question

Kevan Jones (North Durham, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to review his decision to place one landing platform dock in reserve in light of recent events in North Africa and the Middle East.

Answer

Nick Harvey (Minister of State (Armed Forces), Defence; North Devon, Liberal Democrat)

We have no plans to do so. As set out in the White Paper: “Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review”, Cm 7948, we plan in future to be able to land and sustain a command group of up to 1,800 personnel from the sea using specialist shipping. To meet this requirement, we need to maintain at high readiness just one of our two landing platforms docks. The second ship will be held at extended readiness.

 

 

Question

Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat)

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to deploy a Stabilisation Response Team to Libya, in the form envisaged in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Answer

Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Conservative)

The Government are currently exploring a range of options to support an international stabilisation response to the Libya crisis. The option of deploying a Stabilisation Response Team in the form envisaged in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review is one of many options under consideration.

 

 

 

Question

Andrew Rosindell (Romford, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what types of Russian military aircraft have entered (a) UK territorial airspace and (b) airspace controlled by UK air traffic control without permission in the last 10 years; and on what date each such incident took place.

Answer

Nick Harvey (Minister of State (Armed Forces), Defence; North Devon, Liberal Democrat)

No Russian military aircraft have entered UK territorial airspace without permission. Russian military Bear and Blackjack aircraft have entered the UK flight information region without permission.

I am withholding information on how many Russian military aircraft were identified in each incident and the exact dates of incidents, as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. However, the number of days within each month from September 2006 that Quick Reaction Alert aircraft were scrambled for Russian military aircraft that entered the civil flight information region is contained in the following table; information is no longer held prior to September 2006.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2006	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	0	0	0
2007	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	1	2	4	5	1
2008	1	0	1	1	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1
2009	0	1	0	1	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	0
2010	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	0
2011	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

 

 

Question

Kevan Jones (North Durham, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to reduce the number of combat-trained troops required for ceremonial duties; and if he will make a statement.

Answer

Andrew Robathan (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans), Defence; South Leicestershire, Conservative)

All ceremonial duties are conducted by troops with an operational role, and can therefore be considered combat trained.

There are no current plans to reduce the level of public or state ceremonial duties, and no current plans to deliver them using non-combat trained personnel.

 

 

Question

David Davies (Monmouth, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence

(1) how many litres of Avgas the armed forces used in the last 12 months for which figures are available;

(2) what plans he has for the future use of Avgas by the armed forces; and if he will make a statement;

(3) what proportion of aircraft fuel used by the Royal Air Force is Avgas.

Answer

Peter Luff (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), Defence; Mid Worcestershire, Conservative)

During the period 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 almost 2.8 million litres of Avgas was delivered to Ministry of Defence (MOD) units. Avgas comprises 0.5% of the total volume of aviation fuel delivered to the RAF. Details of fuel consumption are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The MOD regularly reviews its fuel requirements, including the volume and types of fuel it needs. While an operational or technical requirement remains for this type of fuel, Avgas will continue to be used.

Question

Andrew Rosindell (Romford, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will assess the effects of the deployment of (a) Typhoon jets to the Mediterranean and (b) Rapier missile batteries to Afghanistan on the UK’s capacity to protect its airspace.

Answer

Nick Harvey (Minister of State (Armed Forces), Defence; North Devon, Liberal Democrat)

There has been no impact on the capability of the Typhoon force to fulfil its Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) commitments. The Typhoon force is of sufficient size that it can support its current role on NATO Operation Unified Protector enforcing the No Fly Zone over Libya, while at the same time maintaining aircraft at continuous ground readiness at RAF Coningsby and RAF Leuchars.

There are no Rapier missile batteries deployed to Afghanistan. Ground based air defence capabilities, such as Rapier, are not routinely deployed as part of our UK air defence posture. However, we retain the capability to deploy them at short notice should the need arise.