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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many high-temperature concrete vertical landing pads will be constructed to accommodate the Joint Strike Fighter; where they will be located; and what estimate he has made of their cost.

Mr Philip Dunne

On current plans there will be three high-temperature concrete vertical landing pads constructed to accommodate the Joint Strike Fighter. These landing pads will be located at RAF Marham and the estimated cost is in the region of £7.5 million. This figure will be refined once planning for this matter progresses.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions a foreign-requested aircraft has provided search and rescue assistance over UK territorial waters in each of the last three years; what role each such aircraft played; what the location of each incident was; and whether each occurrence was in response to obligations under Annex 12 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

Mr Mark Francois

I refer the hon. Member to the answers previously given to him on 22 November 2013 (Official Report, column 1046W) and 27 March 2012 (Official Report, column 1054W).

Between 4 November 2013 and 5 June 2014 there have been five occasions where an Irish helicopter was requested by the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre to provide search and rescue assistance over UK territorial waters. Four of these were in Northern Ireland. These were in response to obligations under Annex 12 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
Details of the five incidents are shown below:

Detailed statistics on UK military SAR activity can be found on the Government website at the following link:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/release-calendar/index.html?newquery=*&uday=0&umonth=0&uyear=0&title=Military+Search+and+Rescue+Monthly+Statistic&pagetype=calendar-entry&lday=&lmonth=&lyear=

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on Atomic Weapons Establishment facilities at Aldermaston in each of the last five years.

Mr Philip Dunne

Expenditure specifically on AWE facilities at Aldermaston is not held in the format requested. Contract payments for AWE are made against an agreed programme of work that covers all AWE sites; Aldermaston, Burghfield and Blacknest. These costs are not recorded according to site.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the unit production cost of the Joint Strike Fighter.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Ministry of Defence routinely monitors the unit production cost for the Joint Strike Fighter as part of its normal procurement activity. The Department does not publish cost estimates as to do so would undermine its commercial position.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the major factors that could change the unit production cost of the Joint Strike Fighter.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Ministry of Defence has a comprehensive understanding of all major factors that effect unit production cost. These are constantly managed as part of our procurement and risk management process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total amount is of the financial risk provision within the Joint Strike Fighter programme budget.

Mr Philip Dunne

The financial risk provision within the UK Joint Strike Fighter Programme has been calculated in line with Ministry of Defence policy. The Department does not publish its financial risk provision as to do so could undermine its commercial position.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what current RAF airfields have (a) standard airfield concrete runways and (b) asphaltic concrete runways.

Mr Philip Dunne

There are no RAF airfields that have a concrete only runway.
The following RAF airfields have a asphaltic/concrete runway:

RAF Benson (Joint Helicopter Command Base)
RAF College Cranwell
RAF Coningsby
RAF Leeming
RAF Leuchars
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Marham
RAF Odiham (Joint Helicopter Command Base)
RAF Scampton
RAF Shawbury
RAF Waddington
RAF Valley

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times his Department has provided top-cover fixed-wing search and rescue assets for a search and rescue mission in each of the last two years; and what aircraft were used in each case.

Mr Mark Francois

Information on the occasions when Ministry of Defence (MOD) aircraft have provided top-cover fixed wing search and rescue (SAR) assets for a SAR mission is provided in the following table:

*To 5 June 2014
Aircraft provided by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency or overseas Governments may also be tasked by MOD to participate in rescue missions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any RAF pilot has flown the Joint Strike Fighter B at (a) supersonic speeds, (b) above 18 degrees angle of attack and (c) past 4.5 g-force.

Mr Philip Dunne

The RAF test pilot at NAS Patuxent River routinely flies the Joint Strike Fighter B at supersonic speeds, above 18 degrees angle of attack and past 4.5 g-force.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the total disposal cost of the Nimrod MRA4 airframes.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Nimrod MRA4 airframes were dismantled on the Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s behalf by Metal and Waste Recycling Ltd at a cost of around £500,000. As part of the contractual arrangements with the company, the MOD received receipts from the sale of the dismantled airframes to the value of just over £1 million.