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  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    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 a Tornado Collision Warning System since 1991.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Total spend from 1999 to 31 March 2014, including the concept, assessment and development, manufacture and In-service phase, is some £49.7 million.

    It is not possible to confirm the total spend on a Tornado collision warning system prior to 1999; expenditure records are no longer held centrally and the retrieval of available information would be possible only at disproportionate cost.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    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 progress on the trial installation and testing of the Tornado Collision Warning System at BAE Systems, Warton.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Progress continues to be made with the trial installation and testing of a Collision Warning System (CWS) for Tornado GR4. Installation of CWS on two aircraft is complete and testing is ongoing. The Ministry of Defence is working closely with BAE Systems to ensure delivery of a capability as soon as practicable.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what records his Department keeps of the monthly 2-star assessments of its risk registers.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Ministry of Defence makes extensive use of risk management tools and techniques across the different areas of departmental business. Risk registers are generally created, updated, and assessed as part of day-to-day management action; and the relevant records are kept at local level.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what maintenance HMS Montrose will undergo before being assigned to the Fleet Ready Escort task; and whether such tasking after a long deployment is a regular occurrence.

    Mr Mark Francois

    HMS Montrose was previously deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean. She returned to the UK for a period of planned maintenance and post-deployment leave before conducting a short port visit in London and then participating in a NATO Exercise.

    Royal Navy ships are programmed in accordance with our operational requirements, but for security reasons we do not discuss specific future operational tasking.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    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 disposal cost for BAE System’s Woodford site.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Ministry of Defence has made no estimate for the disposal cost for the Woodford site; it is a matter for BAE Systems.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Joint Strike Fighter B procured by the RAF will have Block 3i software.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    All UK F-35Bs delivered prior to the end of 2017 will be upgraded to, or delivered with, Block 3i software.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when HMS Montrose will take over the Fleet Ready Escort task; and what ship it will replace in that role.

    Mr Mark Francois

    HMS Montrose was previously deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean. She returned to the UK for a period of planned maintenance and post-deployment leave before conducting a short port visit in London and then participating in a NATO Exercise.

    Royal Navy ships are programmed in accordance with our operational requirements, but for security reasons we do not discuss specific future operational tasking.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times aircraft have been intercepted by Quick Reaction Alert flights by (a) intercepted aircraft type and (b) location in each of the last three years.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The number of days on which Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft have launched to intercept aircraft in each of the last three years is contained in the following table. Not every launch resulted in an interception as some incidents were resolved prior to interception.

    Year No. of days QRA was launched
    2011 20
    2012 21
    2013 17

    I am withholding full details of the number of interceptions, aircraft type and locations as deterrence is a principal function of QRA and QRA is in turn an integral part of the air defence of the UK. The disclosure of information that might compromise the QRA deterrent capability would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure that the outcome of the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict reflects the wide range of people affected by such violence.

    Mark Simmonds

    The Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict will turn the political commitments made in the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict into practical action and bring real change to those affected by this crime. We have consulted widely with experts, practitioners and international partners since the launch of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative in 2012, including on the outcomes of the Summit. Over 1,500 delegates will attend, including legal, military and judicial practitioners, representatives from multilateral organisations, and over 100 NGOs and grassroots organisations. The Summit is an opportunity for governments from countries around the world to hear directly from those affected what action needs to be taken to effectively tackle this issue.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the conflict in Central African Republic as described in UN OCHA Central African Republic Situation Report No. 2.

    Mark Simmonds

    Reports from the Central African Republic (CAR), including those of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), show that the country remains beset by violence and instability. We welcome the vital ongoing work of African Union, French and EU security forces, without whom the situation would likely be far worse. The UK will continue to work with the UN to ensure the effective deployment of the UN Peacekeeping Operation (MINUSCA), and with the AU to support MISCA’s efforts ahead of the transition to MINUSCA. I last discussed the situation in CAR with interim President Catherine Samba-Panza on 23 May.