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  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in states which allow women to engage in close combat operations on effective implementation of that policy.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary stated on 20 December 2015 that they would like to see all roles in the Armed Forces opened up to women in 2016 and further physiological research currently under way will inform a final decision in mid-2016.

    The Ministry of Defence is working closely with other nations who have lifted the exclusion including Australia and the United States. This engagement includes collaboration between scientific and research bodies as well as on policy and training development. The UK research programme is investigating the long-term health effects of UK combat requirements which will benefit both male and female personnel.

    I discussed this issue at length with counterparts in the US when I visited Washington in September 2015.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information he holds on whether the purchase of P-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft through the US foreign military sales procedure will require US Congressional approval.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    All US foreign military sales cases are subject to normal US processes and procedures. As such, this will require congressional approval.

  • John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the future of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Royal Fleet Auxiliary will continue to provide front line logistical support that is scaled to meet our current and projected commitments. In addition, a shipbuilding programme is under way to deliver four TIDE Class tankers as well three new Future Solid Support Ships announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what airstrikes have been conducted by the Royal Air Force against Daesh in the last three weeks.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Royal Air Force has conducted 74 airstrikes against Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria between 16 December 2015 and 6 January 2016. Further details of the RAF’s airstrikes against Daesh can be found on the gov.uk website:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/update-air-strikes-in-iraq

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure former aircraft carrier personnel do not become deskilled before the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers come into active service.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Comprehensive training programmes, including embedding personnel with the US and French Navies, ensure that skills are retained and developed in support of the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers coming into service.

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment has been made of the health and wellbeing of refugees and asylum seekers who arrived at the UK Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus (a) in 1998 and (b) in October 2015; and what steps are being taken to support their health and wellbeing.

    Penny Mordaunt

    There is no requirement to carry out assessments of the refugees and asylum seekers who arrived in 1998 as arrangements for these individuals were made some time ago to have access to health facilities in the Republic of Cyprus as and when they require. Those occupying the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) Transit Facility located in Dhekelia who arrived in the SBA on 21 October 2015 have regular access to medical, dental and other health facilities as required. Local non-governmental organisations have engaged with the migrants and offered psycho-social support including access to social workers and refugee specialists. The Republic of Cyprus has recently commenced an education package for children and adults at the facility. Separately, the International Committee of the Red Cross, British Red Cross and Cyprus Red Cross assessed health and wellbeing in November 2015.

    We have also had an official from the Department for International Development providing advice on the ground, to help us meet the refugees needs.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many golf courses his Department owns; and what plans his Department has to sell such property.

    Mark Lancaster

    There are currently 11 operating golf courses, one pitch and putt centre and one driving range on Ministry of Defence (MOD) land.

    Of these 11 courses seven are on land leased by MOD that have no other direct connection to the Department, one is occupied by the United States Air Force and three are military encroachments.

    The majority of the golf courses located on MOD land are linked to sites that will be addressed as part of the MOD Estate Footprint Strategy to release surplus land.

    Once the future use of any site has been agreed, MOD will look at how to make best use of land that will be retained or bring to the market sites that are being vacated. This will include the potential release of the golf course element.

    As part of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s ongoing work to rationalise the Defence estate the courses at DMRC Headley Court and Ballykinler are being examined for potential disposal through the Department’s standard disposal process. Ballykinler and RM Condor are no longer in use as golf courses.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 December 2015, HC WS431, on UK Embedded Forces, what the (a) rank and (b) military unit is of the UK personnel embedded with (i) French and (ii) Spanish armed forces.

    Michael Fallon

    Embedded on operations with the French Armed Forces are two Lieutenants (Royal Navy), two Lieutenant Commanders, one Major, one Lieutenant Colonel, one Flight Lieutenant and one Squadron Leader. These come from all three Services of the UK Armed Forces and are supporting a wide range of French operations. The UK has a Royal Navy Lieutenant embedded with the Spanish armed forces on operations.

    For security reasons I am unable to provide details of the units or locations of the embedded personnel.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to lease US Air Force Poseidon P-8 aircraft prior to the entry into service of the UK P-8 aircraft in 2019-20.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    There are currently no plans to lease P-8 aircraft.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has sent a letter of request to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency for the purchase of P-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence can confirm that a letter of request has been sent to the appropriate United States authorities for the procurement of the P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft and its associated support systems.