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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 25 March 2014, Official Report, column 180W, on Africa, whether any service personnel are embedded with host forces or otherwise stationed in (a) Niger, (b) Nigeria and (c) the Seychelles.

Mr Mark Francois

There are no UK service personnel embedded with host forces or otherwise stationed in Niger.

The UK has a small number of personnel deployed to Nigeria in roles including diplomatic representation, defence engagement, liaison and training. As part of the package of support to Nigeria announced by the Prime Minister last month, an additional small team of experts has also deployed to help Nigeria establish an Intelligence Fusion Cell with French and US partners to assist the Nigerian government in locating the abducted school girls.

In the Seychelles, a Royal Naval officer is currently serving as a Liaison officer for the European Union Naval Force Somalia (EUNAVFOR).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department maintains (a) mission reports, (b) guided missile firing reports, (c) weapon system videos and (d) any other munitions release records for the UK Reaper fleet following the change of operational command to US pilots.

Mr Mark Francois

Each UK Reaper sortie has a mission report produced post flight. If a weapon is fired during a sortie, a weapon report is completed detailing the engagement, as well as a video produced of the engagement itself. There are no other munitions release records for the UK Reaper fleet. US pilots have not flown UK Reaper except during the launch and recovery phase.

Outside of the launch and recovery phase, UK Remotely Piloted Air Systems have always been operated by UK pilots.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 15 January 2014, Official Report, column 578W, on unmanned air vehicles, whether his Department maintains munitions records from the UK Reaper fleet on a sortie-by-sortie basis or for each operation carried out.

Mr Mark Francois

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 169W, on Djibouti, from which squadron armed forces have been deployed at Camp Lemonnier; and what role is undertaken by each UK officer embedded with US forces at that location.

Mr Mark Francois

The three UK Armed Forces personnel embedded in Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJFT-HOA) at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti are currently from the Royal Regiment of Artillery, the Corps of Royal Engineers, and the Intelligence Corps. Their roles involve planning and supporting US military operations in East Africa.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Joint Services Publication 398 on UK Rules of Engagement has been amended to reflect use of remotely piloted aircraft systems.

Mr Mark Francois

JSP 398 was updated on 21 October 2013, replacing the previous 2004 edition. Rules of engagement govern how force can be applied in any given operation. They are not tailored to weapon system types per se, but are written to be applied as appropriate to the full spectrum of weapons systems available to UK Forces. Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are governed by the same rules and regulations as any other weapons system; therefore the amendment of JSP 398 did not require any special provision to reflect the use of RPAS by UK Forces.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has procured any contracts for life cycle maintenance of the Reaper fleet; and for what periods.

Mr Philip Dunne

No contracts for life cycle maintenance have been procured. Through Life maintenance and support of the UK Reaper fleet is provided through the Foreign Military Sales agreement at the time the Reaper system was procured,under the previous administration.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 473W, on unmanned air vehicles, when the Joint User Group for Reapers will become active; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Mark Francois

Although a final decision on when the Joint User Group for Reaper should become active has yet to be taken, it is expected to start functioning during the autumn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of lethal targeting by remotely-piloted air systems on security in Afghanistan.

Mr Mark Francois

UK forces, and the wider ISAF mission, have materially improved the security of Afghanistan since 2001. This allowed the developed Afghan National Security Forces to assume lead security responsibility for their own country from June 2013. As an integral capability of UK forces, Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) are assessed to have made a valuable contribution, both in their surveillance and strike roles, to the improved security situation.

All UK forces operate in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, following the principles of distinction, humanity, proportionality and military necessity. The UK’s clearly defined Rules of Engagement, which cover the use of RPAS, are formulated on this basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any UK service personnel are embedded or otherwise stationed in (a) Ethiopia and (b) Chad.

Mr Mark Francois

The UK has a small number of Service personnel deployed to Ethiopia in roles including diplomatic representation, defence engagement, liaison and training.

No UK Service personnel are currently embedded or otherwise stationed in Chad.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK service personnel are stationed in Yemen; and what the (a) rank, (b) squadron and (c) function is of each officer stationed in that country.

Mr Mark Francois

There are two permanently based UK service personnel in Yemen. Both of these personnel are employed within the Defence Section at the British Embassy in Sana’a. There is one Army Colonel employed as the Defence Attaché and one Army Sergeant employed as the Assistant Defence Attaché. The role of the Defence Attaché is to command the Defence Section, to represent the Chief of the Defence Staff in Yemen and Eritrea and to advise HM Ambassador on defence and security matters The role of the Assistant Defence Attaché is to provide administrative support to the Defence Attaché.