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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which companies tendered for the Portsmouth Harbour dredging contract.

Mr Philip Dunne

The contract to dredge Portsmouth Harbour is expected to be awarded in April 2015 and is worth £20 million to £40 million. Work will commence following the appointment of the successful bidder, and will be completed ahead of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s arrival in late 2016.

The bidders for the contract are Boskalis Westminster Ltd, Van Oord UK Ltd and Dredging International NV.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times a day the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier will be able to enter Portsmouth Harbour during spring tides.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Queen Elizabeth class carriers would be able to enter Portsmouth Harbour twice a day, on each of two daily high tides, as could the Invincible class carriers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the fitting of the Rangeless Autonomous Information Debriefing System equipment to Tornado aircraft was regarded as mitigation for the collision warning risk over the last decade.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing System (RAIDS) as fitted to RAF aircraft has no collision warning capability.

It logs and stores GPS positional data during flight. Data can only be downloaded post-flight to allow replay during sortie debriefing of the positional data for all aircraft fitted with RAIDS. Therefore, it provides no situational awareness to the crew in flight.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the installation of an EASAMS Collision Warning System in Tornado aircraft was not completed following the successful trials of the system in 1995 and 1996.

Mr Philip Dunne

This technical demonstrator programme was aimed at evaluating the compatibility of the collision warning system concept in the fast jet environment. Technical demonstrator programmes are used to test the technical feasibility of new technology projects, often using experimental or conceptual technologies. They are not expected to produce equipment capable of being brought into service with the Armed Forces.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what collision warning capability the Rangeless Autonomous Information Debriefing System had.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing System (RAIDS) as fitted to RAF aircraft has no collision warning capability.

It logs and stores GPS positional data during flight. Data can only be downloaded post-flight to allow replay during sortie debriefing of the positional data for all aircraft fitted with RAIDS. Therefore, it provides no situational awareness to the crew in flight.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Defence Infrastructure Organisation will allow the contract to dredge Portsmouth Harbour so the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier can navigate it; what estimate he has made of the contract’s cost to the public; and when work will (a) commence and (b) finish.

Mr Philip Dunne

The contract to dredge Portsmouth Harbour is expected to be awarded in April 2015 and is worth £20 million to £40 million. Work will commence following the appointment of the successful bidder, and will be completed ahead of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s arrival in late 2016.

The bidders for the contract are Boskalis Westminster Ltd, Van Oord UK Ltd and Dredging International NV.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether both Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers can be docked at Portsmouth Harbour simultaneously.

Mr Philip Dunne

Yes. Significant new investment in HM Naval Base Portsmouth, including the strengthening of jetties, installing new power supplies and other infrastructure changes is required to accommodate both carriers. This work has already commenced and will continue to expand. The initial capability will be completed in time for the arrival of the first of class, HMS Queen Elizabeth, at her home port.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-31.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) personnel and (b) assets are participating in NATO’s Baltic Regional Training Events in 2014; and what (i) personnel and (ii) assets participated in the events in each of the last three years.

Dr Andrew Murrison

The UK is currently reviewing our contribution to national and NATO exercises in the Baltic Region in 2014; final decisions have not yet been made.

There are no central records for 2011 and 2012. However, in 2013 the UK provided 124 personnel to the following exercises involving NATO allies:

Exercise Sabre Strike 13, Latvia 1-14 June 2013.

Exercise Kevadtorm 13, Estonia 14-25 May 2013.

In addition the UK provided one mine counter measure vessel (ship’s company of 40 personnel) to:

Exercise Steadfast Jazz 13, Baltic Sea, November 2013.