The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many staff worked for the Defence and Security Organisation on 1 April 2016; and what the budget for that organisation is for 2016-17.
Dr Liam Fox
At 1 April 2016 the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation had 122 staff-in-post, with a 2016-17 budget of £9.73M NET.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are being taken to attend to Iraqi civilians expected to be displaced as a result of a planned offensive on Mosul, Iraq.
Rory Stewart
On 21 September, the UK announced an extra £40 million of humanitarian funding to Iraq, taking our total commitment to £90 million this financial year and £169.5 million since June 2014. This new assistance will be targeted specifically to enable a scale up of humanitarian assistance ahead of the Government of Iraq-led Mosul operations. It will provide emergency life-saving assistance – such as food, shelter, medical and protection services – to civilians affected by Mosul operations, as well as continued support to displaced and vulnerable people across the country.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what definition his Department use of the term exigency of duty.
Mark Lancaster
The Ministry of Defence Police policy on overtime working states that:
"Exigencies of Duty should be interpreted as relating to situations where there is an unavoidable operational need, which necessitates a change of rostered duties".
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to accommodate the Blind Veterans Association based at the Braeholm Centre in Helensburgh when that facility closes in June 2016.
Mark Lancaster
The Braeholm facility in Helensburgh is not located in a Ministry of Defence establishment and its closure is a matter for the charity that runs the facility.
The Naval Service does recognise the support the facility has given to Service personnel and is in contact with the charity trustees to assess which of the services need to be replaced, how this will be achieved and what other future support is required, to improving the quality of life for naval personnel and their families.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements will be made to provide submarine operational cover while HMS Ambush in undergoing repairs; and what risks have been identified as a result of those arrangements.
Harriett Baldwin
It is UK policy that we do not comment on matters relating to submarine activity or operations as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
HMS AMBUSH is undergoing repairs at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, the duration of which is under review.
On 28 July 2016, the Director General of the Defence Safety Authority convened an independent Service Inquiry to investigate the circumstances of this incident. It would be inappropriate to comment further while this investigation is on-going.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution by the Secretary of State for Defence, of 18 January 2016, Official Report, column 1118 on how many occasions the Government has considered evidence from (a) non-governmental organisations, (b) Airwars, (c) White Helmets and (d) other organisations working in Syria on the collection of data on civilian (i) casualties and (ii) injuries in Syria from 2016 to date; and on how many occasions the Government has considered such evidence as credible.
Mike Penning
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has reviewed four batches of information collated by Airwars in relation to possible civilian casualties in Syria and Iraq, where they wished to establish whether RAF aircraft might have been involved. There was no credible evidence that RAF aircraft were responsible in any of these incidents. MOD officials have also met Airwars to outline the process used by the UK to assess the outcome of RAF airstrikes.
All RAF airstrikes are subject to an assessment of their outcome. Whilst there can be no guarantees in a complex air campaign like this one, our airstrikes are planned meticulously with the objective of minimising the risk of causing civilian casualties.The MOD continues to be prepared to consider credible evidence on this issue from any source.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether there have been any unintentional violations of international humanitarian law carried out by Saudi coalition forces in Yemen.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We are aware of reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by actors to the conflict and take these very seriously. It is important that all sides conduct thorough and conclusive investigations into all incidents where it is alleged that IHL has been breached. As the Saudis themselves announced on Sunday, they have mechanisms in place to investigate alleged incidents and to learn lessons if things go wrong. The Ministry of Defence also monitors incidents of alleged IHL violations using available information, which in turn informs our overall assessment of IHL compliance in Yemen. At this stage, looking at all the information available to us, we have not assessed that there has been a breach of IHL by the coalition, but continue to monitor the situation closely, seeking further information where appropriate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s policy is on the provision of accommodation for naval personnel and their families visiting (a) HMNB Clyde and (b) RNAD Coulport.
Mark Lancaster
The provision of accommodation for all naval personnel and their families is contained within the Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations which are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/502127/20160222_-_JSP_464_Volume_1_Part_1_-_Version_3.pdf
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long HMS Ambush is expected to remain out of service while repairs are being conducted; and where that repair work will be carried out.
Harriett Baldwin
It is UK policy that we do not comment on matters relating to submarine activity or operations as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
HMS AMBUSH is undergoing repairs at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, the duration of which is under review.
On 28 July 2016, the Director General of the Defence Safety Authority convened an independent Service Inquiry to investigate the circumstances of this incident. It would be inappropriate to comment further while this investigation is on-going.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether UK personnel were involved in checking the target selections for any (a) deliberate and (b) unintended breaches of international humanitarian law during the recent Saudi Arabian military action in Yemen.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK is not a member of the Saudi Arabia-led military Coalition. British personnel are not involved in carrying out strikes, directing or conducting operations in Yemen or selecting targets, and are not involved in the Saudi targeting decision-making process. We have deployed a small number of military personnel serving as liaison officers in Saudi Arabia’s headquarters to provide insight into Saudi operations. They remain under UK command and control.