Tag: Douglas Chapman

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the viability of hydro pump storage energy solutions; and what support her Department makes available to that industry.

Andrea Leadsom

Energy storage is one way to provide flexibility to the energy system, alongside demand side response, interconnection and smarter networks. We continue to assess the potential for all forms of energy storage, including pumped hydro, to benefit the UK energy system.

More than £80m public sector controlled support has been committed to energy storage research, development and demonstration activities since 2012. This innovation funding has included DECC grant support for a UK pumped hydro storage developer to assess the potential location of new pumped hydro sites around Great Britain. The developer concluded that up to 15GW of novel pumped storage could be possible, using various criteria such as the presence of existing or potential reservoirs, grid connection distance and whether the site is in an environmentally sensitive area. Other pumped storage developers have independently identified over 1 GW of additional potential pumped storage.

We are also investigating the potential barriers to deployment of energy storage and possible mitigating actions. We are focussing in the first instance on removing policy and regulatory barriers. DECC plans to issue a call for evidence on a smart systems route map in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what modifications are required to HMS Prince of Wales to make it suitable for use as an amphibious assault platform.

Mr Philip Dunne

In the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 we announced the intention to enhance a Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier to support the UK’s amphibious capability. We are currently assessing the modifications that may be required and the optimum way to deliver these enhancements, which we expect will have utility in both carriers. As well as delivering their primary Carrier Strike role with F-35B Lightning II aircraft, the carriers will offer a significant basing option for the projection of air support to amphibious operations, including battlefield helicopter support to our Royal Marines or embarked military forces.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to test the suitability of the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey for operation aboard the Queen Elizabeth Class ships.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Royal Navy has previous experience operating the V-22 Osprey from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and HMS OCEAN. It is therefore possible that the Department will engage in due course with our close Ally the United States to explore mutual opportunities to clear US Navy and US Marine Corps V-22 aircraft on Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the budgeted expenditure is in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18 on facility improvements at Faslane to support the Trident renewal programme.

Mr Philip Dunne

The infrastructure and facilities investments being made at the Barrow-in-Furness and Faslane sites are for all our submarines not just the Successor programme. I am withholding internal Ministry of Defence forecasts on future programme expenditure as disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice on-going commercial negotiations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 September 2016 to Question 45999, how many of the 34 days in which all six Daring-class Type 45 Destroyers were berthed together at HMNB Portsmouth were consecutive.

Harriett Baldwin

There were four separate periods during July and August 2016 when all six Daring Class Type 45 Destroyers were alongside together at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth for consecutive days. These were for two days, two and a half days, four days, and twenty five and a half days.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-10-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual running costs of RAF Waddington are; and what assessment he has made of RAF Waddington’s contribution to the local economy.

Mark Lancaster

The annual infrastructure running costs for RAF Waddington in the Financial Year 2014-15 were £5,566,795. No assessment has been made of RAF Waddington’s contribution to the local economy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many strikes were made using the Brimstone missile during Operation HERRICK.

Penny Mordaunt

68 Brimstone missile weapon releases occurred during Operation HERRICK.

A detailed statistical breakdown by year is contained in Table four of the publication: Op HERRICK (Afghanistan) Aircraft Statistics dated 29 October 2015 available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/operation-herrick-afghanistan-aircraft-statistics

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2016 to Question 20602, how many of the 183 Ministry of Defence public relations staff referred to are (a) based in Scotland, (b) have duties relating to Scotland.

Mark Lancaster

There are 12 Defence press and public relations posts based in Scotland, all of which have duties relating to Scotland.

Defence press and public relations personnel provide a UK-wide service and therefore would deal with matters relating to Scotland when required.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many diplomatic staff are based at the British Embassy in Tehran; and what change there has been in the number of such staff since the announcement of the reopening of that Embassy in 2015.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

There are currently 7 UK diplomatic staff based at the British Embassy in Tehran, including the new Charge d’affaires who arrived at Post on 31 December 2015. This is a significant increase from the 2 UK diplomatic staff that were based in Tehran before the formal reopening last year. We anticipate further additions to the number of Embassy staff in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which common electrical and propulsion systems are shared between the T26 Global Combat Ship and the Type 45 Destroyer.

Mr Philip Dunne

Due to the specific requirements of Anti-Submarine Warfare operations and the availability of equipment on the open market, the Type 45 and Type 26 Global Combat Ship (T26 GCS) electrical and propulsion system architectures are fundamentally different; no major equipment will be common to both.

Lessons learned from the Type 45 programme and the in-service experience drawn from the Type 23 Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigates have all been applied to the T26 GCS electrical and propulsion system design.