Tag: Douglas Chapman

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department will pay out of the public purse for the cost of repairs to the electrical and propulsion systems on the Daring Class Type 45 Destroyers.

Mr Philip Dunne

A number of early modifications were implemented under the Type 45 Destroyer Contract for Availability arrangement with BAE Systems, at no additional cost to the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The initial work to prove the concept of upgrading the diesel generators was co-funded by BAE Systems and the MOD. Subject to main gate approval, the upgrade will be funded by the MOD.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of email MA/DGMAA to Min(DPWV) private office 3 Dec 13 16:32.

Mark Lancaster

I have placed the requested documents in the Library of the House.

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 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether all UK service personnel deployed to malarial areas since 2013 have been individually assessed for contraindications for mefloquine; and what the method of assessment was for those who were individually assessed.

Mark Lancaster

Since 2013, it has been Ministry of Defence policy that mefloquine should only be prescribed after an individual risk assessment. To verify that an individual assessment has been undertaken in every case since 2013 would require the examination of the medical records of all individuals who have deployed since 2013. This could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.

Templates exist to optimise consistency in the preparation of personnel requiring anti-malarials, including mefloquine. Defence Primary Healthcare has a malaria protocol to guide clinicians to use these templates. Work is currently in hand to develop it further, taking previous lessons into account, to ensure that all individuals are assessed in a consistent manner.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what instructions have been issued to medical or other staff in any of the armed forces regarding the consumption of alcohol while Mefloquine is being taken as medication.

Mark Lancaster

Neither the Patient Information Leaflet for mefloquine issued by the manufacturer, nor the British National Formulary (which provides information on all medicines generally prescribed in the UK), mention alcohol consumption when using mefloquine for the chemoprophylaxis of malaria. Guidance is, however, provided for patients with severe liver problems and other medical conditions that would preclude the use of the drug, and would be part of the clinical risk assessment prior to prescription.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Canadian counterpart on that country’s procurement of F35 aircraft.

Mr Philip Dunne

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence had regular discussions with the then Canadian Defence Minister, Jason Kenney, on a range of issues including procurement of F35 Aircraft. We look forward to engaging with the new Canadian Defence Ministers once appointed.