Tag: Lord West of Spithead

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many major surface warships were ordered between the 2010 general election and the 2015 general election.

Earl Howe

Her Majesty’s Government did not order any major surface warships between the 2010 and 2015 general elections. However, the work to deliver the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers continued during this period and in August 2014 we placed an order for three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), which will provide valuable capability to the Royal Navy and sustain the skills needed to build the Type 26 Global Combat Ship.

Since the 2015 general election, the White Paper ‘National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015’ (Cmd 9161) has set the Government’s commitment to build eight anti-submarine Type 26 Global Combat Ships, preceded by two additional OPVs, and to launch a concept study and then design and build a new class of lighter, flexible general purpose frigate. Additionally, the White Paper confirmed we will buy three new logistic ships to support the fleet, in addition to the four Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability tankers ordered in 2012.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-04-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 25 April (HL7482), whether views have been expressed by non-executive members of any Service Boards to the Permanent Secretary about rebalancing funds between the fighting environments.

Earl Howe

Non-executive members of Service Boards are able to offer their views on defence matters to the Permanent Secretary. We do not comment on the detail of internal discussions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-09-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much Ascent Flight Training has been fined for failing to deliver an adequate service since it signed the 25-year contract with the Ministry of Defence.

Earl Howe

Up to June 2015, £308,000 was deducted from payments to Ascent Flight Training. No further deductions have been made since that time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 19 October (HL2591), what are the present seaborne links they provide to the people of Tristan da Cunha.

Baroness Verma

Her Majesty’s Government does not provide seaborne links to the people of Tristan da Cunha. Freight and passenger services are provided on a commercial basis by a private company.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-10-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are giving any assistance to Tristan da Cunha to save the critically endangered Tristan albatross.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

UK Overseas Territory (OT) Governments are constitutionally responsible for the protection and conservation of their natural environments. The UK Government cherishes the environmental assets of the OTs and we work in partnership with OT Governments to identify where our support can be most effective, including through access to expertise, technical advice and training and through the Overseas Territory Environment and Climate Fund (Darwin Plus). Through Darwin Plus, the UK Government has committed approximately £5.2 million since 2012 to help protect the natural environment in the OTs.

House mice predation on chicks of the Tristan albatross is the main threat to the species. Before the launch of Darwin Plus, the UK Government had already committed over £500,000 to help eradicate mice from Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha. Through Darwin Plus, we are providing over £82,000 to assess the conservation status of the endangered Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross on Tristan da Cunha.

Joint UK Government and South Atlantic OTs funding also supports a co-ordinating post based in the Falkland Islands to help meet obligations arising from the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels and to assist with the planning and implementation of albatross and petrel conservation work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-10-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have made for seaborne links with Tristan da Cunha now that St Helena has an airfield.

Baroness Verma

Her Majesty’s Government has no plans to change seaborne links with Tristan da Cunha.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-10-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) Forth, Medway and Trent, will operate in addition to the current four OPVs.

Earl Howe

The operation of the three new Offshore Patrol Vessels will be subject to the forthcoming Strategic Defence and Security Review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-10-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what policies they have in place (1) for the protection of the Exclusive Economic Zones around the United Kingdom’s worldwide dependencies, and (2) to ensure maximum economic advantage for the United Kingdom and its dependencies from those waters and seabed.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The British Government is committed to protecting the marine environment of the Overseas Territories. As part of this work we plan to work with the Overseas Territories to create “blue belts” to help manage their dynamic and important ecosystems in a way which effectively balances environmental protection and economic potential. This will help the UK to meet its international obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims to protect ten per cent of marine waters globally. In support of this goal the UK has, in addition, declared a full no take Marine Protected Area around the British Indian Ocean Territory and a sustainable use Marine Protected Area in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The Overseas Territories are responsible for managing their terrestrial and marine environments, including their economic potential. The UK is responsible in international law for compliance with international obligations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-10-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the National Security Council has discussed the strategic implications of the closure of the Redcar steelworks to the long-term security interests of the United Kingdom.

Lord Bridges of Headley

Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees is generally not disclosed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-09-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the House of Commons Defence Committee’s conclusion in its report Decision-making in Defence Policy that the Chiefs of Staff should be constituted as the Military Sub-Committee of the National Security Council.

Earl Howe

The Government has made clear in its September response to the House of Commons Defence Committee that we believe the current structure to be sufficient. The Chief of the Defence Staff attends the National Security Council with the remit to present the views of all three Services collectively. The Chiefs of Staff Committee is already the UK’s senior military committee and feeds into the Chief of Defence Staff’s preparation for National Security Council meetings.