The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-01-14.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 29 July 2014 (HL1320), how many F35B aircraft will initially be allocated to the Operational Conversion Unit.
Lord Astor of Hever
Based on current planning assumptions, five aircraft will be allocated to the Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Marham when it begins pilot training in July 2019.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-01-14.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 16 December 2014 (WA 291), how many F35B aircraft will be in the squadron available at Initial Operating Capability for use on HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Lord Astor of Hever
The front line squadron at Initial Operating Capability in 2020 will be equipped with a minimum of nine F-35B aircraft, which could be supplemented from other assets from across the fleet if required.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Merlin anti-submarine warfare helicopters were employed in the hunt for a suspected Russian submarine to the west of the United Kingdom this year.
Lord Astor of Hever
We do not discuss the detail of maritime operations as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many 2087 sonar-fitted T23 Frigates were employed in the hunt for a suspected Russian submarine to the west of the United Kingdom this year.
Lord Astor of Hever
We do not discuss the detail of maritime operations as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many nuclear attack submarines were employed in the hunt for a suspected Russian submarine to the west of the United Kingdom this year.
Lord Astor of Hever
We do not discuss the detail of maritime operations as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is responsible for the maintenance of buildings, parapets, and statues on Horse Guards Parade.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Royal Parks Agency is responsible for Horse Guards Parade Ground as it forms part of the Royal Park. They also have responsibility for the maintenance of the following statues and structures.
– Earl Mountbatten Statue
– Field Marshal Earl Kitchener Statue
– Field Marshal Earl Roberts Statue
– Viscount Wolseley Statue
– Cadiz Mortar
– Ottoman Gun
A Charitable organisation, the Committee for the Royal Naval Division Memorial is responsible for the maintenance of the Royal Naval Division Memorial. However, the Foreign and Commonwealth office has an agreement to maintain the costs of the water supply and the costs of cleaning the memorial.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has assumed responsibility for the maintenance of the Royal Naval Division memorial from the original charity.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
In 2002, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), as the current occupant of the Old Admiralty Building, agreed to assume the costs for general cleaning of the Royal Naval Division Memorial and the costs of the water supply to the memorial’s fountain. The costs of any maintenance, other than cleaning, remain the responsibility of the Committee for the Royal Naval Division Memorial. In November 2013, the Committee informed the FCO that it intended to commission a condition survey of the memorial and had raised funds for any repair work. The survey commenced on 17 February 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord De Mauley on 10 February (HL4601), whether the three offshore patrol vessels referred to as fulfilling the Royal Naval commitment to fishery protection included the Offshore Patrol Vessel presently deployed to the West Indies for five months.
Lord De Mauley
There is a formal agreement between the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the Royal Navy that provides for the Royal Navy to supply surveillance and fisheries inspection services to the MMO. The agreement contains a commitment from the Royal Navy to provide 500 days of service annually to the MMO. It has three offshore patrol vessels based in UK waters: HMS Severn, HMS Tyne and HMS Mersey. The MMO do not specify how many or which vessels will be used at any one time to fulfil this role.
HMS Severn was available to contribute to delivery of that commitment between 1 April and 19 November 2014 after which it was tasked with other high priority duties. On projected figures it is anticipated that the Royal Navy will meet its commitments to the MMO for the financial year through the combined use of HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-09-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 16 September (HL1944), how many F35B Sea Lightnings were assumed to be in the air wings when the Prime Minister stated in September 2014 that both new aircrafts carriers would be operated concurrently in the future.
Earl Howe
In September 2014, at the NATO Summit, the Prime Minister announced that, "the second carrier, HMS PRINCE OF WALES will also be brought into service. This will ensure that we will always have one carrier available, 100% of the time." The exact number of fixed wing aircraft embarked at any time will be dependent on the mission being undertaken.
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.