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Tag: Tom Watson

  • Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 222434, what consideration his Department has given to deployment of the UK Reapers in storage for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance in Iraq.

    Mr Mark Francois

    As with all platforms and capabilities not deployed on operations, the deployment of additional Reaper aircraft currently in storage in the UK is kept under constant review.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by her Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years.

    Lynne Featherstone

    Duplicate payments to suppliers are shown in the table below.

    Value

    Financial Year

    £ 3,721,960.01

    2010/11

    £ 720,052.49

    2011/12

    £ 1,105,217.80

    2012/13

    £ 5,352,323.62

    2013/14

    The proportion of duplicate payments recovered over the last 4 years is 98.74%.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there has been any testing (a) in Southern Australia and (b) elsewhere of the ability of the Taranis system to identify or strike targets autonomously.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I am withholding details of the locations at which Taranis flight trials have taken place for the purpose of safeguarding national security. The Ministry of Defence has no plans to create weapons that operate without human control. Trained members of the Armed Forces will always be involved in the command and control of unmanned air systems.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 473W, on unmanned air vehicles, when the Joint User Group for Reapers will become active; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Mark Francois

    Although a final decision on when the Joint User Group for Reaper should become active has yet to be taken, it is expected to start functioning during the autumn.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with its US counterpart on identifying how the US will support the new Joint User Group for Reaper.

    Mr Mark Francois

    Officials representing all user nations, including the US, have had initial discussions exploring the scope, formation and management of a proposed Joint User Group for Reaper. Further discussions are planned to take place in the coming months.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2014, Official Report, column 697W, on unmanned air vehicles, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance note issued to his Department’s network staff on data protection aspects of unmanned air vehicles.

    Dan Rogerson

    I will place a copy of the guidance in the Library.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has procured any contracts for life cycle maintenance of the Reaper fleet; and for what periods.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    No contracts for life cycle maintenance have been procured. Through Life maintenance and support of the UK Reaper fleet is provided through the Foreign Military Sales agreement at the time the Reaper system was procured,under the previous administration.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where his Department plans to base the Watchkeeper remotely piloted air systems following completion of training at Salisbury Plain and West Wales Airport.

    Mr Mark Francois

    Under current plans Watchkeeper remotely piloted air systems will be located at Larkhill with 32nd and 47th Regiments Royal Artillery.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 19 March 2014, Official Report, column 607W, on unmanned air vehicles, whether any person, agent or public body has provided video imagery or other data to her Department obtained by unmanned aircraft systems in the UK; and for what purposes.

    James Brokenshire

    I am advised that no imagery or other data from such sources is held by the Department.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Joint Services Publication 398 on UK Rules of Engagement has been amended to reflect use of remotely piloted aircraft systems.

    Mr Mark Francois

    JSP 398 was updated on 21 October 2013, replacing the previous 2004 edition. Rules of engagement govern how force can be applied in any given operation. They are not tailored to weapon system types per se, but are written to be applied as appropriate to the full spectrum of weapons systems available to UK Forces. Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are governed by the same rules and regulations as any other weapons system; therefore the amendment of JSP 398 did not require any special provision to reflect the use of RPAS by UK Forces.