The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any staff of her Department are engaged in considering the effects of drone strikes on civilian populations as part of her Department’s work in the Middle East and North Africa.
Mr Desmond Swayne
In countries where DFID has humanitarian programmes, we monitor the general humanitarian situation in close communication with partners on the ground.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-07-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by his Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years.
Mrs Helen Grant
The value of duplicate supplier payments detected by the Department in each financial year since 2010 was:
Financial Year £
2010-11 £38,815.22
2011-12 £17,976.00
2012-13 NIL
2013-14 £26,481.10
All of these duplicate payments were detected by the Departments own financial control processes and recovered in full in the same financial year at no cost to the Department.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 29 April 2014, Official Report, column 636W, on the Air Force, whether any such UK personnel are embedded or otherwise interact with the (a) 22nd, (b) 30th, (c) 867th and (d) 732nd Air Force Reconnaissance Squadrons.
Mr Mark Francois
732nd is an Operations Group which comprises four Reconnaissance Squadron’s – 17th, 22nd, 30th and 867th. No UK Remotely Piloted Air System personnel are embedded with, or interact with the 732nd Operations Group Squadrons.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the advice of Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones; and if she will make a statement.
Damian Green
Existing regulation and guidance, which includes the Covert Surveillance and
Property Interference Code of Practice, applies to the use of aircraft
including remotely piloted aerial vehicles. The Code provides a framework of good
practice for public authorities using covert surveillance techniques. The
Department has noted the responses by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on
Drones to the recent consultation on a revised version of the Code and intend
to lay a further draft before Parliament in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2014, Official Report, column 27W, on the Royal Air Force, whether any UK personnel other than Remotely Piloted Air System personnel are embedded in the 732nd Operations Group.
Mr Mark Francois
There are no UK personnel embedded in the 732nd Operations Group.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 29 April 2014, Official Report, column 636W, on the Air Force, whether any such UK personnel are embedded or otherwise interact with the US Air Force’s 17th Reconnaissance Squadron.
Mr Mark Francois
732nd is an Operations Group which comprises four Reconnaissance Squadron’s – 17th, 22nd, 30th and 867th. No UK Remotely Piloted Air System personnel are embedded with, or interact with the 732nd Operations Group Squadrons.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has provided any advice to public communications providers on the consequences of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others on data retention by those companies.
James Brokenshire
The Government continues to consider the judgment of the European Court, but we consider that the UK Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 remain in
force. Those in receipt of a notice under the Regulations have been informed that they should continue to observe their obligations as outlined in any notice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether UK aircraft have flown outside Afghan airspace in support of NATO International Security Assistance Force missions in Afghanistan.
Mr Mark Francois
To support the UK’s contribution to the NATO ISAF mission in Afghanistan UK military aircraft regularly transit to and from Afghanistan through non Afghan airspace .There has not been any employment of armed UK aircraft outside of the borders of Afghanistan in support of ISAF.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 169W, on Djibouti, whether the UK personnel embedded with US forces under US command at Camp Lemonnier provide any support to the US drone programme in Yemen; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Mark Francois
UK Armed Forces personnel embedded in Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, are responsible for the planning and support of US military operations in East Africa. They do not provide any support to US Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) operations in Yemen; CJTF-HOA does not oversee operations in the Middle East.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what role the Information Commissioner’s Office has in (a) the trial of the Aeroyn Skyranger drone around Gatwick Airport and (b) any other use of other surveillance aircraft operated by Government departments, agents or public bodies in the UK.
Simon Hughes
The Information Commissioner’s Office has no specific role in the trial of the Aeryon Skyranger drone around Gatwick Airport. Members of the Information Commissioner’s staff sit on the Cross-Government Working Group on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. They advise on any data protection compliance issues that arise.
In addition the ICO is currently consulting on its revised CCTV code of practice which includes a section on remotely operated vehicles, or drones:
http://ico.org.uk/about_us/consultations/our_consultations
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