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Tag: Tom Watson

  • 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.

  • 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, if his Department will carry out an independent qualitative assessment of the psychological and workplace stresses on the operators of remotely piloted air systems.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Ministry of Defence currently has no plans to undertake an independent qualitative assessment of the psychological and workplace stresses on the operators of remotely piloted air systems.

    The health and wellbeing of all of our Armed Forces personnel is of the utmost importance. We are mindful of the pressure and stresses that service personnel may be subjected to when supporting enduring intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. These personnel are carefully monitored and where appropriate have access to the highest levels of military physical and mental health care. Looking after our people is one of the critical roles for our front-line commanders and they keenly focus on the well-being of their people.

  • 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, whether she has issued any authorisations under section 42(3) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 which permit intrusive surveillance by unmanned aircraft systems in the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    As a matter of long-standing practice we do not comment on the operational use
    of covert surveillance, or provide a breakdown of the number of warrants signed
    by particular Secretaries of State, or in relation to specific circumstances or
    methods of surveillance.

    Existing regulation relating to surveillance includes the surveillance camera
    code of practice issued under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, which
    provides a framework of good practice for surveillance camera operators and
    sets out obligations arising from other legislation including those for the
    processing of personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998 and a public
    authority’s duty to adhere to the Human Rights Act 1998. Any covert
    surveillance undertaken by a public authority which is likely to obtain private
    information would be subject to authorisation under the Regulation of
    Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).

  • 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 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 169W, on Djibouti, from which squadron armed forces have been deployed at Camp Lemonnier; and what role is undertaken by each UK officer embedded with US forces at that location.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The three UK Armed Forces personnel embedded in Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJFT-HOA) at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti are currently from the Royal Regiment of Artillery, the Corps of Royal Engineers, and the Intelligence Corps. Their roles involve planning and supporting US military operations in East Africa.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the advice provided by Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones, if he will agree a new Memorandum of Understanding or other bilateral agreement with the US on data transfer and use.

    Hugh Robertson

    The UK intelligence agencies work in accordance with UK law, as described by the Foreign Secretary in his statement to the House on 10 June 2013 (Official Report of 10 June 2013, column 31). In addition, Section 6 of the recently published Annual Report for 2013 by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, Sir Anthony May, addresses the legal basis for intelligence sharing between the UK and its partners.

    The UK Intelligence Agencies adhere to the law at all times. We have one of the world’s strongest legal and regulatory frameworks governing the use of secret intelligence. All of GCHQ’s activities are legal, necessary and proportionate. GCHQ does not disclose or share information other than is appropriate under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

  • 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, whether she has issued any exemptions pursuant to section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1998 which apply to data obtained via unmanned aircraft systems in the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    It has been the position of successive Governments to not comment on national security issues.

  • 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 15 January 2014, Official Report, column 578W, on unmanned air vehicles, whether his Department maintains munitions records from the UK Reaper fleet on a sortie-by-sortie basis or for each operation carried out.

    Mr Mark Francois

    After each UK Reaper sortie a mission report is written detailing the aircraft used and events of the flight. This includes weapon releases on a sortie-by-sortie basis.

    “

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the advice provided by Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones, if her Department will take steps to prevent any unlawful practice by GCHQ.

    Hugh Robertson

    The UK intelligence agencies work in accordance with UK law, as described by the Foreign Secretary in his statement to the House on 10 June 2013 (Official Report of 10 June 2013, column 31). In addition, Section 6 of the recently published Annual Report for 2013 by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, Sir Anthony May, addresses the legal basis for intelligence sharing between the UK and its partners.

    The UK Intelligence Agencies adhere to the law at all times. We have one of the world’s strongest legal and regulatory frameworks governing the use of secret intelligence. All of GCHQ’s activities are legal, necessary and proportionate. GCHQ does not disclose or share information other than is appropriate under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made by the cross-government working group on remotely piloted aircraft systems.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Cross Government Working Group has been discussing its draft Terms of Reference (extract copied below) and its membership. The focus of its work so far has been to gather information from the relevant departments to identify areas of common interest requiring collaboration.

    RPAS Cross Government Working Group Vision and Activities

    Vision : To provide a consistent government message on RPAS issues.

    Objectives:

    • Inform RPAS-related Departmental policies and publish a UK Cross Government vision / strategy for UAS.
    • To identify Cross Government synergies and opportunities for efficiencies.
    • To identify and address barriers to a successful UK industry base, to support the Government’s growth agenda.

    Approach

    • Focus for the co-ordination of all UK Government RPAS related activities.
    • Developing a better knowledge and a shared understanding of Departmental priorities, activities, ambitions & concerns.
    • Help industry understand Government needs and vision.
    • Identify opportunities.
    • Identify key questions.
    • Community of users [identification of user requirements].
    • UK PoC for RPAS.

    Issues to Address

    • Identifying the extent to which the UK can support safe and secure RPAS operations in the UK, including options for the certification of RPAS, pilot licensing, and associated systems.
    • Identifying the key characteristics of RPAS infrastructure, including the potential radio spectrum for RPAS operations in the UK.
    • Seek to identify common Cross Government user requirements to understand future concepts for shared assets / system procurement and maintenance.
    • Determining how the UK might best position itself to take advantage of RPAS industry and technology.

    Engagement

    Understand the potential benefits of RPAS to Government.

    Inform and be informed by active industry associations e.g.

    • Aeronautical and Aerospace and Defence Knowledge Transfer Network Autonomous Systems National technical committee.
    • Robotics and Autonomous Systems Special Interest Group.
    • Through identification of best practice and successful projects.
    • UK industry