Asked by: Baroness Harris of Richmond (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the security breach at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June, what plans they have to improve the security of all RAF airfields.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We are now conducting a review of security across Defence that will assess and assure the state of protective security at all sites. As I am sure you can appreciate, we will not comment on the specifics before the review has concluded.
Asked by: Baroness Harris of Richmond (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Chief Police Officer, Rob Allen, and Inspector Mark Wood have been reinstated to the Gibraltar Defence Police; if so, on what grounds that decision was taken; and how the disciplinary charges they were facing have been resolved.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Ministry of Defence are unable to comment on any individual cases, but a wider review is currently taking place on the future of the Gibraltar Defence Police. The Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mark Lancaster MP) recently corresponded with the noble Lady, following his visit to Gibraltar in November 2018, and he has agreed to keep her informed of the progress of this review over the course of the next year.
Asked by: Baroness Harris of Richmond (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the recent report by the Ministry of Defence into the Gibraltar Police Federation.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The findings and recommendations within the report were informed by extensive consultation across the Gibraltar Defence Police and touched upon sensitive personal information. Accordingly, it would be inappropriate to place a copy in the Library of the House. However, I forwarded a copy of the executive summary and recommendations of the report to the noble Baroness on 16 October 2017.
Asked by: Baroness Harris of Richmond (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether publication of the review into the Gibraltar Defence Police has been delayed; and if so, why.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The review into the Gibraltar Defence Police has been published today. I have written to the noble Baroness with a copy of the report's executive summary and recommendations.
Asked by: Baroness Harris of Richmond (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings the Commander of the British Forces, Commodore Mike Walliker, has had with (1) the Chief Police Officer of Gibraltar, (2) the Chairman of the Gibraltar Defence Police Federation, and (3) the Committee of the Gibraltar Defence Police Federation, since taking up his position in August.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Since he took up his position, Commander British Forces Gibraltar, Commodore Mike Walliker, has had 20 formal meetings with the Chief Police Officer of Gibraltar Defence Police and four formal meetings with the Chairman of the Gibraltar Defence Police Federation. He has met with both in other forums, in wider meetings with others and informally. He has not had a meeting with the full Committee of the Gibraltar Defence Police Federation.
Asked by: Baroness Harris of Richmond (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the transfer of policing services from the Ministry of Defence to the government of Gibraltar, due in December, has been delayed; and if so, why.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave on 15 March 2017 to Question number HL5931. The Ministry of Defence has not undertaken to transfer policing services to Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar in December. It follows, therefore, that there is no delay.
Asked by: Baroness Harris of Richmond (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they expect a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the transfer of Gibraltar Defence Police services from the Ministry of Defence to the government of Gibraltar to be completed by the end of March; and whether they expect the transfer of Gibraltar Defence Police services from the Ministry of Defence to the government of Gibraltar to be completed by the end of December.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
We agreed with Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar in 2015 that we will work with them to consider options for the future of the Gibraltar Defence Police. That remains the case.