Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what have been the results of the training of police and security forces in Bahrain by UK armed forces.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Defence relationship contributes to UK objectives in Bahrain through programmes of world class training and education. Whilst this relationship is almost exclusively military to military, the one element that is delivered to the police and security forces concerns training to counter improvised explosive devices. This work has undoubtedly saved Bahraini lives and potentially those of UK citizens and our own Armed Forces based there.
Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the leaked 2009 report by the United States Central Intelligence Agency that drone strikes are ineffective and counter-productive.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Government deplores the leaking of any classified information, wherever it occurs. It has been the policy of successive British Governments not to comment on leaked documents.
Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what training has been provided to British military and police personnel by Israel in the past 12 months.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
During the last 12 months, one military officer has attended an International Brigade Logistics Course in Israel at the invitation of the Israeli Defence Forces.
Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what legal authority they obtained before conducting the drone attack in Syria that was announced on 7 September.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
My right hon. friend the Defence Secretary authorised this operation. The Attorney General was consulted in advance and advised that there would be a clear legal basis for action in international law.
Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what weapons the United Kingdom has purchased from Israel in the last five years.
Answered by Lord Astor of Hever
In the last five years the Ministry of Defence has purchased the Exactor weapons system, comprising Exactor 2 palletised launchers and Exactor Mk5 missiles, from a contractor based in Israel.
Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Watchkeeper drones they have ordered from Elbit Systems; and when they expect the order to be completed.
Answered by Lord Astor of Hever
None. The Ministry of Defence is procuring 54 Watchkeeper air vehicles from Thales UK. We expect deliveries to be complete by March 2016.