Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2024 to Question 12729 on Israel: Air Force, if he will publish the (a) date, (b) time of arrival and departure and (c) next destination of each Israeli Air Force operated plane.
Answered by James Heappey
It is our longstanding Defence policy to not comment on third country flight information. The Diplomatic Flight Clearance policy is a robust practice and the basis on which a foreign partner may or may not be granted permission to utilise UK air bases is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity, which is assessed in line with Defence internal policy.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2024 to Question 12729 on Israel: Air Force, on what dates those flights (a) arrived and (b) departed British territory; where those flights landed; and what those flights were carrying.
Answered by James Heappey
It is standard practice for the Ministry of Defence to routinely authorise requests for limited numbers of allies and partners to overfly the UK and use UK air bases. For operational security reasons and as a matter of policy, the MOD does not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ military aircraft movements or operations.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2024 to Question 12864 on Military Bases, what (a) information and (b) assurances his Department requests from international partners on (i) military-registered and (ii) civil aircraft under the diplomatic flight clearance policy.
Answered by James Heappey
The Diplomatic Flight Clearance policy, which applies to all state-operated flights, is a robust process. The UK is clear that the nature and purpose of this activity must be set out, whereupon the UK will decide whether or not to grant permission to utilise UK air bases.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2024 to Question 12736 on Israel: Armed Forces, which courses Israeli personnel took part in; when those courses took place; and how many Israeli personnel participated in those courses.
Answered by James Heappey
This information is being withheld in order to protect personal information and to avoid prejudicing relations between the United Kingdom and another State.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Operation Crossways, when did 12th Regiment Royal Artillery deploy to Saudi Arabia with self propelled high velocity missiles.
Answered by James Heappey
The 12th Regiment Royal Artillery deployed to Saudi Arabia with self-propelled high velocity missiles in May 2022.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department undertook an overseas security and justice assistance assessment of the service contracts awarded to Elbit Systems UK Limited on (a) 13 September 2023 and (b) 17 January 2024.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments are undertaken when providing security assistance to another Government/state. It therefore would not be applicable in this instance. However, both contracts were awarded in line with Departmental procurement procedures.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Operation Crossways, whether 12th Regiment Royal Artillery based in Saudi Arabia has shot down unmanned aerial vehicles from Yemen since 7 October 2023.
Answered by James Heappey
No unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down by the 12th Regiment Royal Artillery based in Saudi Arabia since 7 October 2023.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 16 November 2020 to Question 114286 on Saudi Arabia: Military Aid, whether British personnel continue to accompany the deployment of Giraffe radars to Saudi Arabia.
Answered by James Heappey
Yes. Under Op CROSSWAYS UK service personnel continue to accompany the deployment of Giraffe radars to Saudi Arabia. This capability is defensive in nature and deployed to help Saudi Arabia defend itself from aerial threats to her territorial integrity.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that authorisation of requests from allies and partners for access to UK air bases is compatible with the UK's international legal obligations.
Answered by James Heappey
All flights by foreign military-registered aircraft and civil aircraft operating under Government status are required to apply to the Ministry of Defence for Diplomatic Flight Clearance whenever they wish to use a UK air base. The basis on which a foreign partner may or may not be granted permission to utilise UK air bases is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity and reflects the UK's international legal obligations.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will review the practice of routinely authorising requests from allies and partners to access UK air bases following the interim ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v Israel).
Answered by James Heappey
All flights by foreign military-registered aircraft, and civil aircraft operating under government status, are required to apply to the Ministry of Defence for Diplomatic Flight Clearance whenever they wish to enter UK airspace or use a UK air base. The Diplomatic Flight Clearance policy is a longstanding and robust practice. The basis on which a foreign partner may, or may not, be granted permission to utilise UK air bases is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity.