Asked by: Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party - Moray)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many officials there were in the UK delegation to the 2013 Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in Kiruna, Sweden; and what the (a) title of position and (b) grade was of each such official.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK continues to support the Nigerian authorities in trying to establish the location of the abducted schoolgirls. We provide surveillance assets, in the form of RAF Tornados, to assist in the search and expertise to assist in intelligence analysis. The resolve of Nigeria, the UK and international community to continue the search remains strong.
On 3 September I led the UK delegation to the ministerial meeting in Abuja on security in Nigeria, attended by Nigeria’s neighbours and international partners. I emphasised the crucial importance of regional coordination to locating the girls taken from Chibok and to defeating Boko Haram.
Asked by: Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party - Moray)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the current text of the 1958 UK-US Mutual Defence Agreement and its annexes, as subsequently amended since the Agreement originally entered into force and (b) any amendments to the Agreement and its annexes that the Government proposes for when they are renewed.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The 2014 Amendment to the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America for Cooperation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defense Purposes 1958, otherwise known as the Amendment Agreement to the 1958 UK-US Mutual Defence Agreement (MDA), has been laid before Parliament in accordance with the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. This Amendment Agreement is intended to renew and update certain provisions in the MDA to ensure their continuing relevance and validity for a further period of 10 years until 31 December 2024. The original MDA and its subsequent amendments are available in the libraries, as they were previously laid under the Ponsonby Rule. In line with long-established practice, and as accepted by Parliament during the 2004 renewal, the annexes of the MDA cannot be placed in the libraries because of the sensitivity of their contents.
Asked by: Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party - Moray)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the goals of the UK are, as an Arctic Council observer state, for the Canadian chairmanship of the Arctic Council from 2013 to 2015.
Answered by James Duddridge
The Government’s aim for the Arctic is to work towards a region that is safe and secure; well governed in conjunction with indigenous peoples and in line with international law; where policies are developed on the basis of sound science with full regard to the environment; and where only responsible development takes place. The UK supports the Canadian priorities for its Chairmanship of the Arctic Council, particularly around strengthening the Arctic Council; safe Arctic shipping; and responsible resource development, all of which are in line with the Government’s full Arctic policy as outlined in its Arctic Policy Framework: Adapting To Change, published in October 2013.
Asked by: Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party - Moray)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many officials in his Department work exclusively on Arctic issues; and what the (a) title of position and (b) grade is of each such official.
Answered by James Duddridge
A range of officials from across Government departments input into the UK’s Arctic policy, reflecting the breadth of the UK’s policy interests in the Arctic as set out in the Government’s Arctic Policy Framework. Within the FCO, no one works exclusively on Arctic issues but a number of officials from across the office work collaboratively to develop the UK’s Arctic policy. The policy is coordinated by the Polar Regions Department, headed by a senior SMS1 official, and which chairs the cross-Government network. There is considerable input from posts in the eight Arctic States and the Arctic Council observer states, and from relevant policy officials and legal advisors in London on issues such as climate change, energy, international law and maritime policy.
Asked by: Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party - Moray)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total cost is of the current security contract with G4S in Afghanistan; what the tender for the next such contract is worth; who has expressed interest in that contract; and when the contract will be awarded.
Answered by David Lidington
The current security contract which has been in place since February 2010 with G4S in Afghanistan is worth approximately £120m and is due to end on 30/06/2015. The tender for the next such contract is worth an estimated value of £14-20m per annum and is likely to reduce over the lifetime of the contract. As this is currently a live tender, we are unable to provide details as to who has expressed interest in this contract, since this information is commercially sensitive.