Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the UK's liaison officer to Eurocorps was withdrawn.
Answered by Julian Brazier
We have no digital record of there being a UK liaison officer to the Eurocorps.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the length of time for which UK naval resources will be committed to Operation Sophia.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
We have committed to maintain our naval vessel HMS ENTERPRISE in Operation SOPHIA until August 2016. We will continue to assess our contribution in line with the changing mandate and requirements of the operation.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of UK service personnel currently deployed on EU missions.
Answered by Julian Brazier
The UK currently has around 120 Service personnel deployed on five EU missions, principally on Operation SOPHIA, where HMS Enterprise is employed in the Mediterranean.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 May to Question 37624, when the UK representative to Eurocorps was withdrawn.
Answered by Julian Brazier
The UK has never been a member of the Eurocorps.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the UK's financial commitment to the EUFOR has been in each of the last three years.
Answered by Julian Brazier
EUFOR ALTHEA is a European Union Common Security and Defence Policy operation, conducted under EU-NATO Berlin Plus arrangements, that contributes to a safe and secure environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The Government regards it as a central part of its policy towards BiH. The UK committed £3.1 million in 2013, £2.8 million in 2014, and £1.9 million in 2015 to the operation.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the value of the UK defence industry's total exports to the EU in each of the last three years.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Official Government statistics do not differentiate exports to the European region between EU and non-EU countries. In 2013, UK defence exports to the European region accounted for 12% of total sales by value, approximately £1.3 billion. In 2014, UK defence exports to the European region accounted for 10% of total sales by value, approximately £800 million. Official statistics for 2015 will be released later this year.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UK's naval contribution to EU anti-people trafficking operations in the Mediterranean.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
The UK is contributing HMS ENTERPRISE to Operation SOPHIA and eight staff to the Operational Headquarters. HMS ENTERPRISE has been valuable in developing a picture of the maritime environment and smuggling routes. UK assets have destroyed 27 vessels to prevent re-use and identified nine smugglers to the Italian authorities. Furthermore, UK ships have rescued over a quarter of the total number of migrants saved by the entire operation - 3,700 out of 13,700. More broadly, we assess that Operation SOPHIA has left the smugglers unable to operate with impunity in international waters. This is progress on which we can build. We remain committed to working with the Libyan Government of National Accord to move to the later phases of the operation once the right conditions are in place and prevent the smugglers from putting people to sea.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what operational contingency plan his Department has made in the event of the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Michael Fallon
None.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding the Government provided for the EU battlegroup in each year since 2010.
Answered by Michael Fallon
None.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on his Department's expenditure of the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Michael Fallon
None.