Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent representations he has received on compensation for Christmas Island nuclear test veterans; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Anna Soubry
In May 2013, the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) (War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Chamber) heard appeals from a group of Nuclear Test Veterans against the decisions on their war pension applications.
Those appellants who were unsuccessful subsequently, appealed to the Upper-tier Tribunal (UTT). On 5 November 2014, the UTT remitted the case back to the FTT. The Ministry of Defence is preparing for this remitted hearing. While this process remains under way, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the threat posed to the UK by extremist training camps in southern Libya.
Answered by Philip Dunne
We keep the security situation in southern Libya under close review. We assess that a number of extremist groups consider that region to be an increasingly permissive environment. We continue to work closely with other Government Departments and agencies, particularly JTAC (the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre), to monitor, and consider how best to deal with, potential threats to the UK and UK interests.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent representations he has received on the movement of illegal arms in and out of Libya.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The Ministry of Defence has regular discussions with international partners and Other Government Departments to address the security situation in Libya and the region, including the issue of unsecured arms and ammunition. Instability in Libya is exacerbated by the scale of the now largely unsecured arms and ammunition amassed earlier by the Ghadaffi regime and the porosity of Libya's borders. Illegal flows of arms and ammunition, extremism and the growing terrorist threat from Libya affect the whole region and are significant issues of concern for the international community.
Asked by: Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent reports he has received on the extent of the circulation of illegal weapons in Libya.
Answered by Mark Francois - Shadow Minister (Defence)
We closely monitor the illegal arms trade with regards to Libya, and the risks of proliferation associated with uncontrolled stocks of weapons and ammunition.