Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Scottish shipyard industry on future maintenance of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Answered by Guto Bebb
The following dry-dock facilities in the UK are of a sufficient size to accommodate the Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers:
Able UK, Seaton Port, Teeside; Babcock, Rosyth; Cammell Laird, Birkenhead; Cammell Laird, Greenock (Inchgreen); Harland and Wolff, Belfast.
Plans for the dry-docking of QEC aircraft carriers are currently under consideration as part of a commercial competitive process. It would be inappropriate to comment on which locations are under consideration until that process has been concluded and a contract has been awarded, as to do so would prejudice commercial interests. For the same reason I cannot comment on any engagement with industry in relation to the dry-docking of QEC aircraft carriers.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2017 to Question 70282, if he will take steps as part of the 100th anniversary commemorations of the RAF to arrange for the name MacRobert's Spirit to be given to a Typhoon fighter aircraft.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
There are no plans to name a RAF Typhoon aircraft "MacRobert's Spirit" as part of the 100th anniversary commemorations of the RAF.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2017 to Question 70281, if he will take steps to grant posthumous awards for (a) Lady MacRobert and (b) other non-service personnel.
Answered by Mike Penning
Further to my answer of 20 April 2017 to question 70281 I can confirm that there are no plans to grant posthumous awards to non-service personnel as part of the RAF's 100th anniversary commemorations.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2017 to Question 70279, if he will take steps to allow the posthumous naming of a current RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft, MacRobert's Spirit - not for self but for country, after Lady MacRobert in recognition of her philanthropic donation of four fighter aircraft during the Second World War.
Answered by Mike Penning
The RAF is rightly proud of its connections with the MacRobert family. Whilst there are no plans to name a Typhoon as "MacRobert Spirit - Not For Self But For Country", the RAF will be naming a 6 Squadron Typhoon "Sir Roderic" after one of Lady MacRobert's fallen sons who served with the Squadron.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what procedures are in place for the naming of RAF aircraft.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Development)
The RAF does not routinely give individual aircraft names and there is no formal protocol or regulation regarding the naming of RAF aircraft. However, aircraft are occasionally given names and there is precedent, particularly during World War II, for philanthropic individuals or groups to donate aircraft and they were often given the opportunity to name them.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans are in place to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the RAF; and what discussions he has had with the RAF on the granting of posthumous awards for service personnel.
Answered by Mike Penning
Plans to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the RAF are well advanced. Events will take place across the UK throughout 2018 with the key event being a service taking place on 10 July 2018 at Westminster Abbey followed by a large flypast. Plans do not include the posthumous award of decorations for Service personnel.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are plans in place to use the 100th anniversary of the RAF to commemorate the financial contribution made to the RAF by Lady MacRobert.
Answered by Mike Penning
There are no plans to use the 100th anniversary of the RAF to recognise Lady MacRobert's financial contribution to the RAF. The connection between the RAF and the MacRobert family is already maintained through the MacRobert Prize for graduating officers at RAF Cranwell. The Lady MacRobert Trophy is awarded between contesting Air Training Corps (ATC) squadrons in the North East Scotland Wing whilst 49F (Greenock (MacRobert's Reply)) Squadron of the ATC bears the family name.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department keeps records of the movements of foreign military flights that have landed in the UK after they leave UK airspace.
Answered by Mike Penning
For foreign military flights that are required to complete the Diplomatic Flight Clearance process prior to landing in the UK, it is a requirement of that process to state on the clearance request what the destination is for the next flight on departing UK Airspace.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any military flights landing at Prestwick Airport since 2013 have had munitions on board.
Answered by Mike Penning
It is a requirement of the Diplomatic Flight Clearance (DFC) process to state whether an aircraft is carrying any dangerous air cargo and the next destination. However DFC is not required for all military flights. Therefore, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold a complete record of all military flights wishing to enter UK airspace, its cargo and/or its destination airport.
In addition, the MOD does not record whether a state aircraft flight has landed, which is a matter for individual airports.
For UK military flights using Prestwick, the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish information relating to the costs to the public purse of his Department's use of Prestwick Airport.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Development)
Prestwick Airport is used by the RAF as a stopping point en route to North America and for training purposes. In the current financial year, to date, it is estimated that approximately £326,000 has been spent on landing and handling fees.
The airport is also used infrequently by other parts of defence, such as Joint Helicopter Command, but information regarding this usage is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.