Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is supporting Nigerian armed forces in training their personnel to protect (a) religious minorities and (b) other vulnerable groups.
Answered by Leo Docherty
Through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we are committed to supporting Nigeria to improve security across the country and protect human rights. This includes supporting the Armed Forces of Nigeria to build their capacity to counter internal and regional security threats, which continue to take a significant toll on civilians. Our engagement aims to ensure an integrated civilian and military approach to these challenges. UK Defence training will always stress the need to respect International Law and the importance of adhering to international standards, including human rights and human security to protect religious minorities and vulnerable groups.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times the RAF has been deployed to intercept aircraft in Republic of Ireland airspace in each of the last three years.
Answered by James Heappey
There have been no instances over the last three years of RAF aircraft being deployed to intercept aircraft within the airspace of the Republic of Ireland.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has an agreement in place with the Republic of Ireland on air defence cover.
Answered by James Heappey
I am withholding any response to questions on other nation's sovereign airspace access, as these should be for the nation in question to answer; therefore any further questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Government of Ireland.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s policy is on UK military aircraft entering the airspace of the Republic of Ireland for operational purposes.
Answered by James Heappey
UK Military aircraft do not enter the sovereign airspace of Ireland for operational purposes, without the express prior agreement of the Irish Government. The RAF polices the UK Flight Information Region (FIR) on behalf of NATO and the international community and would only enter foreign national airspace when authorised to do so. Questions on sovereign airspace access and associated regulations are for individual nations to answer, therefore any questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Irish Government.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will take steps to commemorate (a) Holocaust Memorial Day 2018, (b) the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by allied forces and (c) the role played by British forces in defeating the Nazi regime; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence will be marking this year's Holocaust Memorial Day in the Department's London Headquarters Memorial Courtyard on Wednesday 24 January. The event is part of a cross-Government commemoration involving 18 Departments and has been organised in conjunction with the Holocaust Educational Trust. This will be an opportunity to hear the personal testimony of a Holocaust survivor and consider Defence's contribution to the liberation of the concentration camps. It will also be a chance to reflect on the enduring relevance of the Holocaust to today's world.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to commemorate the role of British soldiers in liberating Bergen-Belson in World War Two.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The brave British and Canadian liberation of Bergen-Belsen on 15 April 1945 marked the end of suffering for thousands of men, women and children. Whilst the Ministry of Defence has no plans to hold a dedicated commemorative event, the Department will support events where possible.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will launch an inquiry into the conduct of the war in Afghanistan.
Answered by Mark Francois - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Ministry of Defence has been learning lessons through our operations in Afghanistan, from better detection and defusing of IEDs to the training of Afghan forces to ensure they can provide their own security. Our recent focus has been on successful drawdown from the ISAF combat mission and transition to the NATO Resolute Support Mission. The Government will want to look at broader lessons that can be learned from the campaign. The Government will consider how best to do that in a way that would enable it to implement any lessons learnt quickly and practically so they have a real impact.