Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Answered by Ben Wallace
Defence continues to play a leading role in helping Ukraine defend its territorial integrity, working with Allies and partners to support Ukraine’s right to be a sovereign, independent and democratic nation.
We are providing lethal and non-lethal military aid to meet Ukrainian Armed Forces’ requests for assistance and coordinating the provision of additional military support from our Allies and partners to enable Ukraine to repel Russian aggression.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for the Armed Forces of 9 December 2020, Official Report, column 872, what assessment he has made of the significance of gold mining to the financing of terrorist organisations in (a) Mali and (b) neighbouring countries; what discussions he has had with international counterparts on that matter; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence has made an assessment of the relationship between artisanal gold mining and the funding of Violent Extremist Organisations (VEOs). The level of funding for VEOs, originating from the sale of gold is assessed to be low, with ransom for kidnap activities and their illicit smuggling activities more of a concern. Nonetheless, part of the UN MINUSMA mission is to encourage better governance in Mali which would tackle the funnelling of funds to support VEOs. The UK will also seek to raise the issue with the Economic Community of West African States.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was of (a) electricity and (b) natural gas used by (i) his Department, (ii) the Defence Electronics and Components Agency, (iii) the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, (iv) the UK Hydrographic Office, (v) the National Army Museum, (vi) the National Museum of the Royal Navy, (vii) the Royal Air Force Museum, (viii) Fleet Air Arm Museum, (ix) the Royal Marines Museum and (x) the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The attached table shows the quantity and cost of electricity and natural gas used by the Ministry of Defence and the listed organisations in the last three years.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the quantity was of (a) electricity and (b) natural gas used by (i) his Department, (ii) the Defence Electronics and Components Agency, (iii) the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, (iv) the UK Hydrographic Office, (v) the National Army Museum, (vi) the National Museum of the Royal Navy, (vii) the Royal Air Force Museum, (viii) Fleet Air Arm Museum, (ix) the Royal Marines Museum and (x) the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The attached table shows the quantity and cost of electricity and natural gas used by the Ministry of Defence and the listed organisations in the last three years.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what coordination he is undertaking with other EU member states on the deployment of military assets to rescue migrants and refugees at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Royal Navy is not currently involved in a Search and Rescue Mission in the Mediterranean. However, HMS Enterprise, which is currently deployed as part of the EU Naval Forces Operation in the Mediterranean, will coordinate with assets from other EU member states in order to respond to vessels in distress.
In addition, a Royal Marine force protection team is deployed on board the Border Force chartered vessel MV VOS GRACE currently in the Aegean Sea, supporting the EU's FRONTEX-led search and rescue operation.
In total, the UK has rescued over 12,500 people in the Mediterranean.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2015 to Question 8772, how many people have been rescued from the Mediterranean Sea each week since then by (a) HMS Enterprise and (b) all Royal Navy vessels.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The total number of migrants rescued each week by all Royal Navy vessels in the Mediterranean in support of the EU Naval Forces Operation tackling migrant smuggling and trafficking (EUNAVFOR Op SOPHIA) since 9 September 2015 are:
Week commencing | Number of Migrants Rescued by HMS ENTERPRISE | Number of Migrants Rescued by HMS RICHMOND | |
07-September 2015 | 0 | ||
14-September 2015 | 377 | ||
21-September 2015 | 220 | ||
28-September 2015 | 0 | ||
05-October 2015 | 639 | ||
12-October 2015 | 0 | ||
19-October 2015 | 0 | ||
26-October 2015 | 439 | 102 | |
02-November 2015 | 134 | ||
09-November 2015 | 0 | ||
16-November 2015 | 0 | ||
23-November 2015 | 54 | ||
30-November 2015 | 414 | ||
07-December 2015 | 0 | ||
14-December 2015 | 0 | ||
21-December 2015 | 0 | ||
28-December 2015 | 188 | ||
04-January 2016 | 0 | ||
11-January 2016 | 0 | ||
18-January 2016 | 0 | ||
Total | 2,331 | 236 Total 2,537 |
HMS ENTERPRISE deployed to the Mediterranean on 3 July 2015 and is the current UK contribution to EUNAVFOR Op SOPHIA.
In addition, the UK contributed HMS RICHMOND to EUNAVFOR Op SOPHIA from 25 October 2015 to 21 November 2015.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment has been made of the health and wellbeing of refugees and asylum seekers who arrived at the UK Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus (a) in 1998 and (b) in October 2015; and what steps are being taken to support their health and wellbeing.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
There is no requirement to carry out assessments of the refugees and asylum seekers who arrived in 1998 as arrangements for these individuals were made some time ago to have access to health facilities in the Republic of Cyprus as and when they require. Those occupying the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) Transit Facility located in Dhekelia who arrived in the SBA on 21 October 2015 have regular access to medical, dental and other health facilities as required. Local non-governmental organisations have engaged with the migrants and offered psycho-social support including access to social workers and refugee specialists. The Republic of Cyprus has recently commenced an education package for children and adults at the facility. Separately, the International Committee of the Red Cross, British Red Cross and Cyprus Red Cross assessed health and wellbeing in November 2015.
We have also had an official from the Department for International Development providing advice on the ground, to help us meet the refugees needs.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans the Government has to attempt to remove or deport refugees and asylum seekers at the the UK Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus to third countries.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Under Sovereign Base Areas legislation, people whose asylum claims fail are liable for deportation. Some applications for asylum in Cyprus are still being processed.
We will seek to deport those who have not claimed asylum or have had their application rejected.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2015 to Question 7650, how many people HMS Enterprise has rescued from the Mediterranean sea in each week since 29 June 2015.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Since deploying to the Mediterranean on 3 July 2015 in support of the EU Naval Forces Operation tackling migrant smuggling and trafficking (EUNAVFOR Med), HMS ENTERPRISE has rescued 453 migrants. All of the 453 migrants were rescued over the weekend of 22-23 August.
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to his Department's budget has been of the use of HMS Enterprise in the Mediterranean.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
HMS ENTERPRISE is currently based in the Mediterranean Sea in support of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy Operation, which remains ongoing. For this period of activity the Ministry of Defence (MOD) will receive the net additional costs of the use of HMS ENTERPRISE, from the Deployed Military Activity Pool (DMAP). In line with established HM Treasury policy the MOD recovers only the net additional costs of an activity from the DMAP, which are those costs that the department would not have incurred but for undertaking that activity. As such, the use of HMS ENTERPRISE in the Mediterranean is cost neutral to the defence budget.