Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to maintain a military presence on the site of Kneller Hall in Whitton.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The decision to release Kneller Hall was confirmed as part of the Ministry of Defence’s land release announcement on 18 January 2016. Whilst the site will not be released before 2018, there are no plans to maintain a military presence (people permanently living and working) at the site once it has been released.
I am keen to reinforce the Military relationship with the Kneller hall site, utilising our historic links with Twickenham Borough Council who have signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant, pledging specific support for the Armed Forces Community.
We have also previously committed to continue to hold concerts at Kneller Hall in order to continue the association of the area with the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the (a) use and (b) location of UK-manufactured cluster bombs that were produced before the UK signed the Convention of Cluster Munitions.
Answered by Michael Fallon
The Ministry of Defence does not routinely hold records of the use by other nations or location of UK manufactured defence exports of any type.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether spending on the upkeep of the defence estate counts towards the Government's pledge to spend at least two per cent of GDP on defence, as defined by NATO.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
In accordance with NATO guidelines on Defence expenditure, spending on the upkeep of the defence estate to support our Armed Forces does count towards the Government's pledge to spend at least two per cent of GDP on defence.
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Government has spent on the upkeep of the site of Kneller Hall, Whitton, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Information on investment at Kneller Hall for each of the financial years for which figures are available is shown in the following table:
Financial Year | Total Spend £ million |
2009-2010 | 0.7 |
2010-2011 | 1.1 |
2011-2012 | 1.1 |
2012-2013 | 1.1 |
2013-2014 | 1.2 |
2014-2015 | 1.5 |
2015-2016 | 1.1 (estimate) |
Asked by: Tania Mathias (Conservative - Twickenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the potential sale value of the site of Kneller Hall, Whitton.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Although the Ministry of Defence has received an initial valuation for Kneller Hall, it is commercially sensitive and to release it would prejudice commercial interests.