Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the Government plans to ensure that the UK does not become part of the EU’s military unification project in the event that the UK remains in the European Defence Agency, the European Defence Fund, the European Defence Industrial Development Programme and the Permanent Structured Co-operation programme.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
NATO will remain the cornerstone of our defence and security, and the UK will retain full sovereign control over its defence policy and decision making. A deal with the EU will, however, enable us to cooperate on foreign and security policy issues of shared interest. Accordingly, the Political Declaration agreed in November 2018 states that the UK's future relationship with the EU should benefit from cooperation on capabilities that facilitate interoperability and to promote joint effectiveness of Armed Forces. It thereby provides the option for the UK to participate in mutually beneficial capability projects and initiatives on a case-by-case basis, through the European Defence Agency, the European Defence Fund and PESCO, subject to conditions in Union law.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the UK's sovereign ability to manufacture complete military jets in the event that the manufacture of Hawk aircraft in the UK ceases.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The 2018 UK Combat Air Strategy along with the £1.9 billion Ministry of Defence investment in the Future Combat Air System Technology Initiative will help support the skills, capability and capacity that provides combat air freedom of action and operational advantage as well as sustaining choice as to how a next generation combat air system is delivered.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure secure military communications hardware procurement maintains sovereign capability.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Whilst the Ministry of Defence's default approach is for open procurement, which eases interoperability with our international partners, there are a few cases where our objectives are served by specific sector approaches, which help either to deliver value-for-money, operational advantage or national freedom of action. One such sector is the high-grade cryptography required to protect our secure military communications; this creates a sovereign requirement to control cryptographic hardware production, deployment and support.
In addition, we continue to take a broader risk-based approach to the provision of military capability, which includes balancing the accessibility of widely used commercial technology, general military technology and bespoke sovereign technology. Consequently, the acquisition strategies for military capabilities are kept under review by the MOD's delivery agencies to ensure that they remain fit for purpose. To safeguard national security, it would not be appropriate to identify publicly further details of the aspects of capabilities we might regard as critical to be maintained in the UK and how we assure them.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's and NATO's defence capacity in the Arctic; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
As I announced in September 2018, the Ministry of Defence is developing a new Defence Arctic Strategy. As part of this work, an extensive assessment of current and future UK capacity in the Arctic is being undertaken, looking at both sovereign capability and capacity and the UK's contribution to NATO. The strategy is due to be published in the spring.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions Russian aircraft not using an on-board transponder have been detected in (a) approaches to and (b) inside UK airspace in each of the last five years; and if he will make statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
I am withholding details of the number of occasions Russian military aircraft were detected approaching UK airspace. The disclosure of this information would reveal details of the air defence of the UK which would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. There have been no unauthorised incursions by Russian military aircraft into UK sovereign airspace.
Asked by: Paul Sweeney (Labour (Co-op) - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what competitive tender process was completed for the construction of the current River-class batch two vessels under construction on the Clyde for the Royal Navy.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The contracts for the Batch 2 Offshore Patrol Vessels were awarded non-competitively to BAE Systems in order to preserve the UK sovereign capability to design, build and integrate warships and to set the entry conditions for a successful Type 26 Frigate programme.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the primary functions are of each of the UK's overseas military bases.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
In answering this question, we have defined 'the UK's overseas military bases' to mean the Permanent Joint Overseas Bases:
BRITISH FORCES SOUTH ATLANTIC ISLANDS (BFSAI)
The defence and security of the Falkland Islands remains a HMG priority, and as such we undertake regular assessments of potential military threats to ensure that we retain an appropriate level of defensive capability. The Ascension Island airfield is critical to our ability to support the Falkland Islands.
BRITISH DEFENCE SINGAPORE SUPPORT UNIT (BDSSU)
The UK maintains a permanent military presence in Singapore as a commitment to the Five Powers Defence Agreement. In addition, on request, BDSSU supply fuel to other nations' warships. The small team build on several strategic relationships in South East Asia and with the US contingent, who are collocated in Sembawang.
CYPRUS
British Forces Cyprus (BFC) protects and delivers against the UK's strategic interests, which includes its current contribution to both the air and land elements of OP SHADER, the UK commitment to the counter-Daesh coalition. RAF Akrotiri enables the rapid deployment of military capability within the region and beyond.
The Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) in Cyprus is the only UK Overseas Territory to be Administered by the Ministry of Defence. The UK maintains sovereignty over the SBAs for military purposes, whilst protecting the interests of those who reside or who work in the Areas and administering them in cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus.
DIEGO GARCIA
Diego Garcia, the main island and military base in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) under UK sovereignty, remains an important base for the defence needs of the UK and US. The Small UK Military contingent work with the BIOT Administration to demonstrate sovereignty and protect the 64,000km2 of pristine, ecologically important waters from illegal fishing activity.
DUQM
Duqm is a developing port situated approximately 500km south of Muscat. Important to the economic development of Oman, its location makes it strategically useful for the UK, US and others: it will facilitate maritime basing east of Suez but outside of the Gulf, including a dry dock capability able to accommodate submarines and QEII Class aircraft carriers.
GIBRALTAR
The UK maintains a permanent military presence in Gibraltar, maintaining key sites and Air and Sea Ports of Disembarkation, which allows reinforcement to ensure Gibraltar's security and territorial integrity. UK sovereignty of Gibraltar is demonstrated through a combination of presence and posture in order to reassure the Gibraltarians and to enable the maintenance of a Forward Mounting Base, and to provide security to one of the UKs overseas territories.
Asked by: Lord Northbrook (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to use current pension rights as a baseline for the new arrangements following the privatisation of the Sovereign Base Area's Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation, or to apply the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations to the Sovereign Base Area as they apply in the UK.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation (DFRMO) is not being privatised. Elements of the Defence Fire and Rescue capability are already delivered by contractors at a number of Defence's fire stations. The Defence Fire and Rescue Project is examining the provision of this capability worldwide to assess whether there are alternative ways to deliver the capability at improved value for money, including the extension of contractor involvement, whilst ensuring continued protection of key military activities. The process is currently at the stage where final approvals to award a contract are being sought.
Details of the Bidders' proposals for Cyprus are commercially sensitive but all employees' rights and employer responsibilities, including pension provision for the DFRMO Locally Employed Civilians in Cyprus, have been considered throughout the competition. Members of the Defence Fire and Rescue Service and their trade union representatives have been consulted at all stages of the project.
Asked by: Lord Northbrook (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the pension rights of those employed at the Sovereign Base Area's Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation of the proposed privatisation of that organisation; and whether there are any precedents for the proposed privatisation.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation (DFRMO) is not being privatised. Elements of the Defence Fire and Rescue capability are already delivered by contractors at a number of Defence's fire stations. The Defence Fire and Rescue Project is examining the provision of this capability worldwide to assess whether there are alternative ways to deliver the capability at improved value for money, including the extension of contractor involvement, whilst ensuring continued protection of key military activities. The process is currently at the stage where final approvals to award a contract are being sought.
Details of the Bidders' proposals for Cyprus are commercially sensitive but all employees' rights and employer responsibilities, including pension provision for the DFRMO Locally Employed Civilians in Cyprus, have been considered throughout the competition. Members of the Defence Fire and Rescue Service and their trade union representatives have been consulted at all stages of the project.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what priority his Department accords to maintaining UK sovereign warship design capability; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Guto Bebb
The National Shipbuilding Strategy (paragraph 92) was clear that for reasons of national security, the UK prioritises the need to retain the ability to design, build and integrate warships.