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EUROPE
16 Jul 13. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. From 1 Jan 06 to 30 Jun 13, 2,139 personnel were Wounded in Action and 6,842 were aeromedically evacuated. (DASA, 16 Jul 13.) In May 2013 there were four Wounded in Action and 67 aeromedically evacuated and in June 2013 the figures were five and 53 respectively.
Comment: British Generals in Blair’s Wars was eventually released by Ashgate on 23 Jul 13 (ISBN 978140 9437369 for £23:90 paperback). This excellent collection of 26 essays includes five covering the current Afghan Campaign and is thoroughly recommended. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/30, 29 Jul 13)
17 Jul 13. Government Communications HQ (GCHQ): Allegations “Unfounded.” The Foreign Secretary said (17 Jul 13) that he welcomed the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) findings that allegations against GCHQ are “unfounded”.
Comment: An allegation had been made that GCHQ had acted illegally by accessing communications content via the PRISM programme. (PRISM being a programme through which the US Government obtains intelligence material from internet service providers.) The ISC is a statutory committee of Parliament with responsibility for oversight of the UK intelligence community. The main parts of the intelligence community are GCHQ (as above), the Security Service (or MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (or MI6). (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/30, 29 Jul 13)
17 Jul 13. Northern Ireland: Security Situation. The Northern Ireland Secretary delivered (17 Jul 13) her second bi-annual update to the House of Commons on the security situation in Northern Ireland. The threat level in Northern Ireland has remained at severe. (meaning that an attack remains highly likely), while the threat level in Great Britain is moderate. (meaning that an attack is possible but not likely).
Comment: The Secretary of State’s Statement followed “a very successful G8 summit in Northern Ireland that passed without significant incident” (on 17/18 Jun 13). The full Statement is recorded in Hansard for 17 Jul 13, starting in Column 115 WS. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/30, 29 Jul 13)
24 Jul 13. Use of Armed Force: Report. The House of Lords Constitution Committee published (24 Jul 13) a Report on the Constitutional Arrangements for the use of Armed Force. The Report considers both the Government.s internal decision-making process and Parliament’s role. The Committee considers that the full Cabinet should continue to be the ultimate decision-maker within Government on whether to use armed force overseas. It is also recommended that the Government’s internal arrangements should be detailed in the Cabinet Manual.
Comment: The Committee decided to take evidence against the background of “an ongoing debate about Parliament’s role in approving the use of armed force overseas”. The Committee was also concerned that “the Government’s intentions as to the role Parliament should play in the civil war in Syria have been unclear, with the Government taking some time to commit to giving the House of Commons a vote before any decision to arm the Syrian National Coalition.”. The Report is published as House of Lords paper 46, for £8:50. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 13/30, 29 Jul 13)
17 Jul 13. Arms Exports: Report Published. The Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) published (17 Jul 13) a Report on Arms Exports and Arms
Control (2013). Volume 1 of HC 205 contains the Report together with formal minutes. Volume II is a memorandum from the Chairman to the Committees covering organisation and operational issues while
Volume III is a record of oral and written evidence. The 2013 CAEC Report “scrutinises the Government’s arms exports and arms control policies and practices in unprecedented depth and det