PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
Nov 08. Parliament: Timetable.
* The Chancellor of the Exchequer is to deliver his Pre-Budget Statement to Parliament at 15.30hrs on Mon 24 Nov 08.
* The State Opening of Parliament is to take place on Wed 3 Dec 08.
* Parliament is to rise for the Christmas Recess on Thu 18 Dec 08 and to return on Mon 12 Jan 09. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0845, 17 Nov 08)
House of Lords Written Answers for 17 November 2008
RAF: Typhoon Aircraft
Lord Moonie asked Her Majesty’s Government: When they expect Paveway IV bombs to enter service on the Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft. [HL6116]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor
of Bolton): The Paveway IV weapon system is expected to enter service on Royal
Air Force Typhoon aircraft from early in the next decade.
House of Lords Written Answers for 12 November 2008
Armed Forces: Warships
Lord Moonie asked Her Majesty’s Government: When each (a) Type 22, (b) Type 23, (c) Type 43, and (d) Type 45 warship currently in service is scheduled for refit or extended maintenance; and how long in each case the scheduled refit is expected to take; and [How much time is expected to elapse in the service life of each (a) Type 22, (b) Type 23, (c) Type 43, and (d) Type 45 warship between each scheduled period of refit or extended maintenance. [HL5880]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): The MoD does not normally provide details of plans for future upkeep periods for Royal Navy vessels until such time as the upkeep work has been allocated and the contract awarded. To release future upkeep plans could enable deductions to be made that could be prejudicial to the capability, effectiveness and security of the Royal Navy. The time each Type 22 or Type 23 frigate and
Type 42 destroyer spends in refit depends on a number of factors, including the material state and operational deployment of the vessel, but is generally in excess of one year. The time between refits is generally in excess of four years. The first of the Type 45 destroyers is due to enter service in 2010.
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 18 November 2008
Defence
Adjutant Generals Corps
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria govern the selection of Adjutant General Administrative Instruction documents to be made available on the Ministry of Defence website. [236164]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Army General and Administrative Instructions (AGAIs) are internal documents and are not routinely published on the Ministry of Defence website. A decision on publishing a particular AGAI to the MOD website would be based on whether there is any information contained within it which is sensitive
in nature, and its perceived usefulness to those outside the Army community.
Afghanistan: Military Aid
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many tonnes of
charity clothing have been transported by the Royal Air Force using vacant cargo
space on regular sorties to and from Afghanistan. [236996]
Mr. Kevan Jones: We have no record of authorising the transport of charity
clothing to Afghanistan on RAF flights.
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of UK
armed forces are deployed in (a) Kabul and (b) Helmand province. [235172]
Mr. Hutton: The authorised level for UK forces in Afghanistan is around 8,000,
although the actual number of service personnel deployed in theatre can and does
vary. Of these, some 500 are based in Kabul, some 2,100 are based at Kandahar
airfield and some 5,400 are based in Helmand province.
Armed Forces
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many goodwill
parcels from the public intended for deployed troops were (a) received by his
Department and (b) delivered to troops on service in ea