PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
21 Jan 09. Defence Committee
Evidence Session
UK national security and resilience
Tuesday 27 January 2009
At 10.30 am in Committee Room 8, Palace of Westminster (room subject to change), oral evidence will be taken from:
o General Sir David Richards KCB CBE DSO, Commander-in-Chief Land Forces, Ministry of Defence
At 11.30 am (approx)
o Niki Tompkinson, Director, TRANSEC, Department for Transport
o Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe, Lead Officer for Maritime and Air Support Policing, Association of Chief Police Officers
o Rod Johnson, Chief Coastguard, Maritime and Coastguard Agency
o Brodie Clark, Head, Border Force, UK Border Agency
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 21 Jan 2009
European Fighter Aircraft
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when firm orders will be
placed for Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft; in what
respects their capabilities will differ from Tranche 1 aircraft; and if he will
make a statement. [248632]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The contract for Typhoon Tranche 2 was signed in December
2004 and the first deliveries of aircraft from that tranche commenced in October
2008. Tranche 1 aircraft are optimised for air-to-air combat; an air-to-surface capability has also been integrated and was declared combat ready by the RAF in
July 2008. In common with the Tranche 1 specification, Tranche 2 aircraft have air-to-air capability, and an enhanced air-to-surface capability is scheduled to be integrated on Tranche 2 aircraft from 2012. Negotiations with partner nations and industry are continuing on the Typhoon Tranche 3 contract and decisions will be taken once these negotiations are complete.
NATO Response Force
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units form the British
commitment to the NATO Response Force in 2009. [249734]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: From January to June 2009, the UK’s commitment to the NATO
Response Force is a Maritime Component Command Flagship with Destroyer/Frigate
escort, Mine Hunter and associated logistic support (an Auxiliary Repair Ship,
Support Ship and Logistic Ship Dock (Auxiliary) with Boarding Team); and a
Deployable Air Operating Base, four Air Defence Aircraft, four Fighter Bomber
Aircraft and four Close Air Support Aircraft together with two Transport
Aircraft and up to two Airborne Early Warning Aircraft. From July to December 2009, the UK will contribute a Destroyer/Frigate Escort Ship and a Maritime Patrol Aircraft; a Land Component Command Headquarters and associated support, and a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Company; six Fighter Bomber Aircraft, six Close Air Support Aircraft, two Air-to-Air Refuelling Aircraft, two Transport Aircraft and up to two Airborne Early Warning Aircraft.
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 20 Jan 2009
Aircraft Carriers
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the decision to
delay the in-service date of the new aircraft carriers by up to two years will
have on the procurement of aircraft to operate from the carriers. [248364]
Mr. Quentin Davies: None.
Estonia: Defence Sales
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Estonian
government paid for the three British Sandown-class minehunters; and what
Treasury guidelines were followed in this case. [248809]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The sale price for the three Sandown class ships to Estonia
was £32 million (the gross return to MOD). The net return to MOD, however, will
be adjusted by costs for regeneration of the vessels and training of crew prior
to delivery. Regeneration is being carried out under incentivised arrangements
and thus the final costs will not be known until completion of the work. In
accordance with HM Treasury delegations, a business case was prepared and
scrutinised by the appropriate authorities.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Sec