PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
May 09. Committee of Public Accounts
Wednesday 13 May 15.30
Living Accommodation for Service Families
Oral evidence session:
Sir Bill Jeffrey KCB, Permanent Under Secretary of State, Vice Admiral
Tim Laurence CB MVO ADC, Chief Executive Defence Estates and Vice
Admiral P J Wilkinson CVO BA FCIPD, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff
(Personnel), Ministry of Defence
Previous NAO report to be used as basis of questions to be asked:
http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/0809/service_families_accommodation.a
spx
May 09. Publication of Government response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2008-09: Defence Equipment 2009
The Defence Committee will be publishing Defence Equipment 2009:
Government response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2008-09,
HC 491, as its First Special Report of Session 2008-09, at 11 00 am on
Wednesday 13 May 2009.
Lords Hansard text for 5 May 2009
Armed Forces: Aircraft
Question
Asked by Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether British components for F-16 fighter aircraft and Apache helicopters have been exported to the United States and subsequently used by Israel for attacks on south Lebanon and Gaza; and, if so, whether they will make representations to the government of the United States. [HL2506]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement—“Israel: Update on UK Strategic Export Controls” made by my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary on 21 April 2009 (Official Report, col. 8WS). We have received no reports that UK equipment or components, either directly or indirectly supplied to Israel, have been used in recent skirmishes along the Israel/Lebanon border. However, we are aware that Israeli aircraft do regularly fly over southern Lebanon in breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. These aircraft may have included UK-supplied components. We are working with the new US Administration on a wide range of subjects, including strategic exports, and continue to engage them at all levels.
Armed Forces: Equipment
Asked by Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether components for naval communications and radar for weapon sights and general military aircraft and naval vessels manufactured in the United Kingdom and exported to Israel have been used recently in south Lebanon and Gaza; and, if so, what action they will take. [HL2505]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement—“Israel: Update on UK Strategic Export Controls” made by my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary on 21 April 2009 (Official Report, col. 8WS). We have received no reports that UK equipment or components, either directly or indirectly supplied to Israel, have been used in recent skirmishes along the Israel/Lebanon border. However, we are aware that Israeli aircraft do regularly fly over southern Lebanon in breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. These aircraft may have included UK-supplied components. I can also assure you that all available information about UK-supplied equipment being used by the Israeli defence forces during Operation Cast Lead, will be taken into account when we assess future applications. We are also reviewing extant licences to see whether these need to be re-considered in light of the change in circumstances and will report to the Committees on Arms Export Control.
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 05 May 2009
EU Battlegroups
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what exercises with European Union military formations UK armed forces are committed for the next 18-months; and in which exercises they have participated in the
last 12-months. [272383]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: There are no standing European Union military formations, and the European Union does not conduct militar