PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
May 09. Parliament: Timetable. Both Houses return from the Whitsun Recess on Mon 1 Jun 09. The House of Commons is to elect a new Speaker on Mon 22 Jun 09. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/20, 01 June 09)
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 01 Jun 2009
Afghanistan
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent
assessment he has made of the military situation in Afghanistan. [277540]
Mr. Hutton: Progress has been made, but the insurgency remains resilient. The majority of people can go about their daily lives, but in certain areas of the country, particularly in the south and east, significant security challenges remain.
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent
assessment he has made of (a) internal and (b) external threats to the security of Afghanistan. [277542]
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of (a) internal and (b) external threats to the security of Afghanistan. [277557]
Mr. Hutton: Our assessment is that Afghanistan faces a serious security
challenge from within and outside its borders, and this threat will continue for the foreseeable future. The NATO ISAF mission will continue to support the democratically elected Government of Afghanistan as it seeks to address these threats using a politically-led approach to dismantle the insurgency; and by building the capacity and capabilities of its security forces.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department’s policy is on the present and future use of unmanned aerial vehicles by the armed forces. [277541]
Mr. Quentin Davies: On current operations, unmanned aerial vehicles are giving our troops vital information and are an invaluable asset for our commanders. They have a crucial role to play in future operations and we will continue to invest in them.
Training: New Equipment
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are in place to provide that troops receive training on new equipment before deployment to theatre with such equipment. [277547]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Mr. Evennett).
Burden Sharing
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions on burden sharing have taken place in the North Atlantic Council. [277548]
Mr. Hutton: The North Atlantic Council routinely discusses all aspects of NATO operations, including burden-sharing. Last month, the issue of burden-sharing featured prominently at the Alliance’s Summit meeting, and it will do so again when NATO Defence Ministers meet on 11 to 12 June.
Afghanistan: Military Vehicles
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the main
characteristic requirements are which his Department demands for military
vehicles used in Afghanistan. [277550]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The requirements of vehicles for Afghanistan are primarily determined by the specific task the vehicle is to carry out and the threat it is expected to face. This means we need to find the right balance between capability, survivability, serviceability, mobility and physical protection for each task.
Defence Storage and Distribution Agency
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he
has made of the future role of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency. [277552]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The Defence Storage and Distribution Agency is being
reviewed under the Treasury’s Operational Efficiency programme in order to maximise value for money for the taxpayer. A progress report was published in the Operational Efficiency Programme Final Report in April 2009. Work to date has concentrated on identifying a range of possible business models to deliver its services while