• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Excelitas Qioptiq banner

BATTLESPACE Updates

   +44 (0)77689 54766
   

  • Home
  • Features
  • News Updates
  • Defence Engage
  • Company Directory
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media Pack 2023

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

September 4, 2009 by

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 01 Sep 2009

Defence: Research

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what cash allocations his Department has made for defence research for each of the next two years; and if he will make a statement. [288608]

Mr. Quentin Davies: The current planning assumption is that the science
innovation and technology budget will have available approximately £439 million in 2010-11. This compares with £544 million in 2009-10 when calculated on the same basis. Departmental expenditure limits have not yet been set for the years beyond 2010-11.

Departmental Budgets

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department’s science innovation and technology budget is for 2010-11. [284525]

Mr. Quentin Davies: The current planning assumption is that the SIT budget will have available approximately £439 million in 2010-11. This compares with £544 million in 2009-10 when calculated on the same basis. Departmental expenditure limits have not yet been set for the years beyond 2010-11.

Trident

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of
conventional forces protecting Trident was in 2008-09. [288764]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We do not routinely calculate the operating cost of specific committed or contingent force elements in support of the deterrent, and such estimates are necessarily illustrative. The answer, the right hon. Des Browne, as Defence Secretary, gave to the hon. Member on 8 March 2007, Official Report, column 2131W, estimated the annual operating costs of committed conventional force elements to be around £25-30 million. We have not prepared a more recent estimate as to do so would incur disproportionate costs.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on Trident II; and what his Department’s estimate is of how much it would cost to order (a) three and (b) four boats to replace Trident I. [287200]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The current Trident II D5 missile is expected to remain in service until 2042. No expenditure has been incurred on a successor to the Trident II D5 missile. As set out in the 2006 White Paper, we estimate that the procurement costs of the replacement for the current Vanguard class submarines will be between £11-14 billion at 2006-07 prices. The total spent on the replacement submarine and associated propulsion system since the beginning of April 2007 to the end of
June 2009 is some £250 million. Work is ongoing to assess whether continuous at sea deterrence could be achieved with a three boat fleet, and at what cost.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his
Department has undertaken into the skill levels and qualifications required to fly unmanned aerial vehicles. [288198]

Mr. Kevan Jones: The UK’s armed forces currently operate a range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Medium Altitude Long Endurance Reaper System is flown by fully qualified pilots following their completion of conversion training. Smaller systems, such as Hermes 450 and Desert Hawk, do not require the full range of pilot skills and can therefore be operated by non-pilots who have received specialist UAV training only. Several UK studies have been undertaken into current and future requirements for skill levels and qualifications for UAV operators as our capabilities in this area have developed. These include studies to define the skills and competences required to underpin operator selection and training and to derive formal standards for training programmes. This work is ongoing.

USA: Arms Trade

Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made on the Defence Technology Transfer Treaty between the US and UK; and if he will make a statement. [288606]

Mr. Quentin Davies: Her Majesty’s Government continue to discuss the Defence Trade Cooperatio

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • qioptiq.com
  • Exensor
  • TCI
  • Visit the Oxley website
  • Visit the Viasat website
  • Blighter
  • SPECTRA
  • Britbots logo
  • Faun Trackway
  • Systematic
  • CISION logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • businesswire logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • ssafa logo
  • Atkins
  • IEE
  • EXFOR logo
  • KME logo
  • DSEi
  • sibylline logo
  • Team Thunder logo
  • Commando Spirit - Blended Scoth Whisy
  • Comtech logo
Hilux Military Raceday Novemeber 2023 Chepstow

Contact Us

BATTLESPACE Publications
Old Charlock
Abthorpe Road
Silverstone
Towcester NN12 8TW

+44 (0)77689 54766

BATTLESPACE Technologies

An international defence electronics news service providing our readers with up to date developments in the defence electronics industry.

Recent News

  • EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES

    January 27, 2023
    Read more
  • VETERANS UPDATE

    January 27, 2023
    Read more
  • MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE

    January 27, 2023
    Read more

Copyright BATTLESPACE Publications © 2002–2023.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue to use the website, we'll assume you're ok with this.   Read More  Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT