Parliament: Timetable
* 4,149 candidates are contesting the 650 House of Commons seats in the General Election to be held on Thu 6 May 10.
* The new Parliament will meet on Tue 18 May 10 for the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in
of Members.
* The State opening and HM The Queen’s Speech will take place on Tue 25 May 10.
House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 07 Apr 2010
Chinook Helicopters
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the details of the contract he has signed with Boeing in respect of the acquisition of additional Chinook helicopters; and whether (a) the contract will provide for the provision of the Julius cockpit design and (b) the helicopters will be acquired under the US foreign military sales. [325790]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Long-lead engineering work and acquisition of long-lead manufacturing components will be undertaken under the contract signed with Boeing on 23 March 2010. This work is necessary to protect the critical path to delivery of initial aircraft during the course of 2012 and 2013. No final decision has yet been made on the cockpit configuration, nor on the procurement route, although if the Julius cockpit solution is selected this would not be under a US foreign military sale. I expect the Main Gate investment decision to be taken very shortly.
Electronic Warfare
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the feasibility of strengthening military systems against electromagnetic attacks; and what estimate he has made of the cost of undertaking such work. [323136]
Bill Rammell: It would not be in the interests of national security to provide information about specific vulnerabilities, assessments or protective measures relating to electromagnetic attack.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effects on the critical infrastructure of his Department of an electromagnetic pulse strike caused (a) deliberately and (b) through solar activity. [321755]
Bill Rammell: Information about specific vulnerabilities, assessments or protective measures relating to electromagnetic pulse strike is being withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security.