PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS FROM PS2 THE LEADING U.K. GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMPANY
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THURSDAY 20 MAY
Questions for Written Answer
Notices given on Friday 16 April
Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance he is offering to manufacturers of windmill blades in overcoming problems of radar reflection on military aircraft
WEDNESDAY 19 MAY
Questions for Written Answer
Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether US nuclear weapons will be withdrawn from the UK as part of the current withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Europe; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information he has received regarding changes in numbers or strength of US forces based in the UK as part of the US Global Posture Realignment process; and if he will make a statement.
Written Answers to Questions
The following answers were received betweenFriday 2 April and Friday 16 April 2004
DEFENCE
Afghanistan
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to send more troops to Afghanistan to bolster NATO-led operations in the coming months; and if he will make a statement. [165598]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 31 March 2004, Official Report, column 96WS.
Aircraft Carriers
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with which countries talks have taken place on the sale of UK aircraft carriers. [165392]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence’s Disposal Services Agency has had no discussions with foreign nations on the disposal of the Navy’s current aircraft carriers when they reach the end of their planned in-service life.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the construction of the two new aircraft carriers; what the military specifications of the aircraft carriers will be; and if he will make a statement on the contract for construction. [165614]
Mr. Ingram: The Future Carrier (CVF) programme is currently in its assessment phase and discussions are continuing on the contracting arrangements for the demonstration and manufacture (D&M) of the carriers. As with any new equipment project, the Department has not sought to fix the dimensions of the aircraft carriers during this phase. The design of the ships will continue to evolve as we seek to balance overall performance, time and cost as part of normal assessment phase activity. Ministers are currently considering proposals on the overall CVF programme and on when to proceed to the D&M phases.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on NATO presence in Bosnia-Herzegovina once the EU has taken over the Stabilisation Force operation there; and if he will make a statement. [165595]
Mr. MacShane: I have been asked to reply. Work continues on the delineation of tasks between the EU and NATO in Bosnia once the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) withdraws. We would expect the continuing but limited NATO role in Bosnia to focus on defence outreach and some operational tasks, including in support of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, once SFOR withdraws.
Departmental Budget
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department’s budgetary requirement over the next decade. [165548]
Mr. Ingram: Spending plans for 2004-05 and 2005-06 are set out in the Government’s Expenditure Plans for the Ministry of Defence 2003-04 to 2005-06, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Spending plans up to 2007-08 are the subject of the 2004 Spending Review, which will conclude later this year. Plans beyond 2007-08 will be addressed in future spending reviews.
Destroyers
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence