11 Jul 13. The Defence Committee announced a new inquiry into current and future use of Remotely Piloted Air Systems by the UK military and intelligence communities. This inquiry is the second of a series which have evolved from our inquiry Towards the next Defence and Security Review. These will cover a number of significant strands which the Committee believe would benefit from further Defence Committee consideration. Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) are also often referred to colloquially as Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) or “drones”. The UK’s RPAS capabilities are established and, potentially, expanding. Several systems, including the armed Reaper aircraft, have been used by UK forces in Afghanistan. Domestically, in recent months, test flights to prove the technology for civilian unmanned aircraft have been carried out by the ASTRAEA consortium. The aim of the programme is to enable the routine use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in all classes of airspace without the need for restrictive or specialised conditions of operation. In this context, the Committee wishes to examine:
* Nomenclature – defining the terms RPAS, UAS and “drone”;
* Current utility and dispersal – for what purposes are RPAS used currently?;
* Lessons learned from operations in Afghanistan;
* Tomorrow’s potential – what additional capabilities will the UK seek to develop from now to 2020?;
* Constraints on the use of RPAS in the UK and overseas; and
* Ethical and legal issues arising from the use of RPAS.The Committee will make recommendations to inform the future development and use of RPAS by the UK in the context of the next Strategic Defence and Security Review. The Committee would welcome written evidence to this inquiry. This should be sent to the Clerk of the Defence Committee by Friday 13 September 2013.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for Wednesday 10 July 2013

Defence: Procurement

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which financial year will act as the baseline from which the annual real terms one per cent increase in defence equipment spending will be calculated; [164441]
(2) whether equipment support will be subject to an annual real terms one per cent increase after 2015. [164443]

Mr Dunne: As the 2013 spending round set out, the baseline year for the annual one per cent increase in equipment spending, which includes both procurement and support spending, is financial year 2015-16, with the increase continuing each year thereafter. This is because the baseline year needs to take account of the new efficiencies identified in the spending round 2013, which have been factored in to our plans before calculating the 1% increase.

Government Communications Headquarters: Morwenstow

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what agency and individual those working at CSO Morwenstow are accountable. [163748]

Alistair Burt: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Those working at Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) Bude, previously known as the Composite Signals Organisation Station Morwenstow, are accountable to the Secretary of State for Foreign and

Commonwealth Affairs.

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) US army, (b) US air force, (c) US navy and US marines, (d) NSA personnel, (e) US contractors, (f) British contractors, (g) British Army, (h) British Air Force, (i) British Navy and (j) Ministry of Defence personnel work at CSO Morwenstow. [163750]

Alistair Burt: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. There are approximately 200 people working at Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) Bude (previously known as the Composite Signals Organisation Station Morwenstow). It is long standing Government policy not to provide a detailed breakdown of staffing at GCHQ sites.

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