House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Q
Asked by Lord Kinnock
Asked on: 27 October 2016
Ministry of Defence
HMS Illustrious
HL2783
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the willingness of a group of investors to purchase and refurbish HMS Illustrious so that it can become a museum in the UK, whether they will now suspend the sale and removal of the ship so that it is not broken up for scrap and instead, in keeping with the Government statement of September 2012, “preserved intact as a lasting tribute to service personnel who served” on HMS Illustrious, HMS Invincible and HMS Ark Royal.
A
Answered by: Earl Howe
Answered on: 09 November 2016
Following an open competition a contract to recycle the vessel was awarded to Leyal Ship Recycling Ltd on 23 August 2016. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) subsequently received an outline proposal from a business consortium to purchase the former HMS ILLUSTRIOUS as a heritage asset. However, it has not been taken forward.
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS is now the property of Leyal Ship Recycling Ltd and to cancel the sale agreement at this late stage would result in significant financial cost to the MOD.
Q
Asked by Lord Trefgarne
Asked on: 31 October 2016
Ministry of Defence
RAF Northolt
HL2828
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the decision proposing a third runway at Heathrow, what will be the future of nearby RAF Northolt.
A
Answered by: Earl Howe
Answered on: 09 November 2016
RAF Northolt remains a core Ministry of Defence (MOD) aerodrome. Current operations at RAF Northolt aerodrome remain unaffected at this time by the announcement of the proposals for a third runway at Heathrow.
However, NATS Holdings (formerly National Air Traffic Services), the air traffic services provider, has advised that the delivery of any new capacity within the London and South East area will require substantial redesign of current airspace structures. The impact on the current levels of operations at other aerodromes in the region such as RAF Northolt will be addressed during the design phase, and the MOD remains a key stakeholder in all Civil Aviation Authority airspace design work.
Q
Asked by Douglas Chapman
(Dunfermline and West Fife)
Asked on: 01 November 2016
Ministry of Defence
Armed Forces
51417
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2016 to Question 26634, what progress he has made on the establishment of UK Defence Staffs in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
A
Answered by: Mark Lancaster
Answered on: 09 November 2016