07 Dec 18. Defence Committee. The Defence Committee launches inquiry examining the danger posed by hybrid threats to the UK and how the UK Government is preparing its response. Concern around the use of the hybrid approach to warfare and confrontation below the threshold of armed aggression has been a feature of several Government documents in recent years. The Defence Committee has decided to explore the tactics used and the UK’s vulnerability to them as well as the way that the UK can both defend against hybrid threats and how it can utilise them most effectively against adversaries.
The terms of reference are:
- What are hybrid threats? Are they new?
- How do States employ hybrid threats against strategic competitors?
- How do States employ hybrid warfare in conflict?
- How do Non-State Actors employ hybrid threats and hybrid warfare?
- How are the UK, NATO allies and multilateral institutions responding to hybrid threats?
- What is the UK’s vulnerability to hybrid threats and warfare and what defensive, responsive and resilience measures are in place?
- How realistic is the UK’s strategy and doctrine for defending against hybrid threats and warfare?
- How does the UK use its own hybrid tools to influence both States and Non-State actors?
The deadline for written evidence is 28 January 2019.
Written submissions for this inquiry should be submitted via the inquiry page on the Defence Committee website. The Committee plans to hold oral evidence sessions in the Spring, but the deadline for written submissions is 28 January 2019.
Submissions should state clearly who the submission is from e.g. ‘Written evidence submitted by <Name>’ and be no longer than 3,000 words. Please contact the Committee staff if you wish to discuss this.
Submissions must be a self-contained memorandum in Word or Rich Text Format (not PDFs). Paragraphs should be numbered for ease of reference and the document should, if possible, include an executive summary.
Submissions should be original work, not previously published or circulated elsewhere. Once submitted, your submission becomes the property of the Committee and no public use should be made of it unless you have first obtained permission from the Clerk of the Committee.
Please bear in mind that the Committee will not consider individual cases or matters currently before a court of law, or matters in respect of which court proceedings are imminent. If you anticipate such issues arising, you should discuss with the Clerk of the Committee how this might affect your submission.
The Committee normally, though not always, chooses to publish the written evidence it receives. If there is any information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure; the Committee will take this into account in deciding whether to publish or further disclose the evidence.
The personal information you supply will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 for the purposes of attributing the evidence you submit and contacting you as necessary in connection with its processing. The Clerk of the House of Commons is the data controller for the purposes of the Act.
07 Dec 18. Defence Committee. Oral Evidence Session – Statute Of Limitations – Veterans Protection.
Tuesday 11 December 2018 The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
At 11:30am:
- General (Rtd) Sir Nick Parker
- Lawrence Jones, Barrister, Piccadilly Chambers
- Hilary Meredith, Chairman, Hilary Meredith Solicitors
- Professor Richard Ekins, Oxford University and the Policy Exchange Judicial Power Project
This is the second evidence session of the Committee’s inquiry into the question of how former service personnel can be protected from the spectre of investigation and re-investigation for events that happened many years, and often decades, in the past. This session will take evidence from legal professionals and a former British Army General on the legal framework underpinning legacy investigations, the support currently provided by the MoD to those under investigation and the measures that could or should be taken to prevent investigations becoming a cyclical process.
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Q
Asked by Karl Turner
(Kingston upon Hull East)
Asked on: 28 November 2018
Department for Transport
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
196863
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary contract for a new fleet of solid support vessels; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of that contract on the level of UK (a) commercial shipbuilding and (b) merchant seafarers.
A
Answered by: Ms Nusrat Ghani
Answered on: 05 December 2018
The Secretary of State and his officials regularly discuss a range of issues with their counterparts in the Ministry of Defence.
The National Shipbuilding Strategy is transforming the way that the Ministry of Defence procures naval ships. Through this Strategy, MOD continues to focus on supporting the sector to become more innovative, productive and competitive.
As non-warships, the Fleet Solid Support ships are being procured through international competition. The Ministry of Defence has however encouraged UK companies to participate and have been pleased with the positive engagement with UK shipyards and the wider supply chain to date.
No direct assessments have been made on the effects of the contract on the level of UK commercial shipbuilding or merchant seafarers.
It should however be noted that the Royal Fleet Auxiliary is one of the biggest employers of UK ratings and still maintains a nationality requirement for recruitment which is open only to British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens.
Q
Asked by Lord Trefgarne
Asked on: 28 November 2018
Ministry of Defence
Aviation: Military Bases
HL11919
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to their General Aviation Strategy, published in March 2015, what steps they have taken to achieve general aviation use of military airfields; and whether they consider their commitments to general aviation in this regard to have been met.
A
Answered by: Earl Howe
Answered on: 05 December 2018
The commitments set out in the 2015 General Aviation Strategy have been met. Ministry of Defence policy remains to encourage General Aviation to have access to military airfields wherever possible. In addition, the RAF Flying Clubs Association provide General Aviation training and scholarships for RAF personnel at fourteen flying clubs based on RAF Stations.
In the Strategy we undertook to update the guidance and increase publicity around General Aviation access to military airfields. Consequently, the RAF website has been updated and now contains consistency of published contact details and Defence Aerodrome Manuals for each Station.
Q
Asked by Mr Jim Cunningham
(Coventry South)
[N]
Asked on: 30 November 2018
Department for International Trade
Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade
197586
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate her Department has made of the value of UK-made military equipment sold to the Saudi Government since 2010.
A
Answered by: Graham Stuart
Answered on: 05 December 2018
Sales data by region for military exports are published annually on GOV.UK. at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-and-security-exports-for-2017/uk-defence-and-security-export-statistics-for-2017.
The Government also publishes Official Statistics about export licences granted and refused on a quarterly and annual basis, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data. The data, which includes export values for some licences, currently provides details of licences up to 30 June 2018. Information covering the period 1 July to 30 September 2018 will be published in January 2018.
However, licences granted are not a measure of sales or exports shipped in a given period as they are generally valid for between two and five years. Licensing data only provides a partial indication of sales as exporters only declare export values for a subsection of licences (Standard Individual Export Licences). Some licences expire before they are used and in these circumstances exporters must submit a further application, which can result in a significant element of double counting.