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PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

June 12, 2020 by

12 Jun 20. Defence Committee Evidence Session Announcement.

Defence Committee to hold session on security and geopolitics of 5G.

Tuesday 16 June, 2.30pm

  • Please note there is no access to Parliament
  • Session will have remote participation by witnesses and Committee members
  • Watch LIVE

On 16 June at 2.30pm the Defence Committee will hear from Congressman Mike Turner, U.S. House of Representatives, and Franklin C. Miller, Principal at the Scowcroft Group, in an evidence session exploring the geopolitics and security of 5G.

This session- related to the Committee’s inquiry into the security of 5G- will consider the international response to the UK Government’s decision to allow Huawei to continue to operate in its 5G network. In particular, the session will examine the reaction from the United States and discuss implications for the ‘Special Relationship’, Five Eyes alliance and NATO. The session will analyse the global picture of 5G and China’s international ambitions relating to technology.

The session will hear first from witness Congressman Mike Turner. Congressman Turner served as President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from 2014 to 2016 and Chairman of the US Delegation from 2011 to 2014.  A member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, he now also serves as Chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.  At 3.45pm the Committee will hear from Franklin C. Miller, who served for thirty-one years in the U.S. government, including twenty-two years in the Department of Defense and four years as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush and Senior Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the National Security Council staff. Mr Miller is now Principal of the Scowcroft Group.

Witnesses

At 2.30pm:

  • Congressman Mike Turner

At 3.45pm:

  • Franklin C. Miller

Proceedings will be webcast live on the Parliamentary website at www.parliamentlive.tv

House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers

Q

Asked by Lloyd Russell-Moyle

(Brighton, Kemptown)

Asked on: 01 June 2020

Department for International Trade

Arms Trade: Inspections

52343

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which sites used by holders of general export licences for military goods have not been inspected by her Department under Article 31 of the Export Control Order 2008 in each of the last 36 months apart from the BAE site at Warton.

A

Answered by: Mr Ranil Jayawardena

Answered on: 10 June 2020

HM Government supports responsible defence industries, which make a major contribution to our prosperity. Licensing controls are a vital service to industry, protecting the reputation and legitimacy of business.

Inspections of records under section 31 are in relation to a company’s use of general licences. The purpose of inspections is to get assurance that users of general licences meet the terms and conditions of their licences.

The scope of the general licences includes only items and destinations that are consistent with the Consolidated Criteria. Those published by the Department for International Trade have all been pre-assessed for risk and agreed by all relevant departments that they can be published. Our compliance checks are focused where higher risks of non-compliance lie.

An answer detailing the sites that have not been inspected in the past 36 months can only be provided at disproportionate cost, as my Department would have to manually review every existing and surrendered open licence registration.

Q

Asked by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem

Asked on: 03 June 2020

Ministry of Defence

Chemical and Biological Warfare

HL5168

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in the transfer of the lead in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence from the Royal Air Force to the Army.

A

Answered by: Baroness Goldie

Answered on: 10 June 2020

The transfer of Defence’s Counter CBRN capability from the Royal Air Force to the British Army is a three-year programme which started on 1 April 2019 and is expected to be completed by April 2022.

The Army now has command of this specialist capability, including the Defence CBRN Centre at Winterbourne Gunner and management of future programmes. Ahead of schedule, all specialist equipment has been handed over to the Army who are also responsible for its in-service maintenance. 28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN) has been formed and continues to develop and increase its specialist skills, supported by 27 Squadron, RAF Regiment who continue to have elements at readiness.

Q

Asked by Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

(South Shields)

Asked on: 29 May 2020

Department for International Trade

Defence and Security Organisation

52034

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many staff worked for the Defence and Security Organisation (DSO) on 1 April 2020; how many of those staff are in the export support team; and what the DSO’s budget is for 2020-21.

A

Answered by: Graham Stuart

Answered on: 09 June 2020

As of 1 April 2020, the Defence and Security Organisation (DSO) had 110 staff of which 18 worked for the Export Support Team.

DSO’s budget for 2020-21 is £9,514,191.

Q

Asked by Mr Kevan Jones

(North Durham)

Asked on: 01 June 2020

Ministry of Defence

AWACS: Procurement

51648

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the contract awarded to the STS Aviation Group for the work on the E-7 Wedgetail will be paid in US dollars.

A

Answered by: Jeremy Quin

Answered on: 08 June 2020

Payments to STS Aviation under the conversion contract are being managed by Boeing, as the prime contractor.

Q

Asked by Mr Kevan Jones

(North Durham)

Asked on: 01 June 2020

Ministry of Defence

AWACS: Procurement

51652

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any of the five E-7 Wedgetail purchased by the UK will be second-hand aircraft.

A

Answered by: Jeremy Quin

Answered on: 08 June 2020

The E-7 Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft is produced by modifying and militarising a Boeing 737 Next Generation airliner. As has been stated previously, the first two airframes to be inducted into the modification process are low-hours, previously-owned aircraft.

In preparation for modification, Boeing will undertake a thorough overhaul of these airframes to ensure a standard form, fit and function across the whole fleet. This will enable all aircraft to be operated and maintained by the RAF in the same manner.

Q

Asked by Mr Kevan Jones

(North Durham)

Asked on: 01 June 2020

Ministry of Defence

AWACS: Procurement

51653

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timescale is for the delivery of each E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.

A

Answered by: Jeremy Quin

Answered on: 08 June 2020

The current forecast for delivery of the first E-7 Wedgetail AEW Mk1 aircraft to the Royal Air Force is 2023, with the last expected in 2026. However, I am withholding the detailed delivery schedule as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our Armed Forces.

Q

Asked by Hilary Benn

(Leeds Central)

[N]

Asked on: 02 June 2020

Department for International Trade

Riot Control Weapons: USA

53311

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she plans to review UK exports of (a) tear gas and (b) rubber bullets to the US.

A

Answered by: Mr Ranil Jayawardena

Answered on: 08 June 2020

My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and I have been sorry to see the violence that has taken place in the United States of America.

All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from NGOs and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any equipment. These are not decisions my Department takes lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.

Any licence granted by my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade may be subject to conditions. In addition, in line with the Consolidated Criteria, my Department is able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require. There are currently nine extant licences that may be linked to law enforcement agencies. Six are Open Individual Export Licences (‘OIELs’), which have potential end users that include law enforcement agencies. Three are Standard Individual Export Licences (‘SIELs’), which have numerous potential end users that include law enforcement agencies. There are also 15 Open General Licences (‘OGLs’) for which businesses can register that cover the export of anti-riot gear.

Much information is in the public domain already. We publish information on all export licences issued, refused and revoked on a quarterly and annual basis as official statistics on GOV.UK – at: gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data – and whilst data on actual exports is not required to be centrally held, the licences issued until the end of December 2019 are available.

Q

Asked by Lord West of Spithead

Asked on: 21 May 2020

Ministry of Defence

Defence: Expenditure

HL4883

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to maintain present planned levels of defence spending, as part of their commitment to NATO’s deterrence and defence capability.

A

Answered by: Baroness Goldie

Answered on: 05 June 2020

Her Majesty’s Government is committed to spending at least 2% of GDP on Defence each year of this Parliament, as per the Defence Investment Pledge. The UK is one of only a handful of nations that meets, and in our case exceeds, the 2% target and remains the largest European Defence spender in NATO.

Q

Asked by Lord Touhig

Asked on: 21 May 2020

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Procurement

HL4877

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to promote sustainability in the supply chain during Ministry of Defence procurement.

A

Answered by: Baroness Goldie

Answered on: 05 June 2020

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes environmental and sustainability issues into account throughout its acquisition process. Our investment approvals policy includes a requirement to take sustainability into account in all initial business cases, and the use of an environmental management system is mandated for all acquisition projects.

This helps to ensure that our activities are compliant with Government sustainable development and environmental protection policy requirements. Where relevant, sustainability and environmental requirements are also defined in defence contracts, evaluated in the tender process and monitored and managed through the life of the contract to ensure MOD requirements are being met.

We also expect defence industry suppliers to play a key role in improving their own processes and supply chain education. Where sub-contractors are engaged, the prime contractor remains responsible for ensuring adherence to all obligations, including those relating to sustainability and environmental issues.

We expect our suppliers to abide by the Government’s Supplier Code of Conduct, which requires suppliers to understand and reduce their impact on the environment. Underpinning this, the MOD has published a Defence Standard for assurance that contractors are operating suitable environmental management systems.

We also continue to work through the Sustainable Procurement Working Group to share good practice and maintain a dialogue with industry partners on this important issue.

More information on how the MOD manages sustainable procurement can be found on the Knowledge in Defence website at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/knowledge-in-defence-kid.

Q

Asked by Lord Craig of Radley

Asked on: 02 June 2020

Ministry of Defence

Sentinel Aircraft

HL4948

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to extend the use of the Sentinel aircraft system beyond 2021 for ongoing operations in (1) the Middle East, and (2) elsewhere.

A

Answered by: Baroness Goldie

Answered on: 10 June 2020

The Out of Service Date for Sentinel was set at March 2021 in Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, this remains the case.

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