House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Q
Asked by Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
Asked on: 15 June 2020
Department for International Trade
Arms Trade: Licensing
HL5707
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all arms and equipment licensed for export from the UK meet the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.
A
Answered by: Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
Answered on: 24 June 2020
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 (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (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.
Q
Asked by Zarah Sultana
(Coventry South)
[N]
Asked on: 19 June 2020
Department for International Trade
UK Export Finance: Arms Trade
61812
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what processes her Department has put in place to monitor UK Export Finance’s distribution of the £1 billion fund allocated to support overseas buyers of UK defence and security goods and services.
A
Answered by: Graham Stuart
Answered on: 24 June 2020
In the March 2020 budget, UK Export Finance (UKEF) was allocated £1 billion of direct lending capacity for defence and security projects, within its £8 billion overall direct lending capacity. This £1 billion of direct lending is subject to the same monitoring processes as UKEF’s overall direct lending facility.
Q
Asked by Baroness Stern
Asked on: 10 June 2020
Ministry of Defence
Unmanned Air Vehicles
HL5555
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Ministry of Defence’s proposal to fly Protector drones within UK airspace, which government body is responsible for addressing safety concerns regarding this proposal; and how are those safety considerations being assessed.
A
Answered by: Baroness Goldie
Answered on: 23 June 2020
Final authorisation for the Protector to fly within UK domestic airspace rests with the Civilian Aviation Authority (CAA). However, the RAF’s Aviation Duty Holder is responsible for ensuring the aircraft is operated safely in accordance with Military Aviation Authority regulations.
Grouped Questions: HL5559
Q
Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
[N]
Asked on: 18 June 2020
Ministry of Defence
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
61437
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the F-35 Block 4 upgrade is already (a) costed and (b) budgeted for in the existing F-35 programme budget for the UK; how many aircraft will be upgraded; and what the forecast programme cost range is.
A
Answered by: Jeremy Quin
Answered on: 23 June 2020
The F-35 Block 4 upgrade has been included in the UK F-35 programme budget since its inception. Decisions on the number of aircraft to be upgraded will be made on the basis of military capability requirements. The costs of the Block 4 upgrade are managed through the F-35 Joint Programme Office and, as one partner in the multinational F-35 programme, the UK is not in a position to share detailed cost information.
Q
Asked by Patrick Grady
(Glasgow North)
[N]
Asked on: 18 June 2020
Ministry of Defence
Voyager Aircraft
61532
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the tendering process was for the contract to repaint the RAF voyager plane used by the Government in the colors of the union flag.
A
Answered by: Jeremy Quin
Answered on: 23 June 2020
The Voyager aircraft are owned by AirTanker Limited (ATr) who are contracted through the Voyager PFI to provide the Voyager Air to Air Refuelling and Air Transport services to the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Therefore, this work was contracted directly with ATr against the PFI contract. ATr has sub-contracted elements of the work taking account of mandatory aircraft certification, regulatory and licencing requirements. MOD worked closely with ATr to ensure that tenders were only sought from approved suppliers and that competitive tenders received were assessed for cost and deliverability, and where possible, benchmarked against similar work performed previously.
Q
Asked by Lord Hylton
Asked on: 08 June 2020
Department for International Trade
Riot Control Weapons: Exports
HL5375
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to suspend the provision of export licences to the United States for tear gas and plastic or rubber bullets.
A
Answered by: Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
Answered on: 22 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 (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (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 are able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require. There are currently eight 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. Two are Standard Individual Export Licences (‘SIELs’), which have numerous potential end users that include law enforcement agencies. There are also fifteen Open General Licences (‘OGLs’) for which businesses can register that cover the export of anti-riot gear.
We continue to monitor developments in all countries closely. We are able to review licences and suspend or revoke as necessary when circumstances require, and this is done in line with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. We have suspended or revoked licences when our assessment changes. This shows how seriously we take the guiding principle of responsible export controls.
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: www.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 Baroness Stern
Asked on: 10 June 2020
Ministry of Defence
RAF Waddington: Unmanned Air Vehicles
HL5556
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of Protector drone flights on the British public, particularly in and around the area covered by the airspace change proposal initiated by the Ministry of Defence in Enabling Remotely Piloted Air System Operations Out of RAF Waddington.
A
Answered by: Baroness Goldie
Answered on: 22 June 2020
In developing its Air Change Proposal, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is following the CAP1616 process as mandated by the Civil Aviation Authority with respect to any air space changes within the UK.
Currently, the exact dimensions of the airspace required are not yet known as the Air Change Proposal has yet to enter the design phase. Once the proposed dimensions are known, CAP1616 prescribes how stakeholder and public consultations are to take place.
The MOD expects to carry out a full consultation with communities within any potentially affected areas in the summer of 2021. This will provide an opportunity for the public to offer their views on the proposal.
Grouped Questions: HL5557
Q
Asked by Lord Craig of Radley
Asked on: 15 June 2020
Ministry of Defence
Sentinel Aircraft
HL5654
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 10 June (HL4948), what assessment they have made of extending the use of Sentinel beyond 2021; and whether this will be included in this year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review.
A
Answered by: Baroness Goldie
Answered on: 22 June 2020
Sentinel’s radar and mission system are now increasingly obsolescent and will face increasing reliability issues as time progresses. Retaining the capability would have required significant upgrade expenditure and the March 2021 out of service date (OSD) has been retained. It is necessary to retire certain capabilities at planned OSDs to allow re-investment in future capability.
Q
Asked by Mr Kevan Jones
(North Durham)
[N]
Asked on: 17 June 2020
Ministry of Defence
Military Aircraft
60699
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department made of the cost to the public purse of (a) support, (b) infrastructure and (c) training costs prior to the procurement of (i) P-8 Poseidon and (ii) E-7 Wedgetail.
A
Answered by: Jeremy Quin
Answered on: 22 June 2020
It is taking longer than expected to gather the information needed to answer the hon. Member’s question, and I will write to him shortly.
Q
Asked by Baroness Stern
Asked on: 09 June 2020
Ministry of Defence
Unmanned Air Vehicles
HL5490
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on (1) the ‘Mosquito’ project, (2) the ‘Many Drones Make Light Work’ programme, and (3) other work to network-enabled or ‘swarm’ drones; and when they anticipate such network-enabled drone capability to be operational.
A
Answered by: Baroness Goldie
Answered on: 19 June 2020
Project Mosquito is a technology demonstration being conducted in two phases. Phase 1 is complete, and the Ministry of Defence is currently evaluating the proposals for Phase 2. As Project Mosquito is a technology demonstrator, it is not anticipated that the project will result in an operational capability.
The Many Drones Make Light Work project explores the technical feasibility and military use of a swarm of up to twenty small unmanned aircraft vehicles, operating under the control of one individual. The project is in its final phase, Phase 3, delivering a structured flight evaluation programme of this new capability with the successful first trials held in March 2020.
The Royal Air Force’s swarming drones project continues to be developed by the Rapid Capabilities Office with progress during recent trials exceeding expectations in several areas. Following the successful first trials, 216 Squadron was reformed at RAF Waddington on 1 April 2020. They will take on the operating role for the RAF’s fleet of network enabled drones.