23 Mar 23. Icelandic and Norwegian Ambassadors to give evidence to MPs on defence in the North Atlantic and the High North.
Evidence Session
Defence in Scotland: The North Atlantic and the High North
Monday 27 March at 15.00, Committee Room 5
Watch live on parliamentlive.tv
His Excellency Sturla Sigurjόnsson, Icelandic Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and His Excellency Wegger Christian Strømmen, Norwegian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, will appear before the Scottish Affairs Committee as MPs continue gathering evidence on Defence in Scotland: The North Atlantic and the High North.
Amid growing tensions with Russia, the focus of this session will centre around the challenges for the UK’s Arctic allies on defence and security in the North Atlantic and the High North. It will also consider future possibilities for collaboration with Arctic allies on defence and security matters.Some of the issues likely to be discussed include:
- Concerns of Norway and Iceland amid increasing global tensions with Russia;
- How the UK’s Arctic allies view the UK’s policy towards defence and security in the North Atlantic and the High North;
- The defence and security challenges posed by climate change in the High North;
- The implications of potential NATO expansion;
- The role of the Joint Expeditionary Force in contributing to defence in the North Atlantic and the High North;
- Opportunities for the UK and its Arctic allies to cooperate on shared security challenges in the region.
Witnesses
From 15.00:
- His Excellency Sturla Sigurjόnsson, Icelandic Ambassador to the United Kingdom
- His Excellency Wegger Christian Strømmen, Norwegian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
22 Mar 23. Can Autonomous Weapons be compliant with International Humanitarian Law? Lords Committee to take evidence .
At 10am tomorrow, Thursday 23 March the Lords Artificial Intelligence in Weapons Systems Committee held its first public evidence session on whether autonomous weapons systems can be used in compliance with international humanitarian law.
The Committee will hear from:
- Professor Noam Lubell, School of Law, University of Essex
- Daragh Murray, Senior Lecturer and IHSS Fellow, School of Law, Queen Mary, University of London
- Georgia Hinds, Legal Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross
The evidence session will be available to watch in Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster or on Parliamentlive.tv
Possible question topics include:
- Defining autonomous weapons systems
- Autonomous weapons systems’ compliance with international humanitarian law
- Regulation of the use of autonomous weapons systems
- Accountability of autonomous weapons systems
Background: Autonomous weapons systems have been defined as systems that can select and attack a target without human intervention. These systems could revolutionise warfare, with some suggesting that they would be faster, more accurate and more resilient than existing weapons systems and could limit the casualties of war.
However, concerns have arisen about the ethics of these systems, how they can be used safely and reliably, whether they risk escalating wars more quickly, and their compliance with international humanitarian law.
Throughout its inquiry the Committee will be looking at a wide range of issues surrounding autonomous weapons systems, including:
- The challenges, risks and benefits associated with them.
- The technical, legal and ethical safeguards that are necessary to ensure that they are used safely, reliably and accountably.
- The sufficiency of current UK policy and the state of international policymaking on autonomous weapons systems.
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Artillery: Procurement
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled British Army announces new artillery deal with Sweden, published on 16 March 2023, what the (a) procurement and (b) whole life cost to the public purse was of procuring the 14 Archer artillery systems announced in that release.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 22 March 2023
As announced on 16 March 2023, the UK has agreed a Government-to-Government sale with Sweden for the procurement of Archer artillery systems following the Granting in Kind of AS90 to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is intended that the first 14 Archer will have ownership transferred from Sweden to the British Army this month and will be fully operational by April 2024, forming an interim capability replacement until delivery of the long-term Mobile Fires Platform later this decade. The contract for the procurement of the Archer platforms, including ammunition, support and training packages will be signed with Sweden shortly. It would be inappropriate to provide further information on in and out of service dates, costs, and future procurement options at this time.
Artillery: Procurement
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the initial operating capability date is for the Archer artillery system.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 22 March 2023
As announced on 16 March 2023, the UK has agreed a Government-to-Government sale with Sweden for the procurement of Archer artillery systems following the Granting in Kind of AS90 to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is intended that the first 14 Archer will have ownership transferred from Sweden to the British Army this month and will be fully operational by April 2024, forming an interim capability replacement until delivery of the long-term Mobile Fires Platform later this decade.
The contract for the procurement of the Archer platforms, including ammunition, support and training packages will be signed with Sweden shortly. It would be inappropriate to provide further information on in and out of service dates, costs, and future procurement options at this time.
Ajax Vehicles
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 20 March 2023 on Ajax Payments Update, HCWS652, how many Ajax vehicles will comprise a deployable squadron.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 23 March 2023
A deployable combined arms squadron will consist of 27 Ajax vehicles, a mix of all variants. Achieving Initial Operating Capability requires 50 vehicles to be delivered in total. In addition to the 27 identified for the deployable squadron, the remaining 23 will be used by the Army to train crews and maintainers. Initial Operating Capability will be declared when a squadron is trained, equipped and ready to deploy and be sustained for six months.
Artillery: Procurement
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled British Army announces new artillery deal with Sweden, published on 16 March, what proportion of the workshare for the Archer artillery system contract announced in that release will be based in the UK.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 23 March 2023
The agreement for the purchase of artillery systems from Sweden, is for 14 Archer systems which were originally built by BAE Systems Bofors in Sweden. As these units have already been built and are being transferred from Sweden to the British Army, there is no workshare to apportion.
Artillery: Procurement
Question for Ministry of Defence
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on the procurement of 14 Archer heavy artillery systems from Sweden.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 21 March 2023
The UK has agreed a government-to-government sale with Sweden for the procurement of Archer artillery systems to replace the AS90 platforms Granted in Kind to Ukraine. The contract will be signed shortly, and until that point the value of the Archer programme will not be finalised. Once agreed, the contract will include other elements such as ammunition, support and training packages.
Trident Submarines
Question for Ministry of Defence
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of how much and what proportion of the £10 billion contingency provided by HM Treasury for the Dreadnought programme will have been spent by 31 December 2023.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 22 March 2023
Up to March 2023, the Ministry of Defence has drawn-down £2 billion, 20 per cent, of the HM Treasury-held Dreadnought contingency. Contingency drawdown for financial year 2023-24 has not yet been agreed.