Indicative of increasing attention is the rise in number of questions asked by Parliamentarians. We track and analyse all drones-related Parliamentary Questions.
The table below is regularly updated. Further information can be found at Hansard.
DATE | QUESTION | ASKED BY | RESPONSE | URL | Coding | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 November 2019 | Congratulations to you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Tom Tugendhat), for his comments. I have very much enjoyed being a member of that Committee.Will the Minister clarify what steps have been taken to review all sales of arms to Saudi Arabia? I can hardly bear to say the word “Yemen”, but there have been thousands of Saudi air attacks on civilians targets—including homes, markets, weddings, funerals, schools, hospitals and buses—that have killed thousands of civilians, including many children. Surely, that is in breach of international law. I hope that we are taking all the necessary steps to highlight the complicity of countries such as the UK in the alleged violations of international law. | Ann Clwyd, Labour, Cynon Valley | I pay tribute to the right hon. Lady for her years of service to the House, particularly her years of service on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and for always keeping a laser-like focus on such issues. As she will be aware, we operate one of the most robust export control regimes in the world and take our licensing obligations seriously. When mistakes are made, things are investigated. As the Secretary of State for International Trade has said, the Government have apologised for the fact that export licences were issued in error, and we are investigating what happened | http://bit.ly/2XcxnCY | Yemen; IHL; Civilian protection | |
| 30 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking an independent audit of the adequacy of the UK’s security sector reform program in Sri Lanka. | Sarah Champion, Labour, Rotherham | UK support to security sector development in Sri Lanka is an integrated part of our post-conflict approach to building lasting stability and accountability. We have a long-standing partnership with the Sri Lanka police service where we provide training and support designed to enhance their community policing capacity. We are also engaged in discrete activities involving the military and wider security sector which are designed to to support the Sri Lankan military to adapt and modernise, in particular to be more professional and accountable. As most of this activity is delivered via the Conflict Security and Stability Fund which conducts regular monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the programme, we assess that an independent audit is not required. All CSSF programmes are subject to rigorous annual reviews, which are conducted by an expert team including at least one person who is independent from the programme. Annual review summaries for the Sri Lanka programme are published on gov.uk. Following the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks that killed more than 250 people, the then Minister of State for Security visited Sri Lanka to demonstrate solidarity, and to offer UK assistance in countering terrorism and violent extremism. We continue to engage with the Sri Lankan authorities and other international partners on where UK support would be most helpful. All UK security sector assistance is subject to robust Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) assessments that analyse the potential human rights, international humanitarian law, political and reputational risks of any proposed assistance to ensure that it supports our values and is consistent with our domestic and international human rights obligations | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-30/7695 | Assistance; human rights; Sri Lanka | |
| 30 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his assessment is of the level of compliance with human rights law of the UK's security assistance to Sri Lanka after the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings | Sarah Champion, Labour, Rotherham | UK support to security sector development in Sri Lanka is an integrated part of our post-conflict approach to building lasting stability and accountability. We have a long-standing partnership with the Sri Lanka police service where we provide training and support designed to enhance their community policing capacity. We are also engaged in discrete activities involving the military and wider security sector which are designed to to support the Sri Lankan military to adapt and modernise, in particular to be more professional and accountable. As most of this activity is delivered via the Conflict Security and Stability Fund which conducts regular monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the programme, we assess that an independent audit is not required. All CSSF programmes are subject to rigorous annual reviews, which are conducted by an expert team including at least one person who is independent from the programme. Annual review summaries for the Sri Lanka programme are published on gov.uk. Following the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks that killed more than 250 people, the then Minister of State for Security visited Sri Lanka to demonstrate solidarity, and to offer UK assistance in countering terrorism and violent extremism. We continue to engage with the Sri Lankan authorities and other international partners on where UK support would be most helpful. All UK security sector assistance is subject to robust Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) assessments that analyse the potential human rights, international humanitarian law, political and reputational risks of any proposed assistance to ensure that it supports our values and is consistent with our domestic and international human rights obligations. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-30/7696 | Assistance; human rights; Sri Lanka; counterterrorism | |
| 29 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the internal security training provided by the British military mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard comprises; and whether riot control is included in that training | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | The British Military Mission provides a variety of training to the Saudi Arabian National Guard, including occasional internal security training which includes a public order element. The British Military Mission provides training in appropriate and proportionate use of force, the rules of engagement, human rights compliance and de-escalation procedures in line with the principles of Her Majesty's Government's Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessment. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-29/7200 | Assistance; training; Saudi Arabia; OSJA | |
| 29 October 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to enhance cooperation between the UN, the EU, and international, regional, and sub-regional institutions, to advance support for peace in (1) the Sahel, (2) the African Great Lakes, and (3) the Horn of Africa | Lord Boateng | The UK is enhancing its diplomatic and development efforts across the Sahel to improve international coordination. For example, the UK is expanding its Embassies in Mali and Mauritania, establishing new Embassies in Niger and Chad and setting up a regional hub in Dakar, Senegal. We are seeking to ensure that the Sahel Alliance of donors and the new Partnership for Security and Stability in the Sahel encourage close partnership between donors and Sahel governments and regional organisations. We are also working to ensure that the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA) works effectively with the Malian Government and other security operations in the region. The UK will deploy 250 military personnel to this mission next year. The UK also supports efforts to bring lasting peace and stability to the Great Lakes region. The UK actively supports the work of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, who oversees the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (PSCF). This aims to address the root causes of conflict in the Great Lakes region. The UK is a significant bilateral donor in support of peacebuilding efforts in the region and supporter of MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in eastern DRC. In the Horn of Africa, the UK is the penholder for all discussions on Somalia in the United Nations Security Council. This includes drafting the mandates for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM); both of which place strong emphasis on the need for coordination between Somalia's international supporters. In Sudan, the UK has frequent engagement with the AU, EU and UN counterparts to provide coordinated political and technical assistance to support the programme of reform and change that the new government has initiated. In addition, with our UN Security Council partners, we are securing renewed mandates for the UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur and the UN mission in Abyei. These will support developing peace processes led by the new government of Sudan. The UK also takes a lead role in South Sudan as a member of the Troika (with Norway and the US) to press for an end to the conflict, and implementation of the Peace Agreement signed on 12 September 2018. We released a statement on 21 October alongside Troika partners urging all sides to demonstrate their commitment to peace by increasing co-operation and working together to resolve outstanding issues (see attached document). We also engage frequently with regional countries, particularly members of IGAD (Inter-Governmental Authority on Development) who brokered the Agreement. The UK takes a prominent role with the UN, providing 300 troops to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. We also play an active role at the UN in New York to ensure attention and support of the international community on ending the conflict that has killed nearly 400,000 since 2013. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-10-29/HL488 | Sahel; cooperation; partnership | |
| 24 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will review his Department's policy on training military officers from countries with a record of human rights abuses. | Stewart Malcom MCDonald, SNP, Glasgow South | All training offered to foreign military personnel is provided in accordance with an Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) assessment, which will evaluate the risk of the training being used in a way that is not in line with human rights and British values. Participation in UK training exposes personnel from other countries to UK values and standards and helps to promote concepts of accountability, transparency and human rights protection. OSJA assessments are reviewed annually and also if there is a change of circumstances which might significantly alter the risks relating to any existing Defence training programmes. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-24/5051 | Military Assistance; training; human rights | |
| 23 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Yemen. | Stephen Twigg MP (Lab) (Liverpool West Derby) | The UK takes alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and human rights law extremely seriously. Whenever the UK receives reports of alleged violations of IHL, we routinely seek information from all credible sources, including from non-governmental and international organisations. In terms of human rights, Lord Ahmad made clear in his statement of 22 October that the overall human rights situation in Yemen remains deeply worrying, but that a political settlement to the conflict will create the conditions for the legitimate Government of Yemen to promote and protect the human rights of all Yemenis | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-23/4245 | IHL violations; Yemen | |
| 22 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the decision taken at the National Security Council in 2012 to collect and store evidence of breaches of international humanitarian law perpetrated during the Syrian conflict, what steps the Government is taking to use that evidence to tackle a culture of impunity | Dr Andrew Mitchell, Conservative, Sutton Coldfield | The UK is committed to highlighting the appalling violations of international humanitarian law in Syria and to seeing those responsible held to account in the most appropriate jurisdiction. We are providing both political and financial support, including £950,000 to date, to the work of the UN International Impartial and Independent Mechanism which is gathering evidence for the prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law in Syria. This is part of the over £9 million that the UK has contributed since 2012 in support of efforts to gather evidence and assist victims of human rights abuses and violations | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-22/3591 | IHL violations; Syria | |
| 21 October 2019 | The recent attack on a Saudi oil facility was carried out using small pilotless drones capable of flying hundreds of miles. Will the Minister tell the House what defence the UK has against similar attacks? | Eddie Hughes, Conservative, Walsall North | The Home Office has responsibility for counter-drone activity within the United Kingdom. The MOD has a layered air defence capability, and we are happy to allow other Departments to use that capability when they specifically request it | https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2019-10-21/debates/A8979067-C7CA-44CF-950E-C61ADA455704/TopicalQuestions#contribution-D758B85D-490D-4D63-934B-DFF3B9A6C7EF | Saudi Arabia Aramco attack | |
| 21 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the drone attacks on oil refineries in that country | Jim Shannon, DUP, Strangford | The Foreign Secretary raised the attacks with Saudi Minister of State Adel Al-Jubeir on 21 October. The UK is confident that Iran bears responsibility for the Aramco attacks in Saudi Arabia on 14 September. We continue to work for stability in the region with the international community, including Saudi Arabia, to uphold the international rules that protect us all. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-21/2724 | Saudi Arabia Aramco attack | |
| 17 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) civilian staff in his Department based in the UK, (b) military personnel based in the UK, (c) civilian staff in his Department based in Saudi Arabia and (d) military personnel based in Saudi Arabia were employed on the (i) Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project and (ii) Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Project on 1 April 2019 | Martin Docherty-Hughes, SNP, West Dunbartonshire | I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North East Fife (Stephen Gethins) to Question 286284 on 9 September 2019 --> The number of civilian and military personnel based in the UK and Saudi Arabia who were employed by the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project (SANGCOM) and the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Projects (MODSAP) on 1 April 2019 is shown below. The Saudi Arabian Government reimburses the UK Ministry of Defence for these staff costs and there is, therefore, no cost to the UK taxpayer. Manpower number as at 1 April 2019 UK-based Civilian Staff: 4 (SANGCOM) and 69 (MODSAP) UK-based Military Staff: 0 (SANGCOM) and 35 (MODSAP) Saudi-based Civilian Staff: 51 (SANGCOM) and 38 (MODSAP) Saudi-based Military Staff: 20 (SANGCOM) and 66 (MODSAP) | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-17/1698 ; https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-09-03/286284/ | Saudi Arabia; assistance | |
| 18 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Syria. | Stephen Twigg MP (Lab) (Liverpool West Derby) | The UK is committed to highlighting the appalling violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Syria and to seeing those responsible for the most serious crimes held to account in the most appropriate jurisdiction. We continue to support the UN Commission of Inquiry's investigations into human rights violations and abuses in Syria and the work of the UN International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) which is gathering evidence for the prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law in Syria. The UK has contributed over £9 million since 2012 in support of Syrian and international efforts to gather evidence and assist victims of human rights abuses and violations, including £950,000 to the IIIM. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-18/1881 | IHL violations | |
| 17 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether lessons learned from recent urban operations in Raqqa and Mosul where the UK provided non-combat training and advice to partner forces have informed his Department’s plans to allocate funding for new urban capability to dismounted infantry. | Martin Docherty-Hughes, SNP, West Dunbartonshire | Following any major conflict, lessons are identified and reviewed; changes are then made if required. The recent operations in Raqqa and Mosul are no different and have contributed to initiatives improving the equipment of the dismounted soldier in the urban environment. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-17/1695 | Urban conflict; Finances | |
| 15 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to fulfil the commitment to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia made in the Written Statement of 23 May 2019, Official Report HCWS716 | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 April 2019 to Question 237783 --> Question To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) UK military forces and (b) UK passport holders contracted to work for the (i) Saudi Arabian and (ii) UK Government are operating inside Yemen --> Answer: The UK provides information, advice and assistance to Saudi Arabia to respond to the threat of strategic weapons fired by the Houthis into Saudi Arabia. We are not and have never been a member of the Saudi-led coalition. Our assistance is clearly limited to addressing this specific threat. UK military personnel in Saudi Arabia remain under UK command and control. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold information on non-MOD personnel. That is a matter for the individual concerned. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-10-15/650; https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-03-27/237783 | Military assistance; Saudi Arabia; Yemen | |
| 2 October 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen support for mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. | Chris, Law, SNP, Dundee West | Support for international criminal justice and international humanitarian law is a fundamental element of the UK's foreign policy. The UK believes that justice and accountability for the most serious international crimes are crucial to building lasting peace and security. In line with these principles, the British Government has supported the strengthening of a number of mechanisms to enable justice and accountability for the most serious international crimes. The UK, as a State Party to the Rome Statute, provides financial, political and practical support to the International Criminal Court. We are one of the largest contributors to the Court, contributing £9.7m in 2018. The UK, together with a number of other States Parties, is proposing a number of actions to strengthen the Court to help it to fulfil its mandate under the Rome Statute. These will be discussed at the Assembly of States Parties in December. Our goal is to improve the Court's ability to deliver justice for victims of atrocity crimes that fall under its jurisdiction. Since 2016, we have committed almost £1 million to the UN International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to support the preparation of legal cases for serious crimes under international law committed in the Syrian conflict. Following UK-led lobbying, on 1 August the UN Secretary General announced a new Board of Inquiry to investigate attacks on civilian infrastructure during the recent violence in Northwest Syria. We are also committed to supporting the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM). The UK played a leading role in the joint EU-OIC resolution that set up the IIMM, which will collect and preserve evidence of human rights violations for future prosecutions. Furthermore, we intend to establish a UK human rights sanctions regime under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 after we leave the EU. The regime designed to target individuals who have committed serious human rights violations, but who would otherwise not be addressed by the current geographical and thematic sanctions regimes. The UK is also committed to strengthening justice for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and holding perpetrators to account at the national and international levels through its Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI). This is the main focus of the UK-hosted PSVI international conference in London, 18-20 November, and a key outcome will be to agree concrete actions with the international community to ensure accountability for these horrific crimes. We work through the multilateral system not only to support the implementation of agreed standards on human rights, democracy and the rule of law; but also to hold countries to account when they violate those standards. For example, in the OSCE the UK was instrumental in invoking the Moscow Mechanism in response to the serious human rights violations in Chechnya. The UK has been vocal in both the Permanent Council and the Human Dimension Committee in its criticism of those participating states that fail to uphold universally agreed principles. Similarly, in the Council of Europe the UK has been consistent in challenging those member states that fail to meet their obligations under the European Convention of Human Rights, including the execution of judgements by the Court | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-24/290367 | Accountability for violation against IHL and IHRL | |
| 26 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the perpetrators of attacks on civilians in conflict zones are not supplied with arms, material or financial services by the UK. | Caroline Lucas, Green, Brighton, Pavillion | The Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework for regulating the export of arms and dual-use equipment from the UK. The Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria, including if there is a clear risk that the equipment might be used for internal repression, or in the commission of serious violations of International Humanitarian Law. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-26/291358 | Assistance; Civilian Protection; PoC; investigations | |
| 26 September 2019 | Toask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the involvement in the recent air strikes on a detention centre in Sana’a of UK (a) planes and (b) weapons sold to Saudi Arabia. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require us to consider the possible impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. We will not issue any export licences for Saudi Arabia that are inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria, including Criterion 2(c): whether there is a clear risk that the goods might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-26/291331 | Arms Export; Saudi Arabia; IHL violations | |
| 26 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support a full, independent UN-led inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by all sides in the Yemeni conflict. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The UK takes alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) extremely seriously. Whenever the UK receives reports of alleged violations of IHL, we routinely seek information from all credible sources, including from Non-Governmental Organisations and international organisations. The Government is not opposing calls for international independent investigation, but foremost, we believe the Coalition should investigate alleged breaches of IHL attributed to them. They have best insight into their own military procedures and this allows them to really understand what went wrong and apply the lessons learnt in the best possible way. The UK regularly raises the importance of IHL and of conducting thorough and conclusive investigations into alleged violations with Saudi Arabia, including at senior levels. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-26/291333 | IHL: Inquiry into violations in Yemen | |
| 26 September 2019 | Task the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made on the effectiveness of the Saudi-led coalition’s procedures for investigating airstrikes on civilian targets. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The UK regularly presses the Coalition on the importance of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and of conducting thorough and conclusive investigations into alleged violations of IHL. We welcome the release of over 100 statements by the Coalition Joint Incident Assessment Team from investigations into alleged breaches of IHL in Yemen. We welcome the improvements in the quantity and quality of JIAT’s statements. While we recognise there remains room for improvement and will continue to provide support, we are encouraged by the progress JIAT has made. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-26/291332 | Yemen; investigations into violations; JIAT | |
| 25 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen support for mechanisms enabling perpetrators to be held accountable for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. | Stephen Crabb, Conservative, Preseli Pembrokeshire | Support for international criminal justice and international humanitarian law is a fundamental element of the UK's foreign policy. The UK believes that justice and accountability for the most serious international crimes are crucial to building lasting peace and security. In line with these principles, the British Government has supported the strengthening of a number of mechanisms to enable justice and accountability for the most serious international crimes. The UK, as a State Party to the Rome Statute, provides financial, political and practical support to the International Criminal Court. We are one of the largest contributors to the Court, contributing £9.7m in 2018. The UK, together with a number of other States Parties, is proposing a number of actions to strengthen the Court to help it to fulfil its mandate under the Rome Statute. These will be discussed at the Assembly of States Parties in December. Our goal is to improve the Court's ability to deliver justice for victims of atrocity crimes that fall under its jurisdiction. Since 2016, we have committed almost £1 million to the UN International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to support the preparation of legal cases for serious crimes under international law committed in the Syrian conflict. Following UK-led lobbying, on 1 August the UN Secretary General announced a new Board of Inquiry to investigate attacks on civilian infrastructure during the recent violence in Northwest Syria. We are also committed to supporting the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM). The UK played a leading role in the joint European Union-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation resolution that set up the IIMM, which will collect and preserve evidence of human rights violations for future prosecutions. Furthermore, we intend to establish a UK human rights sanctions regime under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 after we leave the EU. The regime designed to target individuals who have committed serious human rights violations, but who would otherwise not be addressed by the current geographical and thematic sanctions regimes. We work through the multilateral system not only to support the implementation of agreed standards on human rights, democracy and the rule of law; but also to hold countries to account when they violate those standards. For example, in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the UK was instrumental in invoking the Moscow Mechanism in response to the serious human rights violations in Chechnya. The UK has been vocal in both the Permanent Council and the Human Dimension Committee in its criticism of those participating states that fail to uphold universally agreed principles. Similarly, in the Council of Europe the UK has been consistent in challenging those member states that fail to meet their obligations under the European Convention of Human Rights, including the execution of judgements by the Court. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-25/290889 | IHL; IHRL; violations of international law | |
| 26 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade if she will make an urgent statement on the recent unlawful award of arms export licences to Saudi Arabia, in contravention of a Court of Appeal ruling that determined that the UK must cease arms exports to the country | Chris, Law, SNP, Dundee West | Today, I will be tabling a written ministerial statement updating Parliament on the latest situation in relation to the undertaking given to the Court of Appeal on 20 June about export licences for Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners. As the Government informed the Court on 16 September and followed up with an affidavit today, my Department identified errors in the export licensing procedure in relation to the Saudi coalition’s activities in the conflict in Yemen. As I stated publicly on 16 September, I unreservedly apologise for the export licences that my Department issued in error. I have also given my unreserved apology to the Court. A procedure to ensure that export licences for Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners are not granted for goods for possible use in the conflict in Yemen was put in place on 20 June 2019. That followed the Court order and the then Secretary of State’s statement to Parliament. The Export Control Joint Unit subsequently issued export licences for Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners and, in line with the agreed procedure, these were signed off at official, rather than ministerial, level. It subsequently came to light that two licences were in breach of the Court undertaking, and one licence was granted contrary to the statement in Parliament, as these licences were for goods that could possibly be used in the conflict in Yemen. Without seeking to prejudice the independent investigation, it appears that information pertaining to the conflict had not been fully shared across Government. I took immediate action as soon as the issue was brought to my attention on 12 September: taking immediate steps to inform the Court and Parliament; putting in place immediate interim procedures to make sure the errors could not happen again; and instigating a complete and full internal review of all licences granted for Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners since 20 June. The Department’s permanent secretary, on my behalf, commissioned a full internal investigation. The Court and Parliament were informed on 16 September with the appropriate detail, and the interim procedures mean that senior officials in the Department for International Trade, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence guarantee that the latest information available to Government is used in their advice. All recommendations to grant licences for the export of items for Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners will now be referred to Ministers, rather than being signed off at official level. The full review of licences for Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners is currently being undertaken, and this internal review is still ongoing. As a result of the internal review so far, we have identified one further licence that has been granted in breach of the undertaking given to the Court of Appeal. This licence has not been used and has now been revoked. My officials are also carrying out an urgent review of the composition of the coalition. This has identified a further licence that is in breach of the parliamentary statement. We reassessed the licence in light of the latest information and subsequently revoked it in so far as it applies to Jordan. My officials continue to review all the information relating to licences granted for Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners since 20 June 2019, and we will be open and transparent with the Court and Parliament as to any new issues that emerge. In addition, the DIT permanent secretary, on my behalf, has commissioned a full independent investigation, which will establish the precise circumstances in which the licences were granted and whether any other licences have been granted in breach of the undertaking to the Court or contrary to the parliamentary statement, and it will confirm that procedures are in place so that no further breaches of the undertaking can occur. This investigation will be led by an independent senior official: the director general of policy group for the Department of Work and Pensions. It is possible that more cases will come to light. As I have done so far, I will keep the Court and Parliament informed as to any new information that emerges. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-24/290367 | IHL; IHRL; violations of international law | |
| 25 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that drone safety regulations are maintained when the UK leaves the EU | Jamie Stone, LibDem, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the UK competent authority for the administration of legislation under the Air Navigation Order (ANO). The implications for the Regulation and operation of all military aircraft, including Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS), when the UK leaves the EU has been thoroughly assessed by the Military Aviation Authority (MAA) (which forms part of the Defence Safety Authority) with relevant measures being developed in the case that the UK leaves the EU without a deal. This will be ongoing to ensure compliance with all future developments in this area. The MAA continues to publish guidance to its Regulated Community | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-25/291043 | Drone safety outside EU | |
| 24 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what provision the review of the UK’s protection of civilians strategy is making for the specific vulnerabilities faced by children in conflict zones | Chris, Law, SNP, Dundee West | The Government is reviewing its strategy on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict. It is committed to ensuring that the outcome of the review is fully consistent with International Humanitarian Law, which does not draw distinctions between categories of civilians. The Government's approach will benefit all civilians, with a clear understanding of their diverse needs, and will reflect both the changing international landscape and complexity of many modern conflicts. The review also provides an opportunity for the Government to consider recent research by academics and Non-Governmental Organisations in this important field. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-24/290365 | Civilian Protection; PoC | |
| 24 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department’s review of the UK’s protection of civilians strategy will embed (a) civilian casualty recording and (b) civilian harm-tracking mechanisms to improve understanding of the impacts of conflict on civilians. | Chris, Law, SNP, Dundee West | The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is leading a review of the Government's approach to Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict – an initiative that coincides with the 20th anniversary of the first Protection of Civilians Resolution to be agreed by the UN Security Council in 1999 (UNSCR 1265). The review involves contributions from both the Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defence and is an opportunity for the Government to take into account recent developments in the field of Protection of Civilians policy, including work by states, international organisations, civil society and academia, and to consider a wide range of issues, including inter alia casualty recording and civilian harm-tracking mechanisms. The review will be completed by the end of 2019. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-09-24/290366 | Civilian Protection; PoC | |
| 3 September 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take as a result of the report of the UN Group of Independent Eminent International and Regional Experts Yemen: Collective Failure, Collective Responsibility published on 3 September, which details multiple violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Yemen, and concludes that many of those "may result in individuals being held responsible for war crimes" and calls on the international community to "stop turning a blind eye to these violations and the intolerable humanitarian situation" and to refrain from providing arms that could be used in the conflict. | The Marquess of Lothian | This UN report underlines the deeply concerning human rights situation in Yemen and the importance of reaching a political solution to the conflict. The UK has been at the forefront of international efforts to bring a diplomatic solution to the appalling conflict in Yemen. We operate one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. The Government takes alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) extremely seriously. Whenever the UK receives reports of alleged violations of IHL, we routinely seek information from all credible sources, including from international organisations | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-09-03/HL17662 | Yemen; Arms Export; IHL | |
| 3 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has plans to include violations committed against children living in conflict in its protection of civilians strategy. | Chris, Law, SNP, Dundee West | International Humanitarian Law (IHL) provides a robust legal framework for the protection of all civilians (including children) and combatants, and the UK works closely with states and NGOs to promote compliance with this legal framework. The UK is committed to protecting children affected by armed conflict, including ending the recruitment and use of child soldiers. As an active member of the UN Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), we have been working in particular on how to improve humanitarian access for children in conflict. The UK frequently applies diplomatic pressure to states and non-state armed groups who violate the rights of children in conflict contexts, and funds projects to help protect and rehabilitate vulnerable children. In April 2018, we endorsed the Safe School Declaration and we are encouraging other countries to follow suit. The UK worked very closely with Sweden and others to agree a UN Security Council Resolution on Children and Armed Conflict which was adopted in early July this year. The UK has also endorsed the guidance set out in both the Paris Principles and the Vancouver Principles, which aims to ensure that child protection is an operational priority for UN peacekeeping missions. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-09-03/169420 | Protection of civilians strategy; PoC; FCO | |
| 3 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has plans to run a public consultation on updating the UK’s protection of civilians strategy | Chris, Law, SNP, Dundee West | There are no plans to run a public consultation. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-09-03/169419 | Protection of civilians strategy; PoC; FCO | |
| 3 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of its protection of civilians strategy; and whether he has plans to update that guidance. | Chris, Law, SNP, Dundee West | The principles of the 2010 Protection of Civilians Strategy continue to guide our work and we consistently review our cross-Government approach. We aim to address the growing challenges of protecting civilians affected by conflict through political engagement, strengthening accountability, peace support operations, ensuring respect for International Humanitarian Law in UK military operations, strengthening state and non-state capacity, humanitarian action, and offering refuge to those in need of protection. The continuing evolution of our approach is demonstrated by the UK's adherence, in April 2018, to the Safe Schools Declaration which supports the protection and continuation of education in armed conflict. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-09-03/169418 | Protection of civilians strategy; PoC; FCO | |
| 3 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) expenditure was for the financial year 2018-19 and (b) budget is for 2019-20 for (i) the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project and (ii) the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Project. | Stephen Gethins, SNP, North East Fife | The expenditure of the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project (SANGCOM) is recovered from the Saudi Arabian Government, but SANGCOM operates under a separate Memorandum of Understanding from Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Project (MODSAP), under which the details of such recoveries are confidential to the two Governments. The expenditure by the MODSAP in financial year 2018-19 amounted to £66.43 million. The budget however for financial year 2019-20 is £69.08 million. The costs of MODSAP are met from a management fee received from the Saudi Arabian Government. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-09-03/286285/ | Saudi Arabia; assistance | |
| 3 September 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) civilian staff in his Department based in the UK, (b) military personnel based in the UK, (c) civilian staff in his Department based in Saudi Arabia and (d) military personnel based in Saudi Arabia were employed by the (i) Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project and (ii) Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Project on 1 April 2019 | Stephen Gethins, SNP, North East Fife | The number of civilian and military personnel based in the UK and Saudi Arabia who were employed by the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project (SANGCOM) and the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Projects (MODSAP) on 1 April 2019 is shown below. The Saudi Arabian Government reimburses the UK Ministry of Defence for these staff costs and there is, therefore, no cost to the UK taxpayer. Manpower number as at 1 April 2019 UK-based Civilian Staff: 4 (SANGCOM) and 69 (MODSAP) UK-based Military Staff: 0 (SANGCOM) and 35 (MODSAP) Saudi-based Civilian Staff: 51 (SANGCOM) and 38 (MODSAP) Saudi-based Military Staff: 20 (SANGCOM) and 66 (MODSAP) | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-09-03/286284/ | Saudi Arabia; assistance | |
| 23 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what evidence his Department based its estimate of the predicted registration of 170,000 drone users within the first 18 months of the UK Drone Registration Scheme | Lee Rowley, Conservative, North East Derbyshire | The Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) consultation document explains that the predicted 170,000 unmanned aircraft operator registration figure has been calculated using adoption rates for other national registration schemes (such as those in Ireland and the United States) against the UK population, and available research on drone use and attitudes. The document also sets out the rationale for the cost of ongoing upgrades to the service. The initial scheme will be launched with a minimum scope and service level and, in common with best practice and the Government Digital Service framework, the CAA plans to make minor service improvements and major functionality improvements. Major improvements may include a renewal invitation process and incorporate the existing unmanned aircraft service for commercial operators. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-23/281035 | Drone registration; civilian drones | |
| 23 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using British Model Flying Association drone registration data to avoid duplicate registrations in the UK Drone Registration Scheme | Lee Rowley, Conservative, North East Derbyshire | Small unmanned aircraft (SUAs) can be enormously beneficial, both commercially and as a leisure pursuit. However, SUAs also have the potential to pose a safety and security threat so it is important that those operating them understand the law and their responsibilities as a remote pilot of an aircraft in UK airspace. The changes to the Air Navigation Order laid before Parliament in May 2018 require that all operators of SUAs of all types weighing 250g – 20kg must register their aircraft by 30 November 2019. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is working with the British Model Flying Association to see whether, as a service to their members, they may want to assist in the initial upload of data. The CAA will be launching an awareness-raising campaign to ensure that new and existing operators and remote pilots of small unmanned aircraft (SUAs) are aware of the requirement to register and take a competency test by 30 November 2019 | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-23/281036 | Drone registration; civilian drones | |
| 22 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using drones to detect defects in roads | Sir Greg Knight, Conservative, East Yorkshire | The Government is committed to exploring all technology, including the use of drones, to identify road defects and improve road maintenance. The Infrastructure Inspection Pathfinder project, carried out by the Connected Places Catapult (previously Transport Systems Catapult) under the Government Drone Pathfinder Programme, aims at accelerating the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to enable UK businesses to access wider inspection and surveying capabilities of this smart technology. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-17/278390 | Civilian drones; repairs and maintenance | |
| 22 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterparts on (a) the accuracy of its reporting of civilian casualties due to US drone strikes and (b) the lasting effect of US drone strikes on civilian populations in Somalia | Jo Swinson, LibDem, East Dunbartonshire | The Secretary of State will build on the work of his predecessor and continue to have regular engagement with his US counterpart on counter-terrorism activities. We have not sought to make an independent assessment of the accuracy or impact of US strikes in Somalia; this would be challenging, given the difficult security environment. The main cause of civilian casualties in Somalia is the insurgency and indiscriminate terrorist activity of Al-Shabaab. Support from the US and others to the Federal Government of Somalia's efforts to counter terrorism is critical to limiting Al-Shabaab's capability to inflict harm | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-22/280178 | US drones; civilian casualties; Somalia | |
| 17 July 2019 | My Lords, yesterday the Defence Select Committee report found that MoD expenditure has been cut by an eye-watering 25% since 2010. The former US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs said that during this time there has been, “a steady decline of Britain as the partner of first choice for the US military”. Does the Minister accept that austerity has undermined the UK/US defence partnership and that ultimately you cannot do security on the cheap? | Lord Tunnicliffe | My Lords, no, I do not think it has undermined the partnership. It is true that defence expenditure has declined as a proportion of GDP since the 1980s, but we have seen total defence expenditure steadily increase again since 2014. I would add only that, when we look at defence spending, it is not necessarily appropriate to try to compare like with like, because the nature of defence spending changes year by year, particularly the nature of operational spending. As I said, the core defence budget has been increasing and is currently £39 billion | http://bit.ly/37dSYj7 | Partnership US/UK | |
| 11 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Black Hornet drones the British Army (a) possesses and (b) has deployed in active service | Keith Vaz, Labour, Leicester East | The Army first purchased 160 Black Hornet 1 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in 2011 as part of a £20 million contract with FLIR UAS (formerly Prox Dynamics). The systems were used on operations in Afghanistan, but that capability has since been phased out. In 2019 the Army purchased 90 of the upgraded Black Hornet 3 UAS at a contract value of £1.7 million. There is no intention to deploy the capability on operations at this time | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-11/276153 | Black Hornet; MOD | |
| 11 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much her Department has spent on the acquisition of Black Hornet drones | Keith Vaz, Labour, Leicester East | The Army first purchased 160 Black Hornet 1 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in 2011 as part of a £20 million contract with FLIR UAS (formerly Prox Dynamics). The systems were used on operations in Afghanistan, but that capability has since been phased out. In 2019 the Army purchased 90 of the upgraded Black Hornet 3 UAS at a contract value of £1.7 million. There is no intention to deploy the capability on operations at this time | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-11/276154 | Black Hornet; MOD | |
| 11 July 2019 | Given the evidence from organisations such as the Red Cross, and given what we know about the humanitarian violations in Yemen, does the Secretary of State not think it is time, once and for all and regardless of any review, to look at the international evidence, and stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia to break international law? | Patricia Gibson, SNP, North Ayrshire and Arran | We take a rigorous and robust view in this country, as the court said, and we are very aware of any potential breaches of international humanitarian law. I think the hon. Lady will find that the United Kingdom has one of the most stringent sets of rules around arms exporting anywhere in the world. | http://bit.ly/2O8cKDQ | Saudi Arabia; assistance | |
| 10 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the United Nations Security Council letter dated 26 January 2018 from the Panel of Experts on Yemen mandated by Security Council resolution 2342 (2017) addressed to the President of the Security Council, what steps he took following publication of (a) footnotes 19 and 20 on page 267 and (b) footnote 39 page on 272 recording that components of missiles used by the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen were manufactured by EDO MBM Technology Limited, UK. | Caroline Lucas, Green, Brighton, Pavillion | The Government rigorously assesses arms export licences against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. We draw on a wide range of sources of information in making our assessments, including reports from the UN Panel of Experts. We will not issue any export licences for Saudi Arabia that are inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria, including Criterion 2(c): where there is a clear risk that the goods might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. The Government disagrees with the 20 June Court of Appeal judgment and is appealing to the Supreme Court. We are also carefully considering the implications of the judgment for decision-making. While we do this, we will not grant any new licences for exports to Saudi Arabia and other coalition partners for items which might be used in the conflict in Yemen. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-10/275727 | Arms Exports; Saudi Arabia | |
| 9 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Royal Marines will be ready to use the Lightweight Multirole Missile against drones | Andrew Rosindell, Conservative, Romford | On current plans the Royal Marines will declare initial NATO compliant operating capability for the Lightweight Multirole Missile in early 2021 | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-09/275153 | counterdrone technolgy | |
| 8 July 2019 | Given the increasing threat that drones pose to our national security, as recently highlighted by the insightful BBC documentary “Britain’s Next Air Disaster”, what assessment has my right hon. Friend made of our armed forces’ ability to respond to a potential drone strike, and what investment is her Department making in new technology to rapidly neutralise such threats? | Maggie Throup, Conservative, Erewash | My hon. Friend raises an important point, and the MOD takes the threat of the nefarious use of drones very seriously. Using the defence transformation fund, we are working with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, international partners and industry to further develop our counter-drone capabilities, and of course they will be used to protect defence infrastructure wherever they are needed. More broadly, a lot of the responsibility for protecting other sites in the UK lies with the police, but we will always be there to help if needed | https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2019-07-08/debates/99378AD2-572F-46CD-B99B-EFCF6B25D09E/TopicalQuestions#contribution-1E6F08F5-88B5-48BB-8731-2324B056589A | drone threat to UK; counterdrone technology | |
| 8 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the article published in The Guardian on 18 June 2019 entitled The Saudis couldn't do it without us: the UK's true role in Yemen's deadly war and the article published in The Observer on 23 June 2019 entitled British target training of Saudi air force did not stop Yemen atrocities, if he will make an assessment of the effect on the UK’s international reputation of its role in training the Royal Saudi Air Force. | Lyn Brown, Labour, West Ham | The UK and Saudi Arabia have a longstanding bilateral relationship based on a number of pillars including defence, security, trade and investment, shared concerns about regional issues and energy security. The UK supports Saudi Arabia’s efforts to protect its national security against critical threats, such as the ballistic missiles and drones fired by the Houthis into civilian areas in Saudi Arabia. The UK works with Saudi Arabia to ensure targeting procedures are compliant with International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and we regularly raise the importance of IHL compliance with Saudi Arabia, including at senior levels. The UK is not a member of the Saudi-led Coalition and the UK’s role is limited to providing advice, information and assistance to help Saudi Arabia respond to airborne threats launched by the Houthis. The UK has no role in setting Coalition policy. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-08/274495 | Yemen; Saudi Arabia; assistance | |
| 3 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to paragraph 141 of the Court of Appeal judgment in R (on the application of Campaign Against Arms Trade) v The Secretary of State for International Trade, for what reason his Department's policy was not to assess past violations of international humanitarian law by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | The central issue in relation to military exports to the Saudi-led coalition in the context of the conflict in Yemen is Criterion 2c of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the Government will not grant an export licence if there is a clear risk that the item might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL). Criterion 2c is a prospective and predictive exercise as to whether there is a clear risk in the future. Although the Government has always considered the historic record in respect of IHL, past instances are only a part of the picture in relation to Criterion 2c. The Court of Appeal judgment concerns reaching findings on IHL in specific incidents in the past. The Government’s approach has recognised the inherent difficulty of doing so where we do not have access to complete information. We are now considering the implications of the judgment for decision-making | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-03/272914 | Arms Export; Saudi Arabia; IHL violations | |
| 1 July 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to help protect children from the consequences of the bombing in Idlib, Syria. | Frank Field, Independent (prev. L) | The Government is immensely concerned about the plight of all civilians, particularly children, affected by the current conflict in Idlib and surrounding areas. Last year DFID provided over £80m humanitarian assistance to Northwest Syria. Our UN and NGO partners are working to meet growing needs among displaced people in the region, including the estimated 100,000 children displaced since 1 May, through the distribution of food, shelter and other essential items. We are also providing education and safe spaces for children. Whilst this work has been impacted by the recent conflict in the region and the senseless attacks on civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, to date our partners are continuing to be able to work effectively in the region to help those most in need. In addition to humanitarian assistance, we continue to use our position on the UN Security Council to call out the regime and Russia for their attacks on schools and hospitals, breaching international law and needlessly impacting civilians. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-07-01/271376 | Civilian Protection; children, Syria | |
| 26 June 2019 | If that is the case, why are the Government appealing the judgment instead of promoting a peace settlement in Yemen? Since 2016, for three years, UN experts have been saying that the Saudi coalition has violated international humanitarian law in Yemen. This air campaign has killed tens of thousands of people, and injured and displaced many more. The Government say: “there can be no military solution to this particular conflict. There can only be a negotiated and political solution.”—[Official Report, 20 June 2019; Vol. 662, c. 380.] If that is the case, why have they already pumped £4.6 billion of military equipment into this brutal bombardment? | Jeremby Corbyn, Labour, Islington North | What we do believe, as I have just said—I said it in answer to the right hon. Gentleman’s last question and I said it, I think, in answer to his first question—is that the only way to ensure the security and stability of Yemen for the future is through a political settlement. That is why this Government are supporting the work being done by the UN special envoy, Martin Griffiths, and that is why we are continuing to use our diplomatic efforts, including, as I said, the Foreign Secretary holding a Yemen Quad on Saturday to encourage others around the table. We are very clear that we support the efforts to secure the agreement by the parties to the conflict to implement the Stockholm agreements. That is an important part of the process leading to peace and a political solution. That work is essential so that progress can be made at the next round of these talks and so that the humanitarian supply lines can be opened up | http://bit.ly/2FzPICs | Yemen; arms export; assistance | |
| 26 June 2019 | The Prime Minister does not appear to understand the depth of feeling at the UN, Parliaments around the world or even the US Senate and the House on this situation. The UN itself has warned that by the end of 2019, if the war continues, 230,000 people will have lost their lives, of whom 140,000 are children under the age of five. The UK and EU law state that the Government must: “not grant a licence if there is a clear risk that the items used might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law.” The Government said they had used the following criteria to judge “an understanding of Saudi military procedures; continuing engagement with the Saudis at the highest level” and “Saudi public commitments to IHL”.—[Official Report, 20 June 2019; Vol. 662, c. 375-6.] If the Saudi Government say they are respecting human rights, do we then ignore all evidence on the ground in Yemen and continue to sell weapons to the regime, which has led to this appalling death toll already in this conflict? | Jeremby Corbyn, Labour, Islington North | First, as I have made clear, we are seeking permission to appeal the recent judgment. The judgment is not about whether the Government made the right or wrong decisions, but about the decision-making process and whether it was rational. We are considering the implications of the judgment, alongside seeking permission to appeal, and while we do that, we will not grant any new licences for exports to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners that might be used in the conflict in Yemen. The right hon. Gentleman talks about the conflict in Yemen. As I have just said, let us remember what happened and why we are seeing this conflict in Yemen: it was the overthrow of the internationally recognised Government by rebel insurgents. We are all concerned about the humanitarian situation in Yemen. [Interruption.] The shadow Foreign Secretary might like, as this is an area of concern to her remit, to actually listen to what the Government are doing. [Interruption.] We are all concerned about the humanitarian situation in Yemen. That is why, since the start of the conflict in 2015, our total commitment to Yemen now stands at £770 million. We are one of the major contributors to support for the humanitarian effort. Ultimately, the only way to resolve this issue is through a political settlement. That is why we are supporting the efforts of the UN special envoy, Martin Griffiths. | http://bit.ly/2Pjsh7L | Yemen; arms export; assistance | |
| 26 June 2019 | Germany, as an EU member state, has banned arms exports to Saudi Arabia, so has Denmark, and both the US Senate and House of Representatives have voted to ban arms exports as well. The UN describes the situation in Yemen as “humanity’s biggest preventable disaster”, but the Government see fit to continue selling arms to Saudi Arabia during that situation, so may I ask the Prime Minister a very simple question? Does she believe there are serious ongoing violations of international humanitarian law by Saudi Arabia in Yemen—yes or no? | Jeremby Corbyn, Labour, Islington North | The right hon. Gentleman knows very well that we consider these issues very carefully when we are dealing with these arms export licences, as has just been quoted by the Court, but he references the situation in Yemen. This cannot go on. We need a political settlement in Yemen. I would remind the right hon. Gentleman that the Saudi-led intervention was at the request of the legitimate President of Yemen following a rebel insurgency, which overthrew the internationally recognised Government, and the intervention has been acknowledged by the United Nations. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary held a Yemen Quad meeting on Saturday, expressing concerns at escalating tensions, but what do we see the Labour party do? One of the right hon. Gentleman’s MPs was inviting rebel leaders of the insurgency into the House of Commons—yet again, Labour on the wrong side of the argument. | http://bit.ly/2Yt1pSY | Yemen; arms export; assistance; IHL violations; IHL | |
| 25 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress his Department has made in the past year in combating the use of drones to supply illegal drugs to prisoners | Gregory Campbell, DUP, East Londonderry | We are taking decisive steps to tackle the use of drones as a supply route for organised criminals to bring contraband, including drugs, into prisons. Prisons use netting and window grilles to stop drones from delivering contraband successfully. To deter criminals, HM Prison and Probation Service is also working closely with the police to arrest suspected drone operators and secure convictions. Thanks to such joint working, and following the largest investigation of its kind, an organised criminal gang of 15 were collectively sentenced in October 2018 to nearly 40 years in prison for using drones to deliver drugs into Merseyside prisons. The ringleader received a sentence of 10 years, the highest single sentence for drone-related activity to date. Where contraband gets into prisons using a drone, our counter-measures assist us to retrieve them and frustrate further criminal activity. In respect of drugs, our Drugs Taskforce is working with law enforcement to restrict supply. It has also developed a national Prison Drug Strategy which was published in April to reduce demand for drugs and build recovery, as well as restrict supply. We have also invested £70 million to improve safety, security and decency in prisons, allowing us to fund new X-ray body scanners, improved searching techniques, phone-blocking technology and a financial crime unit to target organised crime group members operating in prisons. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-25/268997 | UAVs; prisons | |
| 25 June 2019 | What steps he is taking to strengthen the rules-based international order | Jack Brereton, Conservative, Stoke-on-Trent South | International institutions and international law have since 1945 provided the framework for a sustained rise in global peace and prosperity. As a permanent member of the Security Council, we consider the United Nations to be the foundation of peace and security around the world. The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to defend the system—for example, by challenging Russian attempts to undermine international institutions and international law. | http://bit.ly/2ZOD4XK | International Rules Based Order; UK global leadership | |
| 25 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2019 to Question 266880 on Yemen: Military Intervention and with reference to the news article entitled, The Saudis couldn’t do it without us: the UK’s true role in Yemen’s deadly war, published by The Guardian on 18 June 2019 in which a senior UK diplomatic source stated that the UK was a party to the conflict in Yemen, for what reason the Answer stated that the UK is not part of the coalition operating in Yemen but did not state whether the UK is a party to the conflict | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | As stated in my answer of 24 June (PQ 266880), the UK is not part of the Saudi-led Coalition operating in Yemen. The UK does supports Saudi Arabia’s efforts to protect its national security against critical threats, such as the ballistic missiles and drones fired by the Houthis into civilian areas in Saudi Arabia. Because of this, we decided to provide information, advice and assistance to Saudi Arabia in responding to this threat. This assistance is part of our ongoing defence relationship with Saudi Arabia. This does not mean that the UK has a role in setting Coalition policy and our assistance is clearly limited to addressing this specific threat. We cannot comment further for operational security reasons except to say that all UK military personnel in Saudi Arabia remain under UK command and control | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-25/269109 | UK assistance; Saudi Arabia; Yemen; party to conflict | |
| 25 June 2019 | I thank the Minister for his reply. I was given an assurance in a past written response to a Question that every sale of arms from the UK undergoes a rigorous assessment in the light of serious violations of international humanitarian law. Yet in 2018 a Minister in the other place said: “The MOD does not investigate allegations of IHL violations”, and in 2016, as evidenced in the Court of Appeal last week, the decision was made that there would be no assessment of past violations of international humanitarian law with regard to Saudi Arabia. Can the Minister clarify whether international humanitarian law is taken into consideration when selling weapons? | The Lord Bishop of St Albans | My Lords, I thank the right reverend Prelate for his question. The key test for granting export licences in these circumstances is criterion 2c of the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, which considers whether there is a clear risk that the items to be exported might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law. The right reverend Prelate then moved on to a decision made in 2016. At that point, international humanitarian law was considered on past events as well, and the judgment under ground 1 was that we should also take into account past events. | http://bit.ly/32M5v9Z | Arms exports; Saudi Arabia; IHL violations | |
| 24 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the recent Court of Appeal ruling on arms exports to Saudi Arabia and criterion 2c of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria which states that licences should not be granted if there is a clear risk the equipment to be exported might be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law, if he will suspend arms sales to (a) Bahrain and (b) the United Arab Emirates. | Tom Brake, Libdem, Carshalton and Wallington | The Government is carefully considering the implications of the Court of Appeal judgment of 20 June for decision making under Criterion 2c of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export licensing Criteria. While we do we will not grant any new licences for exports to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners (UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Egypt) for possible use in the conflict in Yemen. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-24/268343 | Arms export; Saudi Arabia; Egypt; Bahrain; UAE; Kuwait; Yemen | |
| 24 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the written statement of 23 May 2018, HCWS716, on Saudi Arabia, whether the information, advice and assistance provided by his Department to Saudi Arabia classifies the UK as a party to the conflict in Yemen | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | The former Foreign Secretary made clear in the written statement HCWS716 that the UK is not a member of the Saudi-led coalition. Our position is unchanged. Our assistance is limited to addressing the specific threats faced by the Saudis. We are providing information, advice and training to help Saudi Arabia respond to these threats | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-24/268560 | Assistance; Saudi Arabia; Yemen; party to conflict | |
| 24 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to paragraph 141 of the 20 June 2019 Court of Appeal Judgment for what reason the Government stopped considering Saudi Arabia's past violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen in 2016. | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | The Government has always taken into account the past record of Saudi Arabia in respect of international humanitarian law when making export licensing decisions. The Court of Appeal judgment concerns reaching findings on IHL in specific incidents. The Government’s approach has recognised the inherent difficulty of doing so where we do not have access to complete information. We are now considering the implications of the judgment for decision-making | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-24/268570 | Arms export; Saudi Arabia; past violations | |
| 24 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the regulation of the sale of drones | Graham P Jones, Labour, Hyndburn | As set out in the Government’s recent drone consultation response on 7 January 2019, my Department is working with the Home Office and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on product standards for drones. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has also published new product standards for drones which will become fully applicable by 2022. These include a mandatory requirement for drones to be fitted with geo-awareness software and being remotely identifiable before being placed on the market. At an international level, the International Organization for Standardization is currently developing standards for drone safety and operation in which the British Standards Institution (BSI) committee members represent the UK. It is vital that we balance maintaining the UK’s world-leading position in aviation safety and security with supporting the development of this emerging industry. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-24/268456 | drone regulation | |
| 24 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if she will publish the (a) dates of training, (b) organisations trained and (c) programmes of training events provided by UK military personnel to the Saudi Arabian (i) armed forces and (ii) National Guard since March 2015 to help with compliance with International Humanitarian Law. | Caroline Lucas, Green, Brighton, Pavillion | All training provided in the UK or in Saudi Arabia by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces, National Guard (SANG), and Saudi MOD - supports and encourages compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Details of all training provided since March 2015 is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-24/268451 | Saudi Arabia; assistance | |
| 21 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps he has taken to help reduce the number of children killed by airstrikes in Yemen. | Jim Cunningham (Civentry South) (Lab) | We regularly share experience with the Saudis for minimising civilian casualties. The UK continues to call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to exercise restraint, comply fully with international humanitarian law and implement the Stockholm Agreement without delay to improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-21/267712 | Civilian harm; children; civilian protection; PoC | |
| 19 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to The Guardian report on 18 June 2019 on alleged UK military involvement in Yemen, whether the UK is a party to the conflict in Yemen. | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | The UK is not part of the coalition operating in Yemen and the UK has no role in setting coalition policy. Our assistance is limited to addressing the specific threats faced by the Saudis. We are providing information, advice and training to help Saudi Arabia respond to these threats. We have also shared techniques with the Saudis for minimising civilian casualties. The UK has a range of British personnel deployed across the region, but all remain under British command and control | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-19/266880 | UK assistance; Saudi Arabia; Yemen; party to conflict | |
| 18 June 2019 | ..... the prevention of and protection from mass atrocities remain almost wholly absent from the UK’s national framework of civilian protection. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to cover this glaring omission? Furthermore, will he ensure that the upcoming review of the Government’s protection of civilians in conflict strategy reflects the changing nature of modern conflict, which blurs the lines between combatants and non-combatants? | Chris, Law, SNP, Dundee West | I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his remarks. He must know that what we are able to do depends very much on access and safety and whether or not we can get to those who are most in need. At the moment, that is extremely problematic. We would prevail upon all parties to this to allow humanitarian access and to allow those of us who wish to protect civilians to be able to access those civilians wherever they are, so that the necessary protection can be afforded. However, he has to understand the difficulty of assuring the safety and security of those now delivering aid, and I pay tribute to those who provide aid under extremely difficult circumstances. He will be aware that a number of those individuals in our troubled world today have paid with their lives for that. It is absolutely a duty that we in Government and our agencies have to ensure that they are not put at risk more than is absolutely necessary in trying to do their vital work. | http://bit.ly/33K4pNm | Civilian Protection; PoC; Urban conflict; modern warfare | |
| 13 June 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce regulations that require manufacturers to have a signalling beacon on all (1) drones, and (2) other flying toys. | Viscount Waverley, Crossbench | The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have published new product standards for drones which will become fully applicable by 2022. Some of these standards include the mandatory requirement for drones to be fitted with a geo-awareness software before being placed on the market. This software will notify the pilot when the drone is entering a restricted zone and when it’s coming close to other aircraft. This new requirement will ensure that our airspace is safely shared and managed more effectively to maintain the UK’s strong air safety record | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-06-13/HL16363 | regulation | |
| 13 June 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to limit (1) the distance that drones may travel, and (2) the height that drones may reach to 125 metres, to reduce the risk of potential issues in airspace | Viscount Waverley, Crossbench | The Air Navigation Order 2016 already prohibits flying small unmanned aircraft beyond the line of sight or above 400ft, which is just over 121 metres, without permission or an exemption from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-06-13/HL16362 | drone regulation | |
| 12 June 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the use of drones on increasing the effectiveness of countering terrorism, piracy, kidnappings and other offences combatted by surveillance technologies | Viscount Waverley, Crossbench | Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for the Police and other law enforcement agencies | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-06-12/HL16335 | surveillence | |
| 10 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle the potential use of drones in terrorist attacks | Andrew Rosindell, Conservative, Romford | The Home Office is leading work across government to ensure a robust ap-proach to the illegal misuse of drones. This includes developing policy over how counter-measures can be best used to respond to malicious and illegal drone use, and accelerating work with the security community and industry to test and evaluate counter-drone technologies. We are working closely with UK sectors at risk to determine how they can be best protected, reducing the likelihood and impact of malicious incidents. To further strengthen our ability to tackle drone misuse, an Unmanned Aircraft Bill is currently being prepared which will give the police enhanced powers to enforce drone-related rules. From 30 November 2019 a registration requirement will also come into force for all operators of drones weighing 250 grams or more, as will a requirement for remote pilots of drones to take a competency test. The Department for Transport has also extended the restriction zone around airports where the flying of drones is prohibited. The new zones, which came into force in March this year, cover an airport’s aerodrome traffic zone and 5km extensions from the end of runways. This builds on the government’s changes to the law last year, which made it illegal to fly a drone above 400 feet or within 1 km of an airport | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-10/262277 | terrorist use of drones | |
| 3 June 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the presence of the Islamic State for West Africa Province in the north-east of Nigeria | Liz McInnes, Labour, Haywood and Middleton | We are deeply concerned by the increase in Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) activity in North Eastern Nigeria. Together with international partners, we are committed to supporting Nigeria and its neighbours in tackling threats to regional stability by ISWA and Boko Haram. Humanitarian operations have been placed under pressure and some suspended, cutting off urgently needed support for up to 120,000 people. We are working with international partners to support contingency planning to protect aid workers, providing strategic military advice and training, and continue to review options for additional UK assistance | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-06-03/259252 | ISIL; Nigeria; assistance | |
| 22 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Government are providing security support or assistance to the Cameroonian Government in the form of (a) financial assistance, (b) security infrastructure, (c) military training and (d) weaponry | Lyn Brown, Labour, West Ham | The UK has a longstanding relationship with Cameroon and we value the shared history and cooperation. The UK and Cameroon cooperate closely in the fight against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, for which the UK provides limited military training. This training is provided in line with the UK Government's Overseas Security and Justice Assistance guidance and emphasises the importance of human rights. Cameroon remains a key and effective contributor to the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), established in 2015 to facilitate regional co-ordination of military operations against Boko Haram. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-22/257452 | Security assistance; Cameroon | |
| 22 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what surveillance and enforcement procedures are in place to ensure that weapons and military equipment in contravention of international agreements to which the UK is a signatory are not (a) promoted, (b) sold during and (c) sold following the Defence and Security Equipment International 2019. | Lyn Brown, Labour, West Ham | We do not hold information about the cost of surveillance and enforcement activities at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibitions in 2013, 2015, 2017. All exports of military items from the UK are subject to export controls. Each export licence application is rigorously assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, which include criteria for human rights and international humanitarian law, and sanctions and embargoes. The Government will not grant a licence where to do so would be inconsistent with these criteria. Government approval is also required for the release of classified defence-related information or equipment by UK exporters to overseas entities for marketing purposes. The Export Control Joint Unit attends some UK arms fairs (including DSEI) to raise awareness with the organisers and the exhibitors of their export control obligations. | |||
| 22 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what surveillance and enforcement measures are in place to ensure that no onward sales are made to countries subject to arms embargo following sales to other countries at the Defence and Security Equipment International 2019. | Lyn Brown, Labour, West Ham | We do not hold information about the cost of surveillance and enforcement activities at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibitions in 2013, 2015, 2017. All exports of military items from the UK are subject to export controls. Each export licence application is rigorously assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, which include criteria for human rights and international humanitarian law, and sanctions and embargoes. The Government will not grant a licence where to do so would be inconsistent with these criteria. Government approval is also required for the release of classified defence-related information or equipment by UK exporters to overseas entities for marketing purposes. The Export Control Joint Unit attends some UK arms fairs (including DSEI) to raise awareness with the organisers and the exhibitors of their export control obligations. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-23/257712 | Arms Exports (enforcement & surveillence of); IHL violations | |
| 22 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what surveillance and enforcement measures are in place to ensure that no direct sales are made to countries subject to arms embargo at Defence and Security Equipment International 2019. | Lyn Brown, Labour, West Ham | We do not hold information about the cost of surveillance and enforcement activities at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibitions in 2013, 2015, 2017. All exports of military items from the UK are subject to export controls. Each export licence application is rigorously assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, which include criteria for human rights and international humanitarian law, and sanctions and embargoes. The Government will not grant a licence where to do so would be inconsistent with these criteria. Government approval is also required for the release of classified defence-related information or equipment by UK exporters to overseas entities for marketing purposes. The Export Control Joint Unit attends some UK arms fairs (including DSEI) to raise awareness with the organisers and the exhibitors of their export control obligations. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-22/257467 | Arms Exports (enforcement & surveillence of); IHL violations | |
| 22 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what information his Department holds on sales of arms and military equipment associated with (a) human rights abuses and (b) war crimes that were originally sold by the UK defence industry where the original sale was made a result of a UK arms fair | Lyn Brown, Labour, West Ham | We do not hold information about the cost of surveillance and enforcement activities at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibitions in 2013, 2015, 2017. All exports of military items from the UK are subject to export controls. Each export licence application is rigorously assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, which include criteria for human rights and international humanitarian law, and sanctions and embargoes. The Government will not grant a licence where to do so would be inconsistent with these criteria. Government approval is also required for the release of classified defence-related information or equipment by UK exporters to overseas entities for marketing purposes. The Export Control Joint Unit attends some UK arms fairs (including DSEI) to raise awareness with the organisers and the exhibitors of their export control obligations. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-22/257463 | Arms Exports (enforcement & surveillence of) | |
| 9 May 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received about the Ministry of Defence's definition of an autonomous weapons system since the publication of the report of the House of Lords Artificial Intelligence Committee AI in the UK: Ready, Willing and Able on 16 April 2018. | Lord Browne of Ladyton | Her Majesty's Government has received some representations on this subject from Parliamentarians. The House of Lords report recommended that "the UK's definition of autonomous weapons should be realigned to be the same, or similar, as that used by the rest of the world". However, the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Group of Government Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems is yet to achieve consensus on an internationally accepted definition or set of characteristics for autonomous weapons. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-04-24.HL15333.h&s=artificial+intelligence#gHL15333.q0 | Autonomous weapons | |
| 21 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent of damage to facilities funded by British NGOs of the bombing campaign by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | We take all reports of facilities damaged by airstrikes in Yemen very seriously and regularly meet with NGOs to discuss their concerns. We use every opportunity to raise the importance of complying with international humanitarian law with the Saudi Arabian government and other members of the Coalition, including requesting investigations into alleged incidents of concern. Most recently we raised concerns about the airstrikes in Sana’a on 16 May and the Coalition confirmed they are taking steps to investigate the incident. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-21/256987 | Airstrikes Yemen; damage to facilities funded by UK NGOs | |
| 21 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to respond to reports from Oxfam of airstrikes against their facilities in Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | We take all reports of facilities damaged by airstrikes in Yemen very seriously and regularly meet with NGOs to discuss their concerns. We use every opportunity to raise the importance of complying with international humanitarian law with the Saudi Arabian government and other members of the Coalition, including requesting investigations into alleged incidents of concern. Most recently we raised concerns about the airstrikes in Sana’a on 16 May and the Coalition confirmed they are taking steps to investigate the incident. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-21/256988 | Yemen; Airstrikes | |
| 21 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many alleged violations of international humanitarian law have been investigated by the Joint Incidents Assessment Team; and how many of those investigations have resulted in blame being apportioned to (a) Saudi Arabia and (b) Houthi rebels. | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | The Joint Incident Assessment Team has published 136 statements regarding its investigations into alleged violations of international humanitarian law. The reports do not attribute blame. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-21/257090 | JIAT; IHL violations | |
| 17 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the bombings at (a) a Sanaa school on 7 April 2019, (b) a Save the Children-supported hospital on 26 March 2019 and (c) other bombings of civilian infrastructure in Yemen, what discussions he has had with his Saudi counterpart on the timeframe for the conclusion of the Saudi-led Coalition’s investigations into those incidents; and whether the results of those investigations will be made publicly available. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | We are deeply concerned by reports of an alleged airstrike on a petrol station at a hospital facility on 26 March 2019. Our officials have been in contact with Save the Children, who fund the hospital, about this alleged incident and have raised this matter with the Saudi-led Coalition, who have announced an investigation. We are also deeply concerned at reports of an explosion at a warehouse near two schools in Sa’wan on 7 April 2019. We have raised the incident with the Coalition who have announced an investigation in line with standard practices. We endorse the statement of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General of 9 April and continue to call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to exercise restraint, comply fully with international humanitarian law and implement the Stockholm Agreement without delay in order to improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-17/255648 | Saudi Arabia; Airstrikes; IHL violations | |
| 17 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure that deconflicted (a) hospitals and (b) schools in Yemen are protected from bombing. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | We have been clear that all parties to the conflict in Yemen must comply with international humanitarian law. We continue to call on all parties to exercise restraint and implement the Stockholm Agreement without delay in order to improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-17/255649 | Yemen; IHL | |
| 9 May 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to maintain the serviceability of the UK fleet of Thales Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicles. | Lord Campbell of Pittenweem | The Army have awarded Thales a Future Support Contract to maintain the serviceability of the Watchkeeper Unmanned Air System from 1 April 2019 for the next five years. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-04-30.HL15427.h&s=unmanned+aerial+vehicle#gHL15427.q0 | ||
| 8 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent introduction by the Civil Aviation Authority of Flight Restriction Zones around protected aerodromes on the interests of members of the British Model Flying Association in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | Sylvia Hermon MP (Independent) (North Down) | The flight restriction zone around aerodromes was developed in response to submissions gathered through our consultation on the safe and effective regulation of drones, ‘Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK’. There was significant interest in the consultation, which closed in September 2018 and received around 5,000 responses. A range of options were considered when developing the extended restriction zone and factors including impacts on all airspace users, safety, security and the communication and enforceability of the zone were all evaluated. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-05-01.249885.h&s=drone#g249885.r0 | civilian drones; regulations | |
| 3 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2019 to Question 228123 on Saudi Arabia: military aid, what the function is of the staff working in a liaison capacity inside the Saudi headquarters. | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | Staff working in any military liaison capacity ensure the timely flow of information between the Ministry of Defence in London, UK headquarters at home and abroad, and the overseas headquarters they are assigned to. Military liaison officers in Saudi Arabia conduct Key Leader Engagement and relationship building, and develop understanding of operational matters within the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defence and appropriate Saudi headquarters. More specifically, as I said in my reply to Question 228123, our liaison officers working in the Saudi Air Operations Centre observe Saudi-led coalition air operations in Yemen to help the UK support Saudi compliance with International Humanitarian Law. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-03/250790 | Military assistance; Saudi Arabia | |
| 1 May 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent introduction by the Civil Aviation Authority of Flight Restriction Zones around protected aerodromes on the interests of members of the British Model Flying Association in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement | Lady Hermon, Independent, North Down | The flight restriction zone around aerodromes was developed in response to submissions gathered through our consultation on the safe and effective regulation of drones, ‘Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK’. There was significant interest in the consultation, which closed in September 2018 and received around 5,000 responses. A range of options were considered when developing the extended restriction zone and factors including impacts on all airspace users, safety, security and the communication and enforceability of the zone were all evaluated. The new legislation takes the same approach as the former restriction zone by allowing any small unmanned aircraft, including model aircraft, to fly within the restriction zone where the relevant permission has been received. When an Air Traffic Control Unit (ATCU) is operational, permission needs to be sought from this unit. The CAA will be assessing the permissions process as part of a wider review of airport restriction zones later this year. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-05-01/249885 | drone regulation | |
| 24 April 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support an independent investigation into the airstrike on two schools in Sana’a, Yemen on 7 April 2019. To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of whether the airstrike on two schools in Sana’a, Yemen on 7 April 2019 was a legitimate military operation in line with international humanitarian law. | Stephen Twigg MP (Lab) (Liverpool West Derby) | We are deeply concerned at reports of an explosion at a warehouse near two schools in Sa’wan. British officials have raised this incident with Saudi officials, who have denied publicly that an airstrike took place, and British officials are urgently seeking information from all credible sources. We endorse the statement of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General of 9 April and continue to call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to exercise restraint, comply fully with international humanitarian law and implement the Stockholm Agreement without delay in order to improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-04-11.244004.h&s=UN+Secretary-General#g244004.r0 | civilian casualties; IHL, yemen | |
| 23 April 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee last visited NSA/NRO Menwith Hill. | Alex Sobel MP | The Intelligence and Security Committee does not comment on the details of its work programme. Where appropriate it publishes information on visits it has undertaken in its Annual Reports. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-04-09.242955.h&s=speaker%3A24729#g242955.r0 | ||
| 16 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's involvement in drone activities in the Yemen following the ruling of the Higher Administrative Court in Münster in the case of bin Ali Jaber vs Germany. | Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts | Any use of force by the UK complies fully with UK domestic and applicable international law. We are aware of the ruling by the German Higher Administrative Court on 19 March 2019 that Germany has a responsibility for ensuring that United States (US) operations conducted from German territory accord with international law. The Court also held that a lower Court had correctly deemed the case inadmissible, on the grounds that it could not be proved that the plaintiff's father was killed by a US drone strike on the day in question in 2012. The Court also stated that it could not be proved that the German government had knowledge of the use of Ramstein for drone strikes in 2012. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-04-02.HL15003.h&s=drone#gHL15003.q0 | military drone; legality; international law | |
| 16 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what methods they use to estimate the numbers of civilian deaths resulting from the use of remote-controlled drones in counter-terrorist operations either directly by the UK or by their allies in (1) Yemen, (2) Pakistan, and (3) North Africa; and what figures are available for such casualties. | The Marquess of Lothian (Con) | The United Kingdom has not conducted airstrikes from any platform, either manned or unmanned, in counter-terrorism operations in Yemen, Pakistan or North Africa. We do not comment on the operations of other countries. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-04-04.HL15069.h&s=civilian+casualties#gHL15069.q0 | Civilian casualties; military drones | |
| 11 April 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support an independent investigation into the airstrike on two schools in Sana’a, Yemen on 7 April 2019. | Stephen Twigg MP (Lab) (Liverpool West Derby) | We are deeply concerned at reports of an explosion at a warehouse near two schools in Sa’wan. British officials have raised this incident with Saudi officials, who have denied publicly that an airstrike took place, and British officials are urgently seeking information from all credible sources. We endorse the statement of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General of 9 April and continue to call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to exercise restraint, comply fully with international humanitarian law and implement the Stockholm Agreement without delay in order to improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-04-11/244004 | Airstrikes; Yemen; Saudi Arabia; IHL | |
| 11 April 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of whether the airstrike on two schools in Sana’a, Yemen on 7 April 2019 was a legitimate military operation in line with international humanitarian law | Stephen Twigg MP (Lab) (Liverpool West Derby) | We are deeply concerned at reports of an explosion at a warehouse near two schools in Sa’wan. British officials have raised this incident with Saudi officials, who have denied publicly that an airstrike took place, and British officials are urgently seeking information from all credible sources. We endorse the statement of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General of 9 April and continue to call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to exercise restraint, comply fully with international humanitarian law and implement the Stockholm Agreement without delay in order to improve the humanitarian situation in Yemen. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-04-11/244005 | Yemen; Airstrike; Saudi Arabia; IHL violation | |
| 11 April 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Trade etc. in Dual-Use Items and Firearms etc. (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, on what basis the Government will determine what constitutes a human rights violation. | Judith Cummins, Labour, Bradford South | After EU Exit export licence applications will continue to be assessed in the same way as they are now, on a case-by-case basis against the eight criteria set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Criterion 2 covers the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law. A licence would not be granted if to do so was inconsistent with the Criteria. The Criteria are statutory guidance issued under section 9 of the Export Control Act 2002 as most recently announced to Parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014. After the UK leaves the EU, the Criteria will remain in force until such time as any new or amended guidance is announced to Parliament. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-04-11/244135 | Dual use arms; arms export; Brexit | |
| 10 April 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Written Statement of 8 April 2019 Official Report HCWS1498 on changes in the terminology from airstrikes to weapon release events when reporting the UK's contribution to the Counter-Daesh campaign, whether a Reaper launching two or more Hellfire missiles at one target counts as one weapon release event. | Anneliese Dodds (Lab) | Yes. A Weapon Release Event is when one or more weapons of the same type are released from the same aircraft, at the same time, at the same target. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-04-10/243570 | ||
| 10 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are monitoring the threat posed by Islamic terrorists in Mali and neighbouring countries; and what role the UK currently has in the EU capacity-building missions in Mali and the Sahel. | The Earl of Sandwich | We are deeply concerned by the security situation in the region, including recent attacks against civilians and security forces operating in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Working alongside international partners, we continue to monitor the threat posed by terrorist groups in Mali and neighbouring countries and we remain committed to helping to address complex challenges in the Sahel. The UK has seconded six military and two civilian personnel to the EU Training mission (EUTM) in Mali, who provide strategic advice; infantry, medical and counter-Improvised Explosive Device training; and international humanitarian law and gender expertise. Although there have been no UK personnel in the EU capacity building (EUCAP) missions in Mali and Niger since our last secondment in 2017, we continue to actively participate in all EU discussions concerning these missions and have supported their mandate extensions to January 2021 and September 2020 respectively. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-04-10/HL15192 | Counterterrorism; Africa; Mali; Sahel; partnership | |
| 9 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK personnel at Royal Air Force Menwith Hill are not directly or indirectly involved in drone activation including of Ghost Hunter, Ghost Wolf and other surveillance tools operated by United States service personnel. | Lord Judd (Lab) | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-04-01.HL14962.h&s=drone#gHL14962.q0 | UK-US partnering; military drone operations | ||
| 4 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 28 March (HL14604), whether third parties have provided information specifically about weapons made or sold by British companies and then used in Yemen; and if so, whether they will publish (1) that information, and (2) their assessment of it. | The Lord Bishop of St Albans | We are aware that some UK licensed weapons have been used by Saudi Arabia in the conflict in Yemen. We examine every export licence application rigorously on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, including an assessment of whether there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law (IHL). We regularly raise the importance of compliance with IHL with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the Coalition and draw on a range of sources in making assessments, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international organisations and continue to monitor the situation closely, seeking further information where appropriate. We welcome any further information NGOs and international organisations can provide. The Department for International Trade publish export licensing statistics quarterly, which can be found on the gov.uk website | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-04-04/HL15082 | Arms Export; Saudi Arabia; Yemen; British weapons used in Yemen | |
| 3 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports in the Channel 4 Dispatches programme Yemen—Britain's Hidden War that UK contractors have supplied arms that were used in the war in Yemen; what reasons were stated in export licence applications submitted by Saudi Arabia, BAE Systems plc, or any intermediary, for the supply and use of weaponry; and what criteria they use to assess and approve each application | Vicount Waverley | All arms supplied by UK companies to Saudi Arabia require an export licence. We assess each export licence application very carefully against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the Consolidated Criteria). The Consolidated Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require us to think hard about the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. These are not decisions we take lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria. The key test for assessing military exports to Saudi Arabia is Criterion 2(c) of the Consolidated Criteria – whether there is a clear risk that the exports might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). When considering export licence applications, we take into account a wide range of sources and analyses, including reports from non-governmental organisations and the United Nations, as well as those of a sensitive nature to which these parties do not have access. This provides a comprehensive basis on which Government can take informed decisions about export licence applications. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-04-03/HL15059 | Arms Export; Saudi Arabia | |
| 3 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports in the Channel 4 Dispatches programme Yemen—Britain's Hidden War that UK contractors have supplied arms that were used in the war in Yemen; what reasons were stated in export licence applications submitted by Saudi Arabia, BAE Systems plc, or any intermediary, for the supply and use of weaponry; and what criteria they use to assess and approve each application. | Lord Judd (Lab) | All arms supplied by UK companies to Saudi Arabia require an export licence. We assess each export licence application very carefully against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the Consolidated Criteria). The Consolidated Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require us to think hard about the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. These are not decisions we take lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria. The key test for assessing military exports to Saudi Arabia is Criterion 2(c) of the Consolidated Criteria – whether there is a clear risk that the exports might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). When considering export licence applications, we take into account a wide range of sources and analyses, including reports from non-governmental organisations and the United Nations, as well as those of a sensitive nature to which these parties do not have access. This provides a comprehensive basis on which Government can take informed decisions about export licence applications. | https://bit.ly/2VSAGOe | Arms Export; Saudi Arabia | |
| 2 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's involvement in drone activities in the Yemen following the ruling of the Higher Administrative Court in Münster in the case of bin Ali Jaber vs Germany | Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, Conservative | Any use of force by the UK complies fully with UK domestic and applicable international law. We are aware of the ruling by the German Higher Administrative Court on 19 March 2019 that Germany has a responsibility for ensuring that United States (US) operations conducted from German territory accord with international law. The Court also held that a lower Court had correctly deemed the case inadmissible, on the grounds that it could not be proved that the plaintiff's father was killed by a US drone strike on the day in question in 2012. The Court also stated that it could not be proved that the German government had knowledge of the use of Ramstein for drone strikes in 2012 | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-04-02/HL15003 | UK assistance; Yemen; Germany | |
| 2 April 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timetable is for the remaining nine Reaper drones to be decommissioned ahead of the purchase of sixteen Protector drones from the United States. | Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab) | Does | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-03-28.238287.h&s=drone#g238287.q0 | Military drone; Protector; Reaper | |
| 1 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK personnel at Royal Air Force Menwith Hill are not directly or indirectly involved in drone activation including of Ghost Hunter, Ghost Wolf and other surveillance tools operated by United States service personnel. | Lord Judd (Lab) | In accordance with long standing policy we do not comment on the details of the activities carried out at RAF Menwith Hill in providing intelligence support | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-04-01/HL14962 | Menwith Hill; Assistance | |
| 1 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 28 March (HL14604), whether third parties have provided information about weapons made or sold by British companies that were subsequently used in Yemen; if so, which reports they have received; and what assessment they have made of any such reports. | The Lord Bishop of St Albans | We are aware that some UK licensed weapons have been used by Saudi Arabia in the conflict in Yemen. We examine every export licence application rigorously on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria including an assessment of whether there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law (IHL). We regularly raise the importance of compliance with IHL with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the Coalition and draw on a range of sources in making assessments, including NGOs and international organisations and continue to monitor the situation closely, seeking further information where appropriate. We welcome any further information NGOs and international organisations can provide | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-04-01/HL14976 | Saudi Arabia; Arms Export | |
| 1 April 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the UK did not sign the October 2018 United Nations General Assembly Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. | Ben Lake | The use of lethal force in populated areas, as elsewhere, is governed by relevant international law - in particular, International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Our targeting policy and practice is entirely consistent with our obligations under UK and international law and we will continue to operate in accordance with its principles. The UK declined to sign the October 2018 United Nations First Committee Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas because its call for a binding political declaration risks undermining the primacy of IHL and imposing impracticable standards and expectations on military commanders | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-04-01/239286 | Explosive Weapons in populated areas | |
| 1 April 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK personnel at Royal Air Force Menwith Hill are not directly or indirectly involved in drone activation including of Ghost Hunter, Ghost Wolf and other surveillance tools operated by United States service personnel. | Lord Judd (Lab) | In accordance with long standing policy we do not comment on the details of the activities carried out at RAF Menwith Hill in providing intelligence support. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2019-04-01/HL14962/ | Menwith Hill; Assistance | |
| 27 March 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK forces have been involved in any direct military action in Yemen in the last six months. | The Marquess of Lothian | The UK provides information, advice and assistance to Saudi Arabia to respond to the threat of strategic weapons fired by the Houthis into Saudi Arabia. We are not and have never been a member of the Saudi-led Coalition. Our assistance is clearly limited to addressing this specific threat. UK military personnel in Saudi Arabia remain under UK command and control | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-03-27/HL14863 | Assistance; Saudi Arabia | |
| 28 March 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timetable is for the remaining nine Reaper drones to be decommissioned ahead of the purchase of sixteen Protector drones from the United States | Kevan Jones, Labour, North Durham | The out of service date for the Reaper fleet will align with Protector's entry into service by the middle of the next decade to ensure a seamless transition between the two fleets | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-03-28/238287 | Reaper; Protector | |
| 27 March 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK forces have been involved in any direct military action in Yemen in the last six months. | The Marquess of Lothian | The UK provides information, advice and assistance to Saudi Arabia to respond to the threat of strategic weapons fired by the Houthis into Saudi Arabia. We are not and have never been a member of the Saudi-led Coalition. Our assistance is clearly limited to addressing this specific threat. UK military personnel in Saudi Arabia remain under UK command and control. | https://bit.ly/2YIc0tx | Assistance; Saudi Arabia | |
| 20 March 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Situation of human rights in Yemen, including violations and abuses since September 2014, published on 13 September 2017, what steps his Department has taken to reduce the legal exposure of (a) the armed forces and (b) workers supporting the Royal Saudi Air Force under contract to the UK government from alleged violations of international humanitarian law | Lloyd Russel-Moyle, Labour, Brighton, Kemptown | UK Armed Forces are not exposed to legal liability because the UK is not a member of the Saudi-led Coalition and all UK military assistance to Saudi Arabia is in accordance with international and national law. All UK personnel in Saudi Arabia remain under UK command and control. Regarding workers supporting the Royal Saudi Air Force under contract to the UK Government, our arms export regime is one of the most rigorous in the world. The key test for our continued arms exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to international humanitarian law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those items subject to the licence might be used in a serious violation of IHL. The situation is kept under careful and continual review. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-03-20/234802 | Assistance; Saudi Arabia | |
| 19 March 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 25 February (HL13675), whether attacks from drones on Palestinian lands are exempt under the consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria; and if so, why. | Baroness Tonge (Lib Dem) | We do not exempt either the end user or the proposed end use from any assessment against the Consolidated Criteria. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-03-05.HL14277.h&s=drone#gHL14277.q0 | Drone strikes; EU & arms export legality | |
| 15 March 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that all UK airports and RAF bases are supplied with military grade drone detection equipment, and that training is provided to relevant police, military personnel and airport staff. | Lord Fink (Con) | Her Majesty’s Government takes the threat posed by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to airports and other critical infrastructure seriously. Steps have been, and are being taken, to ensure that our airports have the appropriate measures in place. Given the sensitivities around military grade equipment, it would be inappropriate to comment further about these measures. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-03-04.HL14185.h&s=drone#gHL14185.q0 | Civilian drones; Airport protection | |
| 5 March 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 25 February (HL13675), whether attacks from drones on Palestinian lands are exempt under the consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria; and if so, why. | Baroness Tonge (Lib Dem) | We do not exempt either the end user or the proposed end use from any assessment against the Consolidated Criteria | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-03-05/HL14277 | Israel; arms export | |
| 5 March 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the ability of the new off-shore patrol vessels ships to have a UAV capability; and if he will make a statement. | Vernon Coaker (Lab) | The Batch 2 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) are versatile ships that will be able to deliver across a broad range of defence tasks, in our home waters and overseas, exploiting flexible manning solutions and innovative technologies. This could also include an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle capability that is already being exploited within the Batch 1 OPV. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-02-28.227042.h&s=Unmanned+aerial+vehicle#g227042.r0 | Navy Patrol vessels UAV capability | |
| 4 March 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that all UK airports and RAF bases are supplied with military grade drone detection equipment, and that training is provided to relevant police, military personnel and airport staff | Lord Fink (Con) | Her Majesty’s Government takes the threat posed by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to airports and other critical infrastructure seriously. Steps have been, and are being taken, to ensure that our airports have the appropriate measures in place. Given the sensitivities around military grade equipment, it would be inappropriate to comment further about these measures | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-03-04/HL14185 | counterdrone technology | |
| 4 March 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) expenditure was in the financial year 2017-18 and (b) budget is for 2018-19 for the (i) Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project and (ii) Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Project | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The costs incurred by the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Projects (MODSAP) in financial year 2017-18 amounted to £74.75 million. The budget for financial year 2018-19 is £63.64 million. The costs of MODSAP are met from a management fee received from the Saudi Arabian Government. The costs of the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project (SANGCOM) are similarly recovered from the Saudi Arabian Government, but SANGCOM operates under a separate Memorandum of Understanding from MODSAP, under which the details of such recoveries are confidential to the two Governments. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-03-04/228072/ | Saudi Arabia; assistance | |
| 4 March 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) civilian staff and (b) military personnel based in (i) the UK and (ii) Saudi Arabia were employed on the (A) Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project and (B) Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Project on 1 April 2018 | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The number of civilian and military personnel based in the UK and Saudi Arabia who were employed by the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project (SANGCOM) and the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Projects (MODSAP) on 1 April 2018 is shown below. The Saudi Arabian Government reimburses the UK Ministry of Defence for these staff costs and there is, therefore, no cost to the UK taxpayer. Manpower number as at 1 April 2018 UK-based Civilian Staff: 2 (SANGCOM) and 66 (MODSAP) UK-based Military Staff: 0 (SANGCOM) and 33 (MODSAP) Saudi-based Civilian Staff: 52 (SANGCOM) and 38 (MODSAP) Saudi-based Military Staff: 22 (SANGCOM) and 69 (MODSAP) | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-03-04/228071/ | Saudi Arabia; assistance | |
| 28 February 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 16 March 2016 (HL6659, HL6660, and HL6661), what progress they have made in (1) legislation in regard to, and (2) protection against, drones in the last three years. | Lord West (Spithead) (Lab) | Last year, the Government legislated to make flying drones above 400ft or within 1km of an airport boundary illegal. Last month, the aerodrome restriction zone was expanded to include an airport’s aerodrome traffic zone as well as 5km by 1km extensions from the end of runways to protect take-off and landing paths. Last year, the Government also put into law a registration requirement for all operators of drones weighing 250 grams or more, and a requirement for remote pilots of drones to take a competency test. These requirements will come into force on 30 November 2019. A new Drones Bill will be introduced in the next Session, which will give the Police greater powers to tackle offences involving the misuse of drones. In addition, the Home Office has announced new stop and search powers for drones around aerodromes, which will also be included in the upcoming Bill. The Home Office continues to review the UK’s response to the malicious use of drones, and will consider how best to protect the full range of the UK’s critical national infrastructure, as well as testing and evaluating technology to counter drones. The Government will also continue to work closely with industry and other partners on regulation, anticipating future innovations wherever possible in order to keep our airports secure and our airspace safe. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-02-18.HL13815.h&s=drone#gHL13815.q0 | Civilian drones; protecting airports and critical infrastructure | |
| 27 Februar 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments have required ministerial approval from his Department in each financial year since 2015-16. | Nia Griffith, Labour, Llanelli | Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) assessments themselves do not require approval by Ministers. OSJA assessments are written records of the consideration of risks surrounding a proposed activity and they document those who have been consulted. Ministerial approval may be required to authorise the proposed activity being described by the OSJA assessment, depending on the level of risk identified. If the hon. Member is seeking a record of those OSJA related activities, not the assessments themselves, such approvals are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-02-27/226635 | Assistance; OSJA; ministerial approval | |
| 25 February 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on human rights of Elbit systems UK's sale of drones subsequently used in attacks in Palestine. | Baroness Tonge (Lib Dem) | Export licence applications to all countries, including Israel, are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Our key test for licensing to Israel is Criterion 2 – whether there is a clear risk that exports might be used for internal repression or in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. We continue to monitor the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories closely, and if extant licences are found to be no longer consistent with the Criteria, those licences will be revoked. | |||
| 25 February 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason his Department has removed one MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle from service. | Kevan Jones,( North Durham) (Lab) | One of the RAF's Reaper fleet has reached the end of its viable flying life and is now in storage. This has had no impact on operational tasking. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-02-20.223964.h&s=Unmanned+aerial+vehicle#g223964.q0 | MoD; Military drone | |
| 22 February 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a drone registration scheme similar to the scheme operated by the Federal Aviation Administration in the US. | John Spellar (Warley) (Lab) | The Government has already put into law a registration requirement for all operators of drones weighing 250 grams or more. This was done in May last year. The registration requirement will come into force this year on 30 November 2019. As explained in the Government’s July 2017 response to its public consultation on the safe use of drones in the UK, the primary aims of introducing a registration scheme are to improve the accountability of drones users, aid enforcement and enable direct educational targeting of these users in order to improve safety, security and privacy. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-02-14.221570.h&s=drone#g221570.q0 | Civilian drone registration | |
| 20 February 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his Department plans to update the Government Strategy on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict in order to reduce the number of babies dying as a result of armed conflict. | Chris, Law, SNP, Dundee West | he Government is reviewing its strategy on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict now, and we will have more information in due course. The review coincides with the twentieth anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1265 (1999) and the adoption of the Protection of Civilians as an item on the Security Council's agenda | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-02-15/222035 | Civilian Protection; PoC | |
| 18 February 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 16 March 2016 (HL6659, HL6660, and HL6661), what progress they have made in (1) legislation in regard to, and (2) protection against, drones in the last three years. | Lord West of Spithead (Lab) | Last year, the Government legislated to make flying drones above 400ft or within 1km of an airport boundary illegal. Last month, the aerodrome restriction zone was expanded to include an airport’s aerodrome traffic zone as well as 5km by 1km extensions from the end of runways to protect take-off and landing paths. Last year, the Government also put into law a registration requirement for all operators of drones weighing 250 grams or more, and a requirement for remote pilots of drones to take a competency test. These requirements will come into force on 30 November 2019. A new Drones Bill will be introduced in the next Session, which will give the Police greater powers to tackle offences involving the misuse of drones. In addition, the Home Office has announced new stop and search powers for drones around aerodromes, which will also be included in the upcoming Bill. The Home Office continues to review the UK’s response to the malicious use of drones, and will consider how best to protect the full range of the UK’s critical national infrastructure, as well as testing and evaluating technology to counter drones. The Government will also continue to work closely with industry and other partners on regulation, anticipating future innovations wherever possible in order to keep our airports secure and our airspace safe. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-02-18/HL13815 | drone legislation | |
| 14 February 2019 | On Monday, the Secretary of State for Defence made a number of announcements to the press. They included first, a proposal to have large squadrons of highly skilled killer drones, and secondly—and more oddly—the proposal to convert a number of old car ferries into frontline warships, including, according to The Times, the Empress of Margate. Is it not the case that the Secretary of State should come to the House to make a statement regarding these proposals, and that we should also have a wider debate on them? | Jamie Stone, Libdem, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | The hon. Gentleman will be aware that we have Defence questions on Monday 18 February, which will be a good opportunity for him to ask the Secretary of State directly | https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2019-02-14/debates/F3F9CC25-D033-4FCB-8D3B-2D6BA201D411/BusinessOfTheHouse#contribution-2FC6937B-5971-4F3F-B102-35ECA2B658DD | Killer drone squadron | |
| 14 February 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a drone registration scheme similar to the scheme operated by the Federal Aviation Administration in the US | John Spellar (Warley) (Lab) | The Government has already put into law a registration requirement for all operators of drones weighing 250 grams or more. This was done in May last year. The registration requirement will come into force this year on 30 November 2019. As explained in the Government’s July 2017 response to its public consultation on the safe use of drones in the UK, the primary aims of introducing a registration scheme are to improve the accountability of drone users, aid enforcement and enable direct educational targeting of these users in order to improve safety, security and privacy. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-02-14/221570 | drone registration | |
| 12 February 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on human rights of Elbit Systems UK's sale of drones subsequently used in attacks in Palestine | Baroness Tonge (Lib Dem) | Export licence applications to all countries, including Israel, are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Our key test for licensing to Israel is Criterion 2 – whether there is a clear risk that exports might be used for internal repression or in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. We continue to monitor the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories closely, and if extant licences are found to be no longer consistent with the Criteria, those licences will be revoked | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-02-12/HL13675 | arms export; Israel; human rights | |
| 4 February 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to recoup the cost of regulating drones from their users or manufacturers. | Greg Knight (East Yorkshire) (Con) | There are already charges that exist for certain drone users, when applying to the CAA for permission to operate commercially or for an exemption from an Air Navigation Order article. When registration of drone operators is implemented later this year, drone operators will be required to pay the CAA a registration charge in order to fund the running and maintenance of the service. The CAA will consult on the structure of the proposed charging later this year. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-01-30.214515.h&s=drone#g214515.q0 | Civilian drone regulation | |
| 4 February 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Government of Pakistan since the last election in that country; and what recent (a) military and (b) economic assistance has been offered to improve co-operation between the UK and Pakistan | Jim Shannon, DUP, Strangford | We have had regular discussions with the Government of Pakistan since the election in July 2018. This includes contact by the Foreign Secretary and other Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers. We maintain regular contact with the Government of Pakistan at all levels in Pakistan, the UK and international fora on a range of bilateral and multilateral issues. These include security cooperation; work on anti-corruption; and bilateral trade. We maintain defence training exchanges and senior bilateral defence meetings with Pakistan’s Armed Forces. We help strengthen Pakistan institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law and advancing the rights of women and minorities. The British government also works with the Government of Pakistan on improving education, healthcare, infrastructure, gender equality, economic growth and jobs, and peace, justice and institutions, including through Department for International Development-supported projects and programmes. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-02-04/216255 | Assistance; Pakistan | |
| 4 February 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the technical feasibility of requiring drones to be fitted with geofencing software which prevents their operation around certain sites including airports, high-population density areas and national security sites. | Greg Knight (East Yorkshire) (Con) | Many drone manufacturers already voluntarily implement geo-fencing around sensitive infrastructure such as airports and prisons in the UK. The UK has been participating in negotiations in the EU to mandate geo-fencing as a product standard for all drones. The Department for Transport will continue to work with manufacturers to implement geo-fencing in their products. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-01-30.214516.h&s=drone#g214516.q0 | civilian drones regulation; protecting airports and critical infrastrcuture | |
| 30 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to recoup the cost of regulating drones from their users or manufacturers | Sir Greg Knight, Conservative, East Yorkshire | There are already charges that exist for certain drone users, when applying to the CAA for permission to operate commercially or for an exemption from an Air Navigation Order article. When registration of drone operators is implemented later this year, drone operators will be required to pay the CAA a registration charge in order to fund the running and maintenance of the service. The CAA will consult on the structure of the proposed charging later this year | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-01-30/214515 | regulation | |
| 30 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the technical feasibility of requiring drones to be fitted with geofencing software which prevents their operation around certain sites including airports, high-population density areas and national security sites | Sir Greg Knight, Conservative, East Yorkshire | Many drone manufacturers already voluntarily implement geo-fencing around sensitive infrastructure such as airports and prisons in the UK. The UK has been participating in negotiations in the EU to mandate geo-fencing as a product standard for all drones. The Department for Transport will continue to work with manufacturers to implement geo-fencing in their products | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-01-30/214516 | drone regulation; geofencing | |
| 29 January 2019 | My Lords, the Minister used the word “proportionality” today, and in a previous answer. Could she explain the principle of proportionality between a drone closing Gatwick for two days and people being allowed to do what they like with them elsewhere? It is a bit of a challenge, is it not? | Lord Balfe (Con) | The noble Lord is quite right; it is a challenge. We have brought in laws governing the use of drones within airport exclusion zones and across the country. It is against the law to fly your drone above 400 feet, but the noble Lord is right to point out that this is a complex issue | https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2019-01-29/debates/15231457-BFBD-4860-A905-A778F86D93BE/DronesConsultation#contribution-36EF7B44-ADA8-435A-AAE2-870A145AFA82 | Gatwick | |
| 29 January 2019 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations they are conducting on the operation of drones in United Kingdom airspace; and whether they will include the British Airline Pilots Association and the Guild of Air Traffic Controllers as members of draft Airspace Modernisation Strategy committees | Lord Balfe (Con) | My Lords, the Government have a wide range of engagement with industry on the operation of drones in UK airspace, and the government response to the latest formal consultation was published on 7 January. The Department for Transport will continue to work with the British Airline Pilots Association and the Guild of Air Traffic Control Officers, airports, drone manufacturers and other key stakeholders on all issues relating to the operation of drones in UK airspace, including airspace modernisation. | https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2019-01-29/debates/15231457-BFBD-4860-A905-A778F86D93BE/DronesConsultation#contribution-1E2E9D42-BA0B-4BA9-BCDD-B6818991A832 | consultation; legislation | |
| 29 January 2019 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations they are conducting on the operation of drones in United Kingdom airspace; and whether they will include the British Airline Pilots Association and the Guild of Air Traffic Controllers as members of draft Airspace Modernisation Strategy committees. | Lord Balfe (Con) | My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper and draw attention to my interests as listed in the register. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2019-01-29a.992.0&s=drone | civilian drone regulation | |
| 29 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of the disruption caused by the Gatwick drone incident in December 2018. | Jim Cunningham (Civentry South) (Lab) | The Department for Transport has not made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the disruption caused by the Gatwick drone incident in December 2018. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-01-22.211112.h&s=drone#g211112.q0 | civilian drone misuse | |
| 29 January 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the use of drones for air-sea rescue purposes in the English Channel. | Lord Hylton | Her Majesty’s Coastguard is actively considering drone technology that could be used to enhance search and rescue efficiency across the UK, save more lives and reduce risk to personnel. This includes working with search and rescue partners and industry, to explore and trial the feasibility of using drones in real-life scenarios, which will improve situational awareness and decision making for search and rescue authorities. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-01-22.HL13020.h&s=drone#gHL13020.q0 | drones for air-sea rescue purposes | |
| 29 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of the disruption caused by the Gatwick drone incident in December 2018. | Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab) | The Department for Transport has not made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the disruption caused by the Gatwick drone incident in December 2018 | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-01-22/211112 | Gatwick (cost) | |
| 29 January 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent drones from interfering with equestrian events, including national hunt racing and flat racing. | Lord Palmer | There are already existing laws which provide safety, security and data protection assurance which are relevant here. The Air Navigation Order 2016 restricts small unmanned aircraft (a drone of between 0-20kg) with a camera from being flown over or within 150m of congested areas, over or within 150m of an organised open-air assembly of more than 1,000 people or within 50m of any vessels, vehicle or structure or people not under the control of the remote pilot. Furthermore, small drone users that collect personal data must comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, unless a relevant exemption applies. All drone users should also be aware that the Countryside and Rights of Way Act can apply and restricts people from undertaking any commercial activity, such as filming or photographing, on open-access land without the permission of the landowner. The CAA also require that commercial drone operators obtain a Permission for Commercial Operation (PfCO). | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-01-23.HL13073.h&s=drone#gHL13073.q0 | civilian drones regulation | |
| 22 January 2019 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made towards introducing new regulations on the use of drones. | Baroness Randerson | My Lords, the Department for Transport introduced legislation last year which made flying a drone above 400 feet or within 1 kilometre of an airport boundary an offence. We also introduced regulations for compulsory registration and testing for drone users, which come into effect in November. Earlier this month, we announced measures to extend the airport flying ban to include aerodrome traffic zones and additional 5 kilometre extensions from the ends of runways. We also announced new police powers to tackle drone misuse, including the ability to issue on-the-spot fines. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2019-01-22a.622.3&s=drone | civilian drone regulation | |
| 22 January 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the use of drones for air-sea rescue purposes in the English Channel. | Lord Hylton, Crossbench | Her Majesty’s Coastguard is actively considering drone technology that could be used to enhance search and rescue efficiency across the UK, save more lives and reduce risk to personnel. This includes working with search and rescue partners and industry, to explore and trial the feasibility of using drones in real-life scenarios, which will improve situational awareness and decision making for search and rescue authorities. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-01-22/HL13020 | rescue services | |
| 22 January 2019 | My Lords, the lessons are always learned after incidents of this nature. In previous answers, the Minister told us that the Department for Transport was not happy that any of the technological solutions were necessarily perfect. Is the perfect not the enemy of the good? Today, we were told by easyJet that the disruption at Gatwick cost it £15 million. Other airlines and the airport operators will have had similar costs, and of course, the public and business faced costs too. What estimate has the department made of the costs associated with these slightly less-than-perfect technological solutions? What would it cost to equip a single airport with that technology, compared with the losses incurred? | Lord Harris of Haringey (Lab) | My Lords, advancing counter-drone technology is a complex challenge, and I think it fair to say that there is currently no silver bullet in that regard. A number of products are available; when taken together, they can mitigate against a drone. We are working closely with airports to ensure that they have the appropriate measures in place. We also continue to test and evaluate the safe use of a range of counter-drone technologies, and we are looking at future options. This crucial technology will detect drones flying around sensitive areas, airports and other parts of critical national infrastructure. The noble Lord rightly highlighted the economic cost involved; he can rest assured that we are doing everything we can to protect against future drone incursions | http://bit.ly/2Du692s | rogue drones | |
| 22 January 2019 | Can the Minister explain why compulsory registration of drones has to wait until November? Why can it not happen now? The Gatwick incident demonstrated that no one really knows who is in charge. Is it the Department for Transport, the Home Office or the MoD; is it the police, the Army, the CAA or the airport itself? That is one reason why it took so long to deal with. Whose responsibility will it be the next time it happens? | Baroness Randerson | On the timing of the registration system, since we put the requirement into law last May, the CAA has been working to develop and build an online registration and testing system. It is of course important that we get the IT system right: we expect thousands of people to use it and we want it to be easy to use and future proof, as we expect rapid growth in the sector. It is fair to say that many lessons were learned from the Gatwick incident. The police at the airport initially led the response, but I can certainly assure the noble Baroness that across the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office and the Department for Transport, we will continue to ensure that we react rapidly to future incidents | http://bit.ly/2ECZm5Z | Registration | |
| 18 January 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of governments that are, or are almost, able to mobilise new weapons systems capable of operating without meaningful human control; how soon they expect the UK will be able to deploy such systems; and what steps they are taking to secure international controls of such systems. | Lord Judd (Lab) | UK policy is that the operation of weapon systems will always be under human control as an absolute guarantee of oversight and authority for weapons release - no UK weapons systems currently in development will be capable of attacking targets without human control and input. Officials from Her Majesty's Government are closely involved in international discussions on autonomy at the United Nations to ensure that developments occur responsibly and in line with international law. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-01-08.HL12667.h&s=autonomous+weapon | Autonomous weapons | |
| 14 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2019 to Question 205973 on Airports: Unmanned Air Vehicles, what consultations the Government undertook prior to implementing the 400 ft height and 1 km radius exclusion zone on the use of drones adjacent to airports | Alan Brown, SNP, Kilmarnock and Loudoun | From December 2016 – March 2017 the Department sought views on drones in our consultation “Unlocking the UK's High Tech Economy: Consultation on the Safe Use of drones in the UK”. Almost 700 responses were received, including from airports, airlines, GA pilots and drone users. The Department’s response to that consultation (July 2017 https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/benefits-of-drones-to-the-uk-economy) sets out its intention to ban the use of drones within a certain distance of airports and to ban flights above 400ft. Amendments to the Air Navigation Order (ANO 2016) were then made in May 2018 introducing the 400ft limit and the interim 1km airport restriction. Following the Department’s most recent public consultation, the Government will now amend the ANO to extend the 1km restriction to protect the aerodrome traffic zones of protected airports, and to add 5km long runway protection zones at the end of each runway. This was set out on 7 January 2019 in the Government Response to “Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK”. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-01-14/208366 | regulation; consultation | |
| 14 January 2019 | Civilian authorities and agencies are now often on the frontline in dealing with cyber-attacks, chemical weapons attacks and drone incursions. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the Ministry of Defence is stepping up training and resilience capability of our civilian agencies to ensure that the skills transfers are there, so that they too are able to defend our country? | Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend( (Lab) | Yes; of course we always have that backstop of being able to step in and support civilian authorities as well. Increasingly, as we touched on earlier, there is a growing grey zone where people who wish to do us harm are acting, and we need to consider how we support civilian authorities more in future to help them best deal with those threats | http://bit.ly/2F4lTc0 | ||
| 14 January 2019 | The Ministry of Defence is evidently well prepared to respond very quickly to drone threats, once it is asked for assistance, but can the Minister explain the policy whereby installations are not already in place and a crisis has to arise before that assistance is deployed to the airports? | Dr Julian Lewis, New Forest East | As I was saying, the protection of airports is in fact an issue for those airports. I know that the Department for Transport is working with airfields across the country to ensure that they have the protections they need. The response by the MOD was incredibly swift, and I pay tribute to it for that | http://bit.ly/2TGFppe | Gatwick; MOD | |
| 14 January 2019 | What steps his Department is taking to support civilian authorities to tackle illegal drone use at and around UK airports | Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con) | The Ministry of Defence rapidly deployed counter-unmanned air systems capability in support of Sussex police and the Metropolitan police, both at Gatwick and at Heathrow. We are working with colleagues in the Department for Transport and across the Government, and will continue to do so | http://bit.ly/2O5Gy3E | Gatwick; illegal drone use; police | |
| 14 January 2019 | I have today received a parliamentary answer revealing that no Transport Minister visited Gatwick during the drone crisis. Can the hon. Gentleman tell us what contingency plans his own Department had for dealing with drones at airports? Will he also tell us on what date the Transport Department—or, indeed, the Cabinet Office—ask the MOD for help and support during the crisis? How did his Department respond, and when? | John Spellar (Warley) (Lab) | I was pleased to go to Heathrow myself just last week—[Hon. Members: “Gatwick.”] I know, but I personally went to Heathrow last week. We responded to the request that we received from Sussex police on 20 December and we have been working with colleagues across the Government, and with the Department for Transport, to ensure that we have all the availability that is needed, and that the airports have the proper advice that they require so that they can get the systems they need to ensure that they can protect their own runways | |||
| 10 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which parties were consulted on the adequacy of the 400 ft height and 1 km radius exclusion zone on the use of drones adjacent to airports. | Alan Brown (SNP spokesman) | On 7th January 2019, the Government published its response to the recent consultation on the safe use and effective regulation of drones; “Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK”. There was significant interest in the consultation, which closed on 17 September and received around 5,000 responses. One of the key topics covered in the consultation was whether the current airport restriction was sufficient, and if not, what kind of further extension should be considered. As a result, the exclusion zone around airports will be extended to approximately a 5km-radius (3.1 miles), with additional extensions at the end of each runway. The consultation response document can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-future-of-drones-in-the-uk-consultation . Chapter 5 includes a summary of responses to the questions on the airport restriction zone, and summarises the views received from aerodromes and airlines, model aircraft fliers and leisure users of drones, amongst others. As explained in the consultation response, The Department for Transport will still be instructing the CAA to review the effectiveness of aerodrome restriction measures during the next year. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-01-07.205973.h&s=drone#g205973.q0 | Civilian drones, airport disruption | |
| 10 January 2019 | I am sure that the Secretary of State can chew gum and walk at the same time, so while he is dealing with future viability with our leaving the EU, will he also deal with the current crisis over drones affecting airports? May I give him the opportunity to answer the questions that he did not answer earlier in the week? Were contingency plans agreed with the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office to protect our airports from drone incidents and others, and if not, why not? Were such plans not activated in time because of dithering? Why did they not work? Was that the fault of the Secretary of State’s Department, the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office or, indeed, the Cabinet Office? | John Spellar (Warley) (Lab) | Chris Grayling: I would simply remind the right hon. Gentleman of two factors. First, the disruptive attack at Gatwick was unprecedented anywhere in the world, and as a result we have been approached by airports around the world to learn more about how we tackled that. Secondly, as I have said, I am not able to discuss in the House the nature of the technology used for security reasons, but when a similar issue arose at Heathrow earlier this week, the response was very rapid indeed. | http://bit.ly/2F9nHAn | Civilian drones; Gatwick response | |
| 9 January 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce urgent legislation to immediately implement a five-kilometre drone exclusion zone as proposed by the British Airline Pilots Association for all commercial and military airports; if so, when; and if not, why not. | Lord Naseby | As set out in my recent Statement [7 January 2019 vol 794] on the Government’s response to our recent consultation Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK, we will be taking forward several measures to ensure that passengers have confidence that their journeys will not be disrupted by drones, that aircraft can safely use our key transport hubs and that criminals misusing drones can be brought to justice. Although any restriction zone would not have prevented a deliberate incident such as that seen recently at Gatwick, we want to ensure that proportionate measures are in place at airports to protect aircraft and avoid potential conflict with legitimate drone activity. We will therefore introduce additional protections around airports, with a particular focus on protected exclusion zones 5km from runway ends at a width of 1km, alongside increasing the current restrictions to the extent of existing Aerodrome Traffic Zones (ATZ) around airports. Drone pilots wishing to fly within these zones must only do so with permission from the aerodrome air traffic control. The Department for Transport will amend the Air Navigation Order 2016 to implement these changes | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2019-01-09/HL12715 | Civilian drones; Domestic drone legislation | |
| 8 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the oral contribution of the hon. Member for South West Norfolk, 6 December 2016 on Prison Safety, Official Report, column 95, what assessment he has made of (a) the effect of the use of patrol dogs barking to deter drones, (b) how many prisons use this method and (c) at what cost to the public purse. | Layla Moran, Oxford West and Abingdon | Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) uses dogs in a variety of roles, such as searching for drugs and other illicit items and for patrolling. Patrol dogs are deployed in various ways including at the perimeter of prisons, to deter and disrupt individuals from illegal activity such as throwing contraband over the perimeter or piloting drones over the prison. In the course of these duties, patrol dogs may also hear drones being used and alert their handler. However, dogs are not deployed specifically for this purpose and therefore there are no associated costs. We are taking decisive steps to tackle the use of drones as a supply route for organised criminals to bring illicit items such as drugs and mobile phones into prisons. Prisons that experience high numbers of drone incursions are receiving a wide range of support, including prison-specific vulnerability assessments and joint policing operations to arrest drone operators. We are also using physical counter-measures, including netting and window grilles | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-01-08/206453 | Civilan drones; UK; Prisons | |
| 8 January 2019 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of governments that are, or are almost, able to mobilise new weapons systems capable of operating without meaningful human control; how soon they expect the UK will be able to deploy such systems; and what steps they are taking to secure international controls of such systems. | Lord Judd (Lab) | UK policy is that the operation of weapon systems will always be under human control as an absolute guarantee of oversight and authority for weapons release - no UK weapons systems currently in development will be capable of attacking targets without human control and input. Officials from Her Majesty's Government are closely involved in international discussions on autonomy at the United Nations to ensure that developments occur responsibly and in line with international law. | https://bit.ly/2mAFTgO | Autonomous weapons | |
| 7 Januar 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which parties were consulted on the adequacy of the 400 ft height and 1 km radius exclusion zone on the use of drones adjacent to airports. | On 7th January 2019, the Government published its response to the recent consultation on the safe use and effective regulation of drones; “Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK”. There was significant interest in the consultation, which closed on 17 September and received around 5,000 responses. One of the key topics covered in the consultation was whether the current airport restriction was sufficient, and if not, what kind of further extension should be considered. As a result, the exclusion zone around airports will be extended to approximately a 5km-radius (3.1 miles), with additional extensions at the end of each runway. The consultation response document can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-future-of-drones-in-the-uk-consultation . Chapter 5 includes a summary of responses to the questions on the airport restriction zone, and summarises the views received from aerodromes and airlines, model aircraft fliers and leisure users of drones, amongst others. As explained in the consultation response, The Department for Transport will still be instructing the CAA to review the effectiveness of aerodrome restriction measures during the next year. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-01-07/205973 | Domestic legislation | ||
| 7 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the public purse has been of the development of the ecoSUB-µ5-SVP vehicles to be deployed from HMS Enterprise | Martin ocherty-Hughes, West Dunbartonshire | The ecoSUB-µ5-SVP vehicles were not developed as part of a defence contract. The vehicles were developed by industry, Planet Ocean, in collaboration with the National Oceanography Centre. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-12-07/200135/ | ||
| 7 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which parties were consulted on the adequacy of the 400 ft height and 1 km radius exclusion zone on the use of drones adjacent to airports. | Alan Brown, Kilmarnock and Loudoun | On 7th January 2019, the Government published its response to the recent consultation on the safe use and effective regulation of drones; “Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK”. There was significant interest in the consultation, which closed on 17 September and received around 5,000 responses. One of the key topics covered in the consultation was whether the current airport restriction was sufficient, and if not, what kind of further extension should be considered. As a result, the exclusion zone around airports will be extended to approximately a 5km-radius (3.1 miles), with additional extensions at the end of each runway. The consultation response document can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-future-of-drones-in-the-uk-consultation . Chapter 5 includes a summary of responses to the questions on the airport restriction zone, and summarises the views received from aerodromes and airlines, model aircraft fliers and leisure users of drones, amongst others. As explained in the consultation response, The Department for Transport will still be instructing the CAA to review the effectiveness of aerodrome restriction measures during the next year | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-01-07/205973/ | Civilian drones UK; Gatwick; Heathrow; legislation | |
| 4 January 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of the contraband in prisons that enters prisons via drone | Richard Burgon, Leeds East | It is inherently difficult to estimate the proportion of contraband that enters prisons through different routes, including drones, as we can only base this on what is found; often this is in cells or wings where the method of conveyance is unclear. We are taking decisive steps to tackle the use of drones as a supply route for organised criminals to bring illicit items such as drugs and mobile phones into prisons. Prisons that experience high numbers of drone incursions are receiving a wide range of support, including prison-specific vulnerability assessments and joint policing operations to arrest drone operators. We are also putting physical counter-measures, including netting and window grilles | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2019-01-04/205339 | Prison | |
| 20 December 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the closure of Gatwick Airport on 19 and 20 December 2018 after illegal drone use threatened flight safety for the future resilience at that airport. | Henry Smith (Crawley) | The recent use of a drone to disrupt Gatwick airport operations was a serious criminal offence. The Department is working closely with the Home Office, Police, CAA and all UK airports to ensure that appropriate lessons are learnt from this incident, and appropriate mitigations put in place to reinforce their protection. Department for Transport and Home Office Ministers will be meeting with key UK airports this week to discuss their counter-drone strategies in the wake of the Gatwick incident. Air and Unmanned Aerial Systems strikes are being conducted in Iraq and Syria. The UK is conducting military counterterrorism operations or capacity building in 17 countries. Military personnel have been deployed on the ground but none of those personnel are employed in combat roles. The Ministry of Defence has not constructed nor is it retaining any military bases for the sole purpose of counterterrorism operations; UK forces use shared military establishments at the invitation of host governments or allies at a number of locations globally. These measures include new powers for the police to ensure they are able to enforce the law for offences involving drones, and increased drone restriction zones around airports | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-12-20/204480 | Gatwick | |
| 20 December 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in how many countries the UK military is conducting counterterrorism operations; and in how many of those countries the UK is (a) conducting air and dronestrikes, (b) deploying combat troops, (c) constructing or retaining military bases and (d) building the capacity of partners to conduct counterterrorism and other actions. | Dr Julian Lewis, New Forest East | Air and Unmanned Aerial Systems strikes are being conducted in Iraq and Syria. The UK is conducting military counterterrorism operations or capacity building in 17 countries. Military personnel have been deployed on the ground but none of those personnel are employed in combat roles. The Ministry of Defence has not constructed nor is it retaining any military bases for the sole purpose of counterterrorism operations; UK forces use shared military establishments at the invitation of host governments or allies at a number of locations globally. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-12-20/204354 | Armed forces, counter-terrorism | |
| 19 December 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the UK Government takes to ensure that UK aid is not used to support military, security and intelligence authorities in Pakistan allegedly involved in the enforced disappearance of people in that country | Ann Clwyd, Labour, Cynon Valley | HMG makes robust use of oversees security and justice assessment (OSJAs) process to manage any risks arising from security and justice assistance delivered overseas. The UK’s work in Pakistan is focused on peace and stability, making democracy work, jobs and growth and providing basic services. Across Government, through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) UK aid is used to support the reform of justice institutions and the development of provincial rule of law strategies, improving Pakistan’s capacity to counter terrorism, deal with organised crime, supporting the work of civilian and military agencies to handle Improvised Explosive Devices, and strengthening Mutual Legal Assistance. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-12-19/203801 | military aid; Pakistan | |
| 18 December 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to prevent illicit drugs being brought into prisons. | David Simpson, Upper Ban | ...........We are working with the police to catch and convict criminals who smuggle contraband into prisons, and exploring additional security measures and new technology to stop these incursions. To date, there have been at least 45 convictions related to drone activity, with those sentenced serving a total of more than 140 years in prison....... | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-12-18/203266/ | Prison | |
| 6 December 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the follow-on process to develop international best practice standards stemming from the US-led joint declaration on the export and subsequent use of armed or strike enabled UAVs, what the Government’s main goals are; and which international partners the Government is working with | Tom Brake, Carshalton and Wallington | The US is leading the process to develop possible international best practice standards in this area. We are concerned by the possible misuse of armed and strike-enabled UAVs and welcome the initiative. The UK already has a robust set of export controls in place. We would like to ensure that any future best practice standards are consistent with, and add value to, existing multilateral export control and non-proliferation regimes, and encourage the maximum possible compliance. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-12-06/199760/ | Drones, international best standards | |
| 6 December 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the conclusion of the US-led joint declaration on the export and subsequent use of armed or strike-enabled UAVs, what steps the Government taking to develop those standards. | Tom Brake, Carshalton and Wallington | The UK signed a 'Joint Declaration on the Export & Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)' on 5 October 2016, along with 52 other States. The UK already has a robust set of export controls in place in relation to UAVs. Following the Joint Declaration, we are in discussion with a number of countries about developing a set of international best practice standards regarding the export of armed or strike-enabled UAVs. These discussions are continuing; it is not yet clear when they will conclude. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-12-06/199759/ | Export | |
| 5 December 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what date his Department expects to complete the transition from Reaper to Protector aircraft. | Nia Griffith, Llanelli | Under current plans, Protector will be fully operational by the middle of the next decade. Ongoing planning assumes a seamless transition with Reaper. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-12-05/199375/ | Military drone; Protector | |
| 3 December 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) confiscated drones and (b) persons prosecuted for the illegal use of a drone in the vicinity of a prison in the last two years | Gregory Campbell | We are taking decisive steps to tackle the use of drones as a supply route for organised criminals to bring illicit items such as drugs and mobile phones into prisons. These drone operators can be prosecuted for offences related to conveyance of items into prison under the Prison Act 1952. Last year we launched Operation Trenton, a specialist team of police and Prison Service investigators, to work together to intercept drones and track down the criminals behind them. In 2016, 92 drones were recovered. In 2017, 73 were recovered. In respect of persons prosecuted for the illegal use of a drone in the vicinity of a prison in the last two years, we do not hold this data centrally. However, we believe that at least 45 people have been convicted of illicit drone activity, with those sentenced serving a total of more than 140 years in prison. On 26 October 2018, following the largest investigation of its kind, an organised criminal gang of 15 were collectively sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison for using drones to drop drugs into a number of prisons. The ringleader received a sentence of 10 years, the highest single sentence for drone-related activity to date. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-12-03/198196/ | prisons | |
| 21 November 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is exploring options to develop an unmanned maritime patrol aircraft capability to complement current and planned fixed and rotary-wing platforms | Kevan Jones, North Durham | As set out in Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, Joint Force 2025 will deliver a fleet of nine Boeing P-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft. We recognise the potential strategic importance of developing further unmanned surveillance capability; however, we have not started formally exploring options. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-11-21/194117/ | Maritime Patrol Aifcraft | |
| 13 November 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department plans to take against (a) droneoperators and (b) prisoners involved in receiving messages or contraband | Jim Shannon, Strangeford | We are taking decisive steps to tackle the use of drones as a supply route for organised criminals to bring drugs and mobile phones into prisons. These drone operators can be prosecuted for offences related to conveyance of items into prison under the Prison Act 1952. Last year we launched Operation Trenton, a specialist team of police and Prison Service investigators, to work together to intercept drones and track down the criminals behind them. On 26 October, following the largest investigation of its kind, an organised criminal gang of 15 were collectively sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison for using drones to drop drugs into several prisons. One member of the gang received a sentence of 10 years’ custody, the highest single sentence for drone-related activity to date. Prisoners who break the law in prison should expect to be sanctioned according to the severity of the crime, with serious crimes being referred to the police for investigation. The maximum sentence that a court may impose will depend on the facts of the case and the offence the prisoner has been found guilty of committing. In respect of controlled drugs, for example, prisoners involved in their delivery may receive a sentence of up to 10 years’ custody and an unlimited fine. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-11-13/190891/ | prisons | |
| 5 November 2019 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on how many occasions the illegal use of drones in the vicinity of the prison estate has resulted in convictions in each of the last three years. | Gergory Campbell | We are taking decisive steps to tackle the use of drones as a supply route for criminals to bring contraband, including drugs and mobile phones, into prisons. Last year we launched Operation Trenton, a specialist team of Prison Service and Police investigators, to work together to intercept drones and track down the criminals behind them. It is not possible to identify from centrally held data which convictions secured under the Prison Act 1952 relate specifically to drones. However, we believe that at least 45 people have been convicted of illicit drone activity, with those sentenced serving a total of more than 140 years in prison. On 26 October, following the largest investigation of its kind, an organised criminal gang of 15 were collectively sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison for using drones to drop drugs into a number of prisons. The ringleader, Lee Anslow, received a sentence of 10 years, the highest single sentence for drone-related activity to date. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-11-05/188007/ | Prisons | |
| 5 November 2018 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the killing of Abdel Hamid and two others by a Israeli drone strike near the border between Gaza and Israel. | Baroness Tonge | We have not discussed this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israeli Defence Forces police protests and the border areas, including the use of live ammunition. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2018-11-05/HL11299/ | Israel | |
| 6 November 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance his Department has provided to the Government of the United Arab Emirates on counter terrorism in Yemen in (a) 2016, (b) 2017 and (c) 2018 | Tom Brake, Carshalton and Wallington | The Ministry of Defence did not provide assistance to the government of the United Arab Emirates on counter-terrorism in Yemen in 2016, 2017 or 2018 | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-11-06/188696 | Assistance; UAE | |
| 30 October 2018 | The Saudi-led war in Yemen is causing what could be the world’s worst famine in 100 years, with 14 million people at risk according to the UN. This war is dependent on the UK Government’s assistance and support, and it could not be waged without UK arms and military assistance. What crimes does the Saudi regime need to commit before the Government finally stand up for human rights and bring forward that resolution? | Marsha De Cordova, Labour, Battersea | The most important thing in Yemen is to bring the conflict to a conclusion. Over the weekend, I spoke to representatives of the UN, the United States, the coalition and the Government of Yemen. Intensive work is going on to make every effort to bring the conflict to a conclusion, and the United Kingdom will play a full part in that | https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-10-30/debates/4EFBC063-CEDD-4FFD-B48B-A22871B5B072/TopicalQuestions#contribution-E87BC139-FC20-4763-AB35-EF33F692C45A | assistance; UK; Saudi Arabia; IHL violation | |
| 29 October 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military assistance the Government is providing to the Government of Nigeria to help it defeat Boko Haram | Jim Shannon, Strangeford | The UK and Nigeria share a deep and long-standing Defence partnership. Since 2014, the UK has sought to support and enable a Nigerian-led regional response to Boko Haram and related violent extremism, doing so in the context of the long-term need to help build capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces and support Defence Transformation. Some 70 Defence personnel are currently deployed to Nigeria on an enduring basis, and over 800 have deployed to Nigeria on training and advisory tasks since April 2015. This is supported by equipment gifting, places on professional development courses, and a focus on developing Nigerian Command, Staff, and Leadership institutions | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-10-29/184962 | Assistance; Partnership; Nigeria | |
| 17 October 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department made of the use of drones by the Police and Fire Services of the effectiveness of those services in relation to (a) difficult to reach areas, (b) incidents involving a danger to life and limb and (c) public disorder events. | Dr Matthew Offord, Hendon | Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for the Police and Fire and Rescue services. The National Police Chief’s Council is undertaking a review of Police Air Support which is considering how drones should be used alongside manned aircraft. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-10-17/180702/ | Domestic use; Emergency services | |
| 9 October 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to Written Statement of 9 October 2018, HCWS974 on Airborne Warning and Control System, if he will publish the market analysis undertaken by his Department in relation to that decision. | Nia Griffith, Llanelli | The analysis work relating to possible options to invest in and improve the United Kingdom's Airborne Warning and Control System capability considered a wide range of options available on the market, including a number of business jet-based solutions and also some more novel options, including unmanned aerial vehicles. I am withholding market analysis information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our Armed Forces. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-10-09/177235/ | Airborne Warning and Control System | |
| 11 September 2018 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conclusions of the report by Human Rights Watch Hiding Behind the Coalition: Failure to Credibly Investigate and Provide Redress for Unlawful Attacks in Yemen, published 24 August, that the Joint Incidents Assessment Team of the Saudi–UAE coalition lacks credibility and fails to provide credible, impartial and transparent investigations into alleged coalition laws-of-war violations; and whether, following that report, they intend to conduct their own investigation into the impact of air strikes and potential violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen | Lord Judd | The UK regularly encourages Saudi Arabia to conduct thorough and conclusive investigations into reports of alleged violations of international humanitarian law. The Coalition Joint Incident Assessment Team (JIAT) is unparalleled in the region. We welcome the release by the JIAT of the outcome of over 85 investigations into incidents of alleged breaches of international humanitarian law in Yemen. We continue to believe that Saudi Arabia has the best insight into their own military procedures, in line with the standards we set for ourselves and our allies | https://bit.ly/2NHcNcx | Yemen war; Saudi Arabia; UAE; IHL violations | |
| 11 September 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to Written Statement of 9 October 2018, HCWS974 on Airborne Warning and Control System, if he will publish the market analysis undertaken by his Department in relation to that decision. | Lord Judd | This UN report further underlines the deeply concerning human rights situation in Yemen and the importance of reaching a political solution to this conflict. We believe it is important to give the Group of Eminent Experts more time to fully examine the conflict and to ensure that its conclusions accurately reflect the conduct of all parties in future reporting. The UK joined the consensus on the Resolution that established the Group of Eminent Experts last year and we hope the UN Human Rights Council will renew its existing mandate this year. We regularly raise the importance of compliance with international humanitarian law with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the Coalition. The Saudi-led Coalition Joint Incidents Assessment Team has so far announced the findings of over 85 investigations. | https://bit.ly/2O8iKP5 | Partner assistance; Yemen | |
| 10 September 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals on drones. | Melanie Onn, Great Grimsby | In May this year, the Government amended the Air Navigation Order to restrict drones from flying above 400ft and within 1km of an airport boundary. These measures came into effect in July this year. The amendments also introduced the registration of all drone operators with drones of 250g and over, as well as competency tests for remote pilots of drones of 250g and over. These will come into effect in November 2019. The Government is currently consulting on measures to be included in a draft Drones Bill such as greater police powers against the misuse of drones and proposals for regulating and mandating the use of safety ‘apps’ and counter-drone technology. A draft Drones Bill is due to be published shortly. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-09-10/172638/ | Drones Bill | UK |
| 3 September 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has plans to run a public consultation on updating the UK’s protection of civilians strategy. | Chris Law (Dundee West) | There are no plans to run a public consultation. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-09-03/169419/ | Policy: civcas | |
| 3 September 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has plans to include violations committed against children living in conflict in its protection of civilians strategy. | Chris Law (Dundee West) | International Humanitarian Law (IHL) provides a robust legal framework for the protection of all civilians (including children) and combatants, and the UK works closely with states and NGOs to promote compliance with this legal framework.The UK is committed to protecting children affected by armed conflict, including ending the recruitment and use of child soldiers. As an active member of the UN Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), we have been working in particular on how to improve humanitarian access for children in conflict. The UK frequently applies diplomatic pressure to states and non-state armed groups who violate the rights of children in conflict contexts, and funds projects to help protect and rehabilitate vulnerable children. In April 2018, we endorsed the Safe School Declaration and we are encouraging other countries to follow suit. The UK worked very closely with Sweden and others to agree a UN Security Council Resolution on Children and Armed Conflict which was adopted in early July this year. The UK has also endorsed the guidance set out in both the Paris Principles and the Vancouver Principles, which aims to ensure that child protection is an operational priority for UN peacekeeping missions. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-09-03/169420/ | Policy: civcas children | |
| 23 July 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the realisation of the economic potential of drones for the UK economy in the forthcoming draft Drones Bill. | Karl Turner, Kingston upon Hull East | The measures included in the current consultation, which will feed into the upcoming draft Drones Bill, are a key step in maintaining the UK’s position as a global leader in the drones services market; by tackling misuse and building public confidence in drone technology and encouraging positive, innovative drone use. The consultation includes a proposal to mandate the use of safety apps which, if taken forward, will be one of the initial steps towards facilitating an unmanned traffic management system (UTM) and to unlocking the future potential of drones. The intention is to publish the draft Drones Bill later this year, following consultation. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-07-23/167242/ | Drones Bill | |
| 23 July 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the draft Drones Bill will include proposals for the creation of (a) U-space and (b) unmanned traffic management. | Karl Turner | The measures included in the current consultation, which will feed into the upcoming draft Drones Bill, are a key step in maintaining the UK’s position as a global leader in the drones services market; by tackling misuse and building public confidence in drone technology and encouraging positive, innovative drone use. The consultation includes a proposal to mandate the use of safety apps which, if taken forward, will be one of the initial steps towards facilitating an unmanned traffic management system (UTM) and to unlocking the future potential of drones. The intention is to publish the draft Drones Bill later this year, following consultation. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-07-23/167245/ | Drone Bill | UK |
| 23 July 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government are taking to ensure that UK regulations will be sufficiently aligned to EU rules to support (a) the export of drones to Europe and (b) the operation of drones with UK approval in Europe after the UK leaves the EU. | Karl Turner | The Government and the CAA continue to engage with EASA on the development of its Basic Regulation and associated implementing regulations, which will establish new EU regulations for safe drone operations. Future arrangements on the export and operation of drones will be a matter for negotiations.It is the Government’s intention to remain part of the EASA system after exit, and to maintain a common rulebook with the EU for goods. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-07-23/167246/ | Drone Bill | UK |
| 21 June | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Written Statement of 23 May 2018, Official Report, HCWS716, whether the Government's new agreement with Saudi Arabia includes providing information, advice and assistance for Saudi or Saudi-led coalition military operations in Yemen. | Stephen Gethins, SNP, North East Fife | Her Majesty's Government is working with Saudi Arabia to mitigate the threat from missiles fired from Yemen across the border into Saudi Arabia. UK personnel are providing information, advice and assistance limited to this objective. For reasons of operational security further details of this support are not being provided. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-06-21/156458 | Assistance; Saudi Arabia | |
| 21 June | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 23 May 2018 on Saudi Arabia, HCWS716, whether he sought legal advice on the UK Government's role in providing information, advice and assistance to Saudi Arabia against the threat of Houthi missiles; and if he will make a statement | Stephen Gethins, SNP, North East Fife | Legal advice was sought prior to the Written Ministerial Statement of 23 May | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-06-21/156456 | Assistance; legal advice | |
| 20 July | To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for unmanned transport systems to supply troops on the front line. | Lord Kennedy of Southwark | The Defence Scientific and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) is leading the Ministry of Defence's research in this area, working with the US Department of Defense to accelerate and demonstrate the effective use of new robotic and autonomous systems technologies.This includes the 'Last Mile Challenge' innovation initiative which has challenged industry and academia to look at how delivery drones and resupply robots can provide vital reinforcements to frontline troops. The challenge is worth a total of £3.8 million over the next 12 months with prototypes being built for demonstration later this year. Four of the five successful organisations are British-led with a wide range of sub-contractors from small and medium sized enterprises, industry and academia.These capabilities and other emerging military technologies will be tested and evaluated at the Autonomous Warrior, Army Warfighting Exercise in November 2018. The exercise, which involves all three Services, DSTL, the US Army and around 50 industry participants, will test a range of research projects including in surveillance, long-range and precision targeting, enhancing mobility and the re-supply of forces, urban warfare and enhanced situational awareness. The lessons identified will support decision making for future investment in ground-breaking technology and innovation to ensure the Army and British industry remain at the cutting edge of technology and combat tactics. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2018-07-20/HL9747/ | technology: delivery drones | UK |
| 17-20 July 2018 | Smuggling drugs into prisons with drones | 166453; 164970; 14554 | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-07-20/166453/; https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-07-17/164970/; https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-05-18/145547/ | Drug smuggling into prisons | Domestic | |
| 17 July 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is providing to security forces in Nigeria to tackle violence between different groups in the Middle Belt. | Jim Shannon, DUP, Strangford | Assistance provided by the Ministry of Defence to the Nigerian security forces is focussed on Nigerian efforts to counter the threat of terrorism in the North East of the country. The Ministry of Defence does not provide support specifically targeted at tackling the violence in the Middle Belt | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-07-10/162568 | Assistance; Nigeria | |
| 17 July 2018 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what training the army and Joint Forces Command supply to the Palestinian Authority Security Forces; what is their budget for such training; and which department provides the budget. | Baroness Tonge | I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave her on 19 June 2018, to HL 8534. This training is paid for by the cross-Government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and MOD's Defence Assistance Fund (DAF). In financial year 2017-18, the CSSF spend was £2.32 million; and DAF spend was £145,000 | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2018-07-17/HL9623 | assistance; Palestine | |
| 12 July 2018 | To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Prime Minister's statement on 11 July, how the additional 440 UK military personnel to be deployed to the NATO mission in Afghanistan will "bring the stability and security that the Afghan people deserve" | The Marquess of Lothian | The uplift of 440 personnel will join the UK-led Kabul Security Force (KSF), which supports the wider NATO Train Advise Assist mission with non-combat support for the Afghan National Defence and Security Force (ANDSF). This support enables NATO advisors in the city to undertake capacity-building and directly mentors the ANDSF on delivering security for the civilian population, which they been responsible for since 2015. The UK is already playing a critical role, alongside our NATO partners, in training the ANDSF so they have the skills to maintain stability in a challenging environment. The UK uplift will further bolster these efforts where our operational experience and expertise directly benefit the ANDSF. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/lords/2018-07-12/HL9498 | Assistance; Afghanistan; NATO; Kabul Security Force | |
| 12 July 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has plans to develop a (a) UK-only unmanned combat aerial vehicle programme and (a) sixth generation successor to the Eurofighter. | Tom Brake, LD Carshalton and Wallington | The UK's Combat Air Strategy, published on 16 July 2018, outlines the Ministry of Defence's plans for the delivery of Combat Air capability. It has initiated the acquisition programme which will develop the proposals for the delivery of the next generation capability to replace Typhoon, including the nature of that capability. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-07-12/163497/ | Technology | UK |
| 1 July 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to establish permanent arrangements to be activated automatically at the start of any UK military campaign to (a) record and (b) report estimated civilian casualties caused by UK military action; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of such arrangements being established (i) within his Department exclusively or (ii) on a cross-departmental basis. | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) | I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave him to Question 158137 on 4 July 2018. (see below) | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-06-27/158141/ | Policy: civcas | |
| 27 June 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendations of Sir John Chilcot's Report of the Iraq Inquiry, published on 6 July 2016, on future (a) recording and (b) reporting of civilian casualties caused by UK military action; and if he will make a statement. | The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes very seriously the conclusions set out at paragraphs 277 ("The Inquiry considers that a Government has a responsibility to make every reasonable effort to identify and understand the likely and actual effects of its military actions on civilians") and 280 ("The Government should be ready to work with others, in particular Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and academic institutions, to develop such assessments and estimates over time") of Section 17 of the Iraq Inquiry (Chilcot) Report. Since the publication of the Report, officials have been in discussion with several NGOs concerning these conclusions. In response to this dialogue, the Department now releases statistics relating to the number of civilians admitted to UK military field hospitals. In addition, the MOD publication 'The Good Operation'(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-good-operation ), a handbook for those involved in operational policy and its implementation published in January 2018, highlights paragraph 277 of Section 17 (on page 8); invites policy-makers to assess the likely impact of an operation on the populace, including factors such as protection of non-combatants (page 23); and draws attention to the legal dimension of operational planning, including targeting and rules of engagement, on pages 33-35. These considerations are a central part of our planning and campaign assessment processes. We are keen to continue the dialogue with NGOs over the coming period to ensure that, as far as practicably possible, we continue to address the conclusions set out in paragraphs 277 and 280 of Section 17.The current official statistics on operational casualties are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-armed-forces-and-uk-civilian-operational-casualty-and-fatality-statistics The operations on which we are currently reporting (KIPION, SHADER and TORAL) do not incorporate a deployed field hospital, hence no civilian casualty data are currently being reported regarding admissions to deployed UK military medical facilities. We intend to start reporting on numbers of casualties for Op TRENTON (South Sudan) as a UK field hospital is deployed, subject to further work on data compliance issues.We have previously published civilian numbers being treated in a UK field hospital as part of reporting for Op GRITROCK in Sierra Leone, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-and-uk-civilian-operational-casualty-and-fatality-statistics-financial-year-20142015 It is also important to stress that we do everything we can to minimise the risk to civilians from UK military action, not least through the professionalism of our personnel. Reports of civilian casualties are taken very seriously and will continue to be. We already have in place a process by which we identify any evidence that a civilian casualty may inadvertently have occurred. Any such evidence is assessed and if it is credible, it is passed to the relevant authorities for investigation. The results are published where any investigation shows that the UK has been responsible. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-06-27/158137/ | Policy: civcas | ||
| 20 June 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what advanced satellite monitoring and drone technologies his Department has made available to support implementation of the Blue Belt policy around the (a) Ascension Islands and (b) British Indian Ocean Territory. | Angela Smith, Labour, Penistone and Stocksbridge | There are currently no funded programmes relating to satellite monitoring or drone technologies that support the implementation of Blue Belt policy around the Ascension Islands and British Indian Ocean Territory. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-06-20/155729/ | Policy: Environmental protection | British territory |
| 18 June 2018 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about the Israeli military's use of drones which drop firebombs within the borders of Gaza. | Baroness Tonge | We are not aware of these specific incidents and have not raised them with the Israeli authorities. We continue to raise our concerns over the situation in Gaza with the Israeli authorities. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2018-06-18/HL8751/ | Human Rights | Gaza |
| 11 June 2018 | How many drones will we have for the RAF, the Royal Navy and the Army by 2027, both for reconnaissance and for taking out our enemies? | Philip Hollobone, Conservative, Kettering | I am happy to concede that my hon. Friend has caught me on the hop. I am not able to give him a specific answer at this time, but I am sure that he will allow me to write to him to confirm those figures in due course. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2018-06-11a.568.11#g569.5 | ||
| 15 May 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the merits of using drones to drop emergency aid into Syria; and if he will make a statement. | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) | Aid delivered by road by trusted humanitarian partners is by far the most effective way to meet needs in Syria and to ensure that it reaches those most in need. We have, however, examined all options as part of our determination to do everything we can to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people.Airdrops, manned or using drones, are not capable of meeting either the scale of needs or delivering many of the kinds of aid that could address the priority needs that we see in Syria (e.g. safe drinking water, health support). Furthermore, we judge that such an operation would carry a high level of risk because the consent is needed of those who control the airspace and those on the ground that could threaten aircraft. There is nothing to suggest that the Assad regime would provide such consent, given that it continues to use the denial of aid as a weapon of war. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-05-15/144164/ | Drones humanitarian aid | Syria |
| 16 April 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the US administration on the maintenance of the presidential policy guidance on use of drone strikes issued under President Obama; and if he will make a statement. | Alex Sobel MP | The British Government has not held any recent discussions with the US Government on the maintenance of the Presidential Policy Guidance on approving direct action against terrorist targets issued in 2013. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-03-28/134642/ | ||
| 27 March 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the merits of using unarmed drones to deliver humanitarian aid in Syria. | Graham P Jones MP, Hyndburn | Aid delivered by road by trusted humanitarian partners is by far the most effective way to meet needs in Syria and to ensure that it reaches those most in need. We have, however, examined all options as part of our determination to do everything we can to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. Airdrops, manned or using drones, are not capable of meeting either the scale of needs or delivering many of the kinds of aid that could address the priority needs that we see in Syria (e.g. safe drinking water, health support). Furthermore, we judge that such an operation would carry a high level of risk because the consent is needed of those who control the airspace and those on the ground that could threaten aircraft. There is nothing to suggest that the Assad regime would provide such consent, given that it continues to use the denial of aid as a weapon of war. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-03-21/133804/ | Humanitarian | Syria |
| 21 March 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the UK’s (a) legal framework and (b) guidance on its use of lethal force. | Steve McCabe, Labour, Birmingham, Selly Oak | I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield South East (Mr Clive Betts) in response to Question 128425 on 22 February 2018. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-03-21/133772 | Law | |
| 21 March 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the use of lethal force is confined to (a) armed conflicts in which the UK is openly involved and (b) exceptional circumstances in which there is an imminent threat to the UK. | Steve McCabe, Labour, Birmingham, Selly Oak | The use of offensive lethal force overseas is controlled by robust Rules of Engagement and is ordinarily confined to armed conflicts in which the UK is openly involved. However, and as the Government has stated previously, if the UK is subject to an armed attack or the imminent threat of an armed attack, it reserves the right to take action first and inform Parliament after the event. Any decision to use lethal force outside of an armed conflict would be conducted on a case by case basis but always cognisant of the international law principles of necessity and proportionality. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-03-21/133771 | Law | |
| 5 March 2018 | T2. After the Secretary of State’s statement that terrorists cannot harm us and his ministry was forced to admit that its drone policy was misleading and erroneously drafted, will the Secretary of State tell the House whether it is the policy of the UK Government to kill people outside warzones? | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | Our Department and our armed forces always operate within the letter of UK and international law. *BUT* Do our armed forces step up to keep our country safe from terrorist threats? Yes they do, and they will continue to do so. I am very proud of the amazing work they do to keep this country safe. I hope the right hon. Gentleman is also proud. | https://goo.gl/LiZH2P Tweet by Drone Wars pointing out omission of *BUT* https://twitter.com/Drone_Wars_UK/status/970957678808895490 | Policy | |
| 1 March 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many US (a) military personnel, (b) contractors and (c) civilians are stationed at RAF Fylingdales | Alex Sobel, Labour, Leeds North West | The number of US military, US contractor and US civilian personnel at RAF Fylingdales as at 1 March 2018 can be found below; US Military personnel ~ US Contractor 10 US Civilian personnel 0 In accordance with the Data Protection Act data has been rounded to the nearest 10 where ~ denotes a number less than 5. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-03-01/130642 | Bases | |
| 28 Februrary 2018 | To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answers by Lord Ahmad of Wimbeldon on 28 February, whether their current assessment of the ability of Iraqi legal capacity and expertise indicates that prosecuting Daesh fighters in their courts will be possible soon; and whether they are considering the possibility of UN-sanctioned regional tribunals, in the territories of Iraq and Syria, in order to prosecute Daesh fighters. | Lord Alton of Liverpool, Liberal Democrat | Daesh must be held accountable for their crimes. Daesh fighters – regardless of their nationality – should be brought to justice according to legal due process. The Investigative Team established under UN Security Council Resolution 2379 will gather evidence of Daesh crimes, beginning in Iraq. The Terms of Reference for the UN Investigative Team have been agreed and I look forward to its deployment. The UK has contributed £1 million to support the establishment of this team. We are encouraging other States to contribute to it. The UK is funding a project that builds Iraqi organisations' capacity to document and present evidence of gender-based violence. The Investigative Team will collect evidence of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide to the highest standards and ensure the broadest possible use of evidence. Iraq will be the primary intended recipient of the evidence, but it can be used to support prosecutions elsewhere. It may be that some form of international or hybrid justice mechanism may be appropriate in the future, but it is too early – and not for the UK alone – to pre-determine that. We are working with the Iraqi judiciary to build their capacity. The Resolution calls on member states to provide similar support. The UN will soon deploy a 'Needs Assessment Mission' to Iraq to determine where member states and the UN should target their capacity building. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2018-02-28/HL5931 | due process | Iraq |
| 26 February 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia on ensuring that Saudi military actions in Yemen avoid civilian casualties. | Keith Vaz, Labour, Leicester East | We regularly raise the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) with the Saudi-led Coalition at all levels. When allegations of IHL violations are made, we insist that they are investigated and that any lessons are acted upon. We have also provided training on IHL compliance to the Saudi-led coalition. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-02-26/129602/ | Civilian Casualties | |
| 19 February 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish his Department's (a) legal framework and (b) guidance on the use of lethal force. | Clive Betts, Labour, Sheffield South East | The use of military force is governed by applicable UK and International Law. The UK Manual of the Law of Armed Conflict sets out UK practice and is available at the following internet address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jsp-383-the-joint-service-manual-of-the-law-of-armed-conflict-2004-edition. As the Government has stated previously there is no separate policy or legal guidance on the use of force outside of an armed conflict. Rather it has a policy to protect the UK and its citizens against both armed attacks and imminent threats of armed attack. In implementing this policy it may draw on a wide range of options including, in extremis, the use of lethal force. As such a decision to use lethal force outside of an armed conflict would be conducted on a case by case basis. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-02-19/128435 | Law | |
| 7 February 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria is used by his Department to estimate the level of civilian casualties as a result of UK airstrikes. | Hilary Benn, Labour, Leeds Central | In line with International Humanitarian Law, pre-strike assessments are undertaken to ensure that we minimise the risk to civilians and civilian objects. Post-strike the UK uses a range of methods, which may include the use of full motion video, to judge the effectiveness of its airstrikes and to determine whether we have caused civilian casualties. The Ministry of Defence is committed to investigating any credible reports that UK airstrikes have been responsible for civilian casualties. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-01-29/125442/ | Civilian Casualties | |
| 7 February 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has a published legal framework and guidance on its use of lethal force using armed drones (a) in recognised conflict zones and (b) outside conflict zones. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The use of military force, regardless of whether it is delivered by manned or unmanned aircraft or any other military equipment, is governed by applicable UK and International Law. The UK Manual of the Law of Armed Conflict sets out UK practice and is available at the following internet address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jsp-383-the-joint-service-manual-of-the-law-of-armed-conflict-2004-edition. As the Government has stated previously there is no separate policy or legal guidance on the use of force outside of an armed conflict. Rather it has a policy to protect the UK and its citizens against both armed attacks and imminent threats of armed attack. In implementing this policy it may draw on a wide range of options including, in extremis, the use of lethal force. As such a decision to use lethal force outside of an armed conflict would be conducted on a case by case basis. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-02-07/127305/ | Law | |
| 6 February 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Government’s policy is on the use of drones overseas outside of conflict zones. | Dr David Drew MP, Labour, Stroud | As the Government has stated previously there is no policy or guidance on the use of force outside of an armed conflict. Rather it has a policy to protect the UK and its citizens against both armed attacks and imminent threats of armed attack. In implementing this policy it may draw on a wide range of options including, in extremis, the use of lethal force. As such a decision to use lethal force outside of an armed conflict would be conducted on a case by case basis but always in accordance with applicable UK and International Law. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-02-06/126975/ | Policy | |
| 29 January 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria is used by his Department to estimate the level of civilian casualties as a result of UK airstrikes. | Hilary Benn, Labour, Leeds Central | In line with International Humanitarian Law, pre-strike assessments are undertaken to ensure that we minimise the risk to civilians and civilian objects. Post-strike the UK uses a range of methods, which may include the use of full motion video, to judge the effectiveness of its airstrikes and to determine whether we have caused civilian casualties. The Ministry of Defence is committed to investigating any credible reports that UK airstrikes have been responsible for civilian casualties. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-01-29/125442/ | Civilian Casualties | |
| 8 January 2018 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the number of civilian casualties in Syria as a result of UK air strikes. | David Linden, SNP, Glasgow East | In carrying out airstrikes, expert analysts routinely examine data from every UK strike to assess its effect, and we do everything we can to minimise the risk of civilian casualties through rigorous targeting processes and the professionalism of the RAF crews. We co-operate fully with NGOs such as Airwars, who provide evidence they gather of civilian casualties. After detailed work on each case, we have been able to discount RAF involvement in any civilian casualties as a result of any of the strikes that have been brought to our attention. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-12-20/120695/ | Civilian Casualties | |
| 20 December 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the number of civilian casualties in Syria as a result of UK air strikes. | David Linden, SNP, Glasgow East | In carrying out airstrikes, expert analysts routinely examine data from every UK strike to assess its effect, and we do everything we can to minimise the risk of civilian casualties through rigorous targeting processes and the professionalism of the RAF crews. We co-operate fully with NGOs such as Airwars, who provide evidence they gather of civilian casualties. After detailed work on each case, we have been able to discount RAF involvement in any civilian casualties as a result of any of the strikes that have been brought to our attention. | Civilian Casualties | Syria | |
| 30 November 2017 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the United States regarding the legal criteria under which an individual is deemed to be a member of ISIS. | Baroness Stern, Crossbench | Everyone who returns from taking part in the conflict in Syria or Iraq must expect to be investigated by the police to determine if they have committed criminal offences, and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to our national security. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2017-11-16/HL3312/ | Targetting | |
| 29 November 2017 | To ask Her Majesty's Government by what criteria they assess an individual to have taken a direct role in hostilities in Iraq and Syria. | Baroness Stern, Crossbench | UK individuals suspected of taking part in the conflict in Syria or Iraq will be investigated to determine if they have taken part in terrorist related activity. This assessment is an operational matter, determined on a case by case basis by police. Where there is evidence that crimes have been committed, those responsible should expect to be prosecuted under the full range of existing counter terrorism legislation. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2017-11-16/HL3311/ | Targetting | |
| 28 November 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to determine whether British-born ISIS combatants have surrendered following the fall of Mosul and Raqqa | Clive Lewis, Labour, Norwich South | Those who have committed criminal offences should expect to be prosecuted for their crimes under the full range of existing counter terrorism legislation. Any decision on whether to prosecute will be taken by the police and Crown Prosecution Service on a case by case basis | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-11-20/114631/ | Hors combat | Syria |
| 24 November 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2017 to Question 106342, which policy or policies govern UK sharing of intelligence with the US for use in US drone strikes outside of areas of armed conflict. | Caroline Lucas Green, Brighton, Pavilion | Prior to sharing intelligence with any nation, regardless of the operation, the UK conducts robust assessments to ensure that our contribution to that operation complies with UK and International Law. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-11-24/115650/ | Intelligence Sharing | |
| 24 November 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what role the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability of the Royal Air Force's Reaper Fleet has played in determining whether an individual is an ISIS combatant. | Lucy Powell, Labour, Manchester Central | An individual is identified as being a Daesh combatant after UK commanders, as part of the Coalition, have undertaken a rigorous surveillance and targeting process. This process is no different on the UK Reaper fleet than on any other UK airborne strike platform. The precise indicators and procedure cannot be shared publicly, in order to protect operational effectiveness. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-31/110648/ | ISR; Targetting | Syria |
| 16 November 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what role the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability of the Royal Air Force's Reaper Fleet has played in determining whether an individual is an ISIS combatant. | Lucy Powell, Labour, Manchester Central | An individual is identified as being a Daesh combatant after UK commanders, as part of the Coalition, have undertaken a rigorous surveillance and targeting process. This process is no different on the UK Reaper fleet than on any other UK airborne strike platform. The precise indicators and procedure cannot be shared publicly, in order to protect operational effectiveness. | |||
| 16 November 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report into the loss of Watchkeeper drones (a) WK042 and (b) WK043. | Martin Docherty-Hughes SNP, West Dunbartonshire | The Service Inquiries into Watchkeeper Unmanned Air Vehicles WK042 and WK043 are currently ongoing, and will be published through Gov.uk and placed in the Library of the House upon completion. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-11-16/113630/ | ISR | |
| 7 November 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people work at NSA/NRO Menwith Hill; and how many of those people are (a) US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, (b) US contractors, (c) US civilians, (d) NSA, (e) NRO, personnel, (f) US CIA, (g) British military, (h) RAF personnel, including the RAF Liaison Officer, (i) his Department's personnel, (j) GCHQ personnel, (k) British contractors and (l) British civilians. | Alex Sobel, Labour, Leeds North West | The numbers of personnel based at RAF Menwith Hill are given below, and are current as of 8 November 2017: US Military 33 US Contractors 344 US Civilians 250 UK Military 7 (5 RN; 2 RAF) UK Contractors 85 UK Civilians 486 The number of GCHQ employees is included in the overall figure for UK civilians as it is Government practice not to disclose the number of personnel working in intelligence at specific locations. The US authorities do not release a detailed breakdown of US civilian personnel; therefore the overall total of US civilians has been provided. | https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-11-07/112002/ | Military | Menwith Hill |
| 31 October 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the reported use of civilians, including women and children as human shields by ISIS combatants in Syria; and whether this falls within acceptable collateral damage. | Lucy Powell, Labour, Manchester Central | As operations in Iraq and Syria have intensified we have seen increasing evidence of Daesh's callous disregard for human life, their unwillingness to allow civilians to leave their homes, and in some cases their deliberate attempts to use civilians to shield their fighters from coalition strikes, which is completely unacceptable. All UK strikes are planned and executed in strict accordance with International Humanitarian Law and we take all feasible precautions to protect civilians from the effects of military action. | Civilian Casualties; Collateral Damage | ||
| 31 October 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the reported use of civilians, including women and children as human shields by ISIS combatants in Syria; and whether this falls within acceptable collateral damage. | Lucy Powell, Labour, Manchester Central | We continue to work closely with the US and our other partners in the Global Coalition to defeat Daesh and to ensure justice for those who have suffered at their hands. The Foreign Secretary discusses the Global Coalition's action against Daesh on a regular basis with US colleagues. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-31/110698/ | Civilian Casualties | Syria |
| 31 October 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the ISC report on lethal drone strikes in Syria published in April 2017, what steps the Government is taking to better scrutinise and assess collateral damage arising from UK or joint operations drone strikes. | Lucy Powell, Labour, Manchester Central | In accordance with our obligations under International Law, strikes conducted by the RAF only take place after a robust assessment to ensure that collateral damage from our strike is minimised. Following a strike, the UK conducts battle damage assessment which includes a review of whether there have been any civilian casualties or collateral damage. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-31/110648/ | Civilian Casualties | Syria |
| 31 October 2017 | To ask the Attorney General, how the Government complies with Article 16 of the International Law Commission's Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Unlawful Acts, with specific reference to the sharing of intelligence to identify targets with our coalition partners. | Lucy Powell, Labour, Manchester Central | Whilst the International Law Commission’s Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Unlawful Acts have not been adopted as a treaty, the Government considers that Article 16 generally reflects customary international law. The Government is committed to upholding international law and when cooperating with other States the Government will always seek to ensure that its actions remain lawful at all times. The Government does not comment on specific matters concerning the sharing of intelligence. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-31/110698/ | Law | Global |
| 20 October 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterparts on the reported death of Joe Dixon as a result of a drone strike in Syria. | Clive Lewis, Labour, Norwich South | The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is aware of media reports that Sally Jones and her son, Joe Dixon, were killed in a drone strike in Syria in June. The FCO does not comment on security matters. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-17/108164/ | Targetting | Syria |
| 12 October 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions since August 2015 the UK has provided (a) intelligence, (b) communications, (c) material and (d) other assistance to the US in its use of lethal force under the legal basis of self-defence. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | We do not routinely comment on other nations' operations or on any intelligence matters. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-12/107314 | Embeds | Global |
| 6 October 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Departmental policy, as outlined in Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30.2 unmanned aircraft systems of August 2017 includes targeting conducted (a) jointly by the different armed forces or (b) with allied nations. | Stephen Gethins, SNP, North East Fife | The Joint Doctrine Publication on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) applies to all uses of UAS across Defence at the operational level. It guides operational commanders and planning staff in understanding the terminology, tasking and employment of the UK's UAS. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-06/106066/ | Policy | UK |
| 6 October 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Departmental policy, as outlined in Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30.2 unmanned aircraft systems of August 2017 applies to strikes outside of war zones. | Stephen Gethins, SNP, North East Fife | The Joint Doctrine Publication on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) applies to all uses of UAS across Defence at the operational level. It guides operational commanders and planning staff in understanding the terminology, tasking and employment of the UK's UAS. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-06/106066/ | Law | UK |
| 6 October 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, at which locations the Armed Forces' pilot-less drones are flown for training purposes. | Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion | All Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) operated by the Armed Forces are controlled from the ground. The Armed Forces undertake routine flying activity on RPAS at the following locations: UK: Boscombe Down, Wiltshire. Lulworth Cove Traning Area, Dorset. Okehampton Training Area, Dartmoor. Otterburn Training Area, Northumberland. RAF Spadeadam, Cumbria. Royal Naval Air Station, Culdrose. Salisbury Plain Training Area, Wiltshire. Sennybridge Training Area, Wales. Stanford Training Area, Norfolk. West Wales Airport & Aberporth Range. Overseas: British Army Training Unit, Kenya. British Army Training Unit Suffield, Canada. Camp Roberts, California, USA. Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, USA. Grafenwohr Training Area, Germany. Hohenfels Training Area, Germany. Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, USA. Sennelager Training Area, Germany. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-06/106051/ | Military | UK |
| 3 April 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilians have been killed or injured by British airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria since 1 January 2017. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | We have not seen any evidence that UK airstrikes have been responsible for causing civilian casualties in Iraq or Syria since 1 January 2017. After each strike, we perform a detailed battle damage assessment which includes video evidence which is used to assess the success of the mission. None of the allegations we have received so far have been found to contain any evidence that RAF airstrikes have caused civilian casualties. While no military operations come without risk, we take all steps necessary to minimise the risk of causing civilian causalities and avoidable damage to civilian infrastructure. All weapons employed by RAF aircraft are delivered in strict accordance with the Law of Armed Conflict and within rigorous Rules of Engagement. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-03-28/69625/ | Civilian Casualties | Iraq and Syria |
| 3 April 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made any changes to the definition of civilian casualty in relation to British military action against Daesh in Iraq and Syria since 1 January 2017. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | No | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-03-28/69517/ | Civilian Casualties | Iraq and Syria |
| 17 March 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with drone manufacturers on the use of mapping services for geo-fencing. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | Geo-fencing capabilities require accurate and up-to-date mapping information including details of restricted airspace. The Department for Transport is in discussion with manufacturers, other Government departments and subject matter experts to develop processes to ensure this information can be provided in an appropriate and assured way. Many of the leading drone manufacturers already include forms of geo-fencing capability on their drones. However, as geo-fencing is not infallible, the Department for Transport is also in discussions with manufacturers to explore how it and other technical safety measures might be improved. The Government has just closed a consultation on the future safe use of drones in the UK, which included a proposal to require geo-fencing to be installed on all commercially sold drones. The Department will produce its conclusions from the consultation in the summer of this year. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-03-10/67390/ | Civil | UK |
| 16 March 2017 | To ask the Attorney General, what the Government's policy is on which factors to take into account when deciding whether responding to an imminent threat is permitted under international law. | Karl McCartney Conservative, Lincoln | It is the long-standing position of successive UK Governments that a state may use force in self-defence not only in response to armed attacks but to prevent an armed attack that is imminent. In each exercise of the use of force in self-defence, the UK asks itself questions such as: how certain is it that an attack will come; how soon do we believe an attack could be; what could be the scale of the attack; could this be our last opportunity to take action; and is there anything else we could credibly do to prevent that attack?Jeremy Wright The Attorney-General | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-03-13/909275/ | Law | UK |
| 16 March 2017 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to require geo-fencing to be installed on all drones for commercial sale. | Lord Blencathra Conservative | The Government’s consultation on the future safe use of drones in the UK closed on 15 March 2017. It included a proposal to require geo-fencing to be installed on all commercially sold drones. The Department intends to publish its conclusions from the consultation in the summer of this year, when we have fully analysed the evidence presented. Many of the leading drone manufacturers already include forms of geo-fencing capability on their drones. However, as geo-fencing is not infallible, the Department is in discussions with manufacturers to explore how it and other technical safety measures might be improved. The Government is also considering a number of other measures to promote the safe use of drones, such as improving information provision and increasing the penalties for breaking the law. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2017-03-08/HL5925/ | Civil | UK |
| 15 March 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2017 to Question 64012, how many UK personnel are assigned to US Africa Command; at what bases they are stationed; and what roles they undertake. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | The UK currently has eight posts established within US Africa Command (Stuttgart) and its subordinate command Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) (Djibouti): One Senior UK Liaison Officer (Stuttgart) One Deputy UK Liaison Officer and Intelligence Liaison Officer (Stuttgart) One Embed Planning Officer (Stuttgart) Three Liaison Planning/Operations Officer (Stuttgart) One Embed Planning Officer (Djibouti) One Embed Intelligence Officer (Djibouti) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-03-09/67275/ | Embeds | Global |
| 14 March 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Answer of 3 July 2014 to Question 202477, whether all deployments of US military personnel from (a) RAF Menwith Hill, (b) RAF Croughton and (c) RAF Molesworth are carried out with the full knowledge and consent of the Government. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | The deployment of US military personnel from the United States Visiting Forces bases at RAF Menwith Hill, RAF Croughton and RAF Molesworth is a matter for the US military authorities; there is no requirement for the Ministry of Defence to be notified of such deployments. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-03-09/67332/ | US bases | UK |
| 21 February 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of civilian casualties in Syria as a result of UK air strikes. | Margaret Ritchie Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down | To date there have been no known cases of civilian casualties resulting from UK strikes in Syria. All strikes take place in accordance with UK Rules of Engagement. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-02-09/908817/ | Civilian Casualties | Syria |
| 20 February 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to assess the practicability of delivering aid to besieged areas of Syria by drone; and if she will make a statement. | Stephen Timms Labour, East Ham | Aid delivered by road, by trusted humanitarian partners who ensure it gets to those who need it most, is the most effective way to meet needs in Syria. We are pushing the Assad regime to allow this, while working tirelessly with our partners to examine all other options for getting aid into besieged areas. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-02-08/63719/ | ||
| 15 February 2017 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the 54 Watchkeeper reconnaissance drones ordered by the Ministry of Defence in 2005 have yet entered service; and if not, why not. | The Marquess of Lothian Conservative | Watchkeeper is in service with the British Army, first deploying on operations to Afghanistan in 2014. We do not routinely comment on the specific status of equipment as to do so would compromise operational security and would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2017-02-08/HL5372/ | Military | UK |
| 6 February 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on policies to minimise the risk of civilian casualties when conducting operations against Daesh. | Lucy Powell Labour, Manchester Central | I have spoken to the new Secretary of Defense and look forward to further discussions with him later this month on the counter Daesh campaign in which the need to minimise civilian casualties is a key factor for the Iraqi government, and for the Coalition in supporting them. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-30/62362/ | Civilian Casualties | Global |
| 6 February 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on maintaining the Executive Order on US Policy on Pre- and Post-Strike Measures to Address Civilian Casualties. | Lucy Powell Labour, Manchester Central | The maintenance of the Executive Order on US Policy on Pre and Post-Strike Measures to Address Civilian Casualties is a matter for the US Administration. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-30/62364/ | Civilian Casualties | US |
| 3 February 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department is making through the European Aviation Safety Agency to update common drone regulations; and in what ways he intends his Department's consultation on the safe use of drones in the UK to support that process. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | The Department for Transport has been actively participating in negotiations on the revision of the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) Basic Regulation, which will include EU-wide safety rules for all unmanned aircraft. EASA is currently in the process of drafting its proposed harmonised European rules for the ‘Open’ and ‘Specific’ categories of drones. This proposal is planned to go out to consultation at the end of March 2017. The Civil Aviation Authority participates in the EASA Expert Group of subject matter experts, and is assisting with the development of the proposal. The Government’s consultation on the safe use of drones in the UK closes on 15 March 2017. There are several proposals contained within which may require updated regulation. We will continue to feed relevant UK experience into the EASA process; in particular, to ensure continued support for the development of a proportionate regulatory framework. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-31/62613/ | Civil | UK |
| 3 February 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with (a) the Civil Aviation Authority and (b) external groups, regarding the Civil Aviation Authority's definition of a safe distance used for regulating drone activity; and how that definition compares with those used by other countries. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | The Department for Transport (DfT) works closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and industry to adapt and strengthen regulations and implement mitigations as drone use and the related technology evolves. The Air Navigation Order 2016 sets out several rules which drone users must abide by. In particular, users must not fly drones with cameras within 50m of any vehicle, structure or person which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft. They must also not fly drones over or within 150m of any congested area or large crowds of people. Permitted distances will vary dependent on factors such as the structure or area that the drone is in proximity to and may also vary depending on the category of drone (e.g. for drones of a particular weight, or those with or without cameras). As there is no internationally agreed definition of “safe distance” it is difficult to make comparisons with other countries. However, we are collaborating internationally to share learning and best practice. The Government is currently consulting on the future safe use of drones in the UK, and the DfT and CAA will consider reviewing these regulatory requirements for drone activity on the basis of the consultation responses. The consultation can be found on gov.uk and closes on 15 March 2017. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-31/62466/ | Civil | UK |
| 3 February 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2017 to Question 59205, whether he plans that JDP 0-30.2, The UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft System, will make a distinction between the use of remotely piloted air systems (a) within and (b) outside areas of armed conflict. | Lucy Powell Labour, Manchester Central | The current draft of Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30.2, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, discusses current and potential future employment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems both within and outside areas of "armed conflict". | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-30/62363/ | Policy | UK |
| 1 February 2017 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to improve the safety of drones and to reduce the likelihood of collisions with aircraft, pending the outcome of the current consultation on the safe use of drones. | Baroness Randerson, Lib Dem | The Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of partners, including the British Airline Pilots' Association and the Police, to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up to date. Work is underway to better understand the risk posed by drones to commercial aircraft and ensure that the regulatory and industry responses remain fit for purpose. We continue to develop proposals which we will put forward in the near future, and in December 2016 the Government launched a consultation to determine if further measures are needed in this area. We have also been working closely with the CAA and industry to adapt and strengthen regulations and implement mitigations as drones use and the related technology evolves. This has led to a new safety awareness campaign aimed at leisure drone users. So far, this has included the launch of a new http://www.dronesafe.uk website, a #400ftBritain drone photography competition that highlights safety rules, and a free new app ‘Drone Assist’ by NATS, which shows users where they should and should not fly in their locality. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2017-01-26/HL5042/ | Civil | UK |
| 30 January 2017 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what rights exist for individuals and organisations to deal with drones which appear over their property. | Baroness Byford Conservative | The Air Navigation Order 2016 sets out several rules which drone users must abide by. In particular, users must not fly drones with cameras within 50m of any vehicle, structure or person which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft, unless they have permission from the Civil Aviation Authority to do so. Non-aviation specific legal rules are also relevant. For example, failure to fly a drone at a height over the property of another person which is ‘reasonable’ in all circumstances could amount to trespass if the flight interferes with another person’s ordinary use and enjoyment of land and the structures upon it. In the case of trespass, a civil claim may be brought against the drone user seeking compensation for any damage suffered as a result of the trespass. Alternatively, an injunction may be sought to prevent trespass in the future. The Government is currently consulting on the future safe use of drones in the UK, including proposals such as registration and making drones electronically identifiable and strengthening penalties for breaking the law. The consultation can be found on gov.uk and closes on 15 March 2017. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2017-01-18/HL4751/ | Civil | UK |
| 17 January 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 10 March 2016 to Question 30085, on unmanned air vehicles: deployment, whether the UK-US Memorandum of Understanding remains valid; and whether the provisions of that Understanding have been enacted by either party since 10 March 2016. | Lucy Powell, Labour, Manchester Central | The UK-US Memorandum of Understanding that enables interoperability of UK and US Reaper aircraft by both nations remains valid but has not been enacted since 10 March 2016. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-11/59577/ | Military | UK-US |
| 16 January 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30, entitled UK Air Space Doctrine, will cover the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. | Lucy Powell, Labour, Manchester Central | The next edition of Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30 UK Air and Space Doctrine will refer to the employment of unmanned and remotely piloted aircraft systems but will not discuss specific systems. Greater detail will be contained in Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30.2 The UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft Systems. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-09/59206/ | Policy | UK |
| 16 January 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Written Answer of 26 September 2016, HL 1779, whether Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30.2, entitled The UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft Systems, will address the conclusions and recommendations of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Second Report of Session 2015-16, the Government's policy on the use of drones for targeted killing, HC 574, published on 10 May 2016. | Lucy Powell, Labour, Manchester Central | In the Government's response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights 4th Report The Government's policy on the use of drones for targeted killing, the Secretary of State for Defence made clear during his evidence session, the Government does not have a 'policy on targeted killing'. Rather it has a policy to defend the UK and its citizens against threats to their security. The Government takes the view that the existing legal frameworks, including both applicable international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) are adequate to govern the use of Remotely Piloted Air Systems and, therefore, that there is no need to develop a special regime for the use of these weapons. All doctrine produced by the Ministry of Defence's Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre is subject to legal review. The current draft of JDP 0-30.2 is no exception and it is compliant with the UK's legal and policy framework that regulates the use of unmanned and remotely piloted aircraft systems. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-09/59205/ | Policy | UK |
| 13 January 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2016 to Question 46487, to which countries RAF Reaper drones have been deployed on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties since 20 September 2016. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | Pursuant to my previous answer, since 20 September 2016 UK Reapers continue to operate in support of Operation SHADER in Iraq and Syria on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-10/59496/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 13 January 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the MQ-9 Reaper User Group next plans to meet. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | No date has been set for the next MQ-9 Reaper User Group meeting. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-10/59421/ | Military | Global |
| 13 January 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2016 to Question 27212, if he will release a releasable version of the JSP 900 UK Targeting Policy. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | While we are working to produce an updated version of JSP900 which is releasable to 5-eyes and NATO allies, it is now not the case that we are producing a version which would be releasable to all. It is judged that the necessary removal of information that would prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces would result in a version with insufficient detail to warrant publication. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-10/59422/ | Policy | UK |
| 12 January 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what amendments the Government proposed to drafts of the Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | The drafting of the Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles was led by the US Government. British officials worked throughout the process with their US and other international colleagues to shape the content. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-12-20/58533/ | Military | Global |
| 12 January 2017 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what dates the first multilateral discussions with other signatories of the Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are planned. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | The UK will participate in multilateral discussions with other signatories. At the present time, no date has been set for these discussions. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-12-20/58534/ | Military | Global |
| 21 December 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Transport on 10 September 2015 (HC7971), what action the cross-government working group has taken to reduce the risks posed by drones to civil aviation; and whether they plan to consult on the introduction of new criminal offences relating to (1) causing a nuisance, (2) endangering persons on the ground, and (3) endangering aircraft, through use of a drone. | Lord Blencathra Conservative | We have been working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and industry to adapt and strengthen regulations and implement mitigations as drones use and the related technology evolves. This has led to a new safety awareness campaign aimed at leisure drone users. So far, this has included the launch of a new http://www.dronesafe.uk website, a #400ftBritain drone photography competition that highlights safety rules, and a free new app ‘Drone Assist’ by NATS, which shows users where they should and should not fly in their locality. There are already offences to deter and, if necessary, prosecute operators for malicious or negligent use, including a prison sentence of up to five years for endangering an aircraft. The Government is today launching a consultation to determine if further measures are needed in this area. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-12-19/HL4203/ | Civil | UK |
| 21 December 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to remove restrictions on the acquisition of equipment by members of the public which is capable of disabling or destroying drones flying over their property. | Lord Blencathra Conservative | The Government recognises that an increase in the popularity of small drones, including those with cameras, raises a number of questions about privacy, safety, security, and data protection. Safety, security and privacy must always be the overriding priority and both commercial and leisure operators must operate drones responsibly within the rules. The Government is today launching a consultation to determine if further measures are needed in this area. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-12-19/HL4202/ | Civil | UK |
| 15 December 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons in each category are (a) fitted and (b) not fitted with netting on outdoor areas to restrict drone access; and what other anti-drone techniques are being trialled in prisons. | Richard Burden, Labour | A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate. This includes the use of technology to detect and block drones, the enhancement of physical security and working with drone manufacturers. Information on netting fitted by each prison and by purpose is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-12-12/57249/ | Civil | UK |
| 13 December 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents involving the use of drone technology have been recorded at each type of prison facility in each of the last three years. | Richard Burden, Labour | I refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQ 33806. There were 2 reported incidents in 2014 and 33 reported incidents in 2015. The Ministry of Justice intends to routinely publish information on prison drone incidents in the future and 2016 data will be provided in due course. We remain vigilant to all incidents involving drones and take the threat they pose to prison security very seriously. A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate. We have already introduced new legislation to further strengthen our powers, making it illegal to land a drone in prison or to use a drone to drop in contraband. Anyone found using a drone in an attempt to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years imprisonment. We take a zero tolerance approach to smuggling of contraband into prisons and work closely with the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to ensure those caught are prosecuted. Note: All figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-12-08/56823/ | Civil | UK |
| 7 December 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 26 September (HL1779), whether they are planning to provide a mechanism for external stakeholder input into the defence policy review on remotely piloted air and wider highly automated systems. | Lord Kennedy of Southwark, Labour | There is no formal mechanism for external input into this aspect of Defence policy, however officials are informally consulting academia, think tanks and industry as well as international partners, to broaden Defence understanding. Earl Howe The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-11-28/HL3567/ | Military | UK |
| 2 December 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the issuing of compensation of ex gratia payments to civilians killed or injured by UK airstrikes. | Lucy Powell Labour/Co-operative, Manchester Central | The Ministry of Defence normally pays compensation only where it accepts that it is or might be held legally liable for the harm in question. These payments are distinguished from ex gratia payments, which require the consent of HM Treasury. In the special circumstances of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan HM Treasury authorised the Department to make ex gratia payments in theatre in appropriate circumstances to nationals of those countries who had suffered harm or damage as a result of UK military activities: information on such payments was published annually. No such authorisations are currently in force, and any proposal to make ex gratia compensation payments to civilians killed or injured by UK airstrikes would require HM Treasury approval on an exceptional basis. There are currently no such proposals. Mike Penning The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-24/54689/ | Civilian Casualties | Global |
| 1 December 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with (a) the British Airline Pilots' Association, (b) the Civil Aviation Authority, (c) the Metropolitan Police and (d) other relevant stakeholders on the near-miss incident between a drone and a passenger plane on 18 July 2016. | Lucy Powell Labour/Co-operative, Manchester Central | The Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority work with a wide range of partners, including the British Airline Pilots' Association and the Police, to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up to date. Work is underway to better understand the risk posed by drones to commercial aircraft and ensure that the regulatory and industry responses remain fit for purpose. John Hayes Minister of State (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-24/54775/ | Civil | UK |
| 1 December 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 April 2016 to Question 34680, what his Department's current involvement is with the European Aviation Safety Agency's development of EU-wide safety rules for drones. | Lucy Powell Labour/Co-operative, Manchester Central | The Department for Transport has been participating in negotiations on the revision of the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) Basic Regulation, which will include EU-wide safety rules for all unmanned aircraft. The Civil Aviation Authority participates in the EASA Expert Group of subject matter experts, and will assist with the development of the Implementing Rules that sit beneath the Basic Regulation. John Hayes Minister of State (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-24/54690/ | Civil | UK |
| 24 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, whether the Government plans to engage in discussions on international standards for the export and use of armed drones with other signatory countries. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | Yes, we expect the UK to participate in multi-lateral discussions with other Signatories. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-17/53491/ | Military | Global |
| 23 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to her oral contribution of 3 November 2016, Official Report, column 1071, what the (a) remit, (b) membership and (c) date of the last meeting is of the Government taskforce to address the issue of drone use and prisons. | Lucy Powell Labour/Co-operative, Manchester Central | We remain vigilant to all incidents involving drones and take the threat they pose to prison security very seriously. A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate. We have already introduced new legislation to further strengthen our powers, making it illegal to land a drone in prison or to use a drone to drop in contraband. We take a zero tolerance approach to smuggling of contraband into prisons and work closely with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to ensure those caught are prosecuted. Anyone found using a drone in an attempt to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years imprisonment. However, I want to do more, specifically by setting up a government taskforce to challenge industry to help in this crucial area with Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Transport, Home Office, Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Ministry of Defence. We will work with drone manufacturers to challenge them to do more to stop the illegal use of drones in prisons. Sam Gyimah The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-15/52984/ | Civil | UK |
| 23 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2016 to Question 40015, if he will now place in the Library a redacted summary of the risk assessments commissioned by the Cross-Government Working Group on remotely piloted aircraft system on the use of drones for criminal purposes. | Lucy Powell Labour/Co-operative, Manchester Central | A redacted summary of the risk assessments report has been placed in the Library. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-15/52972/ | Civil | UK |
| 22 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2016 to Question 43260, what information he holds on the timetable for the joint policy on investigating civilian casualties to become operational. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | The Coalition continues to consider the need for a joint policy on investigating civilian casualties, but nations continue to ensure that investigations are carried out in accordance with their respective national methodology. There is currently no timetable for the implementation of a joint policy. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-16/53339/ | Civilian Casualties | Global |
| 22 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2016 to Question 43260, what methodology the Government follows for investigating civilian casualties until the joint policy on investigating civilian casualties becomes operational. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | Operational commanders undertake a detailed assessment of every strike. If there were to be credible evidence from that assessment that a serious incident had taken place, a UK investigation would be initiated. Furthermore, we accept the submission by third parties of information about civilian casualties from any source and will assess that evidence in detail. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-16/53338/ | Civilian Casualties | Global |
| 21 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2016 to Question 43260, what progress has been made on the development of Coalition policy on investigating civilian casualties. | Lucy Powell Labour/Co-operative, Manchester Central | While the Coalition continues to consider the need for a joint policy on investigating civilian casualties, the position remains as set out in my Answer of 26 July. The UK, as with other Coalition nations, will investigate allegations of civilian casualties according to its national methodology. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-15/52985/ | Civilian Casualties | Global |
| 21 November 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what legislation covers the use of drones in the UK by (1) security forces, (2) other public bodies, (3) commercial and voluntary organisations, and (4) individuals; and what assessment they have made of the need for new legislation to regulate the use of drones. | Lord Greaves Liberal Democrat | The Government is working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and industry to adapt and strengthen UK regulations as drone use and the related technology develops. Small drones in the UK, those weighing 20kg or less, must be flown in accordance with Articles 94, 95 and 23 of the Air Navigation Order 2016 (ANO). Drones of more than 20kg are subject to all relevant provisions of the ANO. The ANO covers the use of drones by public bodies, commercial and voluntary organisations, and individuals, as well as the police and other security services. The use of drones in UK airspace by UK Armed Forces is regulated by the Military Aviation Authority. Drones of more than 150kg are also subject to European safety legislation, in particular, the European Aviation Safety Agency Basic Regulation 216/2008. This Regulation is currently being revised and updated. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-11-07/HL3022/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 21 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many drones carrying contraband goods have been seized within prison grounds in each of the last three years. | Luciana Berger Labour/Co-operative, Liverpool, Wavertree | We remain vigilant to all incidents involving drones and take the threat they pose to prison security very seriously. A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate. There were no reported incidents of drones carrying contraband being seized within prisons in 2013; in 2014 there were 2 reported incidents; and in 2015 there were 11 reported incidents. The Ministry of Justice intends to routinely publish information on prison drone incidents in the future. Data for 2016 onwards will be provided in due course as part of the normal publication schedule. Note: All figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Sam Gyimah The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-16/53443/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 21 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 27 May 2016 to Question 38311, what the outcome was of the Government's consultation on measures to regulate the use of drones. | Lucy Powell Labour/Co-operative, Manchester Central | Government believes we currently have a robust framework that balances penalties with commercial permissions. However, we recognise that this framework needs to keep pace with the emerging market. We continue to develop proposals which we will put forward in the near future. John Hayes Minister of State (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-15/52973/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 14 November 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have they had with the government of Israel regarding Israel's regulations for operating drones in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. | Baroness Tonge Independent Liberal Democrat | We have not had any discussions with the Israeli authorities over the use of drones over the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Baroness Anelay of St Johns Minister of State | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-10-31/HL2847/ | Military | Israel |
| 9 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Government's Response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights Second Report of Session 2015-16, what recent assessment his Department has made of the legal principles of (a) international and (b) domestic law that apply to the use of lethal force outside the scope of armed conflict. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The Government's assessment of the relevant legal principles remain as set out in its response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights Second Report of Session 2015-16 which was provided to the Committee on 7 September 2016. Michael Fallon Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-01/51425/ | Law | Global |
| 9 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Government's Response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights Second Report of Session 2015-16, what recent discussions his Department has had with their (a) US and (b) European counterparts on international law on the use of force and the law of armed conflict. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | We have frequent discussions with US and European counterparts on international law on the use of force and the law of armed conflict. Michael Fallon Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-11-01/51426/ | Law | Global |
| 3 November 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to include provisions on the regulation of drones in the Modern Transport Bill; and if he will make a statement. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | We have a robust regulatory framework for drones to ensure the safety and security of our citizens. We continue to work closely with the CAA and industry to adapt and strengthen these regulations as drone use and the technology evolves. The detailed content for the Modern Transport Bill is currently being considered. John Hayes Minister of State (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-31/51177/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 31 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether pilots who are in control of armed Reaper drones conducting operations overseas are (a) engaged in armed conflict and (b) regulated by the laws of war. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | Whether UK pilots in control of Reaper unmanned aerial system conducting operations overseas are engaged in an armed conflict depends on the type of operation the pilots are undertaking. UK military personnel who are using force on overseas operations will do so in accordance with the laws of war (also known as the Law of Armed Conflict/International Humanitarian Law). Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-24/49991/ | War Powers Convention | UK |
| 31 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether armed Reaper drones engaged in operations overseas are part of the armed forces for the purposes of the Armed Forces Act 2006. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | Reapers (whether armed or not) are remotely piloted aircraft and, as such, they cannot themselves be "armed forces" for the purposes of the Armed Forces Act 2006 but those who pilot them on operations overseas will be. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-24/49990/ | War Powers Convention | UK |
| 31 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what advice he has received on whether armed Reaper drones on missions outside Syria and Iraq are covered by the convention that Parliament has an opportunity to debate the circumstances in which armed forces are committed to military operations. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | Whether the Convention applies would depend on the circumstances in which Reaper was to be used. Unmanned aerial systems are subject to the same operational accountability and oversight to that of manned aircraft, including the application of the War Powers Convention. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-24/49992/ | War Powers Convention | UK |
| 28 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many meetings (a) Ministers of her Department and (b) officials of HM Prison Service have had with drone manufacturers in each quarter of each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | Details of all ministerial meetings with external companies are published on gov.uk. Information on officials’ meetings is not held centrally. We remain vigilant to all incidents involving drones and take the threat they pose to prison security very seriously. We have already introduced new legislation to further strengthen our powers, so that anyone found using a drone in an attempt to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years imprisonment. We take a zero tolerance approach to smuggling of contraband into prisons and work closely with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to ensure those caught are prosecuted. A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are continuously being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate. Sam Gyimah Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-20/49618/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 26 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution by the Secretary of State for Defence, of 18 January 2016, Official Report, column 1118 on how many occasions the Government has considered evidence from (a) non-governmental organisations, (b) Airwars, (c) White Helmets and (d) other organisations working in Syria on the collection of data on civilian (i) casualties and (ii) injuries in Syria from 2016 to date; and on how many occasions the Government has considered such evidence as credible. | Brendan O'Hara, SNP, Argyll and Bute | The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has reviewed four batches of information collated by Airwars in relation to possible civilian casualties in Syria and Iraq, where they wished to establish whether RAF aircraft might have been involved. There was no credible evidence that RAF aircraft were responsible in any of these incidents. MOD officials have also met Airwars to outline the process used by the UK to assess the outcome of RAF airstrikes. All RAF airstrikes are subject to an assessment of their outcome. Whilst there can be no guarantees in a complex air campaign like this one, our airstrikes are planned meticulously with the objective of minimising the risk of causing civilian casualties.The MOD continues to be prepared to consider credible evidence on this issue from any source. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-19/49513/ | Civilian Casualties | Syria |
| 17 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 August 2016 to Question 43327, whether his Department has classified the international armed conflict with Daesh to be with or without territorial restriction. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | Armed conflict with Daesh is non-international in character and is territorially restricted. Tobias Ellwood Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-07/46801/ | Law | Global |
| 17 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure future interoperability of the Boeing Poseidon P-8 platform with the General Atomics MQ9 Reaper platforms. | Douglas Chapman, SNP, Dunfermline and West Fife | The P-8A Poseidon aircraft will form a vital part of the UK's maritime patrol capability, and interoperability with other platforms and systems is a key user requirement. Work to enable this is under way, however, I am withholding further detail as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Harriett Baldwin Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-10/47717/ | Procurement | UK |
| 17 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any personnel from the UK Reaper squadrons have been deployed to (a) Sigonella air base and (b) Libya; and if he will make a statement. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | No personnel from UK RAF Reaper Squadrons (Nos. 13 and 39) have been deployed to Sigonella Air Force Base (Sicily), or Libya. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-07/46789/ | Military | Libya |
| 17 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the Prime Minister, (b) the Attorney General and (c) the Secretary of State for Defence on the implications for Government policies of the Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled unmanned Aerial Vehicles issued on 5 October 2016. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The Foreign Secretary has had no direct discussions with the Prime Minister, or Defence Secretary on this US-led initiative. It is longstanding government policy not to comment on consultations with the Attorney General. Both the Foreign Secretary, and the Rt Hon Earl Howe (as Defence Minister with responsibility for this area) agreed that the Joint Declaration by 45 nations on the export and subsequent use of armed or strike-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles was consistent with, a reiteration of, existing UK Government policy. Alan Duncan Minister of State | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-11/48069/ | Policy | Global |
| 17 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the Proposed Joint Declaration of Principles for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Systems. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) has had no direct discussions with his US counterpart on this US-led initiative. He was consulted by Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials, who agreed with their US counterparts the 5 October Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike –Enabled Unmanned Aerial Systems. Alan Duncan Minister of State | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-07/46790/ | Policy | Global |
| 13 October 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had, or agreements they have made, with Amazon and other retailers about the use of drones for deliveries. | Baroness Randerson, Lib Dem | The Civil Aviation Authority have assessed an operational safety case submitted by Amazon and granted permission for the current trials to be undertaken. Discussions have taken place between Government and Amazon around their current trials and future plans for the UK. A non-disclosure agreement has been put in place with Amazon that sets out how confidential information relating to their UK drone delivery trials should be handled. No discussions have been had or agreements put in place with any other retailers about the use of drones for deliveries. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-10-03/HL2046/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 13 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 39787, if he will place a copy in the Library of the Joint Doctrine Publication 030.2, Unmanned Aircraft Systems; and if he will make a statement. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | To ensure defence doctrine reflects UK Government policy, the drafting of Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30.2 "Unmanned Aircraft Systems" is being developed in parallel with the Defence policy review concerning both remotely piloted air and highly automated systems. Officials are currently consulting stakeholders and expect to conclude the review early in 2017 at which point we expect to publish the updated doctrine. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-07/46805/ | Policy | UK |
| 12 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK is a party to the Syrian Counter Terror Agreement made by the US and Russia on 9 September 2016; whether the UK plans to provide any assistance or reconnaissance intelligence for actions taken under that agreement; and whether British forces' operations in Iraq and Syria will be affected by that agreement. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | The UK supported US efforts to reach agreement with Russia to reinstate a cessation of hostilities in Syria and will continue to work for the restoration of a credible cessation of Hostilities. The UK was not, however, a party to the US-Russia arrangement which was a purely bilateral one. While the UK would have considered seriously any requests received, we were not asked for either assistance or reconnaissance intelligence for its implementation. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-09-14/46450/ | Military | Syria |
| 12 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian casualties have resulted from the 26 brimstone missiles dropped by UK aircraft in Syria in 2016 to date. | Brendan O'Hara, SNP, Argyll and Bute | The Ministry of Defence is not aware of any credible evidence to date of civilian casualties as a result of UK airstrikes over Syria and Iraq. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-09-14/46434/ | Civilian Casualties | Syria |
| 12 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made with the government of France on developing the scale and scope of the unmanned combat aerial vehicle programme agreed in January 2014. | Nicholas Soames Conservative, Mid Sussex | The two year £120 million UK/France Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) Feasibility Phase commenced in October 2014 and is due to be completed in January 2017. In Amiens in March 2016, we agreed with the French Government to extend the Feasibility Phase through 2017. As well as developing jointly our understanding of the required technologies for future combat air systems, this will further define the scope of the next phase of the UCAS programme which is due to begin in late 2017 and will develop two full-scale UCAS demonstrators by 2025. Harriett Baldwin Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-09-15/46550/ | Procurement | UK |
| 12 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016, to Question 44003, whether the battle damage assessment regarding airstrikes in Libya carried out by US forces operating from RAF Lakenheath on 19 February 2016 was shared with the UK. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | The US has, in confidence, shared the results of that strike with the UK. Clearly it would be inappropriate for us to release that detail or to comment on another State's operations. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-07/46804/ | Military | Libya |
| 12 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many drones have been intercepted operating over prisons in England and Wales (a) in 2015 and (b) from January 2016 to date. | Jo Stevens, Labour, Cardiff Central | There were 33 incidents relating to drones reported by prisons in 2015. This includes finds, interceptions and sightings of drones in and around prisons in England and Wales. The Ministry of Justice intends to routinely publish information on prison drone incidents in the future and 2016 data will be provided in due course as part of the publication schedule. We remain vigilant to all incidents involving drones and take the threat they pose to prison security very seriously. A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate. We have already introduced new legislation to further strengthen our powers, making it illegal to land a drone in prison or to use a drone to drop in contraband. Anyone found using a drone in an attempt to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years imprisonment. We take a zero tolerance approach to smuggling of contraband into prisons and work closely with the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to ensure those caught are prosecuted. Note: All figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Sam Gyimah Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-10-07/46968/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 12 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 11 April 2016 to Question 32492, to which countries RAF Reaper or Watchkeeper drones have been deployed on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties since 4 April 2016. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | From 4 April until 20 September 2016, UK Reapers have continued to be deployed on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties in Iraq and Syria. Watchkeeper has not been deployed during the period in question. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-09-14/46487/ | Military | Global |
| 10 October 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on the Future Combat Air System. | Nicholas Soames Conservative, Mid Sussex | As set out in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), we are working in partnership with the UK defence industry and our closest allies to understand and develop the technologies that will be required for future combat air systems (FCAS). No decisions have yet been made as to what this system will consist of, nor the platforms and capabilities that it will include. We are focussing now on developing the core technologies that any such system will require. To do this we have developed and are implementing the FCAS technology initiative. This programme includes the development of an advanced unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstrator in partnership with France, bilateral projects with the United States (US) to mature other key technologies and a national programme to maintain the UK's position as a global leader in the combat air sector. In Amiens in March 2016 we agreed to transition to the next phase of the UK/France UCAS programme in 2017 and to develop the full-scale demonstrators by 2025. In addition to the current projects we are in discussions with the US and other allies to understand areas of mutual interest for further collaborative work. Harriett Baldwin Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-09-14/46409/ | Procurement | UK |
| 5 September 2016 | To ask the Prime Minister, in what circumstances she will restrict the dissemination of written legal advice of the Attorney General to (a) the Cabinet and (b) the Government. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | The provision of advice from the Attorney General will continue to be handled in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code. Theresa May Prime Minister | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-07-20/43531/ | Law | UK |
| 5 September 2016 | To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to the Oral Answer by the Prime Minister of 6 July 2016, Official Report, Column 881, what assessment she has made of the level of military action or the deployment of military equipment that would fall within the parameters referred to in that statement. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | I have nothing further to add. Theresa May Prime Minister | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-07-20/43530/ | Military | Global |
| 5 September 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how he plans to ensure that the Royal Navy maintains its maritime unmanned air system capability from late 2017. | Kevan Jones Labour, North Durham | The Royal Navy recognises the potential benefits from the use of unmanned vehicles in both air and sea environments and continues to explore how such systems can further augment its capabilities, although no decisions on future systems have yet been taken. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-07-20/43696/ | Navy | UK |
| 4 August 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has classified the armed conflict with Daesh as international or non-international. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | The United Kingdom is engaged in armed conflict against Daesh in Syria and Iraq which we have classified legally as non-international armed conflict, since Daesh is a non-State actor. We are however quite clear, as is the UN Security Council, that Daesh represent a threat to international peace and security. Tobias Ellwood Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-07-19/43327/ | Law | Iraq and Syria |
| 25 July 2016 | To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to the 2015-16 Annual Report of the Intelligence and Security Committee, for what reasons it was decided not to provide the Intelligence and Security Committee with evidence on the UK's role in US air strikes against (a) Junaid Hussain and (b) Mohammed Emwazi. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 15 of the 2015-16 Annual Report of the Intelligence and Security Committee. Theresa May Prime Minister | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-07-19/43349/ | Military | Syria |
| 21 July 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many RAF flights over Libya have taken place each month between January and June 2016; what the purpose was of such flights; and what the type of aircraft used was for those flights. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | Part of our support to the political process in Libya has included the provision of military advisers and RAF flights to transport them. I am withholding information on the details of these flights as disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Mike Penning Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-07-18/43265/ | Military | Libya |
| 19 July 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraphs 5.36 to 5.38 of the Cabinet Manual, whether the convention that a debate in Parliament should be held before troops are committed in military action applies to (a) the lethal use of armed drones, (b) military training and advisory missions (i) related to force-protection and (ii) where there is a risk of UK personnel engaging in combat in self-defence, (c) the use of special forces in long-term combat missions and (d) the embedding of UK military personnel in foreign militaries; and if he will make a statement. | Caroline Lucas Green, Brighton, Pavilion | This Government is committed to the convention that before troops are committed to combat the House of Commons should have an opportunity to debate the matter, except where there was an emergency and such action would not be appropriate. The convention does not apply to British military personnel embedded in the armed forces of other nations. Michael Fallon Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-07-13/42596/ | Military | Global |
| 13 July 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his (a) Ministerial colleagues and (b) US counterparts on cooperation and assistance on counter-drone technology. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | I have regular discussions with both Ministerial Colleagues and US counterparts on a range of issues, including counter-drone technologies. Philip Dunne Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-07-08/42274/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 13 July 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of existing regulations on drones; and if he will make a statement. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | The Government’s primary responsibility is the safety and security of our citizens. That is why we apply one of the highest regulatory safety standards for commercial aviation in the world. There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Department and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector, (including manufacturers, airports, and airlines), to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date and mitigations effective. Further work is underway to better understand the risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes to ensure that regulations remain fit for purpose. Awareness and education on current restrictions are vitally important. The Civil Aviation Authority is undertaking activities to raise awareness of the basic safety requirements, including an ongoing ‘Dronecode’ safety awareness campaign, issuing safety leaflets at the point of sale, publishing an animated video on their website, and running ‘small UAS’ Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-07-08/42271/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 28 June 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the Watchkeeper Programme to achieve Initial Operating Capability 2, previously expected to be achieved by April, and when they now expect Equipment Support Systems to be released to service. | Lord Moonie Labour | It is expected that the Watchkeeper programme will declare Initial Operating Capability 2 standard by July 2016. An initial set of release to service recommendations for the Watchkeeper system at Equipment Standard 2 should be provided by March 2017. This will provide sufficient clearance for the Army to fly the Watchkeeper system in that configuration and support delivery of Full Operating Capability by the target date of April 2017. Earl Howe Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-06-15/HL728/ | Military | Global |
| 27 June 2016 | With respect, it is evident that the Government intend to use lethal force outside armed conflict for counter-terrorism purposes, despite the legal basis for that being unclear. Will the Government clarify the legal basis on the use of drones for targeted killing outside of armed conflict? | Andrew Slaughter, Labour, Hammersmith | We have been very clear that this is guided by international law. Where there is an identified, direct and immediate threat to the United Kingdom, and where we have no other means of dealing with it, we reserve the right to use force. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2016-06-27b.15.6&s=%22international+law%22#g15.10 | Policy | Global |
| 27 June 2016 | Whether the Government plan to publish a policy on the use of drones for targeted killing | Andrew Slaughter, Labour, Hammersmith | With regard to targeting or other rules of engagement, the use of remotely piloted air systems is no different to that of any other aircraft. Therefore, there is no separate policy for their use in this respect. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2016-06-27b.15.6&s=%22international+law%22#g15.10 | Policy | Global |
| 16 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has met representatives of AeroVironment to discuss the Blackwing miniature tube-launched drone. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | Representatives of the Department meet AeroVironment representatives on a regular basis to discuss current and potential future capabilities, and the Department is aware of the capabilities of the Blackwing Reconnaissance System. However, the Department has no capability requirement to procure an underwater launched Unmanned Aerial System at this stage, and, as such, there have not been any formal discussions with AeroVironment on a possible procurement of Blackwing. Philip Dunne Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-06-08/39912/ | Procurement | UK |
| 15 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 12 April 2016 to Question 32352, whether the memorandum of understanding between the Home Office, the Civil Aviation Authority and the police has been agreed. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | I can confirm that the memorandum of understanding between the Department for Transport, the Home Office, the Civil Aviation Authority and the police has been signed and is operational. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-06-08/40016/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 15 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to engage with the European Aviation Safety Authority task force assessing the risk of collision between drones and aircraft. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | The Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority have regular interaction with the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) on the development of drone safety regulations. This includes engagement on the EASA task force studying the risk of collision between drones and aircrafts, which we expect will be consulting more formally across Member States this summer. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-06-08/39997/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 15 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 26 April 2016 to Question 34503, if he will release a summary or redacted version of risk assessments carried out by the Cross-Government Working Group on RPAS. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | The Cross-Government Working Group on RPAS commissioned a piece of work, led by the Ministry of Defence, to analyse the potential use of drones for criminal purposes including the potential use of drones for terrorist purposes. This work is ongoing and being kept under review. I will place a redacted summary of the work to date in the Libraries of both Houses before the Summer Recess. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-06-08/40015/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 13 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what timeline has been proposed for publication of the revised Joint Doctrinal Note on UK Unmanned Systems. | David Davis Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | Joint Doctrine Publication (JDP) 0-30.2, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, (which will replace Joint Doctrine Note 2/11, The UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft Systems) was endorsed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Joint Doctrine and Concepts Board in November 2015 with an agreed timeline for the MOD Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre to produce it in mid-2016. On current plans JDP 0-30.2 is expected to be published in July 2016. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-06-07/39787/ | Policy | UK |
| 13 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State, House of Lords Official Report, 27 April 2016, Column 1229, how many independent service police investigations have been carried out on allegations of civilian casualties during operations against Daesh in Iraq and Syria in the last five years. | David Davis Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | None Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-06-08/39927/ | Civilian Casualties | Iraq and Syria |
| 13 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the evidence given by the Minister of State for Transport to the EU Internal Market Sub-Committee on 18 April 2016, what the (a) purpose, (b) membership and (c) date of the last meeting of the new forum the Government has established is. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | The purpose of the forum is to provide a means to consult, and gather external stakeholder input, in order to inform and influence the development of future unmanned aircraft systems aviation policy, regulation and legislation at a national and international level. The aim is to develop a richer and deeper interaction with external stakeholders which commences early in the regulatory development process. The forum met on the 11th May 2016, and was attended by the Civil Aviation Authority, Frazer-Nash Consultancy, the British Model Flying Association, ADS Group, the Military Aviation Authority, the Department for Transport, Sussex Police, the Association of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, the Airport Operators Association, First Person View, the British Airline Pilots Association, BSI Group, with apologies from NATS. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-06-08/39940/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 13 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any RAF personnel have carried out airstrikes outside the coalition mission in the Iraq and Syria conflict zone since 2 December 2015. | David Davis Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | RAF personnel have not carried out airstrikes outside the coalition mission in the Iraq and Syria conflict zone since 2 December 2015. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-06-07/39785/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 13 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has demonstrated the capability of Certified Predator B for the duration of the Protector programme. | David Davis Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | Following an extensive Assessment Phase, the Department has concluded that the GA-ASI Certified Predator B is the only platform capable of meeting the Protector Programme's Key User Requirements. Certified Predator B is a modification of the highly successful Predator B platform which incorporates a number of safety and capability enhancements. The Demonstration Phase of the Programme, which will follow approval of the Programme's Main Gate Business Case, will subject Certified Predator B to a comprehensive Test and Evaluation Plan to demonstrate the system's ability to meet the Department's requirements for the capability through its expected in-service life. Philip Dunne Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-06-07/39786/ | Procurement | UK |
| 8 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State, House of Lords Official Report, 27 April 2016, Column 1229, how many independent service police investigations have been carried out on allegations of civilian casualties during operations against Daesh in Iraq and Syria in the last five years. | David Davis Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | None. | https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2016-06-08/39927 | Civcas Iraq & Syria | |
| 9 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to assess the potential merits of its proposals on drones to be included in the planned Modern Transport Bill; and what assessment he has made of the need for temporary measures to ensure public safety related to drones until such proposals have been enacted. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. There are severe penalties in place for misuse of drones, such as up to five years imprisonment for endangering an aircraft. The Department for Transport (DfT) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector, (including manufacturers, airports, and airlines), to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date. Further work is underway to better understand the risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes to ensure that regulations remain fit for purpose. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Secretary of State has recently written to Police to request their assistance in raising awareness of drone risks and restrictions. Communication and education of users on current safety restrictions will be key. Officials from my Department are actively considering with the CAA the development of an expanded and diversified communication and education campaign, to include more mediums and supporting products. The Government is planning to consult on a range of measures on drones over the summer, and will then seek any further appropriate legislative measures through the Modern Transport Bill. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-05-26/38744/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 6 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the potential use and effectiveness of unmanned aerial vehicle technology in supporting the UK's international development agenda. | Matthew Offord Conservative, Hendon | It is in the interest of the UK taxpayer, as well as beneficiaries on the ground, that the Department for International Development scrutinises the most cost-effective means of delivering aid, especially when responding to crises. In some cases technology can provide valuable advantages in terms of efficiency and cost effectiveness, as well as enabling the ability to respond rapidly to crises and assist those in the hardest to reach places. The Department has recently commissioned a review of the potential of a number of Frontier Technologies including Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology, which will help us identify potential applications as well as risks. There are a small number of examples of UAV technologies currently being trialled in DFID programmes. This includes a small-scale trial of UAV mapping to inform disaster preparedness, mitigation and response efforts in Nepal. There is also research being conducted in the natural and physical sciences arena, including on climate extremes which have an impact on vulnerable populations in developing countries. Nick Hurd Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-05-26/38662/ | Overseas aid | Global |
| 1 June 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2016 to Question 37106, whether the potential use of RAF aircraft to deliver airstrikes on Daesh targets in Libya has been discussed with the UK's international partners. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | We are working closely with the new Government of National Accord and international partners to develop a comprehensive approach to defeat Daesh in Libya. Planning so far has focused on training Libyan forces to provide their own security. Tobias Ellwood Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-05-24/38343/ | Military | Libya |
| 31 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the proposed redevelopment of USAF Croughton by the US has been confirmed to him. | Fabian Hamilton, Labour, Leeds North East | I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State (Michael Fallon) on 8 January 2015. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-05-24/38280/ | UK bases | UK |
| 31 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian deaths have been recorded from UK airstrikes in Syria since the UK military campaign started. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | There has been no credible evidence or report of civilian casualties as a result of UK airstrikes in Syria since the UK military campaign started. Michael Fallon Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-05-24/38178/ | Civilian Casualties | Iraq and Syria |
| 27 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on the regulation of drones to protect the public from their misuse. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given on 9 May 2016 UIN 36085 regarding the regulations addressing the criminal use of drones, and to my answer given on 9 May 2016 UIN 36086 regarding privacy. The Government is planning to consult on a range of measures on drones over the summer, and will then seek any further appropriate legislative measures through the Modern Transport Bill. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-05-24/38311/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 24 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British military personnel have been embedded with US military personnel flying drones or planes over Libya in the last six months. | Tim Farron, Lib Dem | None Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-05-19/37708/ | Embedded Personnel | Libya |
| 10 May 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to protect the identity of RAF unmanned aerial vehicle operators. | Lord Blencathra Conservative | Reaper Force personnel are briefed in line with their specific situation and, as with all RAF personnel, they receive periodic training on personal security. This includes, for example, briefing on social media profiles. Mechanisms exist to ensure that specific threats, and the necessary responses to them, are communicated in a timely fashion. Earl Howe Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-05-05/HL8224/ | Military Personnel | UK |
| 9 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what regulations are (a) in place and (b) under consideration to ensure appropriate management and use of data collected from drones. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | Personal data collected from drones is covered under the Data Protection Act 1998. The Information Commissioners Office has published guidance for drone operators on their website this can be found at https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/drones/. Issues concerning data protection are under consideration for our forthcoming consultation. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-28/36086/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 9 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what regulations address the criminal use of drones; and what plans the Government has to bring forward further regulations related to such activity. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | There are a range of laws in place to regulate the use of drones, prevent criminal use, and enable enforcement action to be taken when needed. The Air Navigation Order 2009 (ANO) regulates the use of all aircraft, including drones, and provides for a range of offences to guard against criminal use. For example the offences of endangering the safety of an aircraft, and endangering the safety of any person or property, apply to the users of all drones. There are also offences specific to users of small drones, and those using drones for aerial works. Please see at the end of the answer below for a list of these provisions. The Civil Aviation (Insurance) Regulations 2005 deal with insurance requirements for drones, and contain offences to enforce these. Offences relating to personal data are provided for in the Data Protection Act 1998. Other legislation which is not aviation or transport specific may also be relevant to addressing criminal use of drones. On future regulation, a proposed new EU Regulation on aviation safety is currently being negotiated with the European Aviation Safety Agency and other EU Member States. This will apply to all drones. While the Government considers that there are comprehensive rules in place to guard against criminal use of drones, we continue to keep under careful review whether there is any need for further legislation in this area. Provisions in ANO which are enforced by offences listed in Schedule 13 ANO a) Relevant to all drones: Article 137 - endangering safety of an aircraft Article 138 - endangering safety of any person or property b) Relevant to drones above 20kg (those over 150kg have additional requirements to meet): Article 3 - registration (unless comply with B Conditions - see Schedule 2 ANO) Article 16 - certificate of airworthiness (unless comply with B Conditions) Article 21 - issue of national permits to fly Article 31 - dropping articles for purposes of agriculture etc Article 129 - dropping of articles and animals c) Relevant to drones up to 20kg: Article 166 - requirements for small unmanned aircraft Applying to person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft of 20kg or less (without fuel but including equipment): article 166(1) - Causing or permitting an article or animal to be dropped from a small unmanned aircraft so as to endanger persons or property. article 166(2) - Flying without being reasonably satisfied that the flight can be safely made. article 166(3) - Failing to maintain direct, unaided visual contact sufficient to monitor flight path. article 166(5) - Flying for the purposes of aerial work without permission. Applying to person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft 7kg – 20kg (without fuel but including equipment): article 166(4)(a) - Flying in Class A, C, D or E airspace without the permission of the appropriate Air Traffic Control unit, article 166(4)(b) - Flying within an Air Traffic Zone during the notified hours of watch without permission, article 166(4)(c) - Flying at a height of more than 400ft above the surface unless within 166(4)(a) or (b). Article 167 - requirements for small unmanned surveillance aircraft. Applying to person in charge of a small unmanned surveillance aircraft of 20kg or less (without fuel but including equipment): article 167(1) - Flight over or within 150m of a congested area, article 167(1) & (2)(b) - Flight over or within 150m of an organised open-air assembly or more than 1,000 persons without permission, article 167(1) & (2)(c) - Flight within 50m of any vessel, vehicle or structure or person (not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft) without permission, article 167(3) - Taking off within 30m of a person (not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft). | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-28/36085/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 9 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the remit of the Cross-Government Working Group on drones is; when it has met; and who has attended each meeting of that group. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | I refer the Honourable Member to my answer give on 25 January UIN 23389 (http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=23389). Noting that the first meeting in 2016 took place in March not February and the below additions to the membership of the group: Department for International Development Surveillance Commissioner UK Fire Service Police Border Force Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)` | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-28/36083/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 6 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, at which military bases unauthorised entries were reported in each year from 2014. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The figures for unauthorised entries to military bases include drones and air balloon flying at low altitude over military sites but do not include failed attempts at authorised access. None of these incidents resulted in any significant ramifications for Defence security. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) treats all unauthorised entries very seriously. They are investigated to a level commensurate with their complexity and impact by Military Police, MOD Police or local constabulary. The locations of security incidents of this category recorded within the Ministry of Defence for 2014 are set out below. Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth HMNB Clyde Royal Marine (RM) Stonehouse Army Reserve Centre, Bristol Army Reserve Centre, Blackburn Army Careers Centre, Glasgow RAF Halton RAF Kirton on Lindsay RAF Wyton RAF Linton on Ouse RAF Brize Norton RAF Scampton RAF Benson RAF Honington RAF Mona RAF Leeming DSTL Porton Down Range Area With regard to the locations of security incidents of this category within the MOD for 2015 I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 9 February 2016 to question number 25082. Mark Lancaster The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-13/33821/ | Military Bases | UK |
| 4 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of active service on the mental health of (a) drone operators and (b) conventional pilots. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | The Government is committed to improving the mental health of our Armed Forces and has long recognised that Service life can cause stress. Support to all personnel (including pilots of Remotely Piloted Air Systems) is continually improving. We provide pre- and post-operational stress management training; a wide range of psychiatric and psychological treatments; and initiatives such as Decompression, Trauma Risk Management (TRiM), and post operational stress management. Measures are in place to increase awareness at all levels of the risk of mental health disorders and indicators to help identify these. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-25/35223/ | Military | UK |
| 4 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many hours UK drones have flown over which countries in each year since 2010. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | Since 2010, the UK's Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) have operated in Afghanistan until 2014 and in Iraq and Syria from 2014. The number of hours flown by RPAS in Afghanistan can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/operation-herrick-afghanistan-aircraft-statistics Since 2014, Reaper has been flying in support of Op SHADER in Iraq and Syria. It is not possible to breakdown Reaper flying hours by country for Op SHADER. The table below provides the total number of hours flown: Year Total Reaper flying hours flown in support of Op Shader 2014 1,653 2015 12,698 2016 (up to and including 31 March 2016) 2,509 Total 16,860 Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-25/35222/ | Military | Global |
| 4 May 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to further restrict the use of drones to ensure (a) the safety of aircraft and (b) privacy of members of the public. | Greg Knight, Conservative, East Yorkshire | There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit their craft to endanger any person or property. There are also tough existing penalties, including up to five years imprisonment for endangering an aircraft. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Secretary of State has written to the Police to request their assistance in raising awareness of drone risks and restrictions. The Department continues to work with the CAA and industry partners to assess the safety risk of drones. It is also currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones. A public consultation is planned for the summer. This will look at a range of options including registration and licensing options, and the potential for restrictions on purchase and use. Operators of drones that might collect personal data must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) unless a relevant exemption applies. The requirements of the DPA are regulated by the independent Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and their website provides clear guidance to operators. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-26/35553/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 27 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any MOD personnel have been seconded to positions in Yemen since 2012 | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | There are currently no Ministry of Defence (MOD) personnel in Yemen. No MOD personnel have been seconded to the Yemeni government since 2012 | |||
| 27 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure that all police officers are aware of restrictions around the use of drones in public areas and where permits are necessary. To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that the results of the police investigation into the drone collision at Heathrow airport on 17 April 2016 are published. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | The Aircraft Accident investigation Bureau investigation into the collision will be made public. However, the separate, ongoing criminal investigation, and any decision to release the results of the investigation, is an operational matter for the Metropolitan Police, as the investigatory authority. Guidance has been circulated to Police Forces to assist them when dealing with incidents involving misuse. A decision on whether to investigate and prosecute is made on an assessment of threat, risk and harm. John Hayes, Minister of State, Home Office | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-18/34359/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 27 April 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the control of drones flying in UK air space. | Lord Laird | There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. Work is underway to better understand the risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones. We have also completed a series of public dialogues ahead of a public consultation which will help to inform a government strategy to be published this year. The consultation will look at a range of options including regulation, registration and licensing options, and the potential for restrictions on purchase and use. Education of drone users is vital. The DfT is working with the CAA on raising awareness of responsible drone use. This includes the CAA’s ‘Drone Code’ safety awareness campaign, the issuing of safety leaflets at the point of sale, publishing an animated video on their website, and running ‘small UAS’ (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-04-18/HL7745/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 27 April 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the need to regulate or license the private drone market in the UK. | The Bishop of Bristol | Commercial drone operations already require permissions from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Operators must satisfy the CAA that they can operate safely and are aware of all relevant legislation. Last year the CAA granted approximately 1100 permissions for light-weight, low risk operations. There are charges for new permissions and processing renewals. There are also existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones. We have also completed a series of public dialogues ahead of a public consultation which will help to inform a government strategy to be published this year. The consultation will look at a range of options including regulation, registration and licensing options, and the potential for restrictions on purchase and use. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-04-18/HL7729/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 27 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State of 10 March 2016, Official Report, column 419, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of implementing temporary measures to ensure public safety when drones are used while his Department considers the best action to take. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. There are severe penalties in place for misuse of drones, such as up to five years imprisonment for endangering an aircraft. The Department for Transport (DfT) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector, (including manufacturers, airports, and airlines), to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date and mitigations effective. Further work is underway to better understand the risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes to ensure that regulations remain fit for purpose. The DfT is also currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones, including potential technical solutions, such as geo-fencing and frequency jammers around airports. Communication and education of users on current safety restrictions will be key. Officials from my Department are actively considering with the CAA the development of an expanded and diversified communication and education campaign, to include more mediums and supporting products, such as smart phone applications. The CAA is running ‘small UAS’ (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Secretary of State has written to Police to request their assistance in raising awareness of drone risks and restrictions. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-19/34680/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 26 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted for an offence relating to a use of a drone; and what the average sentence is for such an offence. | Andrew Slaughter, Labour, Hammersmith | The number of offenders found guilty of offences relating to flying a drone, under S 160 of the Air Navigation Order 2009, in England and Wales, in 2014, is two. Each offender was sentenced to a fine. Please note that this figure relates to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. Incidents involving drones are rare, but we remain constantly vigilant to all new threats to prison security. This Government has made it a criminal offence to throw, or otherwise project, any article of substance into prison without authorisation. Anyone using drones in an attempt to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years. We take a zero tolerance approach to illicit material in prisons and work closely with the police and CPS to ensure those responsible for a drone incident are caught and, if appropriate, prosecuted. Dominic Raab Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-18/34438/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 26 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of regulations relating to drones and public safety. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | The Government’s primary responsibility is the safety and security of our citizens. That is why we apply one of the highest regulatory safety standards for commercial aviation in the world. There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Department and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector, (including manufacturers, airports, and airlines), to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date and mitigations effective. Further work is underway to better understand the risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes to ensure that regulations remain fit for purpose. The Cross Government Working Group on RPAS has undertaken analysis of the use of drones for criminal purposes, including the potential use of drones for terrorist purposes, and the impacts of their negligent use near sensitive locations, such as airports. This work is kept under review and is being used to inform research and testing to improve mitigation techniques and strategies. Awareness and education on current restrictions are vitally important. The Civil Aviation Authority is undertaking activities to raise awareness of the basic safety requirements, including an ongoing ‘Dronecode’ safety awareness campaign, issuing safety leaflets at the point of sale, publishing an animated video on their website, and running ‘small UAS’ Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-18/34503/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 26 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his consultation on drones expected to be published before summer will include options on the classification of drones generally; and whether he has assessed existing weight categories as appropriate. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is developing new rules for all drones that are proportionate to the risk of their specific operation rather than based on weight categories. The Government will seek to ensure that UK regulation is consistent with this approach. EASA has conducted a consultation and impact assessment on the approach and therefore we do not currently intend to consult further on these measures. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-18/34351/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 25 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to allocate additional resources to police forces to combat the risks posed by drones to aircraft. | Ruth Cadbury, Labour, Brentford and Isleworth | Overall police spending will be protected in real terms over the Spending Review period, when the locally funded police precept element of council tax is taken into account. This is an increase of up to £900 million in cash terms by 2019/20. Overall, the public should be in no doubt that the police will have the resources they need to respond to new threats rapidly and effectively to keep people safe. Mike Penning, Minister of State, Home Department | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-19/34549/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 21 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to publish its consultation on drone regulation. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2016-04-18.34480.h&s=unmanned | Civil Use | UK | |
| 21 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that all drone owners are aware of restrictions on their use and the risks they pose. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | Decisions on the how the funding is allocated to priorities within forces are for individual Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners. | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2016-04-18.34360.h&s=unmanned | Civil Use | UK |
| 21 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to protect aircraft operating out of UK airports from the safety risks posed by drones. | Ruth Cadbury, Labour, Brentford and Isleworth | The Government’s primary responsibility is the safety and security of our citizens. That is why we apply one of the highest regulatory safety standards for commercial aviation in the world. The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones. There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. The Department and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector (including manufacturers, airports, and airlines) to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date and mitigations effective. We are talking to both the Civil Aviation Authority and airports to develop potential technical solutions to the problems around airports, these include mandated geo-fencing and frequency jammers. The Cross Government Working Group on RPAS has undertaken analysis of the use of drones for criminal purposes, including the potential use of drones for terrorist purposes, and the impacts of their negligent use near sensitive locations, such as airports. This work is kept under review and is being used to inform research and testing to improve mitigation techniques and strategies. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The Secretary of State will be writing to the police to request their assistance in raising awareness of drone risks and restrictions. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2016-04-18.34296.h&s=unmanned | Civil Use | UK |
| 18 April 2016 | My Lords, the future of the new runway is of course important, but what, in the mean time, will my noble friend do about the drones which are so much in the news recently? | Lord Trefgarne, Conservative | My noble friend is quite right to raise the issue of drones. Indeed, there was an incident only yesterday at Heathrow, which has been fully investigated. The pilots have given their full reports, and the details have been reported by the media. Let me assure my noble friend that there already are stringent procedures regarding the use of drones, but the Government are also working very closely with international and domestic partners, including the CAA and BALPA. We are also working closely with our European partners—including leading on EASA’s work in this regard—as to what more can be done in what clearly is an area of expansion. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) | http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2016-04-18b.435.0#g436.1 | Civil Use | UK |
| 18 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents involving the use of drone technology have been recorded at each type of prison facility in each of the last three years. | Andrew Slaughter, Labour Hammersmith | I refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQ 20357. Incidents involving drones are rare, but we remain constantly vigilant to all new threats to prison security. This Government has made it a criminal offence to throw, or otherwise project, any article of substance into prison without authorisation. Anyone using drones in an attempt to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years. We take a zero tolerance approach to illicit material in prisons and work closely with the police and CPS to ensure those responsible for a drone incident are caught and, if appropriate, prosecuted. There were no reported drone incidents in 2013; 2 reported incidents in 2014; and 33 reported incidents in 2015. These figures include drone finds and sightings of drones by prison staff in and around all types of public and private prisons in England and Wales. These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Andrew Selous, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-13/33806/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 18 April 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will establish a compulsory register for drone ownership following similar action by the Federal Aviation Administration in the US; and if not, why not. | Lord Sharkey, Lib Dem | We are exploring a range of options for monitoring and enforcing regulations on drone use in the UK. This includes the potential for types of registration schemes, such as are implemented in the US and Ireland. The Department for Transport is in contact with both these authorities, as part of our work into understanding the benefits of such schemes, in terms of transparency of ownership and enforcement, as against their costs to business and other users. HM Government intends to consult on options this year. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-04-11/HL7467/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 13 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has (a) sought and (b) received permission for the use of (i) Italian or (ii) US facilities at Sigonella by RAF aircraft for operations in Libyan airspace. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | We have had a long-standing presence at Naval Air Station Sigonella, and have made frequent use of it. However, it is not normal practice to comment on the details of arrangements with host nations. Tobias Ellwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-08/32965/ | Military | Libya |
| 12 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25277, when he expects the memorandum of understanding to be agreed. | Virendra Sharma, Labour, Ealing, Southall | The outcome of this risk assessment will be used to inform further research into and development of appropriate risk mitigation measures. As stated in my previous answer this work is ongoing and is kept under constant review. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-23/32352/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 12 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 25276, on unmanned air vehicles: safety, when he expects his Department to complete the detailed analysis of risks posed by drones. | Virendra Sharma, Labour, Ealing, Southall | The outcome of this risk assessment will be used to inform further research into and development of appropriate risk mitigation measures. As stated in my previous answer this work is ongoing and is kept under constant review. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-23/32353/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 11 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2016 to Question 25292, to which countries RAF Reaper or Watchkeeper drones have been deployed on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties since 5 February 2016. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | From 5 February until 4 April 2016, UK Reapers have been deployed on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in Iraq and Syria. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-24/32492/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 11 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place a copy of his Department's (a) civilian casualty review procedure and (b) standard operating procedure in the Library. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | I am withholding publication of the UK Armed Forces' Incident Reporting Standing Operating Procedure, which contains the civilian casualty review process, as disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of our Armed Forces. The UK takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously. Robust processes are in place to review reports of civilian casualties and to launch investigations where required. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-22/32193/ | Civilian Casualties | UK |
| 11 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 23886, whether asset-sharing in Syria, Iraq or Libya was considered at the meeting of the Reaper User Group that took place on 14 to 18 March. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | The MQ-9 Users Group primarily discussed generic, future interoperability between US, UK, French and Italian Reaper operators, particularly in terms of software standards, logistics and training. The sharing of assets in Syria, Iraq and Libya was therefore not discussed explicitly. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-22/32178/ | Military | Iraq, Syria, Libya |
| 11 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2016 to Question 30084, if he will make the Attorney General's advice available for inspection by the (a) Chief of the Air Staff (b) Deputy Commander of Operations and (c) Staff Branch Air Command responsible for authorisation of the drone strike which killed Reyaad Khan on 21 August 2015. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | No. Military action is authorised in accordance with the Rules of Engagement which I approve in accordance with the legal position. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-22/32179/ | Legality | Syria |
| 11 April 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 23886, whether asset-sharing in Syria, Iraq or Libya was considered at the meeting of the Reaper User Group that took place on 14 to 18 March. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | The MQ-9 Users Group primarily discussed generic, future interoperability between US, UK, French and Italian Reaper operators, particularly in terms of software standards, logistics and training. The sharing of assets in Syria, Iraq and Libya was therefore not discussed explicitly. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-22/32178/ | International Co-Operation | Global |
| 31 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of deploying ocean-going drones to help catch illegal trawlers in Marine Conservation Zones in place of staffed patrol vessels. | Alex Cunningham, Labour, Stockton North | The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the ten Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities are responsible for enforcing fisheries legislation in UK waters off England. The MMO is considering carefully the potential for new technology to aid enforcement operations, and will continue to keep such technology under review. George Eustice, The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-22/32113/ | Law enforcement | Global |
| 29 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26843, if he will publish the terms of reference for the Reaper User Group. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The MQ-9 Users Group is a multilateral forum for France, Italy, the UK and US. As such, the release of the Group's Terms of Reference can only be approved if all four participating nations agree. To that end, the request for their release was highlighted at the MQ-9 User Group and individual nations will report back as soon as is practicable. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-22/32105/ | International Co-Operation | Global |
| 29 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 23886, which UK representatives attended the meeting of the Reaper User Group between 14 and 18 March 2016. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | UK attendance at the MQ-9 User Group was limited to representatives from the Royal Air Force, led by the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Force Commander. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-22/32106/ | International Co-Operation | Global |
| 22 March 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the risk of civilian drones being used to carry out terrorist attacks and of accidental collisions, whether they are considering (1) introducing a mandatory registration system for civilian drones, and (2) introducing mandatory geo-fencing technology to prevent drones from flying over high-risk areas. | Baroness Randerson, Lib Dem | I refer my Noble Baroness to my answer of the 16 March, UIN HL6659. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) (Jointly with the Home Office | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-03-16/HL7104/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 22 March 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the report of the Cross Government Working Group on Drones to be completed, and whether they intend to publish that report. | Baroness Randerson, Lib Dem | The Cross Government Working Group on Drones is an ongoing policy group that meets quarterly to discuss a range of cross-cutting departmental issues relating to drones. It does not routinely produce reports. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) (Jointly with the Home Office) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-03-15/HL7049/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 21 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment of the merits of the Protector drone and other current and projected UK capability requirements was made to underpin the recent £1.5 billion UK-France collaboration on a joint unmanned combat air vehicle. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | As part of last year's Strategic Defence and Security Review, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of our future capability requirements including for combat air. Within this, we looked at what could be provided by current and planned capabilities including Protector. The next phase of our collaboration on Unmanned Combat Air Systems with France will mature advanced technologies to inform future acquisition choices. As part of last year's Strategic Defence and Security Review, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of our future capability requirements including for combat air. Within this, we looked at what could be provided by current and planned capabilities including Protector. The next phase of our collaboration on Unmanned Combat Air Systems with France is looking at capability need beyond Protector and so will mature advanced technologies to develop operational demonstrators. Philip Dunne, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-15/31168/ | Procurement | UK |
| 21 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many drone strikes have taken place against Daesh targets in (a) Iraq and (b) Syria since September 2014. | Julie Cooper, Labour, Burnley | Between 1 September 2014 and 15 March 2016 there have been 200 Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) strikes in Iraq and 13 in Syria against Daesh targets. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-14/30887/ | Strikes | Iraq and Syria |
| 21 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has established a civilian casualties tracking cell to investigate reports of alleged incidents involving RAF aeroplanes in Syria and Iraq. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | As you know, I am committed to review all claims of civilian casualties, which we take very seriously. The Ministry of Defence has robust processes in place to review reports of alleged incidents. An assessment is carried out after every British strike; we determine the scale of the damage that has been caused and review very carefully whether there are likely to have been civilian casualties. Investigations are launched where appropriate. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-15/31187/ | Civilian Casualties | Iraq and Syria |
| 16 March 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the risks posed to the UK by terrorists using drones, and the recent comments by the British Airline Pilots Association and others regarding the risks posed by drones, what consideration they have given to (1) the introduction of a system of mandatory drone registration in the UK, (2) the introduction of mandatory geo-fencing by all drone manufacturers, and (3) the possible banning of private ownership of drones exceeding a certain payload capacity. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they will take to reduce the risk posed by civilian drones to aircraft. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Cross Government Working Group on Drones has conducted an assessment of the risks posed (1) by terrorists using drones, and (2) by drones to aircraft. | Lord West of Spithead, Labour | The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones. The Department and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector, (including manufacturers, airports, and airlines), to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date and mitigations effective. This collaboration is also considering the need for other potential drone policies, such as geo-fencing. There are a number of drone models already sold in the UK with types of this technology installed and we are assessing the potential for solutions that could restrict drone operations around airports and other key infrastructure. We are also in contact with other governments about the potential costs and benefits of registration systems, and, in particular, whether this improves the transparency of ownership. The Cross Government Working Group has undertaken analysis of the use of drones for criminal purposes, including the potential use of drones for terrorist purposes, and the impacts of their negligent use near sensitive locations, such as airports. This work is kept under review and is being used to inform research and testing to improve mitigation techniques and strategies. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. Education of drone users is vital. The DfT is working with the CAA on raising awareness of responsible drone use. This includes the CAA’s ‘Drone Code’ safety awareness campaign and the issuing of safety leaflets at the point of sale. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) (Jointly with the Home Office) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-03-02/HL6659/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 15 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Cross Government Working Group on Drones will examine the feasibility of introducing a system of registration for drones, including an element of mandatory training and evaluation for the larger classes. | Jim Shannon, DUP, Strangford | I refer the Honourable member to my answer give on 4 March, UIN 29244, http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=29244. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-10/30774/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 15 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the Cross Government Working Group on Drones to finish its work; and when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals. | Jim Shannon, DUP, Strangford | The Cross Government Working Group on Drones is an ongoing policy group that meets quarterly to discuss a range of cross-cutting departmental issues relating to drones. My department is working with the European Aviation Safety Agency on the development of new European rules for drones. The Civil Aviation Authority are planning to consult on these proposals in the summer, with a view to making amendments to the Air Navigation Order in 2017. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-10/30772/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 15 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Cross Government Working Group on Drones will conduct a detailed examination of the security threats posed by drones as part of its work. | Jim Shannon, DUP, Strangford | The Cross Government Working Group is undertaking analysis of the potential use of drones for criminal and terrorist purposes, and the impacts of their negligent use near sensitive locations, such as airports. Guidance on tackling the risks of criminal drone use has been provided to constabularies across the UK. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-10/30773/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 14 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian casualties have resulted from direct UK military action in each theatre of operation in each of the last 12 months. | Stephen Doughty, Labour/Co-operative, Cardiff South and Penarth | Defence records show there have been no civilian casualities as a result of UK military action in any operational theatre in the last 12 months. We take very seriously our responsibility to protect innocent civilian life when planning UK military operations. Our targeting procedures are rigorous, and we take every possible precaution to ensure that no civilian lives are lost when conducting strike missions. If we had any reason to believe - either from our own analysis or from other reports - that there might have been civilian casualties, a full investigation would be conducted. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-09/30452/ | Civilian Casualties | Global |
| 11 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK was party to the US collateral damage assessment relating to airstrikes in Libya carried out by US forces operating from RAF Lakenheath; and whether that collateral damage assessment conformed to UK Rules of Engagement and the Targeting Directive. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | I only grant permission to use UK bases to launch an airstrike after the Ministry of Defence has verified the legality of the operation and where we have assurances that collateral damage would be minimised. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-08/30188/ | Air Bases | UK/US |
| 11 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any temporal or other limitations have been placed on his authorisation of the use by the US of RAF Lakenheath as a base for carrying out airstrikes in Libya. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | My authorisation for the US to use UK bases to launch the airstrike against a Daesh training camp in Libya on 19 February 2016 was granted for that specific operation and for a limited period of time. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-08/30189/ | Air Bases | UK/US |
| 11 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he consulted (a) the National Security Council, (b) the Attorney General, (c) the Foreign Secretary and (d) other Cabinet colleagues on the decision to authorise the US to use RAF Lakenheath to launch airstrikes in Libya; and whether any of those bodies or people were required to give approval for that authorisation. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | I am responsible for authorising the use of UK bases for operations of this nature. There is a long standing convention that whether the Attorney General has or has not advised on a matter it is not disclosed. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-08/30190/ | Air Bases | UK/US |
| 10 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement of 7 September 2015, Official Report, column 23, what rank of officer within the RAF chain of command had access to the Attorney General's advice on the legal basis for the Reyaad Khan drone strike. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | The Attorney General's advice informed my decision to target Reyaad Khan. The strike was conducted by the RAF using rules of engagement informed by the Attorney General's advice. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-07/30084/ | Legality | Syria |
| 10 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in how many operations the UK Reaper force has transferred operational control of UK Reapers to (a) the US Air Force and (b) embedded RAF personnel in the US Air Force in Syria and Iraq since 2 December 2015. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 November 2015 to Question 16741. It remains the case that provisions set out in the UK-US Memorandum of Understanding have not yet been enacted by either party. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-07/30085/ | Interoperability | UK/US |
| 10 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will expedite the work of the cross-governmental working group on drones; and if he will bring forward legislative proposals to mitigate the safety risks posed by civilian drones. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | Government’s primary responsibility is the safety and security of our citizens. That is why we apply the highest regulatory safety standards for commercial aviation in the world. There is legislation in place that requires users of small drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle, and that requires users to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit their vehicle to endanger any person or property. It is already illegal to operate a drone recklessly or negligently, and the Crown Prosecution Service has successfully prosecuted where there has been persistent reckless behaviour. Education of drone users is vital. The DfT is working with the CAA on raising awareness of responsible drone use. This includes the CAA’s ‘Drone Code’ safety awareness campaign and the issuing of safety leaflets at the point of sale. We will continue to keep our policies and regulation under review to ensure public safety remains paramount. This currently includes working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-02/29436/ | Civil | UK |
| 10 March 2016 | The UK Airprox Board investigated 23 near misses between aircraft and drones in six months last year. Of those, 12 were deemed to involve a serious risk of collision. The British Airline Pilots Association wants the Government to run tests on what would happen if a drone were sucked into an engine or hit a windscreen, and the Government have had a working group on the matter since 2013. So why is it only this summer that Ministers will say anything? Should we not know by now what tests have already been done, what regulatory and other options are being considered and when Ministers expect any agreed option to be put into practice? | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | I assure the House that we take that matter very seriously indeed, and we are aware of the risk of a collision with a drone. Yesterday, I met representatives of the British Airline Pilots Association, and that was one of the topics that came up. As the Secretary of State said in answer to an earlier question, severe penalties are in place for people who get involved with such activities. There are a number of technologies, such as geo-fencing, which would prevent those aircraft from entering sensitive airspace. We take the matter very seriously, and we are considering the best action to take. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm160310/debtext/160310-0001.htm#160310-0001.htm_spnew95 | Civil | UK |
| 10 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the contract for the new Predator ER is predicated on aviation authorities giving clearance for that aircraft to fly in UK and European air space; and if he will make a statement. | Madeleine Moon, Labour, Bridgend | The Department is currently working towards a main investment decision on the PROTECTOR remotely-piloted aircraft announced in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, rather than contracting for a new Predator Extended Range (ER) programme. As part of this work, the Department is considering the issues and options relating to clearance to fly in UK and European airspace. Philip Dunne. Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-02/29385/ | Military | UK |
| 9 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce mandatory geo-fencing technology for civilian drones. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | The UK Government and the Civil Aviation Authority are talking to manufacturers about implementing geo-fencing technology on their drone systems. There are a number of drones already sold in the UK with this technology installed. My department is talking to a range stakeholders, including airports, about potential solutions for restricting drone operations around airports and other key infrastructure. We expect to have some results from this work by the end of the summer. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-01/29284/ | Civil | UK |
| 9 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Jordanian counterpart on the launch, recovery or other control of Reaper drones from that country or any other element of Reaper control. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | We routinely discuss counter-Daesh air operations with Coalition partners but it would not be appropriate to give details about these discussions as to do so could affect the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-01/29192/ | Military | Jordan |
| 9 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 27211, whether the remit of permission granted to use the Sigonella air station extends to UK (a) Reaper launch and recovery operations and (b) combat missions. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | We have had a long-standing presence at Naval Air Station Sigonella, and have made frequent use of it. However, it is not normal practice to comment on the details of arrangements with host nations. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-01/29291/ | Air Bases | Italy |
| 9 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2016 to Question 27212, on what data work commenced on Joint Services Policy (JSP) 900 UK Targeting Policy - Edition 2. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | Work to create JSP 900 UK Targeting Policy Edition 2 began in January 2014 and the document was in the process of being finalised in September 2014. However, further work was required to ensure the Ministry of Defence's Full Spectrum Targeting (FSpecT) policy was coherent with the evolving National Full Spectrum Effects (FSE) approach. In September 2015 Defence Instructions and Notices (DIN) 2015DIN03-024 "Full Spectrum Effects For Defence Operations" was released. The DIN set the framework for FSpecT policy within FSE; JSP 900 Edition 2 was released shortly afterwards. A review of JSP 900 Edition 2 is under way and it is expected that a new edition will be required to incorporate lessons identified from operations in Iraq and Syria. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-01/29193/ | Policy | UK |
| 9 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2016 to Question 26409, what the role and location is of each of the six Reaper Force personnel embedded with the US Armed Forces; and with which units they are embedded. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | The six embedded personnel are undertaking various training, test and evaluation duties at Holloman Air Force Base and Creech Air Force Base. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-01/29194/ | Personnel | US |
| 9 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of a drone collision with an emergency helicopter attending a scene in a built-up area. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | The Department for Transport is currently working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop consistent, EU-wide safety rules for drones. The Department and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of industry partners across the aviation sector, (including manufacturers, airports, and operators), to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date and mitigations effective. This collaboration is also considering the need for other potential drone policies, such as geo-fencing. There are a number of drone models already sold in the UK with types of this technology installed and we are assessing the potential for solutions that could restrict drone operations around sensitive locations and key infrastructure. The Government has undertaken analysis of the use of drones for criminal purposes, including the potential use of drones for terrorist purposes, and the impacts of their negligent use near sensitive locations, such as airports. This work is kept under review and is being used to inform research and testing to improve mitigation techniques and strategies. Education of drone users is vital. The DfT is working with the CAA on raising awareness of responsible drone use. This includes the CAA’s ‘Drone Code’ safety awareness campaign and the issuing of safety leaflets at the point of sale. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-04/29800/ | Civil | UK |
| 8 March 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 22 February (HL5864), whether the term UK troops includes members of 13 Squadron, based at RAF Waddington, and of 39 Squadron, based at Creech Air Force Base in the US. | Lord West of Spithead, Labour | This Government has demonstrated its commitment to the war powers convention by its willingness to hold Parliamentary debates in relation to air strikes in Iraq and Syria in 2013, 2014 and 2015. However, we have no intention of defining the precise circumstances, including the identity of specific military units, capabilities or types of operation, under which we might be obliged to act first and to notify Parliament afterwards, in order to avoid presenting our adversaries with opportunities to exploit that definition against the UK or our interests. Earl Howe. Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-02-25/HL6479/ | Military | Global |
| 7 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the level of risk of developing mental health conditions among remote combat pilots; and what safeguards his Department has in place to protect such pilots from any such risk. | Amanda Solloway, Conservative, Derby North | The Government is committed to improving the mental health of our Armed Forces and has long recognised that Service life can cause stress. Support to personnel has improved in a number of ways, including providing pre and post-operational stress management training, a wide range of psychiatric and psychological treatments and initiatives such as Decompression, Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) and Post Operational Stress Management. Trained TRiM providers are embedded in both - 13 Squadron and 39 Squadron, the Royal Air Forces's (RAF) frontline Reaper units based at RAF Waddington and Creech AFB. For Financial Year 2014-15, out of a total of approximately 180 personnel, there were fewer than five RAF personnel from 13 Squadron or 39 Squadron who were seen for an initial assessment at Ministry of Defence Specialist Mental Health Services. This is a lower rate than the military population as a whole. Mark Lancaster, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-29/28940/ | Personnel | UK |
| 7 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research his Department has commissioned on the effect of a drone strike on a commercial aircraft. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given on 4 March UIN 29156 (http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=QuestionsWithAnswersOnly&house=commons%2clords&uin=29156). Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-02/29554/ | Civil | UK |
| 4 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a system of civilian drone registration similar to that used in the USA. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | Officials from my department are talking to both the US and Irish authorities about the potential benefits of a registration scheme and impacts that such a scheme would have on the industry and how effective a registration scheme would be in improving transparency of ownership. However registration schemes are only as good as the enforcement mechanisms behind them. Government will be consulting on a range of options over the summer. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-01/29244/ | Civil | UK |
| 2 March 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what priority they attach to acquiring and deploying unmanned carrier-launched surveillance and strike aircraft. | Lord Campbell, Lib Dem | The Queen Elizabeth Class carriers will have an extensive flight deck with hangar and engineering support facilities, which can be utilised to operate and sustain autonomous systems. The Royal Navy recognises that such systems offer a unique opportunity to maintain its operational advantage and it continues to explore how they could augment its capabilities in the future. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-02-25/HL6440/ | Policy | UK |
| 1 March 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to acquire Zephyr high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles, and if so, for what purpose. | Lord Campbell, Lib Dem | As part of our commitment to providing next-generation battlefield intelligence capabilities to the UK Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence has contracted for the demonstration of two Zephyr Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. This contract will allow the UK to understand whether Zephyr can fulfil the requirement for high-altitude persistent surveillance capability as announced in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-02-24/HL6389/ | Military | UK |
| 1 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) date and (b) remit was of his authorisation to use RAF Lakenheath as a base to carry out airstrikes in Libya. To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether further authorisation from him will be necessary for any future airstrikes in Libya carried out by US forces from UK bases. | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | Authorisation for the United States to use UK bases to launch the airstrike against a Daesh training camp in Libya was given on 18 February 2016. Authorisation would be required for any operations of this nature involving the use of UK bases. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-23/28098/ | Air Bases | UK/US |
| 1 March 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to carry out practical tests on the effect of a drone flying into a jet engine. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham, Northfield | Commercial aircraft are already rigorously tested to withstand collisions with small objects, such as birds, but my Department and the Civil Aviation Authority are working with the aviation sector, including manufacturers, airports and airlines, to ensure our understanding of the potential hazards to aircraft remains up-to-date. This activity is also helping to provide real life evidence of drone risks and the options for preventing collisions. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-03-01/29156/ | Civil | UK |
| 29 February 2016 | In what level of military involvement do the Government believe the British military must engage in Libya before the Prime Minister will bring any decision regarding military intervention in that country to the House? | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | As I have said, we do not intend to deploy ground forces in any combat role. Before engaging in any military operation in Libya, we would of course have to seek an invitation from the Libyan Government, and would also have to involve this Parliament. As part of the international community, we have been party to the liberal international assistance mission, and we are ready to provide advice and training in support of the new Libyan Government. A training team of some 20 troops from the 4th Infantry Brigade is now moving to Tunisia to help to counter illegal cross-border movement from Libya in support of the Tunisian authorities. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm160229/debtext/160229-0001.htm#160229-0001.htm_spnew88 | Military | UK |
| 29 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 25312, whether he has been consulted about proposals for a US drone operation centre at RAF Lakenheath; and whether he has received a Host Nation Notification from the US in respect of RAF Lakenheath in the last year. | Andrew Smith, Labour, Oxford East | No. The Ministry of Defence received a Host Nation Notification from the US in respect of RAF Lakenheath on 7 January 2015, relating to US F-35 basing. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-19/27237/ | Air Bases | UK/US |
| 29 February 2016 | I was disappointed to read in the media the Secretary of State’s recent statement that he had personally authorised the use of United Kingdom bases for United States airstrikes in Libya. The matter was not brought to the Chamber in advance. Furthermore, yesterday’s papers reported that the Government had now deployed British advisers to Libya. Will the Secretary of State commit himself to stopping this mission creep, and to ensuring that no further such action is taken without the leave of the House? Will he also explain his assessment of whether the action to date was lawful according to UK standards relating to the use of force, international humanitarian law, and human rights law? | Kirsten Oswald, SNP, East Renfrewshire | The United States followed standard procedures, and made a formal request to use our bases. Once we had verified the legality of the operation, I granted permission for the United States to use our bases to support it, because they are trying to prevent Daesh from using Libya as a base from which to plan and carry out attacks that threaten the stability of Libya and the region, and indeed, potentially, the United Kingdom and our people as well. I was fully satisfied that the operation, which was a United States operation, would be conducted in accordance with international law. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm160229/debtext/160229-0001.htm#160229-0001.htm_spnew85 | Air Bases | UK/US |
| 29 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has sought from or been given permission by the Italian government for use of the Sigonella air station in Sicily. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | The UK Government has permission to operate from Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella. We make frequent use of it, for example in 2015, three Merlin helicopters were based there as a part of Operation WEALD, which provided search and rescue capability in the Mediterranean. We are currently operating from NAS Sigonella as part of a NATO anti-submarine warfare exercise, Exercise DYNAMIC MANTA. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-19/27211/ | Air Bases | Italy |
| 25 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place a copy of the UK Joint Targeting and Battle Damage Assessment Policy paper, dated 2005, in the Library. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | The UK Joint Targeting and Battle Damage Assessment Policy paper, dated 2005 established the baseline principles primarily for coordinating the delivery of lethal effects. This paper has been superseded by Joint Services Policy (JSP) 900 UK Targeting Policy - Edition 2 dated September 2015 which contains the policy and direction on targeting, and guidance on the processes involved and best practice to apply. UK Targeting policy has evolved to incorporate operational lessons identified through Full Spectrum Targeting, apportioning action (lethal and non-lethal) in accordance with desired policy outcomes, and to bring greater interoperability between the UK, NATO and the 5 Eyes Nations (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US ). JSP 900 cannot yet be placed in the public domain as it would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces and forces cooperating with them. However, we are working to produce a releasable version which is to be published later in 2016. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-19/27212/ | Policy | UK |
| 25 February 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government which organisations are responsible for enforcing security of aircraft against incidents with drones, and what means they have to disable such drones and identify the owners. | Lord Berkeley, Labour | Working alongside other agencies in the intelligence and law enforcement communities, the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority are responsible for assessing and managing the risks to and from civil aviation, including remotely piloted aircraft systems. There are regulations in place that require users to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their drone and to not recklessly or negligently allow a drone to endanger any person or property; these regulations have recently led to successful prosecutions for misuse. Work is ongoing to identify appropriate and effective mitigations from point of sale to incident resolution. Lord Ahmad, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) (Jointly with the Home Office) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-02-11/HL6155/ | Civil | UK |
| 25 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what procedure was followed before the authorisation of the use of RAF Lakenheath for airstrikes in Libya on 19 February 2016. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | I confirmed in a statement on 19 February 2016 that I had authorised the request. Permission was granted once I was satisfied with the legality of the operation. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-22/27841/ | Air Bases | UK/US |
| 23 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2016 to Question 25293, whether his Department distinguishes between the proposed use of deployed platforms with capabilities for (a) high value targeting and (b) intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | With reference to the answer given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Tom Watson) on 23 June 2014 (Official Report, column 99W) we do not distinguish between platforms with different capabilities. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-10/26842/ | Military | Global |
| 22 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the proposal from the Italian government (a) to deploy 1,000 British troops to Libya and (b) for Italian Reaper drones to conduct target acquisition in Libya for the purpose of joint strike operations with the US and UK. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | The UK is considering, with partner nations, how we can best support the new Libyan government, including in terms of capacity building and security sector reform. No decisions have been made about the future deployment of any British military forces to Libya as part of an international coalition force. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-09/26592/ | Military | Libya |
| 22 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether personnel from Reaper Squadrons 39 and 13 attended military meetings in Tobruk between 18 January and 31 January 2016. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | The Government has a long-standing policy not to comment on intelligence matters. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-09/26593/ | Military | Libya |
| 22 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the evidence given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 10 February 2016, how many operations UK Reaper drones have undertaken in Libyan airspace this year. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The Government has a long-standing policy not to comment on intelligence matters. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-10/26773/ | Military | Libya |
| 22 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24110, whether he plans to publish the terms of reference for the Reaper User Group before the Group meeting on 14 to 18 March 2016. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The release of the Terms of Reference for the Reaper User Group will be discussed at the next meeting from 14 to 18 March 2016. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-10/26843/ | Policy | UK |
| 17 February 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are bound to consult or seek the approval of Parliament before undertaking aircraft or drone air strikes in Libya. | Lord West, Labour | The Government is committed to the convention that, before UK troops are committed to conflict, Parliament should have an opportunity to debate the matter except when there is an emergency and such action would not be appropriate. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-02-03/HL5864/ | Military | Libya |
| 16 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, within what timeframe his Department is able to deploy Reaper drones to Libya. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | I am withholding the information on the deployment timelines of Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems as its disclosure would or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-09/26528/ | Military | Libya |
| 16 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any personnel from Reaper Squadrons 39 or 13 are currently embedded with US forces. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | No personnel directly from 39 Squadron or 13 Squadron are currently embedded with the US armed forces. However, from the Reaper force as a whole, there are currently six Royal Air Force personnel embedded with the United States Air Force. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-09/26409/ | Embedded Personnel | US |
| 16 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Reaper drones have been used in operations in Syria. | Jim Shannon, DUP, Strangford | I am withholding operational information on the number of RAF Reaper aircraft deployed as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-09/26388/ | Military | Syria |
| 16 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are Reaper Ground Control Stations available for use by UK Reaper Squadrons 13 and 39 in North Africa. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | The Government has a long standing policy not to comment on intelligence matters. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-08/26356/ | Military | North Africa |
| 11 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Zephyr 8 UAVs his Department plans to buy; what the estimated cost per unit is of that equipment; what the programme through life cost is of that equipment; and where he plans units of that equipment will be based. | Douglas Chapman, Scottish National Party, Dunfermline and West Fife | As part of our commitment to providing next-generation battlefield intelligence capabilities to the UK Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence is planning to contract for the demonstration of two Zephyr Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. This contract will allow the UK to understand whether Zephyr can fulfil the requirement for a high-altitude persistent surveillance capability, as announced in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review. The £10.6 million contract, due to be signed imminently with Airbus Defence and Space, is for an operational concept demonstration rather than individual platforms, so unit costs are not held. Furthermore, as the Zephyr demonstrators will not be in-service, they will not be based at a particular location and there will be no related support or through-life costs. Tests are due to take place in 2017 to assess Zephyr's capabilities and explore its potential. Philip Dunne, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-03/25681/ | Military | Global |
| 10 February 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to minimise the risk to aircraft from the use of drones, and whether those steps include a system of registration of ownership. | Lord Beecham, Labour | Drones are becoming increasingly popular and have the potential to bring significant economic benefits, but it is vital that they are operated safely, in a way that does not put members of the public and other aircraft at risk. There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. Work is underway to better understand the level of risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes. We are talking to both the Civil Aviation Authority and airports to find technical solutions to the problems around airport, these include mandated geo-fencing or frequency jammers. The department is leading efforts with international bodies to develop a stringent regulatory framework focusing on safety. We are currently undertaking public dialogues ahead of a public consultation which will help to inform a government strategy to be published this year. The consultation will look at a range of options including regulation, registration and licensing options and a database to increase transparency on the use of drones for the general public. The Civil Aviation Authority is undertaking activities to raise awareness of the basic safety requirements, including an ongoing ‘Dronecode’ safety awareness campaign, issuing safety leaflets at the point of sale, publishing an animated video on their website, and running ‘small UAS’ Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme. Lord Ahmad, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) (Jointly with the Home Office) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-02-01/HL5650/ | Civil | UK |
| 10 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2016 to Question 23290, what his Department's policy is on (a) the application of the convention on giving Parliament the opportunity to debate military intervention abroad to armed drones and (b) informing the House of any exceptional operation on the grounds of self-defence of the UK. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | The Government is committed to the convention that, before UK troops are committed to conflict, Parliament should have an opportunity to debate the matter except when there is an emergency. It is fitting to keep Parliament informed of major new developments and to answer questions on them. The Government will inform the House of any exceptional operation where there has not been prior debate in Parliament as the Prime Minister did on 7 September 2015 in relation to the precision airstrike that took place on 21 August 2015. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-02/25543/ | Military | Global |
| 10 February 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take for the protection of air passengers following the recent report of the UK Airprox Board of four near-miss incidents involving drones at UK airports. | The Marquess of Lothian, Conservative | The safety of the public is of the uttermost importance to the Government and whilst I recognise the potential significant economic benefits that drones can have to the UK, it is vital that they are operated safely and in a way that does not put members of the public and other aircraft at risk. There are existing regulations for users of small unmanned aerial vehicles. Article 166 of the UK Air Navigation order 2009 (ANO) requires operators of small unmanned aircraft to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the purposes of avoiding collisions. It also states that an operator may only fly the aircraft if they are reasonably satisfied that the flight can safely be made. In addition, Article 138 of the ANO 2009, which also applies to small unmanned aircraft, states that “a person must not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. This includes persons within another aircraft, and of course the aircraft that those persons are within. We are talking to both the Civil Aviation Authority and airports to find technical solutions to the problems around airport, these include mandated geo-fencing or frequency jammers. The Civil Aviation Authority is undertaking activities to raise awareness of the basic safety requirements, including an ongoing ‘Dronecode’ safety awareness campaign, issuing safety leaflets at the point of sale, publishing an animated video on their website, and running ‘small UAS’ Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme. The department is leading efforts with international bodies to develop a stringent regulatory framework focusing on safety. We are currently undertaking public dialogues ahead of a public consultation which will help to inform a government strategy to be published this year. The consultation will look at a range of options including regulation, registration and licensing options and a database to increase transparency on the use of drones for the general public. Lord Ahmad, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) (Jointly with the Home Office) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-02-01/HL5744/ | Civil | UK |
| 10 February 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to minimise the risk to aircraft from the use of drones, and whether those steps include a system of registration of ownership. | Lord Beecham, Labour | Drones are becoming increasingly popular and have the potential to bring significant economic benefits, but it is vital that they are operated safely, in a way that does not put members of the public and other aircraft at risk. There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. Work is underway to better understand the level of risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes. We are talking to both the Civil Aviation Authority and airports to find technical solutions to the problems around airport, these include mandated geo-fencing or frequency jammers. The department is leading efforts with international bodies to develop a stringent regulatory framework focusing on safety. We are currently undertaking public dialogues ahead of a public consultation which will help to inform a government strategy to be published this year. The consultation will look at a range of options including regulation, registration and licensing options and a database to increase transparency on the use of drones for the general public. The Civil Aviation Authority is undertaking activities to raise awareness of the basic safety requirements, including an ongoing ‘Dronecode’ safety awareness campaign, issuing safety leaflets at the point of sale, publishing an animated video on their website, and running ‘small UAS’ Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) (Jointly with the Home Office) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-02-01/HL5650/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 10 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with the US administration on the siting of a US drone operation centre at (a) RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk and (b) other UK locations. | Andrew Smith, Labour, Oxford East | The UK and US have routine discussions on all aspects of US visiting forces in the UK. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-02/25312/ | UK bases | UK |
| 9 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on public safety of placing the regulation of (a) drones and (b) unmanned aerial vehicles within the purview of the Civil Aviation Authority. | Virendra Sharma, Labour, Ealing, Southall | The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the independent statutory authority responsible for regulating civil aircraft, including RPAS and small drones. However, the Department recognises that there are types of offenses relating to drones that are not aviation specific or pose an aviation risk and are more social, so the degree to which the CAA should be involved is currently under review. We are currently developing a Memorandum of Understanding between the DfT, the CAA, the Home Office and Police to better establish where responsibility lies for enforcing breaches of drone related regulations Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-02/25277/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 9 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24141, at which military bases unauthorised entries were reported in 2015. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The figures for unauthorised entries to military bases include drones and air balloon flying at low altitude over military sites but do not include failed attempts at unauthorised access. None of these incidents resulted in any significant ramifications for Defence Security. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) treats all unauthorised entries very seriously. They are investigated to a level commensurate with their complexity and impact by Military Police, MOD Police or local constabulary. The locations of security incidents of this category recorded within the MOD for 2015 are set out below. Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Portsmouth (three incidents) HMNB Devonport HMS TEMERAIRE, Portsmouth Royal Marine Reserves Unit, Bristol Priorswood Army Cadet Force Detachment, Taunton Imjin Barracks, Gloucester Denison Barracks, Hermitage Caen Barracks, Hohne Mansergh Barracks, Gutersloh Invicta Park Barracks, Maidstone Imjin Barracks, Gloucester Allenby Barracks Army Reserve Centre, Bovington Gibraltar Barracks, Minley Cherrytree Camp, Colchester Cwmbran Army Reserve Centre, Cwmbran Westward House Army Reserve Centre, Grimsby Westdown Camp, Tilshead Kinloss Barracks, Kinloss Kendrew Barracks Cottesmore Redford Cavalry Barracks, Edinburgh Fox Barracks Army Reserve Centre, Chester Gorleston Army Cadet Force Detachment, Gorleston-on-Sea Livingstone Army Reserve Centre, Livingston Stanley Barracks, Wareham Normanby Army Cadet Force Detachment, Middlesbrough Aliwal Barracks, Tidworth Tamworth Army Cadet Force Detachment, Tamworth Merville Barracks, Colchester Canal Street Army Reserve Centre, Wigan Batley Army Cadet Force Detachment, Batley RAF Waddington RAF Marham RAF Uxbridge RAF St Mawgan RAF Brampton RAF Lossiemouth RAF Cosford RAF Leeming (two incidents) RAF Akrotiri MOD Lyneham DSTL Porton Down Range Area Mark Lancaster, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-01/25082/ | Civil | UK |
| 9 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2016 to Question 23290, whether it is his policy for the House to be given an opportunity to debate in advance any decision to (a) launch airstrikes against ISIL/Daesh targets outside Syria and Iraq and (b) deploy UK military personnel, embedded within other nations' armed forces, on military operations against ISIL/Daesh targets outside Syria and Iraq | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The Government is committed to the convention that, before UK troops are committed to conflict, Parliament should have an opportunity to debate the matter, except when such action is necessary in an emergency. The Government will inform the House of any exceptional operation where there has not been prior debate in Parliament, as the Prime Minister did on 7 September 2015 in relation to the precision airstrike that took place on 21 August 2015. The embedding of UK forces in the armed forces of allies is a valuable and commonplace activity governed through long standing and frequently reciprocal international arrangements. Although it is not policy for the House to be given the opportunity to debate their deployment we are committed to continued transparency about UK Service personnel embedded in other nations' armed forces on operations and I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 17 December 2015 (Official Report, column 97-98WS) which updated the House on this. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-04/25918/ | Policy | UK |
| 9 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to protect people living in the vicinity of (a) Heathrow and (b) RAF Northolt from (i) drones and (ii) unmanned aerial vehicles. | Virendra Sharma, Labour, Ealing, Southall | A cross government working group led by the Department for Transport is undertaking a detailed analysis of the range of risks posed by drones. This work is ongoing and kept under constant review. Further work is now proceeding to capture and evaluate potential mitigation measures and strategies. Initial guidance on tackling the risks has been provided to constabularies across the UK. Work is also underway to qualify the specific level of risk posed by small drones to commercial air transport. We are talking to both the Civil Aviation Authority and airports to find technical solutions to the problems around airports, these include mandated geo-fencing or frequency jammers. The CAA has also worked with major drone manufacturers on the geo-fencing capabilities of their products, which has included providing a list of locations such as airport control zones. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-02/25276/ | Civil use | UK |
| 5 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2016 to Question 23290, for what reasons he will not make it his policy that the House be given the opportunity to debate any decision to deploy UK Reaper aircraft outside of Syria and Iraq. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the then Minister for the Armed Forces (Mark Francois), on 23 June 2014 (Official Report, column 99W), to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Tom Watson). Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-02/25293/ | Military | UK |
| 5 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps UK forces take to avoid civilian casualties when targeting (a) oil facilities and (b) other infrastructure in Syria. | Cat Smith, Labour, Lancaster and Fleetwood | Regardless of the type of target being considered, the UK performs an assessment prior to every UK strike to assess the likelihood of any civilian casualties. This examines the impact of the strike on the surrounding area and whether there are likely to be any civilians present. The UK military takes every possible step to avoid civilian casualties. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-29/24876/ | Military | Syria |
| 5 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2016 to Question 23435, whether it is his Department's position that the UK was a party to the armed conflict occurring in Syria at the time of the air strike on 21 August 2015. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | An armed conflict was occurring in Syria at the time of the air strike on 21 August 2015. The UK's military strike was governed by international humanitarian law. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-02/25545/ | Military | Syria |
| 5 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the operational capacity of the (a) Royal Navy and (b) RAF to extend military operations against ISIL/Daesh beyond Syria and Iraq. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The future operational capacities of the UK Armed Forces are set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Should there be a requirement for new military operations against Daesh beyond Syria and Iraq, these would need to be balanced against the commitments at the time and the capabilities available. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-02/25291/ | Military | Global |
| 5 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2016 to Question 23171, to which countries RAF Reaper drones have been deployed on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties since 26 January 2016. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | Since 26 January UK Reapers have been deployed on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in Iraq and Syria. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-02-02/25292/ | Military | Global |
| 3 February 2016 | Yes, I think that the kill so far has been two trucks and five mobile cranes. Does it really matter what type of bomb or which of the coalition partners drop it? It has been reported that some 40 civilians or more were killed in January and in the first two days of this week. Surely we are involved in a joint enterprise and, by long-standing principles of English law, we are all of us legally and morally responsible for the lives of those who are killed—innocent civilians, innocent men, women and children—by these bombs. What comment would the Minister have? | Lord Thomas of Gresford, Liberal Democrat | So far as we are concerned, as a member of the coalition, we take the possibility and risk of civilian casualties extremely seriously. As I said in my initial Answer, to date there is no evidence that UK strikes have resulted in civilian casualties. Three factors underpin that: our use of precision guided weapons; our adherence to very strict targeting and planning protocols; and, above all, the skill of our pilots and air crew. I think that it does make a difference whether it is the RAF or another air force taking part. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldhansrd/text/160203-0001.htm#st_2 | Military | Syria |
| 3 February 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the effectiveness to date of the RAF’s Brimstone missiles in bombing Syria, and in particular in protecting the civilian population. | Lord Thomas of Gresford, Liberal Democrat | My Lords, the Brimstone missile offers the coalition a capability to strike moving targets accurately, with minimal risk of collateral damage. Between 2 December 2015 and 31 January 2016, RAF Brimstone missiles were used successfully on nine occasions in Syria to strike enemy vehicles. There have been no associated reports of civilian casualties and it is assessed that all targets were successfully destroyed or damaged. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldhansrd/text/160203-0001.htm#st_0 | Military | Syria |
| 3 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on (a) maintenance of and (b) upgrade works for (i) Tornado, (ii) Typhoon and (iii) Reaper drones in each of the last six years. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The costs of maintenance and capability upgrades for Tornado, Typhoon and the Reaper Unmanned Air System, in each of the last six financial years, are shown in the table below. Financial year (£ million) 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Tornado: capability upgrade work 87.2 69.3 33.3 28.9 58.2 45.6 Tornado: maintenance 311.0 303.8 369.7 344.2 247.7 184.9 Typhoon: capability upgrade work 0 0 0 0 66.8 178.4 Typhoon: maintenance 392.7 475.3 499.6 294.8 313.1 460.2 Reaper: maintenance 4.8 4.8 4.8 9.8 27.1 23.5 Reaper: capability upgrade work 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.6 1.3 1.3 Note: Costs for all platforms are extracted from the equipment support programme budget. Philip Dunne, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-26/24360/ | Military | UK |
| 2 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his letter of 16 January 2016 to Chris Woods, leader of Airwars, whether British aircraft participated in any of the eight incidents cited by Mr Woods in his letter of 8 January 2016. | Graham Allen, Labour, Nottingham North | RAF aircraft were not involved in strikes in seven of the incidents cited by Mr Woods. The eighth incident was impossible to locate from the detail given in the letter: all information from the RAF air strike conducted on that particular day has been reviewed and there was no indication of any civilian casualties resulting from the strike. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-25/23953/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 2 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any person or body has sought disclosure of documents relevant to the decision to target Reyaad Khan by drone strike in Syria on 21 August 2015 for purposes related to the inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee into that matter. To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any person or body has sought disclosure of his Department's legal advice on the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan for purposes related to the inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee on that matter. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) gave to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr. Anderson) on Monday 25 January 2016, UIN23433. Tobias Ellwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-25/24031/ | Legality | Syria |
| 2 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the number of casualties that have resulted from the UK's use of (a) Brimstone missiles, (b) Hellfire missiles and (c) Paveway IV guided bombs on the most recent occasions on which those weapons were deployed against targets in (i) Iraq and (ii) Syria. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The Ministry of Defence takes any allegations of civilian casualties very seriously. We do an assessment after every British strike of the damage that has been caused, and check very carefully whether there are likely to have been civilian casualties. As has always been the case, we consider all available credible evidence to support such assessments. There is no such evidence to date that RAF airstrikes have caused any civilian casualties. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-28/24666/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 1 February 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times personnel from UK Reaper Squadrons 39 and 13 have used the red card system in 2015 in joint operations. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-25/23887/ | Personnel | UK |
| 1 February 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on the 20 January (HL4935), (1) what is the timeline for the development of the written policy for future capability requirements, development, integration and use of unmanned systems, (2) what form of consultation is proposed, and (3) whether the written policy proposed will include a position statement on the use of drones by the Her Majesty's Government (a) in domestic airspace, and (b) for collective and individual self-defence abroad. | Lord Kenny of Southwark, Labour | Defence policy on use of remotely piloted air systems (RPAS) is currently being drafted. This work is still in an early stage and is currently scoping the policy with the aim of producing a substantive document towards the end of the year. It is our intention to consult widely during its production, both across Government and with our international allies. This work will be supported and underpinned by the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre's (DCDC) revision and update of Joint Doctrine Note 2/11 "The UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft Systems" and through its work on the Future Air and Space Operating Concept; both of which are currently being written and will be available before the end of 2016. The DCDC will then commence work on the next edition of Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30 "UK Air and Space Doctrine" which it expects to publish in first quarter 2017. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-01-21/HL5353/ | Policy | UK |
| 29 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the written statement of 20 July 2015, HCWS 149, whether his Department has completed its collation of information on UK personnel embedded on operations; and whether he plans for that collation to include information on intelligence analysts and RPAS operators working remotely. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | I refer my right hon. Friend to my Written Ministerial Statement of 17 December 2015 (HCWS431) which details UK Service personnel embedded in another nations' armed forces, who are deployed on operations together with those who work on operations in deployed coalition or single nation headquarters roles. Intelligence analysts or remotely piloted air systems operators meeting this criteria would be included in the data but for personal and operational security reasons these numbers will not be separately identified. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-25/24045/ | Personnel | Global |
| 29 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Statement of 20 July 2015, HCWS 149, whether UK personnel embedded with the US military are subject to US military and domestic criminal law, or UK law, or both. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | Under the Armed Forces Act 2006, UK personnel embedded with other nations' armed forces remain subject to Service law (including the criminal law of England and Wales) at all times. Whether UK personnel embedded with US armed forces are also subject to US law will depend on the exact nature of their deployment. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-26/24325/ | Personnel | UK |
| 29 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times (a) Brimstone missiles, (b) Hellfire missiles and (c) Paveway IV guided bombs have been deployed against targets in (i) Iraq since September 2014 and (ii) Syria since December 2015. | Emily Thornberry, Labour, Islington South and Finsbury | The number of weapons fired by each weapon type in each country during the period requested up to 24 January 2016 is shown below: RAF Weapon Usage on Op SHADER in Iraq and Syria Weapon Type Number of weapons fired at targets in Iraq From September 2014 Number of weapons fired at targets in Syria From 2 December 2015 Hellfire 311 7 Dual Mode Seeker Brimstone 117 9 Paveway IV 540 34 The Ministry of Defence provides a regular update on airstrikes at http//www.gov.uk/government/news/update-air-strikes-in-Iraq Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-26/24285/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 29 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 November 2015 to the hon. Member for Bolton South East to Question 16740, to what extent his Department uses US contractors for the training of UK Reaper operators and support personnel. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | The United States Air Force makes use of contractors in order to deliver Reaper training to both UK and their own Reaper crews (pilots and sensor operators). Contractors deliver the majority of Ground School and Simulator training, with a smaller proportion involved in Flying training. I can confirm that no support personnel are trained by US contractors. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-26/24127/ | Personnel Training | UK/US |
| 29 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans for the Reaper User Group to (a) meet and (b) consider training, interoperability or asset-sharing. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The Reaper User Group will meet on 14-18 March 2016 and is likely to consider training, interoperability and asset sharing. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-25/23886/ | Military | Multi-state |
| 29 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East to Question 222431, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Reaper User Group terms of reference. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | Discussions with partner nations are continuing about the release of the Terms of Reference of the Reaper User Group. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-26/24110/ | Personnel | Inter-State |
| 29 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Statement of 20 July 2015, Official Report, columns 1233-4, on Counter-ISIL Coalition Strategy, if he will publish the location of UK personnel, other than special forces, embedded in other nations' armed forces on a monthly basis. To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Written Statement of 20 July 2015, HCWS 149, if he will make it his policy to publish the (a) numbers, (b) units and (c) dates of embedded service of UK personnel embedded in other nations' armed forces on a monthly basis. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | I refer my right hon. Friend to my Written Ministerial Statement of 17 December 2015 (Official Report, column WS431). For operational security reasons we will not routinely identify units, location or dates. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-26/24323/ | Personnel | Global |
| 28 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the written statement of 20 July 2015, HCWS 149, whether his Department has completed its collation of information on UK personnel embedded on operations; and whether he plans for that collation to include information on intelligence analysts and RPAS operators working remotely. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | I refer my right hon. Friend to my Written Ministerial Statement of 17 December 2015 (HCWS431) which details UK Service personnel embedded in another nations' armed forces, who are deployed on operations together with those who work on operations in deployed coalition or single nation headquarters roles. Intelligence analysts or remotely piloted air systems operators meeting this criteria would be included in the data but for personal and operational security reasons these numbers will not be separately identified. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-25/24045/ | Personnel | UK |
| 28 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what working definition of imminence his Department uses in the application of article 51 of the UN Charter. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | It has long been the position of successive UK Governments that "the inherent right of self-defence", as recognised in Article 51 of the UN Charter, does not require a State to wait until an armed attack is actually under way before it can lawfully use force to alleviate the threat. A State may use force in anticipation of an armed attack where such an attack is imminent, provided that such force is both necessary and proportionate to averting the threat. The assessments would depend on the facts of each case, with consideration likely to include issues such as the nature and immediacy of the threat, the probability of an attack, its scale and effects and whether it can be prevented without force. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23242/ | Legality | Global |
| 28 January 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the Thales Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicle to come into full service. | Lord Campbell of Pittenweem, Lib Dem | The Watchkeeper Tactical Remotely Piloted Aircraft System was brought into service with the Army in 2014 and subsequently deployed to support operations in Afghanistan. Full operating capability is forecast to be achieved in the second quarter of 2017. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-01-19/HL5171/ | Military | UK |
| 28 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will disclose a summary of his Department's legal advice to the (a) Joint Committee on Human Rights and (b) Intelligence and Security Committee relevant to the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan on 21 August 2015. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | I refer the hon. Member to the answer on this subject given to him by the Prime Minister on 25 January 2016, UIN 23433. Tobias Ellwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23431/ | Legality | Syria |
| 28 January 2016 | To ask the Prime Minister, whether he plans to commission any review of the drone strike against Reyaad Khan on 21 August 2015 aside from the review being undertaken by the Intelligence and Security Committee. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Ms West) on 21 January 2016, UIN 22720. David Cameron, Prime Minister | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-25/24001/ | Military | Syria |
| 28 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will disclose a summary of his Department's legal advice to the (a) Joint Committee on Human Rights and (b) Intelligence and Security Committee relevant to the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan on 21 August 2015. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | I refer the hon. Member to the answer on this subject given to him by the Prime Minister on 25 January 2016, UIN 23433. Tobias Ellwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23431/ | Legality | Syria |
| 28 January 2016 | To ask the Prime Minister, whether any person or body has sought disclosure of documents relevant to the decision to target Reyaad Khan by drone strike in Syria on 21 August 2015 for purposes related to the inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee into that matter. To ask the Prime Minister, whether any person or body has sought disclosure of legal advice given to him on the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan for purposes related to the inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee on that matter. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) on 25 January 2016, UIN 23433, 23438 and 23447. David Cameron, Prime Minister | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-25/24033/ | Military | Syria |
| 27 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any person or body has sought disclosure of documents relevant to the decision to target Reyaad Khan by drone strike in Syria on 21 August 2015 for purposes related to the Inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee into that matter. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | The Prime Minister discussed the scope of the Intelligence and Security Committee's (ISC) Inquiry with its Chairman. They reached agreement on the disclosure of material to the ISC that will enable the Committee to conduct a review of the threat posed by Reyaad Khan. The ISC have received contemporaneous intelligence assessments of Khan and will take further evidence in the coming weeks. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23432/ | Military | Syria |
| 27 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Libyan government on tackling the spread of Daesh | Jim Shannon, DUP, Strangford | We are extremely concerned about the growing threat from extremist groups in Libya, including Daesh. The recent attacks in the Oil Crescent and Zliten in western Libya show the threat that these groups pose to the stability of Libya and the region, and potentially to the UK and our interests. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke to Prime Minister Designate, Fayez al-Serraj, on 10 January to stress the importance of the Government of National Accord forming quickly, and to emphasise the UK Government’s commitment to supporting the new government to tackle the threats from Daesh and people smuggling. Tobias Ellwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-19/23053/ | Military | Libya |
| 27 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy that the House be given an opportunity to debate in advance any decision to deploy UK Reaper aircraft outside Syria and Iraq. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | No. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23290/ | Policy | Global |
| 26 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the UK red card policy for personnel embedded in other nations' armed forces. | David Davis, Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | There is no single red card policy for UK personnel embedded in other nations' armed forces as their permissions will be specific to the operation in which they will be deployed. It is long-standing Government policy that we do not release details of our Rules of Engagement; to do so would give our enemies detail that would put our Armed Forces at greater risk. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-26/24324/ | Military | UK |
| 26 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in how many countries UK Reapers are currently operational. To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether UK Reapers have been deployed to Libya. To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any personnel from UK Reaper Squadrons have been deployed to (a) Libya, (b) Kenya and (c) Somalia in the last three years. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | UK Reapers are currently operational in Iraq and Syria. No UK Reapers have been deployed to Libya, and no personnel from UK Reaper Squadrons have been deployed to Libya, Kenya or Somalia in the last three years. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-19/23171/ | Military | Global |
| 26 January 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many police forces in the UK are operating drones for intelligence purposes, or for the prevention or detection of crime; and whether such use is being monitored by the Inspectorate of Constabulary, or any other independent body. | Lord Condon, Crossbench | The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is an operational matter for individual police forces, and the Home Office does not hold information on which forces use them. A number of forces are conducting trials to assess whether the use of drones can bring benefits to the provision of the police service. Any use would need to comply with existing Civil Aviation Authority Regulations. Monitoring the police use of drones is not within Her Majesty’s Inspectorate Constabulary's (HMIC) general remit. HMIC have confirmed that they have no plans to consider police use of drones at this stage. Lord Bates, Minister of State, Home Department | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-01-19/HL5196/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 26 January 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Hellfire missiles were fired (1) in training, and (2) on operations, in each year from 2008 to 2015, and what platforms they were mounted on. | Lord Moonie, Labour | Hellfire missiles are used by RAF Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems and Army Air Corps Apache helicopters. For the Reaper Force, the Air Vehicles have been continuously deployed on Operations over the requested timescale. Consequently, there have been no missile rounds fired in Training from RAF Reaper. The following table details Hellfire missile firings from RAF Reaper on Operations in Afghanistan (2008-14) Iraq (2014-15) and Syria (2015). Year (Jan-Dec) UK Reaper Hellfire rounds fired on Operations 2008 16 2009 32 2010 58 2011 100 2012 104 2013 94 2014 93 2015 258 Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-01-18/HL5151/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 25 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference his oral evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights of 16 December 2015, Question 20, HC 574, whether his Department's position was that the UK was in an armed conflict (a) before, (b) on the date of or (c) as a result of the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan of 21 August 2015. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | An armed conflict was occuring in Syria at the time of the air strike on 21 August 2015. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23435/ | Legality | Syria |
| 25 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess the implications for his policies of the Oxford Research Group's recent report entitled, The Hostile use of Drones by Non-State Actors against British Targets; and if he will make a statement. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | A cross government working group is maintaining a detailed analysis of the security threats posed by drones. This work includes an assessment of the risks of the use of drones for terrorism and criminal purposes. Further work is now proceeding to capture and evaluate potential mitigation measures and strategies. Initial guidance on tackling the risks has been provided to constabularies across the UK. The findings of the report align well with the ongoing work of this group. While the government recognises that this emerging technology creates exciting opportunities for the UK economy, the risks for security and safety and its response to them will be kept under constant review. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23388/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 25 January 2016 | To ask the Prime Minister, whether any person or body has sought disclosure of his Department's legal advice on the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan for purposes related to the Inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee into that matter. To ask the Prime Minister, whether he plans to issue a new Memorandum of Understanding under section 2(2) of the Justice and Security Act on the remit of the Intelligence and Security Committee in the current Parliament. To ask the Prime Minister, if he will disclose a summary of the government advice on the legality of the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan in the manner set out in Part 6 of the Cabinet Manual. | David Anderson, Labour, Blaydon | I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Ms West) on 21 January 2016, UIN 22720. By long-standing convention under successive Governments the Law Officers’ advice is not published. The legal basis for the airstrike against Reyaad Khan is set out in the Government’s Memorandum to the Joint Committee on Human Rights. The Government’s legal position in relation to UK airstrikes against Daesh in Syria is reflected in my response to the Foreign Affairs Committee Report on the extension of offensive British military operations to Syria. The current Memorandum of Understanding together with the Justice and Security Act 2013 provides the necessary scope for the ISC to conduct robust oversight of those matters that are within its statutory remit. David Cameron, Prime Minister | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23438/ | Military/Legality | Syria |
| 25 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the comments made by a spokesperson of his Department in an article published in The Herald newspaper on 10 January 2016, and pursuant to his oral contribution of 18 January 2016, Official Report, column 1118, if he will issue guidance to independent monitoring groups on how to contact his Department on, and how to submit evidence relating to, possible civilian casualties from air strikes in Syria and Iraq; and if he will make a statement. | Graham Allen, Labour, Nottingham North | Independent monitoring groups are free to contact the Ministry of Defence through the normal means of correspondence and any credible reports of civilian casualties will be investigated. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23253/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 25 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which (a) ministers attended and (b) departments are represented on the Government's working group on drones; when that group was formed; and what its schedule of meetings is. | Richard Burden, Labour, Birmingham Northfield | The Cross Government Working Group on Drones is a group of officials tasked with developing policy on drones. Ministers do not attend. Participation is from the following Departments and agencies: Department for Transport Home Office Ministry of Defence Department of Energy and Climate Change Cabinet Office Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs Business Innovation and Skills Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure Civil Aviation Authority Information Commissioner’s Office Maritime and Coastguard Agency Department for Communities and Local Government The group was formed in March 2013 and it meets quarterly. The schedule of meetings for 2016 is February; May; September and December. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-20/23389/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 22 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Caroline principles are applied to any further targeted killing carried out in self-defence of the UK. | Yasmin Qureshi, Labour, Bolton South East | In taking any action in self-defence of the UK, we will take account of well-established principles of self-defence. As the Attorney General pointed out to the Justice Select Committee on 15 September 2015, the Caroline case goes back to the 19th century and was concerned with very different circumstances to those facing us now. However as the Attorney General also made clear, the principles still apply and action in self-defence may be lawful in relation to an attack which has not yet materialised but is imminent. In addition any such action must, like all other action in self-defence, comply with the requirements of necessity and proportionality. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-19/23236/ | Legality | Global |
| 21 January 2016 | To ask the Prime Minister, if he will amend the Memorandum of Understanding of 25 November 2014 under section 2(2) of the Justice and Security Act 2013 to enable the Intelligence and Security Committee to review documents related to the military action against Reyaad Khan in Syria. | Catherine West, Shadow Minister (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) | I discussed the scope of the Intelligence and Security Committee’s (ISC) Inquiry with the Chairman, my Right Honourable Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) and we have reached agreement on the disclosure of material to the ISC that will enable them to conduct a robust review of the threat posed by Reyaad Khan. The ISC have received contemporaneous intelligence assessments of Khan and will take further evidence in the coming weeks. The Chairman of the ISC has written to the Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, the right hon. Member for Camberwell and Peckham (Ms Harman), to set out the Committee’s views and this has been published on the ISC’s website. I understand that the letter makes it clear that the ISC’s remit is intelligence not military action. David Cameron, Prime Minister | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-15/22720/ | Military | Syria |
| 20 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many sorties of the Watchkeeper UAV have been flown from RAF Ascension in each month since January 2015. | Douglas Chapman, Scottish National Party, Dunfermline and West Fife | None. Philip Dunne, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-18/22959/ | Military | UK |
| 20 January 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to devise a written policy for the development, integration and use of military unmanned systems. | Lord Kennedy of Southwark, Labour | The Ministry of Defence is currently seeking to articulate in one policy document the considerations for future UK capability requirements, development, integration and use of unmanned systems. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-01-12/HL4935/ | Policy | UK |
| 19 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian casualties have been recorded in Syria as a result of RAF military intervention since 2 December 2015. | Tom Brake, Lib Dem, Carshalton and Wallington | There have been no recorded civilian casualties in Iraq or Syria as a result of RAF military intervention since 2 December 2015. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-12/22197/ | Military | Syria |
| 18 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to publish written guidlines for British drone strikes. | Alison McGovern, Labour, Wirral South | Unmanned drones are no different from any other weapon system and subject to the same legal and other frameworks. We have no plans to publish any guidelines. I refer the hon. Member to the evidence provided by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon) on 16 December 2015 to the Joint Committee on Human Rights. Tobias Ellwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-13/22419/ | Military | UK |
| 18 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2015 to Question 9021 and with reference to the Oxford Research Group, Remote Control project report: Hostile drones, published 11 January 2015, if the Office for Nuclear Regulation will review security at nuclear power stations. | Paul Flynn, Labour, Newport West | Licensees of UK nuclear sites are required by ONR to demonstrate that they have resilience against a range of external threat scenarios. These scenarios are updated regularly considering developments in technology and other areas. The airspace over UK nuclear licensed sites is restricted by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2007. These impose restricted airspace of a radius between 0.5 and 2 nautical miles and to a height of between 1000 and 2400 feet above mean sea level around the centre of those nuclear licensed sites listed in Schedule 2 of the Regulations. Airspace usage in the UK is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Andrea Leadsom, Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-13/22365/ | Civil use | UK |
| 18 January 2016 | I thank the Secretary of State for that answer, but can he therefore confirm that the Ministry of Defence will accept evidence of civilian deaths from other sources outwith UK military personnel and local friendly forces? Will he assure the House that the evidence from highly credible organisations such as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Airwars and the White Helmets—groups that work on the ground and that are very often the first people on the scene—will be considered when calculating civilian deaths in future? | Brendan O'Hara, Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute | Let me assure the hon. Gentleman that we will look at any evidence brought forward in open source reporting by other organisations in the assessment we make of each of the strikes in which our aircraft are involved. I have replied directly to one of the organisations he mentions—Airwars—pointing out that there is no particular evidence to back up the assessment it made in that particular case. | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm160118/debtext/160118-0001.htm#160118-0001.htm_spnew34 | Military | UK |
| 18 January 2016 | Does the Secretary of State agree with the Prime Minister, who told the Liaison Committee last week that in the case of civilian casualties, “if people make allegations we must look at them”? | Brendan O'Hara, Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute | We do an assessment after every British strike of the damage that has been caused, and check very carefully whether there are likely to have been casualties. Of course, that is taken into account in planning and approving the strike in the first place. It so happens that, in the first year and a bit of operations, we are not aware of any civilian casualties so far in our strikes in Iraq or more recently in Syria, but they are military operations—we do everything possible to reduce the risk of civilian casualties, but it is not possible to eliminate it entirely. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm160118/debtext/160118-0001.htm#160118-0001.htm_spnew34 | Military | UK |
| 18 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21502, on Syria: military intervention, what the evidential basis is for the statement that there have been no reports of civilian casualties as a result of RAF airstrikes in Iraq or Syria. | Alan Brown, Scottish National Party, Kilmarnock and Loudoun | All UK airstrikes in Iraq and Syria are assessed post-strike using the best available imagery, intelligence and other sources of information to assess the impact of the strike on the target and affected area. This assessment, coupled with pre-strike checks provides the evidence base to support the statement that in the hundreds of airstrikes conducted by the RAF to date in Iraq and, more recently Syria, we have found no evidence of civilian casualties arising from UK airstrikes. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-13/22321/ | Military | Syria |
| 14 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in which countries British military personnel are embedded. | Mary Creagh, Labour, Wakefield | I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 17 December 2015, (Official Report, column 98WS) which sets out that we only centrally collate data on embedded forces with those nations with whom UK forces are embedded on operations, and to my letter of 6 January 2016 explaining that I am unable to specify the exact locations of UK personnel because this risks their personal security and the security of Allies' operations. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-08/21610/ | Personnel | UK |
| 14 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 21 July 2015 to Question 8367, how many UK troops are embedded in (a) Syria, (b) Lebanon, (c) Libya, (d) Yemen, (e) Turkey and (g) USA. To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in which countries British military personnel are embedded. | Mary Creagh, Labour, Wakefield | I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 17 December 2015, (Official Report, column 98WS) which sets out that we only centrally collate data on embedded forces with those nations with whom UK forces are embedded on operations, and to my letter of 6 January 2016 explaining that I am unable to specify the exact locations of UK personnel because this risks their personal security and the security of Allies' operations. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-06/21238/ | Embedded Personnel | UK |
| 6 January 2016 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to integrate the use in military operations of unmanned vehicles in the air, at sea, and on land. | Lord Kennedy of Southwark, Labour | Unmanned vehicles already play an important role in UK Armed Forces' operations across all environments. On the basis of the Government's National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review of November 2015, the Department is continuing to examine where unmanned systems may offer advantages over manned alternatives and to invest in new unmanned capabilities. For example, the Department is more than doubling the number of armed remotely piloted aircraft available to the UK Armed Forces under the Protector programme to replace the existing Reaper aircraft, and is also developing high-end technologies - including in collaboration with France and the US - under a future Unmanned Combat Air System programme. Throughout the Department's development and integration of unmanned systems, the policy is that a human must always be responsible for any decisions on targeting. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-12-21/HL4751/ | Military | UK |
| 5 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents his Department has recorded of drones operating over prison estates in the last year for which figures are available; what steps his Department took following each such incident; and if he will make a statement. | Tim Loughton, Conservative, East Worthing and Shoreham | If an incident involving a drone occurs, prisons will invoke appropriate contingency plans and will work alongside the police and CPS to ensure those responsible are caught. NOMS are exploring research options with the Home Office Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) on detection and mitigation technology for drones. There were 30 reported drone related incidents between 1 December 2014 and 30 November 2015. This includes drone finds and drone sightings by prison staff in and around public and private prisons in England and Wales. Individual prisons will invoke the appropriate contingency plan relevant to the circumstances of the incident involving a drone. This includes, for example, working with the police and CPS to ensure those responsible for an incident involving a drone are caught and, if appropriate, prosecuted. These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Andrew Selous, Assistant Whip (HM Treasury), Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-16/20357/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 5 January 2016 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Foreign Secretary of 16 December 2015, on Daesh: Syria/Iraq, if he will take steps to assess whether there have been civilian casualties as a result of UK airstrikes in Iraq and Syria through means other than receipt of reports. | Andrew Slaughter, Labour, Hammersmith | We analyse the risks involved in any potential strikes in advance in order to minimise risks to civilians. Once a mission is launched, our aircrew assess and minimise risks prior to weapons being released. Every strike is subjected to careful post-mission scrutiny to confirm the aircrew's assessment, allowing us to examine in detail any claim of civilian casualties. We would publish any report which concluded that civilian casualties had resulted from UK military action. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-17/20596/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 23 December 2015 | Shadow Spokesperson (Housing), Opposition Whip (Lords), Shadow Spokesperson (Communities and Local Government), Shadow Spokesperson (Home Affairs) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what use the Royal Navy is making of unmanned vehicles. | Lord Kennedy of Southwark, Labour | The Royal Navy (RN) recognises that autonomous systems offer a unique opportunity to maintain our operational advantage, and benefits significantly from the use of unmanned vehicles in both air and sea environments. The Scan Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System offers enhanced maritime surveillance and improved situational awareness in support of the RN in a number of operational theatres. The Hunt Class Mine Countermeasure Vessels employ an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) for remote mine-disposal known as the Seafox mine-disposal system. In addition, the Fleet Diving Squadron employs a small UUV for seabed searches. The RN continues to explore how autonomous systems can further augment its capabilities into the future. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-12-17/HL4736/ | Military | UK |
| 21 December 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government which intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance air vehicles from the RAF’s inventory have been deployed over Iraq and Syria in the last three months. | Lord Moonie, Labour | In the last three months the RAF has deployed Sentinel and Airseeker aircraft and the REAPER MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Air System over both Iraq and Syria. In addition, Tornado GR4s have deployed over Iraq and Syria fitted with the Raptor tactical reconnaissance pod. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-12-16/HL4658/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 21 December 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions (a) RAF Reapers, (b) RAF Tornados and (c) other RAF aircraft have come into radar contact with Russian military aircraft inside Syria since 30 September 2015. | Andrew Smith, Labour, Oxford East | We do not routinely collect information on radar contacts. It is inevitable when operating in the same airspace as other nations that RAF aircraft will come into radar contact with those nations. This is one of the ways in which the RAF, as part of the US-led coalition, ensures safe-separation of aircraft in Syrian airspace and enables the UK to continue to fly missions to help degrade and destroy Daesh. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-14/19866/ | Military | Syria |
| 21 December 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the fitness-for-purpose of the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2007 and their applicability to technical developments for unmanned aerial vehicles since their coming into force in 2007. | Paul Flynn, Labour, Newport West | The airspace over UK nuclear licensed sites is restricted by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) regulations 2007. These impose restricted airspace of a radius between 0.5 and 2 miles to a height of between 1000 and 2400 feet around the centre of all nuclear sites. Airspace usage in the UK is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Therefore it is a criminal offence to fly in the vicinity of nuclear sites without the permission of the CAA. The CAA and nuclear sites work closely together on this. All of Britain’s nuclear power stations are robust and designed with safety in mind and are stress-tested to withstand a vast range of potential incidents. The independent regulator continuously monitors and evaluates the safety of each plant alongside the operator to protect it from outside threats. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-15/20272/ | Military | UK |
| 18 December 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Reaper drones are currently deployed in (a) Iraq and (b) Syria. | Brendan O'Hara, Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute | To safeguard operational security I am withholding operational information on the number of RAF Reaper aircraft deployed. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-10/19519 | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 17 December 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicles purchased from Thales have been handed over to the British Army. | Andrew Smith, Labour, Oxford East | As at 15 December 2015, 37 Watchkeeper Unmanned Air Vehicles have been delivered by Thales and accepted by the Ministry of Defence. Of these, 10 are currently held by the Army to meet its current flying training programme and readiness requirements. The remainder are either being used for flight trials at West Wales Airport, or being stored and maintained until required by the Army. Philip Dunne, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-12-14.19865.h&s=unmanned | Military | UK |
| 17 December 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK combat aircraft are flying combat missions against ISIS in (a) Syria and (b) Iraq. | Angus MacNeil, Scottish National Party, Na h-Eileanan an Iar | The UK has 16 manned combat aircraft flying combat missions against Daesh in both Syria and Iraq. This number includes RAF Tornado and Typhoon aircraft. There are also a number of RAF Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) deployed to the Middle East that are flying combat missions in both Iraqi and Syrian airspace. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-14/19892/ | Military | Iraq and Syria |
| 15 December 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many remotely piloted aircraft system pilots are employed in the RAF; and if he will make a statement. | Jim Cunningham, Labour, Coventry South | There are currently 40 Remotely Piloted Aircraft System pilots in the Royal Air Force. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-09/19382/ | Military | UK |
| 15 December 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK Reaper supporting the US drone strike on Mohammad Emwazi in Syria on 12 November 2015 (a) used its laser designator capability to identify the target and (b) was armed. | Yasmin Qureshi, Labour, Bolton South East | I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-07/18886/ | Military | Syria |
| 15 December 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what level of UK support has been negotiated for the Rivetjoint platforms; and if he will make a statement. | Madeleine Moon, Labour, Bridgend | A Memorandum of Understanding with the US Government provides for the in-service support and upgrade activity of the UK Rivet Joint fleet. All maintenance support is conducted in the UK by RAF personnel, with assistance from field service representatives provided under the US/UK cooperative agreement. Some minor support activity is also provided by UK contractors based at RAF Waddington and there are contracts with a number of UK companies that support the Ministry of Defence in managing compliance with UK safety, airworthiness and security regulations. Philip Dunne, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-09/19428/ | Policy | UK |
| 8 December 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many manned and unmanned sorties have been flown by the RAF this year in support of operations in the Middle East. | Lord Moonie, Labour | The RAF has flown 1,490 manned and 828 unmanned sorties in support of operations in the Middle East from 1 January 2015 to 30 November 2015. These sorties were carried out by ISR aircraft, C-130 transport aircraft, Tornado GR4s and Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems. These numbers do not include the routine air-bridge that operates twice weekly from the UK to the Middle East to support deployment of personnel and equipment. Earl Howe, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-12-01/HL4135/ | Military | Middle East |
| 3 December 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK sought permission from the government of Syria to deploy manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft over Syria before he made his Statement to the House on 21 October 2014. | Paul Flynn, Labour, Newport West | No. This activity is conducted as part of the international counter-ISIL/Da'esh Coalition in the self-defence of the UK and the collective self-defence of Iraq, under article 51 of the UN Charter, against the direct threat from ISIL's heartland in Syria. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-11-26/18002/ | Military | Syria |
| 23 November 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans for UK personnel to train at or otherwise attend the new General Atomics unmanned aircraft business park being built in North Dakota. | Yasmin Qureshi, Labour, Bolton South East | A number of options are being developed to meet the training demand for UK Reaper aircrew in the coming years. It is anticipated that initial training for some UK student aircrew will be conducted under contract by General Atomics at their North Dakota facility. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-11-17/16740/ | Military | UK |
| 20 November 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the NATO Members User Group for MQ-9 Reaper drones last met; and whether he attended that meeting. | Martin Docherty, Scottish National Party, West Dunbartonshire | The last meeting of members of the MQ-9 Users Group took place 2 - 4 June 2015 at US Air Force Base Wright Paterson, Ohio. The UK party was led by the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) Force Commander and consisted of representatives from the Royal Air Force. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-11-16/16342 | Military | NATO |
| 19 November 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to manage the risks posed to passenger aircraft by drones flown by private individuals. | Lord Glentoran, Conservative | My Lords, the Government are working with the CAA to develop a comprehensive education campaign on drone safety, and are talking to airports and the manufacturers and retailers of drones about the steps that can be taken to minimise the likelihood of negligent airspace incursions. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Transport) (Jointly with the Home Office) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldhansrd/text/151119-0001.htm | Civil Use | UK |
| 18 November 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many referrals to the RAF mental health care system from members of 13 and 39 squadrons there have been each month over the last year. | Baroness Stern, Crossbench | During Financial Year 2014-15, there were fewer than five Regular Royal Air Force personnel from 13 Squadron or 39 Squadron who were seen for an initial assessment at Ministry of Defence Specialist Mental Health Services. Earl Howe, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-11-09/HL3463 | Military | Syria |
| 18 November 2015 | To ask Her Majesty's Government what domestic legislation they consider to be relevant to the lethal operation of Reaper drones in Syria from RAF Waddington. | Baroness Stern, Crossbench | The UK conducts all its military operations in accordance with international law (including International Humanitarian Law) and members of HM Armed Forces are subject to the criminal law of England and Wales at all times. Earl Howe, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-11-09/HL3463 | Military | Syria |
| 18 November 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the 20 new "Protector" drones to be procured under the Scavenger Programme will be the General Atomics certifiable Predator B or any other model or variant. | Baroness Stern, Crossbench | No decision has yet been made on the choice of platform to meet the Protector (formerly Scavenger) requirement. This will be determined as part of the main investment decision, which is scheduled for 2016. Earl Howe, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-11-09/HL3462 | Military | UK |
| 16 November 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many drones carrying contraband goods have been seized within prison grounds in each of the last three years. | Luciana Berger, Labour, Liverpool Wavertree | There were no reported incidents of drones carrying contraband being seized within prisons in 2013; in 2014 there were two reported incidents; and between 1 January 2015 and 31 October 2015 there were eight reported incidents. This Government has made it a criminal offence under the Prison Act 1952 to throw, or otherwise project, any article of substance into prison without authorisation. This includes the use of a drone. These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Andrew Selous, Assistant Whip (HM Treasury), The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-11-09/15648 | Civil Use | UK |
| 5 November 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the costs of infrastructure improvements at RAF Waddington were in each year from 2010-11 to 2014-15. | Douglas Chapman, Scottish National Party, Dunfermline and West Fife | The costs of infrastructure improvements at RAF Waddington in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2014-15 are shown in the following table: Financial Year Grand Total 2010-11 £1,494,929.99 2011-12 £2,794,486.46 2012-13 £2,503,485.61 2013-14 £1,044,565.26 2014-15 £18,857,704.44 Grand Total £26,695,171.76 The significant increase in Financial Year 2014-15 is due to the Waddington boiler replacement work, the upgrade of Single Living Accommodation, and the start of the construction phases of the reconstruction and resurfacing of the runway and hangar refurbishments. Mark Lancaster, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-10-28/13889/ | Policy | UK |
| 29 October 2015 | To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2015 to Question 12154, for what reasons he did not refer to any legal basis in domestic law during (a) his oral statement of 4 September 2015, Official Report, column 23 and (b) the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 9571; and if he will describe the legal basis in domestic law used for the targeted killing of British citizens outside declared war zones; and if he will make a statement. | Caroline Lucas, Green, Brighton Pavilion | I have nothing further to add. David Cameron, Prime Minister | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-10-22/13070/ | Military | Syria |
| 23 October 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to monitor the use of drones in UK airspace. | Jim Shannon, DUP, Strangford | The Civil Aviation Authority keeps a record of all the permissions they have issued to fly commercial drones in UK airspace. However this does not extend to leisure users of drones. To address this issue The Department for Transport is currently looking at a range of options including regulation, registration and licensing options and a database to increase transparency on the use of drones for the general public. We intend to consult on all of these issues and other possible solutions in 2016. Robert Goodwill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-10-19/12485/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 19 October 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any individuals other than those expressly intended to be the target of the RAF drone attack carried out in Syria on 21 August 2015 were killed or injured; and if he will make a statement. | Catherine West, Hornsey and Wood Green | I refer the hon. Member to the Statement my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister (David Cameron) made in the House on 7September 2015 (Official Report, columns 23 to 27). Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-10-09/10722/ | Military | Syria |
| 19 October 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the legal basis was for the RAF drone attack carried out in Syria on 21 August 2015; and if he will publish the original legal guidance on which the decision to carry out the attack was made. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | The Prime Minister made clear that the Attorney General had advised that the action we took would be lawful in self-defence of the UK. By long-standing convention, reflected in the Cabinet Manual, the content of the Law Officers' advice is not disclosed outside government without the consent of the Law Officers. As the Attorney General explained in his oral evidence to the Justice Select Committee on 15 September 2015, the convention should be adhered to in this case. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-10-09/10721/ | Military | Syria |
| 19 October 2015 | Some recent reports suggest a higher incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder in pilots of remotely piloted aircraft compared with that of conventional air crew. Will the Minister advise what steps are being taken to assess relative levels of PTSD and to address the reasons for any differences that are established? | Kirsten Oswald, Scottish National Party, East Renfrewshire | I thank the hon. Lady for raising that important question. Just because someone is not deployed to a desert and is not in front of the people whom they are confronting directly, it does not mean that they are invulnerable to the things they see or to what we ask them to do. Our support for those people is very similar to that of conventional deployments. They have decompression and a pre-deployment build-up. Embedded in those teams are mental health specialists who can advise, support and assess the individuals. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151019/debtext/151019-0001.htm#151019-0001.htm_spnew46 | Policy | UK |
| 19 October 2015 | Does the Minister agree that there is concern about the rules of engagement that terrorists might use? There is no doubt that, increasingly, drones will be used by terrorists. Once the technology exists it will not only be in the hands of people of whom we approve, and what will we do about that? | Barry Sheerman, Labour/Co-op, Huddersfield | I am pleased to reassure the hon. Gentleman that we recognise that emerging threat and that there is a clear strand of work in the SDSR that is looking at counter measures for the situations he describes. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151019/debtext/151019-0001.htm#151019-0001.htm_spnew46 | Policy | UK |
| 19 October 2015 | I voted against air strikes on the Syrian Government and would appreciate clarification from the Minister on whether drone strikes will be authorised on any other country where she believes that there is a similar threat to our security? | Stephen McPartland, Conservative, Stevenage | Again, I draw my hon. Friend’s attention to the Prime Minister’s statement that, if there is a clear threat to Britain, to our people and to our streets and we are able to stop it by taking immediate action against that threat, we will always try to take that action. The action we took in Syria was legal, necessary, proportionate and in response to a clear, credible and specific threat to the UK. I reassure him that that course of action is taken only in the last resort. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151019/debtext/151019-0001.htm#151019-0001.htm_spnew46 | Military | Global |
| 19 October 2015 | What the rules of engagement are for the use of remotely piloted aircraft by the armed forces. | Craig Williams, Conservative, Cardiff North | The rules of engagement for remotely piloted aircraft systems are the same as those for manned aircraft, and take into account UK and international law, following the principles of military necessity, humanity, distinction and proportionality. A rules of engagement profile is developed for each operation, including counter-terrorist operations, and these rules are classified to ensure that they cannot be exploited to an opponent’s advantage. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151019/debtext/151019-0001.htm#151019-0001.htm_spnew46 | Military | Global |
| 19 October 2015 | The Defence Committee’s report in March last year on the use of remotely piloted aircraft systems stressed that we follow international humanitarian law and the international law of armed conflict. However, we did not use our RPAS to conduct strikes in Pakistan against those who implied threats to our armed forces. What has changed in the rules of engagement that we now feel that we can use our RPAS in Syria to target British nationals? | Madeleine Moon, Labour, Bridgend | As the Prime Minister has clearly stated—he came to the House at the earliest occasion after that event—we reserve the right to use force if it is necessary to protect the UK from a clear and imminent threat. In that very clear statement, the Prime Minister said that if British lives are in danger and we can act to prevent that, then we will. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151019/debtext/151019-0001.htm#151019-0001.htm_spnew46 | Military | Global |
| 19 October 2015 | Following the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan, will the Minister tell us whether there is in existence a list of individuals who are considered such a great risk to Britain that they can be targeted for killing by UK drones? | Kevin Brennan, Labour, Cardiff West | Again, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Prime Minister’s statement. If that set of circumstances exist and we can act to save British lives, then we will do so. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151019/debtext/151019-0001.htm#151019-0001.htm_spnew46 | Military | Global |
| 19 October 2015 | I wish to build on the point that my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant) just made. Will the Minister confirm that, unlike what we have seen from Russian military intervention in Syria, our rules of engagement are very strict and seek to avoid civilian casualties where they can? | Craig Williams, Conservative, Cardiff North | Absolutely; the UK undertakes all possible measures to protect civilians and ensures that UK targeting policy and rules of engagement provide clear direction for commanders. I will leave it to my hon. Friend to consider whether Russia follows similar practices, given the reports from Syrian search and rescue volunteer teams stating that 707 civilians have been injured and 274 killed by Russian strikes and regime bombing since 30 September. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151019/debtext/151019-0001.htm#151019-0001.htm_spnew46 | Military | Global |
| 19 October 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian casualties were recorded as a result of drone strikes in 2014. | Catherine West, Hornsey and Wood Green | There were no known incidents of civilian casualties from UK Remotely Piloted Air System strikes in 2014. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-10-13/901611/ | Military | Iraq |
| 19 October 2015 | I thank my hon. Friend for her answer. In response to an earlier question, the Secretary of State rightly explained the advantages of using remotely piloted aircraft, particularly in protecting our own forces. Members on both sides of the House will, however, have some concern about the use of these aircraft by our allies where collateral damage has occurred and innocent people have been hurt. What assurance can she give the House that there will be great protection for those not involved in the conflict? | Michael Fabricant, Conservative, Lichfield | I agree entirely that we have a moral duty to protect the lives of our servicemen and women in very unpredictable and difficult operational environments, and the use of these systems means we can do that without placing them in harm’s way. I wish to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the crews of these systems, who do a tremendous job in many places around the world. I assure my hon. Friend that although these aircraft are remotely piloted, at every stage of the targeting process and its initiation a human being is making those decisions. We have a record to be very proud of in terms of civilian casualties. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151019/debtext/151019-0001.htm#151019-0001.htm_spnew46 | Military | UK |
| 16 October 2015 | : To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Oral Statement by the Prime Minister on 7 September 2015, Official Report, column 26, on what dates he was consulted on the legal basis for drone strikes in Syria. | Brendan O'Hara, Scottish National Party, Argyll and Bute | I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the questions from the Hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion on the 12th of October 2015: (http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-16/10466/) Jeremy Wright, Attorney General | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-10-13/11558/ | Military | Syria |
| 15 October 2015 | To ask the Attorney General, what the full legal basis was for the RAF drone attack carried out in Syria on 21 August 2015; if he will arrange publication of the original legal guidance on which the decision to carry out the attack was made; and if he will make a statement. | Catherine West, Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green | I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the questions from the Hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion on the 12th of October 2015: (http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-16/10466/ Jeremy Wright, Attorney General | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-10-09/10720/ | Military | Syria |
| 12 October 2015 | To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 7 September 2015, Official Report, column 30, on counter-terrorism, whether he held discussions or received representations from other government lawyers on the legal basis for the military action against Reyaad Khan in Syria. To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 7 September 2015, Official Report, column 30, on counter-terrorism, whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's legal adviser was consulted on the legal basis for the military action against Reyaad Khan in Syria. To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the Statement by the Prime Minister of 7 September 2015, on Syria: Refugees and Counter-terrorism, Official Report, column 30, what the legal basis was for the targeted killing of British citizens by remote control drone in Syria. To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the Statement by the Prime Minister of 7 September 2015, on Syria: Refugees and Counter-terrorism, Official Report, column 30, what the legal basis was for the targeted killing of British citizens by remote control drone in Syria. To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 7 September 2015, Official Report, column 30, whether the legal advice provided on the targeted killing of British citizens by remote control drone in Syria covers future targeted killings of UK citizens or if new and separate advice will have to be sought for any future such killings. | Caroline Lucas, Green, Brighton Pavilion | The Prime Minister gave a detailed statement on 7 September 2015 in which he informed the House that I was consulted on the action and was clear that there would be a legal basis for action in international law. By long-standing convention, reflected in the Cabinet Manual, the content of the Law Officers’ advice is not disclosed outside government without the consent of the Law Officers. As I explained in my oral evidence to the Justice Select Committee on the 15th September (HC 409), the convention should be adhered to in this case. Jeremy Wright, Attorney General | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-16/10451/ | Military | Syria |
| 23 September 2015 | Mark Pritchard Conservative, The Wrekin | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of collaboration between his Department and UK defence companies in developing an independent UK unmanned aerial vehicles' capacity; and if he will make a statement. | Our policy remains to provide our Armed Forces with the equipment and support they need, at the right time, and at a cost that represents value for the taxpayer. For the majority of our requirements, this is best achieved through open competition on the global market. As such, the Ministry of Defence collaborates with both UK and overseas defence companies on the development, production and support of current and future Unmanned Air Systems capabilities, based on individual user requirements. Philip Dunne Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-15/10325 | Military | UK |
| 21 September 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people were killed during the drone strike on Raqqa on 21 August. | Lord Ahmed, Non-affiliated | As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced to the House on 7 September, Reyaad Khan was killed in a precision air strike carried out in Raqqa on 21 August by an RAF remotely piloted air system. In addition to Reyaad Khan, two ISIL fighters were also killed. Earl Howe, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-09-08/HL2082/ | Military | Syria |
| 18 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether legal advice on the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle against Reyaad Khan included consideration of the legal basis of the killing of people travelling with or in the vicinity of that person in the course of that military action. | Paul Flynn Labour, Newport West | The Attorney General's advice remains confidential but he advised that the action we took would be lawful. The UK's Armed Forces operate in accordance with domestic and international law. Michael Fallon The Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-10/9835 | Policy | Syria |
| 18 September 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any civilians were killed in the drone strike on Raqqa on 21 August. | Lord Ahmed, Non-affiliated | My right hon. Friend The Prime Minister confirmed in his statement to the House on 7 September that there were no civilian casualties resulting from the precision air strike in Raqqa on 21 August 2015. Earl Howe, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-09-08/HL2083/ | Military | Syria |
| 18 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether legal advice on the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle against Reyaad Khan included consideration of the legal basis of the killing of people travelling with or in the vicinity of that person in the course of that military action. | Paul Flynn, Labour, Newport West | The Attorney General's advice remains confidential but he advised that the action we took would be lawful. The UK's Armed Forces operate in accordance with domestic and international law. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-10/9835/ | Military | Syria |
| 18 September 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what legal authority they obtained before conducting the drone attack in Syria that was announced on 7 September. | Baroness Tonge, Independent Liberal Democrat | My right hon. friend the Defence Secretary authorised this operation. The Attorney General was consulted in advance and advised that there would be a clear legal basis for action in international law. Earl Howe, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-09-08/HL2081/ | Military | Syria |
| 17 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what rules of engagement his Department has developed for strikes using unmanned aerial vehicle systems against terrorist targets in states against which the UK is not at war other than Syria; and if he will make a statement. | Vernon Coaker Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | The UK's Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems operate under the same Rules of Engagement (ROE) as manned aircraft. UK ROE comply with UK and International Law. Michael Fallon The Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-10/9887 | Strategy | Syria |
| 17 September 2015 | May I again urge the Leader of the House to ask the Attorney General to come to the House to explain the legal advice that led to a fundamental departure in UK policy, when two British nationals were targeted and killed by an RAF drone attack in Raqqa? This is particularly important now, given that in the past few days the explanation of the legal grounds for that move have become ever more murky. | Caroline Lucas, Green, Brighton Pavilion | The Prime Minister has explained in detail to the House the reasons for his decisions, and he will provide more information in confidence, as is normal, to the new Chairman and members of the Intelligence and Security Committee. It has always been customary practice when either party has been in power, and in the legal world, that legal advice is not published but a matter of privilege between a lawyer and a client. That is how Governments have always operated and how they will continue to operate. The difference in this place is that both the Prime Minister and the Attorney General are regularly before the House for scrutiny, and the hon. Lady will have opportunities to put questions to them. Chris Grayling, Leader of the House | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm150917/debtext/150917-0001.htm#150917-0001.htm_spnew155 | Military | Syria |
| 17 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance his Department gave to the Pakistani Armed Forces during recent unmanned aerial vehicle operations in that country. | Douglas Chapman Scottish National Party, Dunfermline and West Fife | The Ministry of Defence has had no involvement in Pakistan's development of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-09/9705 | Strategy | Pakistan |
| 16 September 2015 | To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the Statement by the Prime Minister of 7 September 2015, on Syria: Refugees and Counter-terrorism, Official Report, column 30, what the legal basis was for the targeted killing of British citizens by remote control drone in Syria. | Caroline Lucas, Green, Brighton Pavilion | The Prime Minister gave a detailed statement on 7 September 2015 in which he informed the House that I was consulted on the action and was clear that there would be a legal basis for action in international law. By long-standing convention, reflected in the Cabinet Manual, the content of the Law Officers’ advice is not disclosed outside government without the consent of the Law Officers. As I explained in my oral evidence to the Justice Select Committee on the 15th September (HC 409), the convention should be adhered to in this case. Jeremy Wright, Attorney General | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-16/10466/ | Military | Syria |
| 15 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor the usage of and (b) prevent accidents involving unmanned drones in airspace over the UK. | Jim Shannon DUP, Strangford | The Government recognises that this emerging technology has great opportunities for the UK. However the Government is aware that there are safety and security issues that need to be addressed. The Civil Aviation Authority has recently launched a publicity campaign called "You have control. Be safe! Be legal!’’ which is aimed at raising awareness of the general public, at the point of purchase, about their responsibilities as the unmanned aircraft operator. The Government is currently talking to industry partners about the development of an online application to track and manage small drones. The Government has received several proposals for such an application, but the development of this technology is still at an embryonic stage. The Government is also in early discussions with international partners about a drone traffic management system, and it is hoped that those discussions will lead to UK involvement in the development of that system and the participation of UK industry in future trials to test the robustness of the technology. Some drones are already equipped with ‘geo-fencing’ to prevent operation in controlled airspace. There will be a public consultation on drones in spring 2016. This will give the public a chance to engage on these, and other, important issues concerning drones. Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-08/9437 | Policy | UK |
| 15 September 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to authorise the sale in the United Kingdom of anti-drone ammunition for use in 12-gauge shotguns. | Lord Blencathra Conservative | There are currently no plans to authorise the sale of such ammunition in the United Kingdom. However, any ammunition which is armour-piercing is prohibited under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968. Lord Bates The Minister of State, Home Department | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-09-08/HL2097 | Policy | UK |
| 15 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what public funding has been allocated to support the Astrea programme; what applications for funds for that programme his Department has received and under which Government programmes; and what plans he has for future funding of that programme. | Chuka Umunna Labour, Streatham | The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has provided grant support of £32M to support three programmes; ASTRAEA 1 and 2 and 3A since 2006. In 2015, the ASTRAEA consortium applied for additional support for a £55M collaborative programme via the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), requesting a £26M grant. The application was not approved. We continue to work with the ASTRAEA consortium and the wider Unmanned Air Vehicle community on how best to support the development of this market and will consider requests for funding support that deliver value for money for the UK. Jo Johnson Minister of State (Universities and Science) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-07/9234 | Policy | UK |
| 14 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has compiled a list of people for targeted killing outside Iraq. | Tom Watson, Labour, West Bromwich East | The Prime Minister and I are ready to take military action as a last resort to prevent an imminent terrorist attack on the UK. Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-08/9654/ | Military | Global |
| 14 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the risks posed by unmanned drones to prison security; and what steps he is taking to protect against drones dropping contraband material into prisons. | Paul Flynn Labour, Newport West | The National Offender Management Service continues to assess the developing risk posed by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or ‘drones’. All prisons have local contingency plans to respond to incidents including drones. The previous Government introduced legislation which prohibits the “projection” of any item into prison by any means, including by a drone. Prisons work with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute perpetrators, where appropriate. Andrew Selous Assistant Whip (HM Treasury), The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-04/8567 | Policy | UK |
| 11 September 2015 | To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will devise and disclose a distinct UK drones and targeted killing policy as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | The 2015 National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review, informed by the National Security Risk Assessment, are considering a wide range of risks and threats including terrorism, and responses. We cannot speculate on the outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Oliver Letwin Minister for Government Policy | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-08/9637 | Policy | UK |
| 11 September 2015 | To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will devise and disclose a distinct UK drones and targeted killing policy as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. | Tom Watson, Labour, West Bromwich East | The 2015 National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review, informed by the National Security Risk Assessment, are considering a wide range of risks and threats including terrorism, and responses. We cannot speculate on the outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Oliver Letwin, Minister for Government Policy and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-09-08/9637/ | Military | Global |
| 10 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the implications for his Department's policies of the increase in the number of privately owned drones and its effects on safety for civil aviation. | Jim Fitzpatrick Labour, Poplar and Limehouse | The Government recognises that this emerging technology has great opportunities for the UK. However the Government is aware that there have been a few incidents that have caused some concerns to other commercial air traffic. The Civil Aviation Authority has recently launched a publicity campaign called "You have control. Be safe! Be legal!’’ which is aimed at raising awareness of the general public, at the point of purchase, about their responsibilities as the unmanned aircraft operator. In addition to this a cross-government working group is currently engaged in a piece of work that is looking at the risks posed by drones to commercial civil aviation. The results of this work will inform our understanding of the scale of the problem and what steps need to be taken to mitigate these risks Robert Goodwill Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-20/7971 | Civil Use | UK |
| 8 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of February 2015 to Question 222681, what licences have been issued since 1 January 2010 to UAV Engines Ltd for equipment other than UAV engines or components for exports for the use of the Israeli Defence Force or other elements of Israel's security forces; and on what date each such licence was issued. | Jeremy Corbyn Labour, Islington North | No licences have been granted to UAV Engines for equipment other than UAV engines or components for exports for the use of the Israeli Defence Force or other elements of Israel’s security forces since 1 January 2010. All export licences are issued in strict accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Anna Soubry The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills | Policy | Israel | |
| 7 September 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the contribution of the hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield of 15 July 2015, Official Report, column 887, what his policy is on deployment of armed drones outside of designated war zones; and if he will make a statement. | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | The decision to deploy aircraft is taken by Ministers after an assessment has been made on the effect that is required, together with the nature and location of the operation. The policy for the deployment of armed remotely piloted aircraft systems is the same as that for manned aircraft. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-17/7838 | Policy | UK |
| 27 July 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what capabilities the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers will have for launching and retrieving drones and other remotely piloted aircraft systems when they enter service with the Royal Navy; and what they are currently intended to be fitted with at that time. | Lord Moonie, Labour | The Queen Elizabeth-class carriers have an extensive flight deck and hangar and engineering support facilities, which could be utilised to operate and sustain drones and other remotely piloted aircraft systems in the future. The Royal Navy and Joint Forces Command continue to investigate maritime autonomous systems through the evaluation of Capability Concept Demonstrators. Earl Howe The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-07-20/HL1670 | Military | UK |
| 20 July 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has established an Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Communications team. | David Anderson Labour, Blaydon | The Directorate of Defence Communications (DDC) is responsible for the Ministry of Defence's corporate communications; including on the subject of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The DDC is supported by policy leads and subject matter experts from across the Department. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-14/7064 | Policy | UK |
| 20 July 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the use of unmanned remotely piloted aircraft systems as part of future UK defence capability; and if he will make a statement. | Jim Cunningham Labour, Coventry South | Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are proving their value to Defence in a range of operations around the world. As part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the MOD is considering the case for further investment in RPAS capability. It is currently too early to determine the outcome of this work. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-14/7105 | Military | UK |
| 20 July 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the locations are of the seven ground control stations used for control of his Department's 10 Reapers. | Richard Burgon Labour, Leeds East | The Reaper ground control stations are located at RAF Waddington, Creech Air Force Base, Nevada and the Middle East in support of the international coalition's ongoing operation to counter the threat of ISIL. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-08/6287 | Military | UK |
| 16 July 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has employed unmanned aircraft (a) in and (b) around the UK to support counter-terrorism efforts. | Richard Burgon Labour, Leeds East | No unmanned aircraft systems belonging to the Ministry of Defence have been used to support counter terrorism operations in or around the UK. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-08/6286 | Military | UK |
| 16 July 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of his Department's budget has been allocated to the use, development or procurement of unmanned systems. | Richard Burgon Labour, Leeds East | In the last financial year, some £310 million was spent by the Ministry of Defence on the development, procurement and use of unmanned systems. This represents approximately 0.9% of the defence budget for the year. Philip Dunne Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-08/6236 | Military | UK |
| 14 July 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has established an Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Communications team. | David Anderson, Blaydon | The Directorate of Defence Communications (DDC) is responsible for the Ministry of Defence's corporate communications; including on the subject of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The DDC is supported by policy leads and subject matter experts from across the Department. Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-14/7064/ | Military | UK |
| 14 July 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has undertaken or commissioned any assessment of the psychological effect of using unmanned air vehicles. | David Anderson Labour, Blaydon | The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes seriously the mental health of all members of the Armed Forces. The RAF Stress Management and Resilience Training Team has delivered stress awareness briefs to units operating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to give personnel awareness of the subject and make them aware of the wide range of assistance and treatment that is available. While the particular stressors of their work are recognised, an assessment of the referral figures for MOD Departments of Community Mental Health from 2009-13 indicated that UAV pilots were no more likely to present with any form of mental health condition than the general Armed Forces population. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-09/6481 | Military | UK |
| 14 July 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what psychological (a) assessment and (b) support his Department offers to the operators of UK Reaper Squadrons 39 and 13. | David Anderson Labour, Blaydon | The Ministry of Defence takes seriously the psychological and physical health of all Armed Forces personnel. The RAF Reaper remotely piloted air systems force, alongside other frontline forces, has robust trauma risk management strategies in place to ensure this is continually monitored. Should psychological or physical care be required, the RAF medical services are fully engaged to provide the required level of support to the individual. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-09/6451 | Military | UK |
| 13 July 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many jobs have been created in the UK by the French-Israeli Thales/Elbit Joint Venture for Watchkeeper. | Richard Burgon Labour, Leeds East | The Watchkeeper air vehicle is manufactured by UAV Tactical Systems Ltd, a joint venture between Elbit Systems UK and Thales UK, under a sub-contract from Thales UK, the Watchkeeper prime contractor. The Ministry of Defence has no direct commercial relationship with UAV Tactical Systems Ltd and no estimate has therefore been made of the number of persons employed by the company. The wider Watchkeeper supply-chain sustains high-quality jobs at a number of locations across the United Kingdom. Philip Dunne Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-07-08/6259 | Economic | UK |
| 25 June 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many British-controlled military unmanned aerial vehicles are currently operating within the Arabian Peninsula. | The Marquess of Lothian, Conservative | The Scan Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) offers enhanced maritime surveillance and is used to provide situational awareness to Royal Navy ships deployed to the Arabian Peninsula. In addition, a number of Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are currently operating in the Middle East in support of the Iraqi Government and International Coalition's ongoing operation to counter the threat of ISIL. Regardless of asset type or location, it is departmental policy not to confirm specific numbers of equipment platforms deployed on operations. Therefore, I am withholding the exact number of UAS/RPAS deployed on operations to safeguard operational security. Earl Howe The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-06-18/HL628 | Military | Arabian Peninsular |
| 17 June 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the communications system supporting UK Reapers utilises the US Predator Primary Satellite Link and relay station at Ramstein airbase, Germany. | Tom Watson, Labour | I am withholding the information, as disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces and relations between the United Kingdom and other states. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-06-09/1522 | Military | Germany |
| 16 June 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department will lead the joint French-UK Reaper training; and where that training will take place. | Tom Watson, Labour | We routinely discuss with France our respective ISTAR capability requirements, including with regards to Reaper. However, no decision has been made on leading joint Reaper training, nor on where any training might take place. Philip Dunne Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Defence Procurement) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-06-09/1521 | Military | France |
| 15 June 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether France has requested the deployment in Africa of any UK Reapers or other unmanned aerial systems. | Tom Watson, Labour | We routinely discuss with France our respective operational deployments, including those of Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition Reconnaissance (ISTAR) assets, in those parts of the world where both UK and French Forces are engaged. But we have received no formal French request for deployment of Reaper or other UK unmanned aerial systems in Africa. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-06-09/1516 | Military | France |
| 3 June 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on establishing a Joint Command for Unmanned Aerial Systems. | Tom Watson, Labour | Owing to the particular capabilities that each Unmanned Aerial System delivers and the different environments in which they work, operational Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are controlled by Air, Army, and Navy Commands and there is no plan to establish a Joint Command for UAS. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-05-27/132 | Policy | UK |
| 2 June 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support the UK is providing to the Iraqi government to counter Islamic State. | Vernon Coaker, Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | The UK is operating as part of a global coalition of over 60 countries - including Iraq, Arab nations, European partners and the US, to defeat ISIL. The UK is playing a leading role in the coalition, with around 800 personnel in the region helping to counter ISIL. The UK have conducted the second highest number of strikes in Iraq, behind the US and is providing significant critical enablers in the form of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and air to air refuelling capabilities that few other nations possess. We are also providing eight Tornado GR4 Aircraft and a number of Reaper Unmanned Aerial Vehicles contributing to precision strike and ISR. Within the coalition's training programme to build the capacity of Iraqi security forces, the UK is co-ordinating Coalition counter-IED (C-IED) training with a small planning team in Baghdad and some 30 military trainers based in Erbil. The UK has trained over 1,100 Iraqi forces in infantry skills and in the use of the UK-gifted heavy machine guns. As well as providing niche C-IED and Infantry Skills trainers, we have also trained 108 Peshmerga in our Protection of Civilians training course. Penny Mordaunt Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-05-27/86 | Military | Iraq |
| 1 June 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 23 February 2015 to Question 224466, whether the Strategic Defence and Security Review will address the issues identified in Joint Doctrinal Note 2/11, the UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft Systems. | Tom Watson, Labour | Work has begun on the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review. The Review will consider the changing international and domestic security environment and assess what defence capabilities will address the threats we face. Michael Fallon The Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-05-27/279 | Strategy | UK |
| 26 March 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) Watchkeeper and (b) other unmanned aerial vehicles belonging to his Department were operated outside designated airspace in connection with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. | Tom Watson, Labour | No. Julian Brazier The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-03-24/228911 | Policy | UK |
| 26 March 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 222433, on Syria, whether UK Reapers in Syria are conducting (a) pattern of life analyses, (b) collateral damage estimates and (c) battle damage assessments. | Tom Watson, Labour | While operating over Syria, UK Reapers conduct a range of surveillance tasks. No UK Reaper missions have been conducted in Syria other than for surveillance purposes. Julian Brazier The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Stte for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-03-24/228913 | Strategy | Syria |
| 26 March 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2015 to Question 226256, on RAF Croughton, what the dates were of the (a) Host Nation Notification and (b) Host Nation Response made in connection with the European Infrastructure Consolidated Review. | Tom Watson, Labour | Following a period of consultation, Host Nation Notification in connection with the European Infrastructure Consolidated Review was received on 7 January 2015 and responded to on the same day. Anna Soubry The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-03-24/228912 | Policy | UK |
| 18 March 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many armed sorties have been carried out by United Kingdom forces, and what ordnance has been released, over Syria in each of the last three months. | Lord Moonie, Labour | The only armed UK aircraft operating in Syria is the Reaper, Remotely Piloted Air System. The UK Reaper has not released any weapons over Syria as no authority has been granted for the discharge of weapons from UK Reaper aircraft operating in Syrian airspace. Reaper Operations in Syria Month Missions Flown December 2014 9 January 2015 8 February 2015 8 Lord Astor of Hever Conservative | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-03-10/HL5582 | Military | Syria |
| 18 March 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many armed sorties have been carried out by United Kingdom forces, and what ordnance has been released, over Iraq in each of the last three months. | Lord Moonie, Labour | The UK has deployed two types of armed aircraft in the operation against ISIL; the Tornado GR4 and the Reaper, Remotely Piloted Air System. The GR4 is armed with Paveway IV Mark 2 and Dual Mode Seeker Brimstone. The Reaper MQ9 is armed with the Hellfire Missile. GR4 and Reaper Operations in Iraq Month Missions Flown Weapons Released December 2014 91 55 January 2015 109 64 February 2015 101 31 Lord Astor of Hever Conservative | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-03-10/HL5581 | Military | Iraq |
| 16 March 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will introduce a compensation scheme for civilian casualties in Iraq. | Tom Watson, Labour | Holding answer received on 04 February 2015 When targeting ISIL terrorists we do all we can to minimise the risk of causing casualties among the civilian population. Overall, the air campaign in Iraq is being conducted with precision and we do not believe that there have been any civilian casualties arising from UK actions. We are currently in discussion with our coalition partners with a view to agreeing a mechanism for tracking, reporting, investigating and responding to allegations of civilian casualties. Responses to individual allegations will vary according to circumstances. Mark Francois The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222465 | Policy | Iraq |
| 16 March 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2015 to Question 219723 and to his oral contribution of 23 February 2015, Official Report, column 11, on ISIL, if he will ensure that his Department's online record is updated to include data on each strike referred to in that contribution; and if he will provide information on the (a) date, (b) location and (c) aircraft deployed to carry out each strike. | Tom Watson, Labour | As I stated in my written answer of 2 March 2015 in response to question 219723, our policy on the disclosure of information regarding air strikes by Royal Air Force aircraft engaged on Operation Shader is that the overriding principle is to seek to place information on each strike in the public domain in a prompt and timely manner. To this end, the Ministry of Defence regularly updates appropriate details of strikes against ISIL-related targets, including the specific aircraft type, on the 'gov.uk' website. The site also contains monthly summaries since the start of the operation. Mark Francois The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-03-10/227077 | Military | Iraq |
| 11 March 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 222433, whether data obtained from (a) UK Reaper missions and (b) coalition partner missions in Syria is analysed at RAF Marsham as part of Project Crossbow. | Tom Watson Labour | Data from UK Reaper missions is not currently analysed at RAF Marham by CROSSBOW. Data from coalition partner missions in Syria and Iraq is analysed when tasked to do so. Mark Francois The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-03-04/226252 | Military | Syria |
| 11 March 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2015 to Question 224123, on unmanned air vehicles, which person or team in his Department has lead responsibility for the application and deployment of UK remotely piloted aircraft systems in (a) Afghanistan, (b) Iraq, (c) Syria and (d) the MQ-9 User Group. | Tom Watson, Labour | The deployment of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence, as is UK attendance at the MQ-9 Users Group. Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-03-04/226251 | Policy | Middle East |
| 10 March 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether and where they have deployed military unmanned aerial vehicles in the last six months. | The Marquess of Lothian Conservative | UK Armed Forces used a variety of Unmanned and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (UAS/RPAS) on Operation HERRICK in Afghanistan. All of these systems were redeployed from Afghanistan by 31 December 2014. In October 2014, UK Reaper RPAS were deployed to the Middle East to support the Iraqi Government and coalition allies' ongoing operation to counter the threat of ISIL. Over the last six months Scan Eagle UAS has also been used to improve the situational awareness of Royal Navy ships at sea. | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-02-24/HL5185 | Policy | Global |
| 10 March 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2015 to Question 222466, what requests for (a) authorities and (b) consultations have been made to his Department in connection with (i) the European Infrastructure Consolidated Review and (ii) RAF Croughton in the last year. | Tom Watson Labour | The US European Infrastructure Consolidation Review, which also considered the future of RAF Croughton, was primarily a US national analysis of options for their basing footprint in Europe. However, consultation was conducted with Ministry of Defence stakeholders throughout this process. Anna Soubry The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-03-04/226250 | Policy | UK |
| 2 March 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's policy on the disclosure of information concerning lethal strikes in Iraq. | Tom Watson Labour | Holding answer received on 15 January 2015 Our policy on the disclosure of information regarding air strikes by Royal Air Force aircraft engaged on Operation Shader in Iraq is that the detail of each individual strike is carefully considered against the necessary constraint of maintaining operational security, but our over-riding principle is to seek to place information on each strike in the public domain in a prompt and timely manner. This is consistent with, and a continuation of, Ministry of Defence practice for any operational information. It reflects the necessity for the Armed Forces of a democracy such as the UK not just to conduct military operations in a highly disciplined, careful and proportionate manner within the rule of law, but to demonstrate transparency and accountability for such activity. The need for this is all the more important when the military operations are being conducted against a terrorist organisation such as ISIL which wholly disregards the rule of law and relies on a perverted ideology and deceitful propaganda. This policy has been followed ever since the start of air strike operations in support of the Iraqi authorities, following the Parliamentary vote on 26 September. The primary channel for publishing this information is the Government website http://www.gov.uk, and the information thus disclosed has been regularly reported in the British and international media. Mark Francois The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-05/219723 | Militay | Iraq |
| 27 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 222434, what consideration his Department has given to deployment of the UK Reapers in storage for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance in Iraq. | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | As with all platforms and capabilities not deployed on operations, the deployment of additional Reaper aircraft currently in storage in the UK is kept under constant review. Mark Francois The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-10/224117 | Military | Iraq |
| 26 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 222435, what the name and date was of the agreement pursuant to which five personnel from Squadron 329 are on loan service to US Forces. | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | UK loan service (LS) personnel assisting the United States Air Force are covered by the terms of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (1949), the US-UK Chapeau agreement (1993), the US-UK Provision of medical support agreement (2014), and US-UK discussions to determine working-level arrangements. LS personnel are subject to UK Service regulations; they are administered and receive pay and allowances from the UK. Mark Francois The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-02-10.224116.h&s=speaker%3A11309#g224116.q0a> | International Co-Operation | USA |
| 26 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what research her Department has undertaken on access of civilian victims of drone strikes in Afghanistan to civilian compensation schemes administered by troop contributing nations. | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | Access to civilian compensation schemes is a Ministry of Defence lead. There is a system in place for handling all claims for compensation brought against the Ministry of Defence by Afghan civilians. Justine Greening The Secretary of State for International Development | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-11/224259 | Strategy | Afghanistan |
| 26 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department will assess (a) the effect of drone strikes on civilian populations and (b) access to civilian compensation schemes as part of its humanitarian mission in Iraq and Syria. | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | We are monitoring the impact of military operations on civilian populations in both Iraq and Syria and ensuring our humanitarian response is targeted to those most in need. To date, the UK has pledged £800 million in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the region, and a further £39.5 million to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. Access to civilian compensation schemes is an MoD lead and therefore does not form part of our humanitarian mission. Justine Greening The Secretary of State for International Development | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-11/224261 | Policy | Iraq |
| 25 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2015 to Question 222435, what the (a) rank, (b) function and (c) location is of the five personnel from the UK Reaper Force on loan service to US Forces. | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | There are four Flight Lieutenant Instructors at 49th Operations Group, Holloman Air Force Base. There is also one Flight Lieutenant at 53rd Test and Evaluation Group, Creech Air Force Base in a test and evaluation role. None of the five personnel on loan are conducting operational mission flying. Mark Francois The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-10/224115 | Military | USA |
| 24 February 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many United Kingdom military air sorties were carried out in Iraq over the last two years in January; and how many of those resulted in the firing of weapons or dropping of bombs. | The Marquess of Lothian Conservative | The UK has deployed two types of armed aircraft in the operation against ISIL; the Tornado GR4 and the Reaper, Remotely Piloted Air System. As at 31 January 2015, these aircraft have flown 374 missions and released 206 weapons against ISIL targets in Iraq. Lord Astor of Hever Conservative | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-02-09/HL4814 | Military | Iraq |
| 24 February 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether in the last month there have been any United Kingdom military air sorties against targets in Syria or any which have involved incursions into or overflying of Syrian airspace. | The Marquess of Lothian Conservative | The only UK air asset operating in Syria is the Reaper, Remotely Piloted Air System. In the month of January 2015 this aircraft conducted eight surveillance missions in Syria. No UK Reaper have discharged weapons in Syrian airspace. Lord Astor of Hever Conservative | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-02-09/HL4815 | Military | Syria |
| 23 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether a research analyst is advising his Department on the deployment of remotely piloted aircraft systems | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | No. Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-10/224123 | Policy | UK |
| 23 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which post or team in his Department is responsible for the application of remotely piloted aircraft systems. | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | There is no one person or team responsible for the application or deployment of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). The decision to deploy RPAS is taken by Ministers following advice provided by senior personnel, both military and civilian, across the Department. Mark Francois The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-10/224127 | Policy | UK |
| 23 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Strategic Defence and Security Review will address the issues identified in Joint Doctrinal Note 2/11, the UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft Systems. | Tom Watson Labour, West Bromwich East | The next Strategic Defence and Security Review will be a matter for after the General Election. Michael Fallon The Secretary of State for Defence | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-12/224466 | Policy | UK |
| 12 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel applicable to the passing of intelligence relating to individuals who are at risk of targeted lethal strikes. | David Davis Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | The Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel on the Detention and Interviewing of Detainees Overseas, and on the Passing and Receipt of Intelligence Relating to Detainees has been published online: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/62632/Consolidated_Guidance_November_2011.pdf Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-09/223784 | Policy | UK |
| 12 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will give a direction under section 59A of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 that the Intelligence Services Commissioner review the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel applicable to the passing of intelligence relating to individuals who are at risk of targeted lethal strikes. | David Davis Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | I refer my right hon. Friend to my answer of 16 Oct 2014 to (PQ 209539). Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-09/223785 | Military | UK |
| 12 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department takes to monitor compliance with the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel applicable to the passing of intelligence relating to individuals who are at risk of targeted lethal strikes. | David Davis Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | The independent Intelligence Services Commissioner oversees compliance with the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel on the Detention and Interviewing of Detainees Overseas, and on the Passing and Receipt of Intelligence Relating to Detainees and reports annually on those aspects for which he has responsibility. His role in this regard was put on a statutory footing in November 2014. Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-09/223782 | Policy | UK |
| 12 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what training his Department has provided to service and other personnel on the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel applicable to the passing of intelligence relating to individuals who are at risk of targeted lethal strikes. | David Davis Conservative, Haltemprice and Howden | It is the longstanding policy of successive governments not to comment on intelligence matters. This includes matters relating to the training of Intelligence Service personnel. Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-09/223783 | Policy | UK |
| 9 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) scale and (b) result is of recent air operations against ISIL. | Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative) | Holding answer received on 05 February 2015 There are some 60 nations involved in the coalition and over a dozen in ongoing air activity over Iraq and Syria. The UK has deployed two types of armed aircraft in the operation against ISIL; the Tornado GR4 and the Reaper, Remotely Piloted Air System. As at 31 January 2015, these aircraft have flown 392 missions and released 206 weapons against ISIL targets. The UK have also provided other aircraft to perform surveillance, air refuelling and air transport roles. In concert with Iraqi and Kurdish ground units, coalition air activities have helped to check ISIL's advance and in some places begun to reverse that advance. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-02/222901 | Military | Iraq |
| 9 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Armed Forces will participate in training at the Air Battlespace Training Centre at RAF Waddington each year. | Kevan Jones (Shadow Minister (Defence); North Durham, Labour) | This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The daily maximum capacity of the Air Battlespace Training Centre (ABTC) is dependent on the type of exercise taking place. Records on the exact numbers of personnel attending training are held by individual units and not by the ABTC. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-03/223057 | Military | UK |
| 9 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether any licences have been granted to UAV Engines Ltd since 1 January 2010 for the export of UAV engines or components to (a) the Israeli Defence Force or (b) other elements of Israel’s security forces; and if he will make a statement. | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North, Labour) | I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Katy Clark) on 10 October 2014, UIN 207373. No licences have been granted for unmanned aerial vehicle engines for use by the Israeli Defence Force or other elements of Israel’s security forces since 2010. Matthew Hancock (Minister of State for Portsmouth, The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills); West Suffolk, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-29/222681 | International Co-Operation | Israel |
| 9 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the Armed Forces' annual personnel training requirements will be provided at the Air Battlespace Training Centre at RAF Waddington. | Kevan Jones (Shadow Minister (Defence); North Durham, Labour) | The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-03/223058 | Military | UK |
| 5 February 2015 | To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions have taken place in the National Security Council of measures to protect (a) nuclear facilities and (b) other strategic national infrastructure from unmanned aerial vehicle attacks in (i) 2014 and (ii) 2015. | Paul Flynn (Newport West, Labour) | Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion. David Cameron (The Prime Minister; Witney, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-03/223039 | Strategy | UK |
| 4 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2015 to Question 220012, how many RAF personnel are deployed in Afghanistan; and what the (a) rank, (b) squadron and (c) function is of each RAF officer stationed in that country. | Tom Watson, Labour | As at 2 February 2015 there were 19 RAF personnel in Afghanistan. The rank and function of each are shown below. Only those supporting the Op TORAL Aviation Detachment are deployed as part of a formed unit, which in this case is 27 Squadron from RAF Odiham. Number and Rank Function Five x Flight Lieutenant Pilots Op TORAL Aviation Detachment Two x Flight Lieutenant Engineer Officers Op TORAL Aviation Detachment Three x Flight Lieutenant/Squadron Leader Command Elements of Op TORAL Aviation Detachment One x Flight Lieutenant Aeromedical Evacuation Liaison Officer Two x Squadron Leader Staff Appointments Headquarters Resolute Support One x Wing Commander Staff Appointment Headquarters Resolute Support Three x Squadron Leader Staff Appointments Headquarters Commander British Forces Afghanistan One x Wing Commander Advisor Afghan Ministry of Defence One x Air Commodore Staff Appointment Headquarters Resolute Support Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222429 | Military | Afghanistan |
| 4 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his French counterpart concerning the deployment of UK Reapers in support of Operation Barkhane. | Tom Watson, Labour | As a close ally, discussions regularly take place with France, both bilaterally and through NATO, on Defence matters, these can include capability issues such as Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. However, to date there have been no specific discussions regarding the deployment of UK Reapers in support of Operation Barkhane. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222428 | Military | Sahel |
| 4 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on sharing intelligence information to counter terrorism in Europe. | Jeffrey M Donaldson (Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Equality), Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Energy and Climate Change); Lagan Valley, DUP) | Holding answer received on 29 January 2015 We do not comment on intelligence matters. Michael Penning (The Minister of State, Home Department, The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice; Hemel Hempstead, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-26/222021 | International Co-Operation | Global |
| 4 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the US sought permission from his Department for consolidation at RAF Croughton following that country's European Infrastructure Consolidated Review. | Tom Watson, Labour | The European Infrastructure Consolidation review recommendations were subject to a period of consultation with the Host Nations. Anna Soubry (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Broxtowe, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222466 | International Co-Operation | US |
| 4 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 9 December 2013, Official Report, column 70W, and with reference to Regulatory Article 1600, published by the Military Aviation Authority on 19 January 2015, whether his Department will fly remotely piloted aircraft systems in the UK outside danger areas or segregated airspace. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence is working with other Government Departments and authorities, including the Civil Aviation Authority, as part of a wider cross-Government initiative to determine the feasibility of operating both civilian and military remotely piloted aircraft systems beyond line-of-sight and in un-segregated airspace. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222430 | Policy | UK |
| 4 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will introduce a compensation scheme for civilian casualties in Iraq. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222465 | Policy | Iraq |
| 3 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2015, Official Report, column 687W, whether his Department is carrying out a strategic review of the use and effects of remotely piloted air systems in Afghanistan following the end of combat operations in that country. | Tom Watson, Labour | Holding answer received on 02 February 2015 We have learnt a variety of lessons on the operation of the UK's Air assets (including Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) through their use in Afghanistan. We will want to look at lessons that can be learned from the campaign more broadly, but our recent focus has been on a successful drawdown from the ISAF Combat mission and transition to the NATO Resolute Support Mission. No decision has yet been taken on a wider review of combat operations in Afghanistan. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222432 | Strategy | Afghanistan |
| 2 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2015 to Question 220792, whether any personnel from Squadron 39 are currently embedded with US forces. | Tom Watson, Labour | There are currently five personnel from the UK Reaper Force on loan service to US Forces in an instructional and test and evaluation role. They are based in the US but are still under UK administration. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222435 | Military | US |
| 2 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2015 to Question 220793, for how long his Department intends to store Reapers in the UK. | Tom Watson, Labour | No decision has been taken on how long the Reapers will be stored in the UK. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222434 | Policy | UK |
| 2 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2015, to Question 220027, if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms of reference agreed at the meeting of the NATO Reaper MQ-9 Users Group. | Tom Watson, Labour | Once all four MQ-9 Users Group participant nations have formally signed off the group's Terms of Reference and agreed to their public release, a copy will be placed in the Library of the House. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222431 | Military | Global |
| 2 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Written Statement of 21 October 2014, Official Report, column 63WS, on the Middle East, how many UK Reaper aircraft are conducting missions in Syria; and whether authorisations have been sought for any missions by those aircraft other than for surveillance. | Tom Watson, Labour | No UK Reaper missions have been conducted in Syria other than for surveillance purposes. No authority has been granted for the discharge of weapons from UK Reaper aircraft operating in Syrian airspace. I am withholding information on the number of UK Reaper aircraft conducting missions in Syria as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222433 | Strategy | Syria |
| 2 February 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2015 to Question 220792, whether his Department has identified any defect in the Reapers returned to the UK. | Tom Watson, Labour | No. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-28/222427 | Military | UK |
| 29 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on sharing intelligence information to counter terrorism in Europe. | Jeffrey M Donaldson (Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Equality), Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Energy and Climate Change); Lagan Valley, DUP) | The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available. James Brokenshire (Minister of State (Home Office) (Security and Immigration); Old Bexley and Sidcup, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-26/222021/ | Policy | Europe |
| 28 January 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on efforts to degrade and defeat ISIL, in the light of recent reports that one third of Syrian territory is now under ISIL's control. | The Marquess of Lothian, Conservative | In the last six months, the global coalition has conducted over two thousand air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq, with Royal Air Force pilots flying over 6700 hours of surveillance, reconnaissance, refueling and strike missions. Our efforts, and those of the coalition as a whole, have helped check ISIL’s advance and assisted the Iraqis in liberating a number of important towns. Coalition airstrikes are also having an effect in Syria, including at Kobane. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), co-hosted, with US Secretary of State John Kerry, a conference on 22 January to push forward other streams of work including disrupting ISIL’s funding streams, tackling foreign fighters, and countering ISIL’s twisted ideology. In Syria, Assad must continue to bear responsibility for the savage civil war and the harrowing impact it is having on his own people. He is a catalyst of terrorism, not its cure. So it is vital that we keep supporting moderate voices and keep pushing for a political settlement that ends the civil war. We have been clear that defeating ISIL will take considerable time, but we have a comprehensive, long-term and well-coordinated strategy in place. Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-01-21/HL4337/ | Strategy | Iraq |
| 26 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Joint Prioritised Effects List includes targets in Pakistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | Holding answer received on 15 January 2015 The UK's Armed Forces do not conduct combat operations in Pakistan. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-07/220013/ | Military | Pakistan |
| 21 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Written Answer of 12 January 2015 to Question 219725, which UK officials will attend the MQ-9 Users Group meeting. | Tom Watson, Labour | Five members of the Royal Air Force (RAF) will attend the MQ-9 Users Group meeting in Paris in January 2015. The party will be made up of representatives from the RAF's ISTAR HQ, which is located at RAF Waddington, HQ Air Command and the Air Staff. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-14/220764/ | Policy | UK |
| 21 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2014 to Question 213733, if he will seek the agreement of the US administration to release a copy of the current revised Reaper Agreement. | Tom Watson, Labour | I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 November 2014 to Question 213733. We will discuss possible release with the US once the Memorandum Of Understanding has been agreed and finalised. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-14/220761/ | Strategy | UK |
| 19 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2015 to Question 219724, whether those Reapers have been relocated to the UK for maintenance, strategic or other reasons. | Tom Watson, Labour | Reaper relocated to the UK have been placed in storage for routine fleet management purposes. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-14/220793/ | Military | UK |
| 19 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to offer or provide personnel from Reaper Squadron 39 to the US Air Force as a gift of services in response to current operational requirements. | Tom Watson, Labour | The UK Reaper force has no current plans to offer or provide personnel to the US Air Force as a gift of services. (Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-14/220792/ | International Cooperation | US |
| 15 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's policy on the disclosure of information concerning lethal strikes in Iraq. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-05/219723/ | Military | Iraq |
| 15 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Joint Prioritised Effects List includes targets in Pakistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-07/220013/ | Military | Pakistan |
| 12 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK Reapers have been relocated to the UK to date. | Tom Watson, Labour | I am withholding the exact number of UK Reapers that have relocated to the UK for reasons of safeguarding operational security. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-05/219724/ | Military | UK |
| 12 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any personnel from the UK Reaper Squadron 39 will be deployed in Afghanistan in 2015. | Tom Watson, Labour | There are currently no plans to deploy any 39 Squadron personnel to Afghanistan in 2015. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-07/220012/ | Military | Afghanistan |
| 12 January 2015 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2014 to Question 216827, whether it is planned that options for asset-sharing between members of the NATO MQ-9 Users Group will be discussed at the Paris meeting scheduled to take place in January 2015. | Tom Watson, Labour | This first formal meeting of the MQ-9 Users Group will focus on setting the Terms of Reference of the group and scoping potential areas of collaborative working. It is not expected to discuss in any detail, asset-sharing between its members. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-01-07/220027/ | Strategy | Global |
| 6 January 2015 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how long it will take to procure an armed long-range anti-submarine warfare system and maritime surveillance capability, based on an unmanned aircraft, following the completion of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review. | Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat) | Analysis conducted to date suggests that unmanned systems will not be able to provide an armed, long-range, anti-submarine warfare capability in the near to medium term. Lord Astor of Hever (Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/150106w0004.htm#wa_st_509 | Military | UK |
| 18 December 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2013, Official Report, column 327W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the legality of the armed drones programme. | Annette Brooke, Liberal Democrat, Mid Dorset and North Poole | There have been no discussions with international counterparts on the legality of the armed remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) programme as the framework for their use is clear. Philip Dunne, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology (including Defence Exports) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131218/text/131218w0001.htm#131218w0001.htm_wqn38 | Military | UK |
| 17 December 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles were carried out by British armed forces in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Pakistan in the last three years. | Lindsay Roy, Labour | Reaper is the UK's only armed remotely piloted aircraft system and is operated under the legal authority of a UN Security Council Resolution and in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. A total of 332 weapons were released by UK Reaper between 1 December 2010 and 30 November 2013 (inclusive) in Afghanistan. The UK Rules of Engagement (RoE) and policy governing the use of Reaper is the same as that which is used for conventionally piloted combat aircraft. UK Reapers only operate in support of coalition ground forces in Afghanistan. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131217/text/131217w0001.htm#131217w0001.htm_wqn46 | Research & Development | UK |
| 15 December 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to bring forward proposals to amend the law relating to the unauthorised use of unmanned drones in the airspace over the UK; and if he will make a statement. | Lady Hermon (North Down, Independent) | There are no current plans to amend the law relating to the use of small unmanned aircraft in the airspace over the UK. The Air Navigation Order 2009 prevents a person causing or permitting an aircraft to endanger the safety of a person or property, and prohibits the flying of these small unmanned aircraft over or within 150 meters of built up areas – including airports – unless approved by the Civil Aviation Authority. The Civil Aviation Authority is launching an awareness campaign “You have control. Be Safe! Be Legal!” Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport); Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-12-08/217764/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 9 December 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions the United States Air Force has used a Royal Air Force Reaper Remotely Piloted Air System in Afghanistan in each year; how many times it released weapons; and what weapons were released. | Angus Robertson, SNP Westminster Leader | Outside of the Launch and Recovery phase only UK personnel operated UK Reaper aircraft in Afghanistan. UK and US personnel operated both nation's Reaper aircraft as part of the Launch and Recovery phase. Information on the number of occasions that USAF personnel did so is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-12-02/216916/ | International Co-Operation | Afghanistan |
| 8 December 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2014 to Question 209575, whether the Government has had any discussions with the administration of the US on future basing of UK Reapers in Afghanistan in connection with Operation Resolute Support 2015. | Tom Watson, Labour | Holding answer received on 05 December 2014 Further to my answer of 15 October 2014 to Question 209575, the UK has withdrawn all of its remotely piloted air systems from Afghanistan and has no plans to return them. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-12-02/216885 | International Co-Operation | US |
| 8 December 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many sorties were flown by RAF Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems, in Afghanistan in each year since 2008. | Angus Robertson, SNP Westminster Leader | Holding answer received on 03 December 2014 The number of sorties flown by RAF Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems in Afghanistan each year since 2008 can be found in the following table: Year Total Reaper Sorties[1] 2008 296 2009 434 2010 759 2011 916 2012 904 2013 907 2014 up to 15 November 2014 1046 Total 5262 The figures for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 show marginal differences from those reported by my hon. Friend the former Minister for the Armed Forces (Mr Robathan) on 5 September 2013 (Official Report, columns 480-481W) following a routine revision to the Air Warfare Centre's operational activity database. [1] A sortie is defined as a single flight by a single aircraft irrespective of flight duration. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-26/216079/ | Military | Afghanistan |
| 5 December 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the written Answer of 17 November 2014 to Question 213740, whether the NATO MQ9 Users Group will be available for use as part of the NATO rapid reaction force. | Tom Watson, Labour | The NATO MQ-9 Users Group will promote cooperation, commonality, cost efficiency, and interoperability between members but will not generate operational capability. The first meetings are due to be held in Paris during January 2015. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-12-02/216827 | Military | Middle East |
| 5 December 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 21 October 2014, Official Report, column 63WS, whether laser designators on UK Reapers carrying out surveillance missions in Syria are marking targets. | Tom Watson, Labour | Laser designators on UK Reapers have not been used to mark targets in Syria. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-12-02/216785 | Strategy | Syria |
| 5 December 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any personnel from Reaper Squadron 39 have been deployed to (a) Al Udeid air base, Qatar, (b) Al Minhad airbase, United Arab Emirates and (c) Al Musannah airbase, Oman. | Tom Watson, Labour | I am withholding this information as its disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice operational capability, effectiveness or security; also relations between the United Kingdom and other states. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-12-02/216796 | Military | Middle East |
| 3 December 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the Birmingham Policy Commission’s reportThe Security Impact of Drones; and whether they will make a statement on a national policy on the use of lethal drones. | Lord West of Spithead (Labour) | We have studied the Report, which is a useful contribution to discussion of issues around the use of armed drones. The UK has repeatedly set out its policy position on the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), including at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. The UK’s fleet of armed RPAS are operated by highly trained Royal Air Force personnel in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and UK Rules of Engagement. The same strict Rules of Engagement that govern the use of conventional manned military aircraft also apply to RPAS, this includes robust criteria on establishing positive identification and requires commanders to do everything feasible to verify that the target is a military objective. The UK believes that existing international law sufficiently covers the use of RPAS, which are subject to the same legal considerations as other weapons systems. Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141203w0001.htm#wa_st_100a> | Policy | UK |
| 2 December 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have incorporated a policy regarding use of lethal drones in British Defence Doctrine. | Lord West of Spithead (Labour) | Armed Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are operated by the UK's Armed Forces in accordance with the same domestic and international legal framework and Departmental policy that regulates conventional manned aircraft. The Doctrine and Rules of Engagement that govern and underpin the use of armed RPAS are aligned to both current UK policy and International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The UK constantly reviews and updates both its policy and doctrine to ensure it remains both operationally effective and fully compliant with IHL. Lord Astor of Hever (Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141202w0001.htm#wa_st_68a> | Strategy | Global |
| 1 December 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to give a response to the questions asked of them in the United Nations Special Rapporteur’s Report on Human Rights and Terrorism, published and received by them in March. | Baroness Tonge (Liberal Democrat) | The UK has set out its position on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) on multiple occasions, including at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council, in response to the report by the UN Special Rapporteur. The UK uses RPAS legally and expects others to do so too. The UK believes that existing international law sufficiently covers the use of RPAS, which are subject to the same legal considerations as other weapons systems such as manned combat aircraft. In an armed conflict, international humanitarian law governs military activity. Outside armed conflict, any action must be in accordance with applicable international human rights law. Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141201w0001.htm#wa_st_34 | Policy | UK |
| 25 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions UK forces have used a US Air Force Reaper Remotely Piloted Air System in Afghanistan in each year; and whether each such use was due to serviceability issues with RAF Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems. | Angus Robertson, SNP Westminster Leader | The number of sorties in which RAF crews have utilised a USAF Reaper to undertake a UK Sortie in Afghanistan for each year between 2008 and 2014 is given in the following table. Year Number of United Kingdom Sorties utilising a USAF Air Vehicle 2008 2 2009 21 2010 4 2011 64 2012 180 2013 56 2014-January to August Inclusive 192 For the majority of occasions this was due to short term unserviceability or routine scheduled servicing of a UK Reaper. The increased usage in 2012 was due to an increase in ISAF tasking, coinciding with a period of reduced UK airframe availability. This resulted in reduced resilience to cover short-term unserviceabilities from within the UK Reaper force. The increased usage in 2014 was due to further increased ISAF tasking utilising the crews from the UK Additional Reaper Capability. The additional UK aircrews and ISAF requirement to start the new task lines were in place prior to the additional UK airframes being prepared for operations in theatre. Consequently, while the new UK airframes were temporarily unavailable for tasking, the additional ISAF task lines with UK crews were flown utilising USAF aircraft. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-01/207734/ | Military | Afghanistan |
| 24 November 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures presently exist to control unmanned aerial vehicles. | Lord Fearn (Liberal Democrat) | Civilian Remotely Piloted Aircraft operations are closely regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and are treated in the same manner as that of equivalent manned aircraft. However, until such time that remotely piloted aircraft systems can demonstrate that they are both airworthy and capable of avoiding other airspace users, all operations must be contained within segregated airspace, to which access for manned aircraft is prevented or closely controlled. The use of unmanned aircraft is specifically covered by the Air Navigation Order, which legislates for the ‘general’ flying aspects and the flight of those equipped for surveillance. As well as these specific articles, a more general article which prevents a person ‘causing or permitting an aircraft to endanger the safety of any person or property’ also remains applicable. Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141124w0001.htm#wa_st_54 | Civil Use | UK |
| 24 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many targets the Royal Air Force has hit in Iraq since 26 September 2014; how many casualties have occurred as a result; and if he will make a statement. | Paul Flynn (Newport West, Labour) | Holding answer received on 22 October 2014 As of 12 November, the UK has conducted 16 strikes in Iraq from Tornado and Reaper aircraft using Paveway IV bombs and Hellfire and Brimstone missiles against a range of targets including vehicles, troop positions, heavy weapons and facilities. Assessments of these strikes have shown that they hit and destroyed their targets successfully. An accurate count of ISIL casualties cannot always be made in this type of environment. All air strikes are conducted in accordance with the Rules of Engagement and international humanitarian law. Careful selection, approval and close observation of targets prior to a strike and the use of precision guided munitions minimises collateral damage and the potential for civilian casualties. To date we have not received any reports of civilian casualties, which is supported by our own analysis of each attack. Holding answer received on 22 October 2014 As of 12 November, the UK has conducted 16 strikes in Iraq from Tornado and Reaper aircraft using Paveway IV bombs and Hellfire and Brimstone missiles against a range of targets including vehicles, troop positions, heavy weapons and facilities. Assessments of these strikes have shown that they hit and destroyed their targets successfully. An accurate count of ISIL casualties cannot always be made in this type of environment. All air strikes are conducted in accordance with the Rules of Engagement and international humanitarian law. Careful selection, approval and close observation of targets prior to a strike and the use of precision guided munitions minimises collateral damage and the potential for civilian casualties. To date we have not received any reports of civilian casualties, which is supported by our own analysis of each attack. Holding answer received on 22 October 2014 As of 12 November, the UK has conducted 16 strikes in Iraq from Tornado and Reaper aircraft using Paveway IV bombs and Hellfire and Brimstone missiles against a range of targets including vehicles, troop positions, heavy weapons and facilities. Assessments of these strikes have shown that they hit and destroyed their targets successfully. An accurate count of ISIL casualties cannot always be made in this type of environment. All air strikes are conducted in accordance with the Rules of Engagement and international humanitarian law. Careful selection, approval and close observation of targets prior to a strike and the use of precision guided munitions minimises collateral damage and the potential for civilian casualties. To date we have not received any reports of civilian casualties, which is supported by our own analysis of each attack. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-10-15/210712/ | Military | Iraq |
| 20 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will undertake reviews under Article 36 of Additional Protocol 1 to the 1949 Geneva Conventions before developing weapons systems capable of generating attack profiles. | Tom Watson, Labour | Yes, the Ministry of Defence does undertake reviews under Article 36 of Additional Protocol 1 to the 1949 Geneva Conventions. All new weapon systems, and any significant upgrades to existing system, are subject to a robust legal review. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-10/214078 | Legality | Global |
| 19 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for which periods officers in the armed forces have been trained on the operation and use of drone technology in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the last two years. | Tom Watson, Labour | In the last two years training on the unarmed HERMES 450 Unmanned Aircraft System has been conducted by Army personnel in Israel on a regular basis. The last training took place in July 2014. This training was a mixture of individual and pre-deployment training for HERMES operators, and technical training for support personnel. Over this period, more than 270 personnel received training by the civilian contractor in Israel. No training has been conducted within the Occupied Palestinian territories. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2014-11-07.213867.h&s=%28tom+watson%29+2014-10-15..2014-12-09+speaker%3A11309#g213867.q0a> | International Co-Operation | Israel |
| 19 November 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is any United Kingdom legislation that applies to the use of drones of less than 20 kilograms. | Lord West of Spithead (Labour) | Yes. The use of small unmanned aircraft of less than 20 kilograms is specifically covered by two articles within the Air Navigation Order, which legislate for the ‘general’ flying aspects and the flight of those equipped for surveillance. As well as these specific articles, a more general article which prevents a person ‘causing or permitting an aircraft to endanger the safety of any person or property’ also remains applicable. Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141119w0001.htm#wa_st_35 | Civil Use | UK |
| 18 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is continuing to implement a zero casualty policy in support of the airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and ISIL. | Tom Watson, Labour | The UK seeks to avoid civilian casualties while undertaking airstrikes against ISIL targets. All airstrikes are conducted in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, following the principles of distinction, humanity, proportionality and military necessity. The UK's clearly defined Rules of Engagement are formulated on this basis. The same strict Rules of Engagement that govern the use of manned military aircraft also apply to remotely piloted aircraft systems. Careful selection and approval of targets before a strike, together with the use of precision guided weapons, minimises collateral damage and the potential for civilian casualties. This contrasts sharply with ISIL's brutal disregard for human life. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-06/213743/ | Strategy | Middle East |
| 18 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's policy is on basing (a) UK Reapers and (b) other remotely piloted aircraft on the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Royal Navy has made no decision regarding the future deployment of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) from the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers at this stage. The Royal Navy is, however, developing a Maritime UAS Strategy paper describing the requirement to 2050, and is working with industry on this issue. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-10/214079 | Policy | Global |
| 18 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the remaining UK Reapers in Afghanistan will be redeployed to support the coalition mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and ISIL. | Tom Watson, Labour | For reasons of safeguarding operational security, the Ministry of Defence will not be providing details on the final number of RAF Reaper aircraft deployed to the Middle East from Afghanistan. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-06/213744/ | Military | Iraq |
| 17 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many sorties of armed UK Reapers have been operated over Iraq to date; and how many weapons have been released in such sorties. | Tom Watson, Labour | From 22 October up to and including 9 November 2014 there had been 22 RAF Reaper remotely piloted air system missions over Iraq in support of coalition operations against ISIL. In two cases the aircraft was armed and there has been one weapon release. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-06/213741 | Military | Iraq |
| 17 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 12 June 2014 to Question 199415, whether the (a) Joint User Group for Reaper and (b) NATO User Group for Reaper is functional; and if he will make a statement. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Joint Reaper Group has been subsumed by the NATO User Group, in which the UK will be a participant. The working title for this group is the 'MQ9 Users Group'. On current plans the MQ9 Users Group is expected to start formally functioning in early 2015. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-06/213740 | Strategy | Global |
| 17 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 20 March 2014 to Question 191671, and the recommendations of the Birmingham Policy Commission entitled The Security Impact of Drones, published on 22 October 2014, if his Department will request that ISAF publish, with any necessary redactions, the investigations report into the incident on 25 March 2011 in Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Department has no plans to make a request to ISAF to publish, redacted or otherwise, the report of the investigation into the incident of 25 March 2011. As we have previously stated, an ISAF investigation was conducted and concluded that the actions of the Reaper crew had been in accordance with extant procedures and Rules of Engagement. Any request to seek the publication of this document should be made directly to the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-10/214077/>Link< | Policy | Afghanistan |
| 17 November 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have a policy on the use of lethal autonomous weapons systems and a definition of meaningful human involvement in drone operations. | Lord West of Spithead (Labour) | Yes, the Government does have a clear policy on this and I refer the noble Lord to the statement made in the House of Commons by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Alistair Burt) on 17 June 2013 (Official Report, column 734) on the subject of autonomous weapons. The phrase meaningful human control is an emergent concept which the UK is mindful of and working to define with interested parties in step with technological and doctrinal developments. However, in practical terms, in UK operations every target is assessed by a human, and every release of weapons is authorised by a human; other than in a very small number of instances, all targets are also acquired by a human. The exception is in a small number of defensive anti-materiel systems e.g. Phalanx. However, in those instances a human is required to authorise weapons release. Lord Astor of Hever (Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141117w0002.htm#wa_st_225 | Policy | Global |
| 17 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2014 to Question 200600, if he will place in the Library a copy of the current revised Reaper Agreement. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and US remains under review. Any release to the Library will require the agreement of both signatory nations. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-11-06/213733 | Policy | UK |
| 10 November 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are monitoring the growth in use of unmanned aerial vehicles ("drones"); and whether they consider the current legal framework is adequate for the purpose of regulating the use of drones. | Lord Condon (Crossbench) | Operators undertaking commercial aerial work using Remotely Piloted Aircraft need the permission of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The CAA keeps a record of permissions given to those operators. The regulation of small unmanned aircraft is specifically covered by two articles within the Air Navigation Order, which legislate for the ‘general’ flying aspects and the flight of those equipped for surveillance. However, as well as these specific articles, a more general article, which prevents a person ‘causing or permitting an aircraft to endanger the safety of any person or property’, also remains applicable. We do not believe that any additional regulatory changes are needed to ensure adequate privacy and data protection. Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141110w0001.htm#wa_st_62 | Legality | UK |
| 5 November 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to tackle wrongful use of unmanned aircraft operating within the airspace over Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | Lady Hermon (North Down, Independent) | The operation of unmanned aircraft within the United Kingdom is governed by the Air Navigation Order 2009. Additional guidance on operating unmanned aircraft legally is provided in Civil Aviation Publication 722 published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The CAA will investigate any breaches of the Air Navigation Order and will prosecute offenders where appropriate. Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport); Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-10-29/212517/ | Civil Use | UK |
| 4 November 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what strategic policy on the use of armed drones was put in place before withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. | Lord Judd (Labour) | Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) have played a vital role in supporting UK and coalition forces in Afghanistan. On current plans, in line with the withdrawal of UK combat troops, all of the UK Reaper RPAS will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of the year. Her Majesty's Government has been clear it plans to retain the Reaper RPAS, principally for its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Reaper can be utilised in a variety of environments and roles and has recently been deployed to support operations the Middle East. Lord Astor of Hever (Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141104w0001.htm#wa_st_0a> | Strategy | Afghanistan |
| 3 November 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the growth of the use of military, commercial, and privatedrones, what plans, if any, they have to license or control their use, especially in relation to the potential aural and visual impact of non-military drones on urban, rural and coastal airspaces. | Lord Stone of Blackheath (Labour) | Civilian Remotely Piloted Aircraft operations are closely regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and are treated in the same manner as that of an equivalent manned aircraft. However, until such time that remotely piloted aircraft systems can demonstrate that they are both airworthy and capable of avoiding other airspace users, all operations must be contained within segregated airspace, to which access for manned aircraft is prevented or closely controlled. The Department for Transport is currently developing its policy in respect of civil Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, and in 2015 intends to engage in a public dialogue on issues such as environmental impact, safety and privacy. Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141103w0001.htm#wa_st_94a> | Civil Use | UK |
| 28 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the unit cost is of the (a) Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and (b) Watchkeeper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. | Angus Robertson, SNP Westminster Leader | The Hermes 450 Unmanned Air System was procured by the Ministry of Defence from Thales UK as a service provision in response to an Urgent Operational Requirement. The Department has therefore never owned the equipment and does not have access to the unit cost. Watchkeeper is a system delivering an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capability and comprising a number of elements including air vehicles, ground control stations, data terminals, ground equipment and sensors, as well as infrastructure and training facilities. Delivery of the complete Watchkeeper system is enabled by the Demonstration, Manufacture and In-Service Support contract with the prime contractor, Thales UK. As a contract for delivering the entire system, it does not lend itself to the individual identification of the unit cost of a Watchkeeper aircraft. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-10-21/211342/ | Military | UK |
| 28 October 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support the formulation of United Nations guidance on the application of human rights law to drone use. | Lord Judd (Labour) | The Government believes that international law on the use of military force is absolutely clear. There must be a lawful basis for such force to be used and activities must be conducted in accordance with the law of war or international humanitarian law. This is as true when considering the possible use of remotely piloted aircraft systems as it is with any other military asset or weapon. Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems are a relatively new military asset, and their use, whether armed or unarmed, will continue to evolve. However, the existing international legal framework is clear and robust; and, as with any other weapons system, it is fully capable of governing their use. We do not need to rewrite the laws of war in order to be confident that, when used in such lawful circumstances, remotely piloted aircraft systems operate in the same legal environment as other military means. We have set this position out previously including at the UN Human Rights Council in response to the report of the Special Rapporteur. Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141028w0001.htm#wa_st_70a> | Legality | Global |
| 27 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the rules of engagement are in the current Iraq conflict for (a) unmanned aerial vehicles and (b) manned aircraft involved in air strikes which include British nationals as targets. | Angus Robertson, SNP Westminster Leader | Remotely Piloted Air Systems operate under the same rules of engagement as manned aircraft. However, I am withholding specific information on the Rules of Engagement which UK Armed Forces are applying in current operations against ISIL forces in Iraq as their disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice operational capability and the effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-10-20/211182/ | Military | Iraq |
| 27 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any UK Reapers or personnel from the UK Reaper Force Squadron have moved from Afghanistan to Qatar or another location in the Gulf in the last year. | Tom Watson, Labour | I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made in the House on 16 October 2014 (Official Report, column 35WS) by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon). Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-26/209545 | Strategy | Middle East |
| 23 October 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will help to set up systems, for example using satellites or drones, in order to prevent migrants attempting to cross the Sahara from dying from heat and thirst. | Lord Hylton (Crossbench) | DFID is working in Africa to improve the conditions for the poorest people and to address overall stability and security. DFID monitors the numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Sahel region as part of routine humanitarian surveillance but does not specifically monitor routes followed by irregular migrants. There are no plans to set up such monitoring systems. Similarly DFID provides humanitarian support across the Sahel region to refugees and IDPs, with £12m to UNHCR for refugee support and £17.5m through ICRC in support of conflict affected people provided across the region since January 2013. DFID Ethiopia also is providing £0.5m support to Eritrean refugees. This includes sensitisation messages on the difficulties of legal and illegal migration, and support for unaccompanied children who need special protection. Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141023w0001.htm#wa_st_32a> | Policy | North Africa |
| 17 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2014, Official Report, column 245W, on Afghanistan, whether UK personnel embedded at Creech airbase have flown US aircraft outside Afghan airspace in support of NATO International Security Assistance Force missions in Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor (Andrew Robathan) on 24 April 2013 (Official Report, columns 905W-906W) to the hon. Member for Rainham and Gillingham (Rehman Chishti). Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-26/209504 | Military | Afghanistan |
| 16 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the principles published in the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel 2011 are applied to assessment of the risk that shared data may be used for targeted killing by foreign states. | Tom Watson, Labour | It is a long standing policy not to comment on intelligence matters. I would reiterate to the Hon. Member that all of the UK's intelligence sharing with Foreign States is undertaken within a robust legal framework, and is subject to rigorous ministerial, parliamentary and judicial oversight, including through the Consolidated Guidance. Tobias Ellwood (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Bournemouth East, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-26/209539 | International Co-Operation | Global |
| 16 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2014, Official Report, column 525W, on intelligence services, whether the principles published in the Consolidated Guidance to Intelligence Officers and Service Personnel 2011 are applied to assessment of the risk that shared data may be used for targeted killing by foreign states. | Tom Watson, Labour | I reiterate to the hon. Member that intelligence shared with foreign partners by the Ministry of Defence is undertaken within clear policy and legal frameworks, with Parliamentary and, where applicable, judicial oversight. This includes the application of the principles of the Consolidated Guidance. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-26/209540 | International Co-Operation | Global |
| 16 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2014, Official Report, column 687W, on Afghanistan, whether his Department has undertaken any comparative research on the civilian casualty rates of remotely piloted air systems, fast jet and rotary wing platforms. | Tom Watson, Labour | No. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-26/209531 | Military | Afghanistan |
| 15 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 July 2014, Official Report, column 687W, on Afghanistan, what proportion of battle damage assessments are carried out from the air. | Tom Watson, Labour | I am withholding the requested information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-26/209532 | Military | Afghanistan |
| 15 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 9 April 2014 to Question 194985, whether the Government has had any discussions with the government of Afghanistan about future basing of UK unmanned aircraft systems in that country since April 2014. | Tom Watson, Labour | No. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-26/209575 | Military | Afghanistan |
| 14 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 17 March 2014 to Question 191665, if his Department will respond in writing to the final report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism dated 28 February 2014 by the Human Rights Council expert meeting on 22 September 2014 concerning the use of armed drones. | John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley, Liberal Democrat) | We have no plans to respond in writing to the report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorismdated 28 February 2014. However, the United Kingdom was represented at the UN Human Rights Councilexpert meeting on 22 September, where we once again set out our position on the legality of Remotely Piloted Air Systems. Tobias Ellwood (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Bournemouth East, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-12/209216 | Legality | Global |
| 14 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2014, Official Report, column 359W, on unmanned air vehicles, whether an endorsed Rules of Engagement profile has been applied to a designated area that includes any part of Pakistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | There are no Rules of Engagement profiles for any part of Pakistan. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-26/209503 | Military | Pakistan |
| 14 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2014, Official Report, column 359W, on unmanned air vehicles, whether there is a designated UK officer at Creech airbase responsible for ensuring that embedded UK officers comply with Joint Services Publication 398. | Tom Watson, Labour | Yes. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-09-26/209502 | Military | US |
| 13 October 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what permissions and licences are required to operate drones for commercial or leisure use. | Lord Berkley, Labour | The safe operation of civil Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in the UK is governed by the requirements of the Air Navigation Order 2009 (ANO). RPAS with an operating mass of more than 20 kg are subject to regulation as manned aircraft. Those with an operating mass of 20kg or less (referred to as ‘small unmanned aircraft’) are exempt from the majorityof the regulations that normally apply to manned aircraft. However, their use is specifically covered by two articles within the ANO, which legislate for the ‘general’ flying aspects and the flight of those equipped for surveillance (articles 166 and 167). Article 138 concerning ‘endangering the safety of any person or property’ also remains applicable. Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141013w0001.htm#wa_st_118a> | Civil Use | UK |
| 13 October 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by his Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years. | Tom Watson, Labour | In the financial years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 no duplicate supplier payments were made; all duplicate invoices were stopped before payment and therefore no recovery action was necessary. In 2010/11 duplicate payments totalling £8,964.35 were made. This represents a small proportion, 0.039%, of the total number of duplicate payments invoiced over the four year period. It is possible that this entire amount was recovered, however, disproportionate cost would be incurred in determining this. Shailesh Vara (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice; North West Cambridgeshire, Conservative) | http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-07-15/205976 | Technical | UK |
| 13 October 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Watchkeeper drones they have ordered from Elbit Systems; and when they expect the order to be completed. | Baroness Tonge, Liberal Democrat | None. The Ministry of Defence is procuring 54 Watchkeeper air vehicles from Thales UK. We expect deliveries to be complete by March 2016. Lord Astor of Hever (Conservative) | Linkhttp://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141013w0001.htm#wa_st_120">Link<a/> | Military | UK |
| 10 September 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the engines used in the Israeli Defence Forces unmanned aerial vehicles have been developed or enhanced with the assistance of UK technology or components. | Katy Clark (North Ayrshire and Arran, Labour) | We have identified one licence for components for unmanned air vehicles for the Israeli Defence Forces, dating back to 1999. Matthew Hancock (Minister of State for Portsmouth, The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills); West Suffolk, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140910/text/140910w0002.htm#140910w0002.htm_wqn19 | Strategy | Israel |
| 9 September 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many quadcopters or similar remote controlled devices her Department has purchased; for what purpose such quadcopters were so purchased; and at what cost to the public purse such quadcopters were so purchased. | Greg Knight (East Yorkshire, Conservative) | No quadcopters or other designs of unmanned air vehicles have been purchased by the Home Office. Karen Bradley (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department; Staffordshire Moorlands, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140909/text/140909w0002.htm#140909w0002.htm_wqn62 | Military | UK |
| 5 September 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of Elbit's performance in the Watchkeeper programme. | Katy Clark (North Ayrshire and Arran, Labour) | None. UAV Tactical Systems Ltd, a joint venture company owned by Elbit and Thales, is a sub-contractor of Thales UK, the prime contractor for the Watchkeeper programme. It is the responsibility of prime contractors to select and manage the performance of their sub-contractors. | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140905/text/140905w0001.htm#140905w0001.htm_wqn43 | Military | UK |
| 1 September 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the press release from the Prime Minister's Office of 14 July 2014, entitled PM announces £1.1 billion investment in capabilities for the armed forces, how much he plans to invest in unmanned future combat air systems. | Kevan Jones (Shadow Minister (Defence); North Durham, Labour) | The Ministry of Defence is investing over £100 million in future combat air systems as part of the £1.1 billion investment in capabilities for the armed forces.Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140901/text/140901w0004.htm#140901w0004.htm_wqn34 | Military | UK |
| 16 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2014, Official Report, column 354W, on Afghanistan, how many evidence-based assessments have been carried out by his Department on the effects of lethal targeting; and if his Department will carry out or commission further assessment on use of remotely piloted air systems in Afghanistan in carrying out a post-campaign strategic review. | Tom Watson, Labour | All weapons released by UK Combat aircraft in Afghanistan, be that Fast Jet, Remotely Piloted Air System or Rotary Wing platforms, are done so under the command of a pilot bound by UK Rules of Engagement. Following each release of a weapon by a UK platform, post mission analysis and a battle damage assessment is completed in theatre. I am withholding further details as their disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. The Secretary of State for Defence has previously said that there will be a need to review the strategic lessons from the Afghanistan campaign, but that time will be when combat operations are complete and all relevant information is available. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140716/text/140716w0001.htm#140716w0001.htm_wqn32a> | Military | Afghanistan |
| 14 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answers of 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 233W, on Africa, what the current (a) rank, (b) squadron and (c) function is of each member of UK personnel deployed in Nigeria and Ethiopia. | Tom Watson, Labour | The disposition of UK service personnel in Nigeria and Ethiopia, as of 7 July 2014, is articulated in tabular form as follows. Country (a) Ranks (b) Formations (c) Functions Nigeria 5 x Officer 3 x NCO 1 x Other Rank British High Commission Abuja; British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT) Nigeria; Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ) Defence Section; BMATT Nigeria; Ethiopia 2 x Officer 1 x NCO British Embassy Addis Ababa; British Peace and Support Team (Eastern Africa) Defence Section; Advisor and liaison to the African Union and East African Standby Force Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140714/text/140714w0004.htm#140714w0004.htm_wqn43a> | International Co-Operation | Africa |
| 14 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the Stimson Task Force report on his drone policy; and if he will make a statement. | Tom Watson, Labour | There has been no formal assessment of the Stimson Task Force report against the existing policy on the operation of the UK Armed Forces’ Unmanned or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140714/text/140714w0004.htm#140714w0004.htm_wqn45a> | Policy | UK |
| 14 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2014, Official Report, column 95W, on the Intelligence Service, if he will take other steps to ensure that fused and shared data is not used for targeted killing by foreign states outside Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | Intelligence shared with foreign states by the Ministry of Defence is conducted under UK and international law. I am satisfied that the Department's controls on the sharing of intelligence are robust. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140714/text/140714w0004.htm#140714w0004.htm_wqn42a> | International Co-Operation | Global |
| 10 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2014, Official Report, column 183W, on Yemen, if she will make an assessment of the effects on security in Yemen of remotely piloted air systems. | Tom Watson, Labour | Drone strikes against terrorist targets in Yemen are a matter for the Yemeni and US Governments. We expect all concerned to act in accordance with international law and take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian casualties when conducting operations. There is a need for effective action, and for Yemeni ownership of the fight against terrorism. It is important that Yemen and the international community continue to work together to combat this common threat of terrorism. | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140710/text/140710w0001.htm#140710w0001.htm_wqn5a> | Military | Yemen |
| 10 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 239, on unmanned air vehicles, whether the amendment of Joint Services Publication 398 on UK Rules of Engagement makes any reference to (a) operations conducted remotely or (b) cross-border targeted operations. | Tom Watson | No. Rules of Engagement (ROE) are selected from JSP 398 to produce an ROE Profile which governs how force, by whatever means, may be applied for a specific operation. The ROE in the JSP are written to be appropriate for the full array of weapons systems available to UK Forces. JSP 398 states only that an endorsed ROE Profile will always be applicable within a designated geographic area. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140710/text/140710w0001.htm#140710w0001.htm_wqn43a> | Military | UK |
| 10 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 240W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, whether the US-UK Foreign Military Sales agreement will affect future basing for the Reaper fleet. | Tom Watson, Labour | No. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140710/text/140710w0001.htm#140710w0001.htm_wqn42a> | International Co-Operation | US |
| 10 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2014, Official Report, column 99W, on unmanned air vehicles, what assessment he has made of the degree to which Reaper redeployment abroad is significant; and if he will make it his policy to receive parliamentary approval before active use of any Reapers based outside Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | The UK intends to retain the Reaper capability primarily for its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities after combat operations in Afghanistan have ceased. As is the case for the routine deployment of other military assets, the Ministry of Defence may notify Parliament of the deployment of UK Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems but there is no intention for parliamentary approval to be sought prior to each deployment or redeployment. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140710/text/140710w0001.htm#140710w0001.htm_spnew40a> | Military | Global |
| 9 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the report of the Stimson Task Force on US drone policy, published on 28 June 2014; and if he will make a statement. | Tom Watson, Labour | We have seen the report and are studying it. We expect all states to observe the requirements of international law in their use of remotely piloted air systems, as with other military platforms. Hugh Robertson (Minister of State; Faversham and Mid Kent, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140709/text/140709w0001.htm#140709w0001.htm_wqn68a> | International Co-Operation | US |
| 8 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2014, Official Report, column 598W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, whether any UK personnel other than RAF personnel embedded with the 432nd Wing will remain at Creech following cessation of the NATO ISAF missions in Afghanistan. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | On current planning, personnel from Number 39 Squadron will remain at Creech Air Force base following the cessation of NATO International Security Force missions in Afghanistan. One RAF pilot will remain embedded with the USAF 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron. There are no UK personnel embedded with 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force base. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140708/text/140708w0003.htm#140708w0003.htm_wqn49a> | International Co-Operation | US |
| 8 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2014, Official Report, column 240W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, whether his Department maintains identical munitions records for those sorties of US-owned systems operated by UK personnel. | Tom Watson, Labour | All UK Reaper sorties produce identical style mission records, regardless of whether the aircraft flown was UK or US Air Force owned. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140708/text/140708w0003.htm#140708w0003.htm_wqn48 | Military | US |
| 8 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 641W, on the USA, if his Department will update the 1946 UK-USA agreement to take better account of developments in technology since 1946 and ensure that data shared under the agreement is not used for targeted killing by the US outside Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | It is a long standing policy not to comment on intelligence matters. I would reiterate to the hon. Member that all of the UK’s intelligence sharing with the US is undertaken within a robust legal framework, and is subject to rigorous ministerial, parliamentary and judicial oversight. Hugh Robertson (Minister of State; Faversham and Mid Kent, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140708/text/140708w0001.htm#140708w0001.htm_wqn10 | International Co-Operation | US |
| 8 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK aircraft have flown outside Afghan airspace in support of NATO International Security Assistance Force missions in Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | To support the UK's contribution to the NATO ISAF mission in Afghanistan UK military aircraft regularly transit to and from Afghanistan through non Afghan airspace There has not been any employment of armed UK aircraft outside of the borders of Afghanistan in support of ISAF. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140708/text/140708w0003.htm#140708w0003.htm_wqn41 | Military | Global |
| 7 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) precision-guided munitions and (b) gravity bombs of each type have been dropped in Afghanistan by British (i) fixed-wing aircraft and (ii) unmanned aerial vehicles since 23 March 2011. | Angus Robertson (SNP Westminster Leader; Moray, Scottish National Party) | The number of precision-guided munitions dropped in Afghanistan in the period requested are shown in the following table. No free fall bombs have been dropped in this time. Aircraft Type 24 March 2011 to 16 June 2014 Fixed Wing 71 Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) 317 1 Inclusive. Use of force remains closely controlled and the avoidance of civilian casualties has been paramount. Professional crews carefully select the smallest warhead appropriate to the target being attacked to ensure they deliver the required effect, while minimising the risk to civilians. All UK forces operate in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, following the principles of distinction, humanity, proportionality and military necessity. The UK’s clearly defined Rules of Engagement are formulated on this basis. The same strict Rules of Engagement that govern the use of conventional military aircraft also apply to RPAS and targets are always positively identified as legitimate military objectives. Reaper is the UK’s only RPAS with the ability to deploy precision-guided weapons. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140707/text/140707w0006.htm#140707w0006.htm_wqn2 | Military | Afghanistan |
| 2 July 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the use of drones originating at (a) USAF Croughton, (b) RAF Marham, (c) NSA Menwith Hill and (d) RAF Waddington; and if he will make a statement. | Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East, Labour | The UK’s Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) are remotely operated from RAF Waddington. The US does not operate RPAS from the UK. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140702/text/140702w0003.htm#140702w0003.htm_wqn22 | International Co-Operation | US |
| 30 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the effects of lethal targeting by remotely-piloted air systems on security in Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | UK forces, and the wider ISAF mission, have materially improved the security of Afghanistan since 2001. This allowed the developed Afghan national security forces to assume lead security responsibility for their own country from June 2013. As an integral capability of UK forces, remotely piloted air systems (RPAS) are assessed to have made a valuable contribution, both in their surveillance and strike roles, to the improved security situation. All UK forces operate in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, following the principles of distinction, humanity, proportionality and military necessity. The UK’s clearly defined rules of engagement, which cover the use of RPAS, are formulated on this basis. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140630/text/140630w0001.htm#140630w0001.htm_wqn34 | Impact | Afghanistan |
| 23 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2014, Official Report, column 27W, on the Royal Air Force, whether any UK personnel other than Remotely Piloted Air System personnel are embedded in the 732nd Operations Group. | Tom Watson, Labour | There are no UK personnel embedded in the 732nd Operations Group. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140623/text/140623w0003.htm#140623w0003.htm_wqn58 | International Co-Operation | US |
| 23 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will restrict the use of fused multi-disciplinary intelligence at the forthcoming Joint and Combined Geo-INT event held by the Defence Geospatial Intelligence and Fusion Centre at RAF Wyton. | Tom Watson, Labour | Sharing and fusing intelligence in an increasingly complex world is essential if we are to understand threats to UK interests. The Ministry of Defence intelligence community works closely with international partners in the fulfilment of this aim. Any intelligence sharing is conducted in accordance with UK law. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140623/text/140623w0004.htm#140623w0004.htm_wqn15 | International Co-Operation | US |
| 23 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 474W, on unmanned air vehicles: guided weapons, if he will take steps to receive parliamentary approval before the deployment of the armed forces to the redeployment of armed drones abroad. | Tom Watson, Labour | There is no intention for parliamentary approval to be sought before decisions on deployment or redeployment of individual items of equipment are made, though the Ministry of Defence may of course notify Parliament of significant deployments, as it does at present. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140623/text/140623w0004.htm#140623w0004.htm_wqn27 | Military | UK |
| 23 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 12 September 2013, Official Report, column 798W, on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, whether changes to the Reaper Agreement pertaining to the UK Reaper Force Squadron have been finalised; and whether this Agreement will remain in force following the cessation of NATO International Security Force missions in Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | The memorandum of understanding is still undergoing the review process. However, it will cover both the ISAF mission and any future wider NATO missions. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140623/text/140623w0004.htm#140623w0004.htm_wqn28 | Policy | UK |
| 23 June 2014 | To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to the Cabinet Manual, paragraph 5.38, whether the convention that the House of Commons should have an advance opportunity to debate significant military action applies to the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles outside Afghanistan when operated from RAF Waddington. | Tom Watson, Labour | I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Armed Forces, my right hon. Friend Mr Francois to PQ 198710. Greg Clark (Minister of State (Cabinet Office); Tunbridge Wells, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140623/text/140623w0003.htm#140623w0003.htm_wqn19 | Military | Afghanistan |
| 18 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2014, Official Report, column 212W, on USA, whether either government places restrictions on the use of data shared between the UK and the US. | Tom Watson, Labour | Britain has a strong and long-standing intelligence relationship with the US. In both countries, intelligence work takes place within a strong legal framework. Our intelligence-sharing work with the US is subject to ministerial and independent oversight and scrutiny by the Intelligence and Security Committee. As referred to in my answer to the hon. Member on 11 June 2014, Hansard, column 212W, the Interception Commissioner in his latest annual report addresses the issue of intelligence sharing between the UK and its partners, including recording that the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 strictly limits the lawful dissemination of intercept material to the minimum that is necessary for the authorised purposes. Hugh Robertson (Minister of State; Faversham and Mid Kent, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140618/text/140618w0002.htm#140618w0002.htm_wqn13 | International Co-Operation | US |
| 17 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 25 March 2013, Official Report, column 940W, on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, whether UK personnel at Creech Airforce base will remain embedded following the cessation of NATO International Security Force missions in Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | There are no longer any RAF personnel embedded with 432nd Wing of the US Air Force at Creech Airforce base. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140617/text/140617w0003.htm#140617w0003.htm_wqn53 | International Co-Operation | US |
| 16 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether her Department has provided any advice to public communications providers on the consequences of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others on data retention by those companies; (2) whether public communications providers have sought advice from her Department on the consequences of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others on data retention by those companies. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Government continues to consider the judgment of the European Court, but we consider that the UK Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 remain in force. Those in receipt of a notice under the regulations have been informed that they should continue to observe their obligations as outlined in any notice. James Brokenshire (Minister of State (Home Office) (Security and Immigration); Old Bexley and Sidcup, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140616/text/140616w0004.htm#140616w0004.htm_wqn34 | Legality | UK |
| 16 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicle; and how much his Department has spent on the assessment process to date. | Alison Seabeck, Labour | Among other options, the potential utility of systems representative of the MQ-4C Triton in addressing the UK's potential wide area maritime surveillance requirement is currently under review. This activity is supported by the Air Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) Optimisation Study (AIOS), which will provide support for potential decisions in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review. Disaggregating the cost of the MQ-4C Triton analysis from the rest of the AIOS could be done only at disproportionate cost. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140616/text/140616w0002.htm#140616w0002.htm_wqn13 | Technical | UK |
| 16 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where his Department plans to base the Watchkeeper remotely piloted air systems following completion of training at Salisbury Plain and West Wales Airport. | Tom Watson, Labour | Under current plans Watchkeeper remotely piloted air systems will be located at Larkhill with 32nd and 47th Regiments Royal Artillery. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140616/text/140616w0002.htm#140616w0002.htm_wqn14 | Technical | UK |
| 16 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has plans to introduce maritime remotely-piloted air systems; and if he will make a statement. | Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative) | The Royal Navy has introduced the ScanEagle Unmanned Air System, delivering an intimate and assured persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance for equipped ships. ScanEagle was brought into service as an Urgent Operational Requirement; we are currently reviewing options for a follow-on maritime capability in the future. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140616/text/140616w0002.htm#140616w0002.htm_wqn12 | Maritime | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 473W, on unmanned air vehicles, when the Joint User Group for Reapers will become active; and if he will make a statement. | Tom Watson, Labour | Although a final decision on when the Joint User Group for Reaper should become active has yet to be taken, it is expected to start functioning during the autumn. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn52 | Military | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 474, on unmanned air vehicles: guided weapons, if his Department will publish the method and results from the UK-US firing trials of Brimstone missiles from MQ-9 Reaper. | Tom Watson, Labour | The firing trials successfully demonstrated rapid integration of Brimstone missiles onto the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted air system—safe carriage, safe release and system targeting—with a high success rate against static and high-speed manoeuvring targets. However, the final trials report has not yet been completed and it remains too early to say what information from the report, or the trial method, will be published. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn55 | Military | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 15 January 2014, Official Report, column 578W, on unmanned air vehicles, whether his Department maintains munitions records from the UK Reaper fleet on a sortie-by-sortie basis or for each operation carried out. | Tom Watson, Labour | After each UK Reaper sortie a mission report is written detailing the aircraft used and events of the flight. This includes weapon releases on a sortie-by-sortie basis. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn57 | Military | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any UK service personnel are embedded or otherwise stationed in (a) Ethiopia and (b) Chad. | Tom Watson, Labour | The UK has a small number of service personnel deployed to Ethiopia in roles including diplomatic representation, defence engagement, liaison and training. No UK service personnel are currently embedded or otherwise stationed in Chad. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn31 | International Co-Operation | Ethiopia/Chad |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 169W, on Djibouti, whether the UK personnel embedded with US forces under US command at Camp Lemonnier provide any support to the US drone programme in Yemen; and if he will make a statement. | Tom Watson, Labour | UK armed forces personnel embedded in Combined Joint Task Force—Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, are responsible for the planning and support of US military operations in East Africa. They do not provide any support to US Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) operations in Yemen; CJTF-HOA does not oversee operations in the Middle East. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn62 | International Co-Operation | Yemen |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department maintains (a) mission reports, (b) guided missile firing reports, (c) weapon system videos and (d) any other munitions release records for the UK Reaper fleet following the change of operational command to US pilots. | Tom Watson, Labour | Each UK Reaper sortie has a mission report produced post flight. If a weapon is fired during a sortie, a weapon report is completed detailing the engagement, as well as a video produced of the engagement itself. There are no other munitions release records for the UK Reaper fleet. US pilots have not flown UK Reaper except during the launch and recovery phase. Outside of the launch and recovery phase, UK Remotely Piloted Air Systems have always been operated by UK pilots. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn56 | Military | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the advice provided by Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on drones, if his Department will take steps to investigate activities carried out at US bases owned by his Department which may be unlawful under domestic law. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence remains content with the arrangements that are in place to govern the use of UK bases by the United States Visiting Forces (USVF). The Department therefore has no plans to investigate or review the activities undertaken by the USVF. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn59 | Legality | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has procured any contracts for life cycle maintenance of the Reaper fleet; and for what periods. | Tom Watson, Labour | No contracts for life cycle maintenance have been procured. Through life maintenance and support of the UK Reaper fleet is provided through the Foreign Military Sales agreement at the time the Reaper system was procured under the previous administration. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn58 | Technical | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 474, on unmanned air vehicles: guided weapons, if his Department will publish the method and results from the UK-US firing trials of Brimstone missiles from MQ-9 Reaper. | Tom Watson, Labour | The firing trials successfully demonstrated rapid integration of Brimstone missiles onto the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted air system—safe carriage, safe release and system targeting—with a high success rate against static and high-speed manoeuvring targets. However, the final trials report has not yet been completed and it remains too early to say what information from the report, or the trial method, will be published. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn55 | Military | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department will carry out an independent qualitative assessment of the psychological and workplace stresses on the operators of remotely piloted air systems. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence currently has no plans to undertake an independent qualitative assessment of the psychological and workplace stresses on the operators of remotely piloted air systems. The health and wellbeing of all of our armed forces personnel is of the utmost importance. We are mindful of the pressure and stresses that service personnel may be subjected to when supporting enduring intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. These personnel are carefully monitored and where appropriate have access to the highest levels of military physical and mental health care. Looking after our people is one of the critical roles for our front-line commanders and they keenly focus on the well-being of their people. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn53 | Impact | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 30 January 2014, Official Report, column 691W, on Yemen, whether his Department has undertaken any impact assessment of drone strikes in Yemen. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence has not conducted any impact assessment of kinetic strikes by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in Yemen. As the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend Hugh Robertson, said on 30 January 2014, Hansard, column 691W, UAV strikes against terrorist targets in Yemen are a matter for the Yemeni and US Governments. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn61 | Impact | Yemen |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role her Department's Centre for Applied Science and Technology has in (a) the trial of the Aeryon Skyranger drone around Gatwick airport and (b) the trial or use of any other surveillance aircraft operated by Government Departments, agents or public bodies in the UK. | Tom Watson, Labour | CAST has no direct role in the Gatwick trial, but does liaise with the trial team in order to learn from their experience. Trials conducted by other Departments and their agencies are matters for the respective Departments. Karen Bradley (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department; Staffordshire Moorlands, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0002.htm#140612w0002.htm_wqn2 | Civil use | UK |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 30 January 2014, Official Report, column 691W, on Yemen, whether his Department has undertaken any impact assessment of drone strikes in Yemen. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence has not conducted any impact assessment of kinetic strikes by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in Yemen. As the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend Hugh Robertson, said on 30 January 2014, Hansard, column 691W, UAV strikes against terrorist targets in Yemen are a matter for the Yemeni and US Governments. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn61 | Impact | Yemen |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 25 March 2014, Official Report, column 180W, on Africa, whether any service personnel are embedded with host forces or otherwise stationed in (a) Niger, (b) Nigeria and (c) the Seychelles. | Tom Watson, Labour | There are no UK service personnel embedded with host forces or otherwise stationed in Niger. The UK has a small number of personnel deployed to Nigeria in roles including diplomatic representation, defence engagement, liaison and training. As part of the package of support to Nigeria announced by the Prime Minister last month, an additional small team of experts has also deployed to help Nigeria establish an Intelligence Fusion Cell with French and US partners to assist the Nigerian Government in locating the abducted school girls. In the Seychelles, a Royal Naval officer is currently serving as a liaison officer for the European Union Naval Force Somalia (EUNAVFOR). Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn30 | International Co-Operation | Niger/Nigeria/Seychelles |
| 12 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Joint Services Publication 398 on UK Rules of Engagement has been amended to reflect use of remotely piloted aircraft systems. | Tom Watson, Labour | JSP 398 was updated on 21 October 2013, replacing the previous 2004 edition. Rules of engagement govern how force can be applied in any given operation. They are not tailored to weapon system types per se, but are written to be applied as appropriate to the full spectrum of weapons systems available to UK Forces. Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are governed by the same rules and regulations as any other weapons system; therefore the amendment of JSP 398 did not require any special provision to reflect the use of RPAS by UK Forces. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140612/text/140612w0001.htm#140612w0001.htm_wqn54 | Policy | UK |
| 11 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the effect of lethal operations in Yemen on (a) the civilian population and (b) security in that country. | Tom Watson, Labour | Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) activity and attacks continue to threaten Yemen's development and security. DFID has made no specific assessment of the effect of such operations in Yemen, but along with other Departments has conducted detailed analyses of conflict and instability. Alan Duncan (The Minister of State, Department for International Development; Rutland and Melton, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140611/text/140611w0002.htm#140611w0002.htm_wqn40 | Impact | Yemen |
| 11 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) with reference to the advice provided by Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones, if he will agree a new Memorandum of Understanding or other bilateral agreement with the US on data transfer and use; [R] (2) with reference to the advice provided by Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones, if his Department will take steps to prevent any unlawful practice by GCHQ; [R] (3) whether his Department has made an assessment of the advice of Jemima Stratford QC to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drones; and if he will make a statement. | Tom Watson, Labour | The UK intelligence agencies work in accordance with UK law, as described by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), in his statement to the House on 10 June 2013, Official Report, column 31. In addition, section 6 of the recently published annual report for 2013 by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, Sir Anthony May, addresses the legal basis for intelligence sharing between the UK and its partners. The UK Intelligence Agencies adhere to the law at all times. We have one of the world's strongest legal and regulatory frameworks governing the use of secret intelligence. All of GCHQ's activities are legal, necessary and proportionate. GCHQ does not disclose or share information other than is appropriate under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Hugh Robertson (Minister of State; Faversham and Mid Kent, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140611/text/140611w0003.htm#140611w0003.htm_wqn18 | Legality | UK |
| 11 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has made an assessment of the advice of Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones; and if she will make a statement. | Tom Watson, Labour | Existing regulation and guidance, which includes the Covert Surveillance and Property Interference Code of Practice, applies to the use of aircraft including remotely piloted aerial vehicles. The Code provides a framework of good practice for public authorities using covert surveillance techniques. The Department has noted the responses by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones to the recent consultation on a revised version of the Code and intend to lay a further draft before Parliament in due course. Damian Green (The Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice; Ashford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140611/text/140611w0001.htm#140611w0001.htm_wqn81 | Legality | UK |
| 10 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many surveillance aircraft with capacity to intercept telephone or other electronic telecommunications his Department operates. | Tom Watson, Labour | I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140610/text/140610w0002.htm#140610w0002.htm_wqn62 | Military | UK |
| 10 June 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what role the Information Commissioner's Office has in (a) the trial of the Aeroyn Skyranger drone around Gatwick airport and (b) any other use of other surveillance aircraft operated by Government Departments, agents or public bodies in the UK. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Information Commissioner’s Office has no specific role in the trial of the Aeryon Skyranger drone around Gatwick airport. Members of the Information Commissioner’s staff sit on the Cross-Government Working Group on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. They advise on any data protection compliance issues that arise. In addition the ICO is currently consulting on its revised CCTV code of practice which includes a section on remotely operated vehicles, or drones: http://ico.org.uk/about_us/consultations/our_consultations Simon Hughes (The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice; Bermondsey and Old Southwark, Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140610/text/140610w0001.htm#140610w0001.htm_wqn12 | Civil use | UK |
| 7 May 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the potential utility of the MQ-4C Triton drone; and whether his Department plans to procure any of those aircraft | Bridget Phillipson (Opposition Whip (Commons); Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour) | Among other options, the potential utility of systems representative of the MQ-4C Triton in addressing the UK’s potential wide area maritime surveillance requirement is currently under review as part of the Air ISTAR Optimisation Study (AIOS), which will provide analysis in support of potential decisions in the 2015 strategic defence and security review. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140507/text/140507w0001.htm#140507w0001.htm_wqn18 | Technical | UK |
| 29 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2014, Official Report, column 490W, on the Royal Air Force, if he will provide details of (a) each base at which RAF personnel from the Remotely Piloted Air System division are stationed and (b) the branch and specialisation of every such person. | Tom Watson, Labour | RAF Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) personnel are based at RAF Waddington and Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. RAF personnel are from the following branches or specialisation: Branch/Specialisation Pilot Sensor Operator Mission Intelligence Coordinator Operations Engineer Administration RAF RPAS Squadrons can also include personnel from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Army. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140429/text/140429w0001.htm#140429w0001.htm_wqn19 | Military | UK |
| 28 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what research and development into the commercial application of robotics his Department funds; and if he will make a statement. | Simon Kirby (Brighton, Kemptown, Conservative) | This Department has worked with the Technology Strategy Board’s (TSB) Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Special Interest Group to develop a National Strategy for robotics in the UK, which will identify commercial opportunities in key sectors of the Government’s Industrial Strategy. The Department and its partner organisations fund research and development into the commercial application of robotics as follows: BIS This Department is currently providing funding of £1.5m to support the development of autonomous road vehicles. The consortium (which includes Oxford and Cambridge Universities, the Transport Systems Catapult and other partners) will develop small pod-like vehicles capable of carrying up to two passengers and which will ultimately be capable of autonomous operations. BIS has previously funded a two year automation programme with the British Automation and Robot Association that ended in September 2013. The £600,000 programme over two years enabled the provision of a one day manufacturing review and diagnostic to small and medium-sized enterprises on the potential to apply robotics and automation in their businesses. The programme also provided the opportunity for more detailed interventions. Over 268 one day reviews were carried out, and more detailed interventions accounted for a further 282 days of advice. Research Councils The Research Councils current investment into research related to the commercial application of robotics is £36.5 million, which includes a £10 million investment through the Natural Environment Research Council into Marine Autonomous Systems. Technology Strategy Board The TSB is the prime channel through which Government supports business-led technology innovation. Since 2010 it has invested £8 million in robotics and robotics related projects, helping business develop and commercialise new products and services. The TSB is arranging an entrepreneur-led overseas delegation to the US in June 2014 to develop the UK’s brand in robotics and to engage with the rapidly growing robotics cluster in San Francisco and San Diego. This creates a real opportunity for UK robotics companies to capitalise on this growth and take a lead in integrating their technologies in a range of markets that could exploit them. The message behind the mission is that the UK is open for business and has innovative robotics companies that are interested in the US market and are ready to engage in dialogue, form partnerships and do business in the international arena. In addition, the Government (through TSB) has previously funded research and demonstration of civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicles through the £62 million ASTRAEA programme over the past seven years. The programme has made possible the ‘unmanned’ flight of a Jetstream 31 from Lancashire to Inverness, clocking up to 2,500 miles in flights between Lancashire and Inverness and around the Irish Sea. UK Space Agency The UK Space Agency encourages and supports companies and research organisations to spin-out technology developed through space exploration into non-space sectors. The funding provided by the Agency is for feasibility studies. The relevant studies funded are: the application of Mars rover autonomous navigation for large off road vehicles; and development of Auto-Resonant Control System. | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140428/text/140428w0006.htm#140428w0006.htm_wqn21 | Civil use | UK |
| 10 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has issued any authorisations under section 42(3) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 which permit intrusive surveillance by unmanned aircraft systems in the UK. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | As a matter of long-standing practice we do not comment on the operational use of covert surveillance, or provide a breakdown of the number of warrants signed by particular Secretaries of State, or in relation to specific circumstances or methods of surveillance. Existing regulation relating to surveillance includes the surveillance camera code of practice issued under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, which provides a framework of good practice for surveillance camera operators and sets out obligations arising from other legislation including those for the processing of personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998 and a public authority's duty to adhere to the Human Rights Act 1998. Any covert surveillance undertaken by a public authority which is likely to obtain private information would be subject to authorisation under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). James Brokenshire (Minister of State (Home Office) (Security and Immigration); Old Bexley and Sidcup, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140410/text/140410w0003.htm#140410w0003.htm_wqn27 | Civil use | UK |
| 10 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to update the current Air Navigation Order to define and categorise unmanned aircraft systems. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | The safe operation of civil Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in the UK is governed by the requirements of the Air Navigation Order 2009 (ANO). RPA with an operating mass of more than 20 kg are subject to regulation as though they are manned aircraft. RPA with an operating mass of 20 kg or less are referred to as ‘small unmanned aircraft’. Small unmanned aircraft are exempt from the majority of the regulations that normally apply to manned aircraft, however their use is specifically covered by two articles within the ANO, which legislate for the ‘general’ flying aspects and the flight of those equipped for surveillance. As well as these specific articles however, a more general article which prevents a person ‘causing or permitting an aircraft to endanger the safety of any person or property’ also remains applicable. There are no current plans to further categorise RPA. Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport); Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140410/text/140410w0002.htm#140410w0002.htm_wqn39 | Regulation | UK |
| 10 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote the commercialisation of scientific and technical research undertaken by GCHQ. | Chi Onwurah, Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office), Labour | GCHQ works closely with business to release Intellectual Properties (IP) which are suitable for more general use in the outside world. For example through its information assurance arm, Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG), it operates a number of schemes which enable individuals and companies to gain CESG endorsement of products and services via technical assessment. GCHQ is additionally running a number of pilot cases looking at ways of improving its coordination with SMEs and larger industry partners including on Open Source publishing and licensing to SMEs and larger industry partners. GCHQ is also sponsoring research institutes in Cyber Security and running innovation calls aimed at SMEs. The latter initiative in partnership with organisations such as the Centre for Defence Enterprise and the technology Strategy Board. Hugh Robertson (Minister of State; Faversham and Mid Kent, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140410/text/140410w0003.htm#140410w0003.htm_wqn51 | Civil use | UK |
| 10 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has issued any exemptions pursuant to section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1998 which apply to data obtained via unmanned aircraft systems in the UK. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | It has been the position of successive Governments to not comment on national security issues. James Brokenshire (Minister of State (Home Office) (Security and Immigration); Old Bexley and Sidcup, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140410/text/140410w0003.htm#140410w0003.htm_wqn28 | Civil use | UK |
| 10 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 19 March 2014, Official Report, column 607W, on unmanned air vehicles, whether any person, agent or public body has provided video imagery or other data to her Department obtained by unmanned aircraft systems in the UK; and for what purposes. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | I am advised that no imagery or other data from such sources is held by the Department. James Brokenshire (Minister of State (Home Office) (Security and Immigration); Old Bexley and Sidcup, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140410/text/140410w0003.htm#140410w0003.htm_wqn29 | Civil use | UK |
| 9 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has had any discussions with the government of Afghanistan concerning future basing of UK unmanned aircraft systems in that country after 2014. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | To date, there have been no discussions with the Government of Afghanistan about the future basing of UK unmanned aircraft systems in Afghanistan after 2014. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140409/text/140409w0001.htm#140409w0001.htm_wqn11 | International Co-Operation | Afghanistan |
| 8 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2014, Official Report, column 703W, on RAF Mildenhall, whether his Department maintains records of all MQ-1 Predators carried in aircraft which refuel in the air or by landing at RAF Mildenhall; and whether he will disclose the date of each such flight over the last three years. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence has no record of any aircraft carrying MQ-1 Predators air-to-air refuelling over the UK, or landing at RAF Mildenhall to refuel, over the last three years. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140408/text/140408w0002.htm#140408w0002.htm_wqn14 | Technical | UK |
| 8 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with the United States Department of Defense (USDoD) in respect of the installation by BT of a special communications system to link RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire with the USDoD headquarters in Washington DC and the US Africa headquarters for unmanned aircraft operations in Djibouti. | Paul Flynn, Labour | The installation of US communications systems at RAF Croughton is a matter for the United States visiting forces. No discussions have taken place in respect to the installation by BT of a special communications system to link RAF Croughton with the Department of Defence headquarters in the US, and US forces in Djibouti. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140408/text/140408w0002.htm#140408w0002.htm_wqn13 | Technical | UK |
| 8 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2014, Official Report, columns 322-3W, on unmanned air vehicles, whether the training of UK personnel in the six countries identified has involved unmanned aircraft actively engaged in operations. | Tom Watson, Labour | Training of UK personnel in the six countries identified has not involved unmanned aircraft actively engaged in operations. Unmanned aircraft system (UAS) training has only ever occurred in non-operational environments, specifically the countries listed in my previous answer on 27 March 2014. Army UAS actively engaged in operations have always been, and continue to be, remotely piloted solely by fully trained personnel operating on the ground in the country in which the operation is active. This has only been in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140408/text/140408w0002.htm#140408w0002.htm_wqn15 | International Co-Operation | Global |
| 7 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made by the cross-government working group on remotely piloted aircraft systems. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | The Cross Government Working Group has been discussing its draft Terms of Reference (extract copied as follows) and its membership. The focus of its work so far has been to gather information from the relevant Departments to identify areas of common interest requiring collaboration. RPAS Cross Government Working Group Vision and Activities Vision To provide a consistent government message on RPAS issues. Objectives Inform RPAS-related departmental policies and publish a UK Cross Government vision/strategy for UAS. To identify Cross Government synergies and opportunities for efficiencies. To identify and address barriers to a successful UK industry base, to support the Government's growth agenda. Approach Focus for the co-ordination of all UK Government RPAS related activities. Developing a better knowledge and a shared understanding of departmental priorities, activities, ambitions and concerns. Help industry understand Government needs and vision. Identify opportunities. Identify key questions. Community of users (identification of user requirements). UK PoC for RPAS. Issues to Address Identifying the extent to which the UK can support safe and secure RPAS operations in the UK, including options for the certification of RPAS, pilot licensing, and associated systems. Identifying the key characteristics of RPAS infrastructure, including the potential radio spectrum for RPAS operations in the UK. Seek to identify common Cross Government user requirements to understand future concepts for shared assets / system procurement and maintenance. Determining how the UK might best position itself to take advantage of RPAS industry and technology. Engagement Understand the potential benefits of RPAS to Government. Inform and be informed by active industry associations eg Aeronautical and Aerospace and Defence Knowledge Transfer Network Autonomous Systems National technical committee. Robotics and Autonomous Systems Special Interest Group. Through identification of best practice and successful projects. UK industry. Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport); Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140407/text/140407w0004.htm#140407w0004.htm_wqn51 | Strategy and Policy | UK |
| 7 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2014, Official Report, column 39W, on Military Aviation Authority, when the Military Aviation Authority plans to publish its Annual Air Safety Report for 2012-13; and for what reason it has not yet been published. | Angus Robertson, SNP | The Director General of the Military Aviation Authority's Annual Report on Defence Air Safety, for the period July 2012 to August 2013, is now available on the Military Aviation Authority website at: http://www.maa.mod.uk/about/index.htm Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140407/text/140407w0003.htm#140407w0003.htm_wqn97 | Military | UK |
| 7 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2014, Official Report, column 697W, on unmanned air vehicles, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance note issued to his Department's network staff on data protection aspects of unmanned air vehicles. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | I will place a copy of the guidance in the Library. Dan Rogerson (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; North Cornwall, Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140407/text/140407w0003.htm#140407w0003.htm_wqn13 | Regulation | UK |
| 7 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there has been any testing (a) in Southern Australia and (b) elsewhere of the ability of the Taranis system to identify or strike targets autonomously. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | I am withholding details of the locations at which Taranis flight trials have taken place for the purpose of safeguarding national security. The Ministry of Defence has no plans to create weapons that operate without human control. Trained members of the armed forces will always be involved in the command and control of unmanned air systems Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140407/text/140407w0004.htm#140407w0004.htm_wqn6 | Technical | Australia |
| 3 April 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the European Parliament resolution of 27 February on the use of armed drones, and in particular its calls upon member states (1) to ensure that they do not facilitate extrajudicial targeted killing by other states through the use of drones outside the framework of international law, (2) to promote greater transparency and accountability on the use by all states of armed drones, and (3) to support the work and follow up on the recommendations of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. | Lord Judd, Labour | The UK notes the European Parliament resolution on the use of armed Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). The UK also notes the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism’s latest report. This report, and the one presented to the General Assembly last year, identified a number of pertinent legal questions, which the UK is considering. The UK’s position is that existing international law sufficiently covers the use of RPAS, and that the use of RPAS strikes against terrorist targets is a matter for the states involved. We expect all states concerned to act in accordance with international law. Baroness Warsi (Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldhansrd/text/140403w0001.htm#wa_st_18 | Legality | Global |
| 3 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what non-lethal military support his Department has provided to Tunisia in each year since 2012. | Neil Parish, Conservative | The UK strongly supports Tunisia's democratic transition and we are working to assist the Tunisian authorities as they deliver change. Since 2012, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has provided the following support to the Tunisian armed forces: In June 2012 the MOD and Department for Transport delivered Explosive Detection Equipment Training to the Tunisian armed forces in Tunisia; In May 2012, Tunisian military delegates attended an Economic Exclusion Zone course in the UK; In January 2014, a small team delivered a presentation to the Tunisian armed forces on the UK's approach to Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR); There are currently two Tunisian students enrolled on the International Sub Lieutenant's course in the UK. Andrew Murrison (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; South West Wiltshire, Conservative) | International Co-Operation | Tunisia | |
| 3 April 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel are taking part in the Seedcorn initiative; what the location is of each such person; and with what equipment such personnel are training. | Angus Robertson, SNP | As announced in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review the UK retains Seedcorn Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) capability with personnel embedded in MPA capabilities of our closest allies. The number and location of personnel and equipment are as follows: Location/Number of Seedcorn personnel/Aircraft Canada, Royal Canadian Air Force Greenwood / 6 / CP-140 Aurora New Zealand, Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Whenuapai / 4 / P-3K Orion/P-3K2 Orion Australia, Royal Australian Air Force base Edinburgh / 2 / AP-3C Orion United States, Naval Air Station Patuxent River / 9 / P-8 Poseidon 1 qualified on RQ-21A Blackjack UAV 4 are scheduled to train on the MQ-4C Triton during June-August 2014 United States, Naval Air Station Jacksonville / 11 / P-8 Poseidon | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140403/text/140403w0003.htm#140403w0003.htm_wqn46 | Maritime | Global |
| 3 April 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government what analysis they have made of the report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur, Ben Emmerson QC in February on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; and what plans, if any, they have to implement the recommendations in that report, particularly in terms of engaging in a debate on what “unlawful” conduct is, and with a view to forming a consensus on the meaning and application of the terms “armed conflict”, “combatant” and “self defence”. | Lord Roberts of Llandudno, Liberal Democrat | We welcome the report of the UN Special Rapporteur which identifies a number of interesting legal questions. We are carefully considering the recommendations. The Government’s position is that existing international law covers the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft. Baroness Warsi (Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldhansrd/text/140403w0001.htm#wa_st_28 | Legality | Global |
| 31 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department is consulted, informed or otherwise involved in the procurement of communications systems and services at US bases in the UK. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | At United States Visiting Forces (USVF) bases in the UK, the USVF operate a number of US communications systems. The USVF are responsible for the procurement of these communications systems and associated services, and liaise with the Ministry of Defence as appropriate. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140331/text/140331w0002.htm#140331w0002.htm_wqn62 | International Co-Operation | UK |
| 31 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the purpose and scope of the current trials of the Aeryon Skyranger unmanned system based in Gatwick are; if she will publish policy on the storage and use of data obtained in the course of such trials; and if she will make a statement. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | Sussex constabulary is undertaking a trial of the Aeryon Skyranger to assess the contribution it might make to the policing of Gatwick airport. This trial is an operational matter for the chief constable. In determining the storage and use of data obtained through this trial, the force will be subject to a duty to have regard to the surveillance camera code of practice issued as guidance under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. Damian Green (The Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice; Ashford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140331/text/140331w0001.htm#140331w0001.htm_wqn55 | Civil use | UK |
| 31 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2014, Official Report, column 504W, on unmanned air vehicles, in which countries Royal Air Force operators have been trained. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | Royal Air Force Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems operators are trained in the UK and the US. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140331/text/140331w0002.htm#140331w0002.htm_wqn67 | Technical | Global |
| 25 March 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government in what areas they operate drones; and for what use. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Ministry of Defence operates Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) globally for operational surveillance, precision attack and for training purposes. Reaper RPAS is the only armed system. It operates only in Afghanistan, and professional, qualified pilots follow the exact same Rules of Engagement as pilots of other aircraft types. Whilst the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not used any RPAS, its Centre for Environment Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Food & Environment Research Agency, Environment Agency, Natural England and Royal Botanic Gardens have used small RPAS to support work on flood defence and coastal erosion, and the monitoring of crops, plants and nature reserves. All flights were carried out within the UK except for an aerial plant survey in Peru carried out by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The Home Office does not itself operate RPAS and the only police force operationally using a system (albeit very occasionally) is Staffordshire. This system is mostly used for patrol sweeps of car park and camping areas at V Festival, security sweeps for VIP events at the National Arboretum, they have also carried out some missing person, search and rescue, and counter-poaching tasks. Sussex Police have completed formal training and are now in the process of gathering experience with their own RPAS system – although if an important operational task came up RPAS would be deployed. The formal start date for the trial is in the near future. Kent Police, as part of the 2 Seas project, have hosted some RPAS trial flights to assess the performance of the system. They are planning to host an event about the project in July. Baroness Kramer (Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldhansrd/text/140325w0001.htm#wa_st_12 | Military | Global |
| 24 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional surveillance capability the Watchkeeper system will provide over the Hermes 450 UAV following the commencement of army trials. | Henry Smith (Crawley, Conservative) | The H-450 Tactical Unmanned Air System currently provides operational commanders in Helmand with a 24 hour, Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability supplying accurate, timely and high quality imagery intelligence to support decision making, using electro-optical and infrared sensors. Watchkeeper, while similar in appearance to H-450, is fitted with an additional sensor payload of a synthetic aperture radar/ground-moving target indicator radar. This radar will create a persistent and flexible all-weather ISTAR capability with the ability to conduct surveillance through cloud and obscuration. This radar also allows Watchkeeper to conduct wide-area surveillance of a battlefield and, when operated as part of an integrated ISTAR network, will enable Watchkeeper to cue and direct other ISTAR platforms. With improved sensor range when compared to the optical systems, the radar will also enable the covert surveillance of targets. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140324/text/140324w0003.htm#140324w0003.htm_wqn0 | Technical | Global |
| 20 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2014, Official Report, column 287W on unmanned air vehicles, if he will publish a full list of all unmanned air vehicles systems used by those agencies; how many such systems have been acquired for use by those agencies; and what his Department's policy is on the storage and use of data obtained by such systems. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | Core DEFRA has not acquired or used unmanned air vehicle systems. The Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science have acquired two fixed wing Quest 200 vehicles. The Royal Botanic Gardens have acquired a Flysense Ebee fixed wing aircraft. The Food and Environment Research Agency, Environment Agency, Natural England and the Royal Botanic Gardens have all used and trialled vehicles operated by commercial suppliers, including a Trimble Gatewing, a DJI S800 Spreading Wings, a Swinglet and an Albotix Intl Aibot X6 Hexacopter. DEFRA has a range of policies and guidance in place to ensure secure and effective management of data obtained from various sources including unmanned air vehicle systems. The vehicles are not gathering information that identifies individuals. The following guidance note has been issued. Guidance note issued to relevant DEFRA network staff on Data Protection aspects of unmanned air vehicles Current Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) capability and use in the DEFRA network is for still and not video images. These images are obtained from a vertical overhead angle Image resolution and the overhead angle of the images means individuals cannot be identified. Neither can other sensitive personal data, such as car number plates. RPAS is used on the DEFRA estate, over third party property with the owner's permission, and in areas where the owner or occupier is unknown. Where RPAS is used over the DEFRA estate, personal data is not captured. Where RPAS is used to capture images away from the estate, the data captured should be considered to be personal data, as defined by the DPA, if the land is owned or rented by natural, living persons. This is because it contains information about personal property, such as types of crops growing at a specific location, which can be linked to a natural person. This type of data is considered low sensitivity. DEFRA provides guidance on the Data Protection Act's 8 data protection principles (DPPs) in part I of schedule 1 to the DPA. Where images relate to land where the owner or occupier is unknown, the fair processing requirement-informing subjects of personal data, could be difficult to comply with. In such cases, this requirement could be achieved by placing a relevant fair processing notice on the DEFRA/agency website, but all reasonable measures must be taken so far as is practicable to inform each individual land owner or tenant. Dan Rogerson (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; North Cornwall, Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140320/text/140320w0001.htm#140320w0001.htm_wqn87 | Civil use | UK |
| 20 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of potential effects of the five additional Reaper remotely-piloted aircraft systems procured under an urgent operational requirement on the final part of the armed forces redundancy programme. | Tom Watson, Labour | There will be no redundancies in the final phase of the programme associated with the introduction into service of Reaper Remotely Piloted Air System. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140320/text/140320w0002.htm#140320w0002.htm_wqn11 | Military | Afghanistan |
| 19 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2014, Official Report, column 292W, on unmanned air vehicles, whether any policies of her Department are developed or monitored through use of data collected by remotely-piloted aircraft systems not directly employed by her Department. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Home Office does not use data collected from Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) to monitor or develop policies regardless of whether the RPAS is directly employed by the Department or not. James Brokenshire (Minister of State (Home Office) (Security and Immigration); Old Bexley and Sidcup, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140319/text/140319w0001.htm#140319w0001.htm_wqn42 | Civil use | UK |
| 18 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there is a NATO communications installation at RAF Croughton. | Tom Watson, Labour | RAF Croughton does not host any NATO units although the base does provide some support to units within NATO. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140318/text/140318w0003.htm#140318w0003.htm_wqn71 | International Co-Operation | UK |
| 17 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each branch and trade in the Royal Air Force. | Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative) | Branches and trades in the Royal Air Force are set out in the following table and list: Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) Functional Branches Branch Specialisation Flying (Fg) Pilot Remotely Piloted Air System (Pilot) (RPAS(P)) Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) Air Traffic Control (ATC) Aerospace Battle Manager (ABM) Intelligence (Int) Flight Operations (Fit Ops) Fit Ops Fire RAF Regiment (Regt) Provost (Prov) Engineer (Eng) Aerosystems (AS) Communications-Electronics (CE) Logistics (Logs) Medical Support Officer (MSO) Personnel (Pers) Medical Chaplain Legal Nursing Officer Director of Music (DOM) RAF Trades Aircraft Engineering: Aircraft Engineering Technician Aircraft Technician (Avionics) Aircraft Technician (Mechanical) Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic (Avionics) Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic (Mechanical) Engineering Technician Weapon Weapon Technician Information and Communications Technology Manager Information and Communications Technology Technician Information and Communications Technology Aerial Erector General Engineering Technician General Technician Electrical General Technician (Mechanical) General Technician Workshops Logistics (Driver). Force Protection: RAF Police Gunner Firefighter. Air Traffic Control: Air Traffic Controller Air Traffic Control Assistant Flight Operations Manager Flight Operations Assistant Meteorological Observer. General Service: Trainee RAF Physical Training Instructor. Intelligence: Intelligence Analyst Intelligence Analyst (Voice) (Includes Student (Sdt) trade). Aerospace Systems Operating: Aerospace Systems Manager Aerospace Systems Operator SNCO Weapons Control. Safety and Surface: Survival Equipment Fitter Painter and Finisher. Photography: Photographer Air Cartographer. Medical: Pharmacy Technician Environmental Health Technician Operating Department Practitioner Radiographer Biomedical Scientist RAF Medic. The Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service (PMRAFNS): Nurses Spine Registered Nurse (Adult) Registered Nurse (Mental Health). Dental: Dental Technician Dental Hygienist Dental Nurse. Personnel: Personnel (Support). Logistics: Logistics (Supplier) Logistics (Mover). Logistics: Logistics (Catering Manager (Chef) Logistics (Chef) Logistics (Catering Manager) Logistics (Caterer). Music: Musician. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140317/text/140317w0005.htm#140317w0005.htm_wqn67 | Technical | UK |
| 17 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which types of unmanned aerial vehicles are (a) currently deployed by the Royal Navy and (b) being (i) procured and (ii) considered. | Tobias Ellwood, Conservative | The Royal Navy has deployed the (unarmed) Scan Eagle unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and is currently running a two-year Capability Concept Demonstrator to look at the use of rotary wing UAS, which will include a demonstration from a Royal Navy ship in UK waters in late 2014. Other work being conducted by Navy Command and Joint Forces Command is considering the future utility of UAS, but no decisions on procuring specific aircraft have been made. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140317/text/140317w0006.htm#140317w0006.htm_wqn24 | Technical | UK |
| 17 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of Air Command's Command Plan for financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14. | Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative) | I am withholding the plans as their release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our armed forces. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140317/text/140317w0005.htm#140317w0005.htm_wqn66 | Technical | UK |
| 17 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the British Army plans to begin flying Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicles. | Henry Smith (Crawley, Conservative) | The Watchkeeper unmanned aircraft system was awarded an initial release to service three weeks ago on 28 February 2014 and personnel from the 1st Artillery Brigade will begin training flights from Boscombe Down next month. Watchkeeper will provide the British Army with an enduring tactical surveillance and reconnaissance capability. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140317/text/140317w0005.htm#140317w0005.htm_wqn62 | Technical | UK |
| 17 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take in response to the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism in his report dated 28 February 2014 on the use of armed drones in extraterritorial lethal counter-terrorism operations. | Tom Watson, Labour | This report identified a number of interesting and challenging legal questions. The UK believes that existing international law sufficiently covers the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). We regard them as subject to the same legal considerations as other weapons systems. UK forces operating RPA in Afghanistan do so in accordance with international humanitarian law, following the principles of distinction, humanity, proportionality and military necessity. The incident referred to in Now Zad, Helmand was subject to an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) investigation, and therefore any final decision on the report’s disclosure sits within the ISAF chain of command. Hugh Robertson (Minister of State; Faversham and Mid Kent, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140317/text/140317w0002.htm#140317w0002.htm_wqn46 | Legality | Afghanistan |
| 17 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which military bases and establishments in the UK are occupied by US visiting forces; how many US personnel are stationed at each; and what the name and rank of the commander is at each. | Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative) | The numbers of US military and civilian personnel, together with the name and rank of the US commander, at bases and establishments that are made available to the United States visiting forces are given in the following table. Bases US commander Total US personnel RAF Croughton Colonel Hamilton 660 RAF Fairford RAF Welford RAF Barford St John RAF Lakenheath Colonel Robinson 4,700 RAF Feltwell RAF Menwith Hill Colonel Gilmore 1,000 RAF Mildenhall Colonel Bibb 3,430 RAF Molesworth Colonel Sweeney 620 RAF Alconbury Blenheim Crescent Colonel Gresham 210 The numbers of personnel have been rounded up and are current as of 15 February 2014. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140317/text/140317w0006.htm#140317w0006.htm_wqn20 | International Co-Operation | UK |
| 17 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which RAF bases and establishments are held on a leasehold basis. | Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative) | No RAF bases or establishments are completely held on a leasehold basis. However, small areas of land and/or some buildings at the following RAF bases and establishments are held on a leasehold basis: RAF Benbecula, RAF Boulmer, RAF Brize Norton, RAF Buchan, RAF Conningsby, RAF Cottesmore, RAF Cranwell, RAF Croughton, RAF Daws Hill, RAF Fairford, RAF Fylingdales, RAF High Wycombe, RAF Kinloss, RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Leemin, RAF Leuchars, RAF Linton on Ouse, RAF Marham, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Saxa Vord, RAF Scampton, RAF Shawbury, RAF Spadeadam, RAF St Mawgan, RAF Valley, RAF Waddington Andrew Murrison (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; South West Wiltshire, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140317/text/140317w0006.htm#140317w0006.htm_wqn1 | Technical | UK |
| 17 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2014, Official Report, column 33W, on unmanned air vehicles, if he will publish a complete list of countries to which his Department has sent pilots to operate unmanned aircraft. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | The Army only operates Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), which are all unarmed, operationally in Afghanistan, and previously in Iraq. The Army has also conducted training of UAS operators in the following countries; UK, Israel, Jordan, Canada, USA and Kenya. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140317/text/140317w0006.htm#140317w0006.htm_wqn31 | International Co-Operation | Global |
| 17 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) establishment and (b) number of established posts filled is for each RAF operational squadron. | Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative) | The establishment and number of established posts filled for each RAF operational flying Squadron as at 11 March 2014 is shown in the following table. Location Squadron Strength Establishment Akrotiri (air base) 84 SQN 17 17 Various units—SAR 202 SQN 72 77 Various units—SAR 22 SQN 77 77 Basingstoke (RAF Odiham) 7 SQN 163 181 Basingstoke (RAF Odiham) 18 SQN 100 112 Basingstoke (RAF Odiham) 27 SQN 107 112 Elgin (RAF Lossiemouth) 12 SQN1 28 181 Elgin (RAF Lossiemouth) 617 SQN2 138 183 Kings Lynn (RAF Marham) II (AC) SQN 178 182 Kings Lynn (RAF Marham) 31 (B) SQN 179 182 Kings Lynn (RAF Marham) IX (B) SQN 186 182 Las Vegas (Creech AFB) 39 SQN 79 92 Lincoln (RAF Coningsby) 11 SQN 156 163 Lincoln (RAF Coningsby) 3 SQN (F) 170 164 Lincoln (RAF Waddington) 14 SQN3 140 7 Lincoln (RAF Waddington) V SQN 169 157 Lincoln (RAF Waddington) 51 SQN 188 224 Lincoln (RAF Waddington) 8 SQN 250 287 Lincoln (RAF Waddington) XIII SQN 93 77 Northallerton (RAF Leeming) 100 SQN 24 36 Oxford (RAF Benson) 230 SQN 103 120 Oxford (RAF Benson) 28 SQN 131 159 Oxford (RAF Benson) 33 SQN 118 138 Oxford (RAF Benson) 78 SQN 122 148 Oxford (RAF Brize Norton) 10 SQN 97 113 Oxford (RAF Brize Norton) 101 SQN 78 111 Oxford (RAF Brize Norton) 216 SQN 330 390 Oxford (RAF Brize Norton) 24 SQN 77 80 Oxford (RAF Brize Norton) 30 SQN 52 71 Oxford (RAF Brize Norton) 47 SQN 104 148 Oxford (RAF Brize Norton) 99 SQN 323 304 Ruislip (RAF Northolt) 32 (TR) SQN 68 57 St Andrews (RAF leuchars) 1(F) SQN 161 165 ST Andrews (RAF Leuchars) 6 SQN 183 189 Total — 4,461 4,886 1 Squadron disbanding on 31 March 2014. 2 Squadron disbanding on 31 March 2014. 3 This Squadron was temporarily established to support an Urgent Operational Requirement. | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140317/text/140317w0005.htm#140317w0005.htm_wqn65 | Technical | Global |
| 10 March 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many trained and operational unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilots there have been in the Army since 2004; and in which countries those pilots have flown UAVs. | Tom Watson, Labour | I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested. Substantive answer from Mark Francois to Tom Watson: I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question about unmanned aircraft systems on 31 October 2013 (Official Report, column 549W). To answer your question, as at 31 October 2013, the number of unmanned aircraft pilots the Army has trained since 2004 is 868. Since 2004, pilots have operated unmanned aircraft in a variety of countries including, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Kenya, Canada and the United States of America. In researching this answer, my officials identified an error in an earlier response which my predecessor (Andrew Robathan) provided you on 17 June 2013 (Official Report, column 502W). It has been brought to my attention that while the number of students who passed the UAS ground school course since April 1999 was correctly identified as 461, this information did not fully address your question. This is because the answer did not take account of those personnel who have undertaken conversion training from earlier systems or refresher training. The answer should therefore have stated that the actual number of Army personnel who have received training was 1062 not 461, although it is likely that this larger number will include a number of individuals who have been trained twice (initially and refresher) but these cannot be identified separately. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140310/text/140310w0002.htm#140310w0002.htm_wqn7 | Technical | Global |
| 28 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will investigate reports of the arrest and detention of Pakistani anti-drones campaigner Mr Kareem Khan. | Jim Cunningham, Labour | I am aware of Mr Khan's case and reports that Mr Khan has now been released by the Pakistan authorities. Hugh Robertson (Minister of State; Faversham and Mid Kent, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140228/text/140228w0001.htm#140228w0001.htm_wqn77 | International Co-Operation | Pakistan |
| 28 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the arrest and detention of Pakistani anti-drones campaigner Mr Kareem Khan. | Jim Cunningham, Labour | Following the reported detention of Mr Khan I received representations from both members of the public and Members of Parliament in correspondence, FCO officials were also contacted by diplomatic missions to discuss the case and potential responses. I understand that Mr Khan has been released by the Pakistan authorities. Hugh Robertson (Minister of State; Faversham and Mid Kent, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140228/text/140228w0001.htm#140228w0001.htm_wqn76 | International Co-Operation | Pakistan |
| 27 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the Watchkeeper Programme; when he expects the system to enter full service; and if he will make a statement. | Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative) | Further to the answer I gave on 22 October 2013, Hansard, column 102W, to Angus Robertson, significant recent progress has been made on the Watchkeeper Programme to satisfy the regulatory authorities that the system will be safe to fly. This first of type Unmanned Air System should commence flying from Boscombe Down in Wiltshire in early March 2014. An initial Release to Service is expected to be authorised by the Chief of the General Staff to allow the first military flights by the Army from Boscombe Down from early April 2014. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140227/text/140227w0002.htm#140227w0002.htm_wqn69 | Technical | UK |
| 25 February 2014 | To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Intelligence and Security Committee has made arrangements to visit any United States base in the United Kingdom in the past 24 months. | Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative) | The ISC does not comment on the detail of its work programme. Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldhansrd/text/140225w0001.htm#wa_st_50 | International Co-Operation | UK |
| 25 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of the Department for Transport of 11 February 2014, Official Report, columns 525-6W, on Government Departments: unmanned air vehicles, which remotely piloted aircraft systems his Department employs to collect data; which policies are supported by the collection of such data; and where those systems are operated. | Tom Watson, Labour | Core DEFRA has not used any unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Food and Environment Research Agency, Environment Agency, Natural England and the Royal Botanic Gardens have used unmanned aerial vehicles to support work on flood defence and coastal erosion and the monitoring of crops, plants and nature reserves. All flights were carried out within the UK except for an aerial plant survey in Peru carried out by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. UAV systems used include: Quest UAV 200 Flysense Ebee DJI S800 Spreading Wings Swinglet. | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140225/text/140225w0001.htm#140225w0001.htm_wqn59 | Civil use | UK |
| 25 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of the Department for Transport of 11 February 2014, Official Report, columns 525-6W, on Government Departments: unmanned air vehicles, which remotely piloted aircraft systems her Department employs to collect data; which policies are supported by the collection of such data; and where those systems are operated. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Home Office does not employ remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS). Damian Green (The Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice; Ashford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140225/text/140225w0001.htm#140225w0001.htm_wqn72 | Civil use | UK |
| 24 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will revise his Department's figures for weapons release from unmanned aerial systems by the UK in Afghanistan to include RAF personnel operating US systems; and if he will make a statement. | Tom Watson, Labour | The UK Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) weapon release figures previously provided include missions involving UK-owned remotely piloted aircraft and UK use of US-owned remotely piloted aircraft. RAF personnel are subject to UK rules of engagement for all weapon releases when operating a UK or a US platform. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140224/text/140224w0002.htm#140224w0002.htm_wqn92 | Military | Afghanistan |
| 24 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian casualties have been recorded by (a) his Department and (b) the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan as a result of weapon release by RAF personnel operating US unmanned systems in Afghanistan. | Tom Watson, Labour | I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Sir Nick Harvey, on 26 June 2012, Hansard, column 187W, to Mr Godsiff. Mark Francois (The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Rayleigh and Wickford, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140224/text/140224w0002.htm#140224w0002.htm_wqn91 | Impact | Afghanistan |
| 12 February 2014 | To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the Intelligence and Security Committee has visited RAF Croughton during the last two years. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) does not comment on the detail of its work programme. Francis Maude (The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General; Horsham, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140212/text/140212w0001.htm#140212w0001.htm_wqn75 | Civil use | UK |
| 12 February 2014 | To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the Intelligence and Security Committee has visited RAF Croughton during the last two years. | Tom Watson, Labour | The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) does not comment on the detail of its work programme. Francis Maude (The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General; Horsham, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140212/text/140212w0001.htm#140212w0001.htm_wqn75 | International Co-Operation | UK |
| 11 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 655W, on unmanned air vehicles, which Government departments have used unmanned systems to collect data; which unmanned systems are used; and which policies are so supported. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Home Department have given presentations to the Government Working Group on the use they made of remotely piloted aircraft systems. For details in respect of the systems they have used and the policies supported, I would refer you to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend Mrs May and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend Mr Paterson. Robert Goodwill (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport); Scarborough and Whitby, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140211/text/140211w0001.htm#140211w0001.htm_wqn2 | International Co-Operation | UK |
| 10 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2014, Official Report, column 598W on unmanned aerial vehicles, what future basing options his Department has identified for the Reaper capability following the end of ISAF operations in Afghanistan. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave on 29 January 2014, Hansard, column 598W, to my hon. Friend Rehman Chishti. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140210/text/140210w0004.htm#140210w0004.htm_wqn25 | Research & Development | UK |
| 10 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what potential co-operative opportunities have been identified by his Department as potentially benefiting from the proposed Joint User Group for Reaper. [R] | Tom Watson, Labour | In consultation with the US, the proposed Joint User Group for the Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft System may develop cooperative opportunities through the exchange of lessons learnt and explore working with other nations in areas such as air certification, training, through life support and interoperability. Philip Dunne (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence; Ludlow, Conservative) | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140210/text/140210w0004.htm#140210w0004.htm_wqn24 | Technical | Afghanistan |
| 10 February 2014 | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 30 January 2014, Official Report, column 69 on Yemen, what steps his Department is taking to support the Yemeni and US governments in combating any common threat. [R] | <td class="col-3