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1171185

registered interest
date	15/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	EU Defence Policy
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any agreements have been made with the EU about British participation in (1) the establishment of a European Defence Union, (2) any military command and control procedures, (3) the future of Five Eyes, (4) the procurement of military equipment from an EU-wide organisation, and (5) the transfer of nuclear technology licensed to the UK by the United States; if so, what are the details of any such agreements; and whether any such agreements are separate to any agreements relating to the UK’s departure from the EU.
tabling member printed	Lord James of Blackheath
uin	HL456
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2020 answer text <p>The UK has no agreement with the EU about British participation in the establishment of a 'European Defence Union'.</p><p>The Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration provide the option, but no obligation, for the UK to continue to contribute to CSDP operations and missions on a voluntary basis, and where of benefit to UK interests. This does not undermine the UK's sovereignty, our command or control of our Armed Forces nor does it oblige us to participate in a 'defence union' or any EU defence initiatives.</p><p>The UK will retain full sovereign control over its defence, intelligence services and decision-making after leaving the EU. The UK will also retain control over the deployment of its Armed Forces and their equipment. Any future security partnership negotiated with the EU would reflect this position.</p><p>The UK currently has no agreements with the EU on military command and control procedures other than those in the Withdrawal Agreement referring to continued participation in CSDP operations and missions during the Implementation Period. UK personnel remain under UK sovereign command at all times.</p><p>The UK does not have any agreements with the EU on British participation in the 'Five Eyes' community. Any future relationship agreement with the EU will not undermine our partnership with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The intelligence cooperation between these 'Five Eyes' partners is the broadest, deepest and most advanced of any grouping of nations and we are committed to maintaining it.</p><p>The UK has not entered into any agreements with the EU to participate in the procurement of military equipment from EU-wide organisations. There are no agreements with the EU about British participation in transfer of nuclear technology licensed to the UK by the US.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 28/01/2020 12:43:19 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	3799 label Biography information for Lord James of Blackheath

1170172

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Empty Property
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Ministry of Defence dwellings are currently lying empty in each of (1) England, (2) Scotland, and (3) Wales; and what plans they have, if any, to modernise and re-let those dwellings.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2020 answer text <p>As of 27 January 2020 the Ministry of Defence (MOD) currently has 8951 Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties vacant in England (20%), 850 properties in Scotland (27%) and 274 properties in Wales (25%). These figures represent a snapshot in time as the occupancy rate varies on a daily basis as Service families move in and out. The Department is focused on reducing the number of empty properties in the UK from the current level of 20% overall to a 10% management margin by Autumn 2021. This is being achieved by handing back vacant properties in England and Wales to Annington Homes; widening eligibility to cohabiting couples and Service leavers; and accelerating the letting of temporarily empty properties to screened members of the public at prevailing market rates.</p><p>SFA are modernised as required to maintain them at a Decent Homes Standard (DHS). 97% of all SFA meet DHS as a minimum, and are, therefore, available for allocation to Service families. In the last financial year this resulted in approximately 3,800 homes receiving upgrades, including new kitchens and bathrooms.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 27/01/2020 16:31:21 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1170179

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Unmanned Air Vehicles
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of lethal drones and their commitment to the rule of law internationally.
tabling member printed	Lord Judd
uin	HL326
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>The Government's policy is to defend the UK and its citizens against threats to their security. In implementing that policy the Government may draw on a wide range of tools, including, <em>in extremis</em>, the use of military force to remove such threats when there is no other effective option. If the Government does resort to the use of military force then it will act in accordance with the requirements of applicable international law and we expect others to do likewise. This applies equally to Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems or 'drones' as it does to any other military asset or weapon. All UK weapon systems are reviewed to ensure their compliance with international law.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 21/01/2020 14:54:35 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

1170182

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Military Aircraft
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the availability of Royal Air Force combat aircraft.
tabling member printed	Lord Moonie
uin	HL329
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>The RAF has continued to invest in the capability and availability of our Next Generation Lightning and Typhoon Combat Aircraft to meet operational tasking.</p><p>The UK has invested in the support of the Lightning fleet with a National Support Solution contract and additionally has invested approximately £142 million in the development of state of the art infrastructure to support the Lightning Force throughout its service life. This is in addition to the upgrade of other operating facilities to accommodate the new Lightning Force. These new facilities and the National Support Solution are now fully operational and supporting the growth of the UK Lightning Force.</p><p>The Typhoon Total Availability eNterprise (TyTAN), a ten-year £2.1 billion support agreement for Typhoon between the MOD and BAE Systems established in 2016, is driving real efficiency improvements by focusing all parties on flying hour output. To date the TyTAN agreement has already allowed for over £500 million of Typhoon Support savings to be re-invested into capability upgrades for the aircraft and help to sustain high value jobs across the industry.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie grouped question UIN HL330 question first answered 21/01/2020 15:01:30 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	621 label Biography information for Lord Moonie

1170183

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Military Aircraft
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what the budget for ensuring the availability of Royal Air Force combat aircraft has been in each of the last three years.
tabling member printed	Lord Moonie
uin	HL330
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>The RAF has continued to invest in the capability and availability of our Next Generation Lightning and Typhoon Combat Aircraft to meet operational tasking.</p><p>The UK has invested in the support of the Lightning fleet with a National Support Solution contract and additionally has invested approximately £142 million in the development of state of the art infrastructure to support the Lightning Force throughout its service life. This is in addition to the upgrade of other operating facilities to accommodate the new Lightning Force. These new facilities and the National Support Solution are now fully operational and supporting the growth of the UK Lightning Force.</p><p>The Typhoon Total Availability eNterprise (TyTAN), a ten-year £2.1 billion support agreement for Typhoon between the MOD and BAE Systems established in 2016, is driving real efficiency improvements by focusing all parties on flying hour output. To date the TyTAN agreement has already allowed for over £500 million of Typhoon Support savings to be re-invested into capability upgrades for the aircraft and help to sustain high value jobs across the industry.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie grouped question UIN HL329 question first answered 21/01/2020 15:01:30 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	621 label Biography information for Lord Moonie

1170184

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Maritime Patrol Aircraft
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many full crews are available for P-8 Poseidon aircraft being procured for the Royal Air Force.
tabling member printed	Lord Moonie
uin	HL331
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>The Royal Air Force has sufficient trained crews to meet its current task on the P-8 Poseidon aircraft. Covering a variety of fully qualified instructors and those undergoing training, our P-8 cadre are split between the UK and the USA.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 21/01/2020 15:02:20 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	621 label Biography information for Lord Moonie

1170185

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Maritime Patrol Aircraft
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of full crews available to operate P-8 Poseidon aircraft when they are introduced.
tabling member printed	Lord Moonie
uin	HL332
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>There are several measures in place to increase the number of crews for the P-8A Poseidon which include:</p><p>As part of the Poseidon programme RAF personnel are undertaking training in the USA with the US Navy. Initial Poseidon training will transfer to RAF Lossiemouth and be instructed by RAF personnel in mid 2021.</p><p>A programme of recruiting and training across all RAF flying specialisations is already underway; in addition, ex-RAF aircrew with suitable experience and qualifications are being encouraged to re-join the Service.</p><p>A small number of specialists from the Royal Navy will undergo P-8A training and serve on exchange to bolster the RAF's maritime experience.</p><p>The RAF is expanding its Exchange Officer Programme, to include reciprocal agreements with a number of allied nations for personnel to be placed in flying posts associated with the P-8A.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 21/01/2020 14:48:52 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	621 label Biography information for Lord Moonie

1170186

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Maritime Patrol Aircraft
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their timetable for introducing P-8 Poseidon aircraft to front line service.
tabling member printed	Lord Moonie
uin	HL333
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>Initial operating capability will be achieved in spring 2020.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 21/01/2020 15:01:47 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	621 label Biography information for Lord Moonie

1170188

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Australasia: Aircraft Carriers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to send an aircraft carrier on detachment to Australia and New Zealand.
tabling member printed	Lord Moonie
uin	HL334
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence does not comment on operational deployments.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 21/01/2020 14:59:09 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	621 label Biography information for Lord Moonie

1170216

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Trident Submarines: Procurement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the first of the new Dreadnought-class submarines to go to sea; and when they expect it to go into service.
tabling member printed	Lord Trefgarne
uin	HL361
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2020 answer text <p>The first Dreadnought Class ballistic missile submarine will enter service in the early 2030s, as set out most recently in the eighth Annual Update to Parliament on the United Kingdom's Future Nuclear Deterrent, published on 20 December 2019.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 21/01/2020 14:58:19 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	1813 label Biography information for Lord Trefgarne