Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to put the posts of the four Veterans Commissioners on a statutory footing; and on what timescale.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Veterans' Commissioners are currently appointed by Ministers. The Ministry of Defence, through the Office for Veterans' Affairs, continues to work closely with the Veterans’ Commissioner for Wales (VCfW), and the Scottish Veterans’ Commissioner (SVC), who is appointed by and reports to the Scottish Government (SG). The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) is working through the next steps to appoint a new Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they last met the government of Ireland to discuss co-operation on defence of Irish air space.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
There have been no discussions between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Ireland on co-operation on the defence of Irish air space.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the cost to the RAF of supporting the Irish government in the protection of their Air Space.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
I am withholding any response to questions on sovereign airspace access and associated regulations, as these should be for the nation in question to answer; therefore any further questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Government of Ireland.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the annual cost to the RAF of supporting the government of Ireland in the protection of their airspace.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
I am withholding any response to questions on sovereign airspace access and associated regulations, as these should be for the nation in question to answer; therefore any further questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Government of Ireland.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many times in the last year RAF squadrons have been scrambled to escort Russian aircraft out of Irish airspace.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
I am withholding any response to questions on sovereign airspace access and associated regulations, as these should be for the nation in question to answer; therefore any further questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Government of Ireland.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what agreements they have made, if any, with the government of Ireland to allow the RAF to provide cover within the Republic of Ireland’s airspace.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
I am withholding any response to questions on sovereign airspace access and associated regulations, as these should be for the nation in question to answer; therefore any further questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Government of Ireland.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many legacy civil suits that the Ministry of Defence was subject to, relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles, are currently active before the courts; how many were concluded in the last three year period; what amounts were paid to applicants overall; and what were the legal costs to the Ministry for (1) its own fees, and (2) those of the litigants.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
There are currently 575 legacy civil claims against the Ministry of Defence (MOD) relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles which are active before the court. 43 claims have concluded in the last three-year period of which 29 claims resulted in financial settlement by the MOD. A claim is recorded by the MOD as settled when both the damages to the claimant and associated legal costs have been agreed and paid. Total damages paid by the MOD in this period were £632,000. The total plaintiffs' legal costs paid were £586,861. MOD's own legal costs were £212,042.
The other 14 claims which concluded in the three-year period were discontinued or resolved by other means.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the National Rifle Association's compliance with its charitable purpose to promote the (a) efficiency of the armed forces and (b) defence of the Realm.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.