Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will support the 2024 resolution on lethal autonomous weapons systems at the United Nations General Assembly First Committee.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
At the UN General Assembly on 5th November 2024 the United Kingdom joined 161 other states in voting in favour of Resolution 1/79/L.77 on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Prime Minister's speech at the UN General Assembly on 26 September, whether they are supportive of an international treaty on Autonomous Weapon Systems.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
International discussions on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) are undertaken under the auspices of the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) via a Group of Government Experts (GGE). In 2023 the UK joined consensus on a strengthened mandate for the GGE to "consider and formulate, by consensus, a set of elements of an instrument, without prejudging its nature, and other possible measures to address emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems". The UK remains committed to working constructively and proactively to fulfil that mandate through that process.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the scale of innovation in the UK’s defence and security sector, in the light of the success of non-legacy defence contractors in recent US procurement rounds.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the importance of engaging with non-traditional defence suppliers and is working closely with UK Industry and Academia to identify and invest in innovative technologies that address our most pressing capability challenges.
This includes initiatives such as the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), which is designed to find and fund innovative solutions to defence and security challenges, for example through Regional Defence and Security Clusters (RDSCs)
This Government is committed to bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy, working closely with industry to support UK resilience and innovation.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by The Earl of Minto on 7 December 2023 (HL Deb col 1570), what plans they have to regularise the process of cost forecasting among the three armed services.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Department's current operating model, where responsibility for managing the equipment plan is delegated to Top Level Budget Holders, acknowledges that they have different financial positions and carry a balance between capability and financial risk.
I remain committed to reviewing the format of future equipment plan reports to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Goldie on 3 July (HL Deb col 987), what estimate they have made of the planned UK expenditure consequent on the AUKUS agreement.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Shadow Minister (Defence)
As announced in the Integrated Review Refresh, we are providing £2 billion this year and £2.95 billion next year to Defence. Of this new money, £3 billion will be invested across the defence nuclear enterprise, supporting areas such as the construction of industrial infrastructure, allowing us to continue to grow our graduate and apprentice nuclear skills programmes, and enhancing support to in-service submarines. This will support the overall delivery of AUKUS, while longer-term funding will be revisited at the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the operational readiness and viability of the UK’s Warfighting 3rd Division.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Shadow Minister (Defence)
Warfighting capability remains the cornerstone of deterrence and the bedrock of a world-class British Army. The 3rd (UK) Division is at the heart of this, able to manage a multi-domain battle in ever greater depth; designed to act with NATO and capable of providing a framework for Allies.
The Army constantly keeps its warfighting capability under review, and regularly assesses the adequacy of its readiness. It is embracing the ever-changing global landscape and ensuring that it will be more capable against peer adversaries and integrated with our NATO Allies and partners.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with international partners in respect of the possibility of deploying UK military personnel to support (1) EUFOR’s Operation Althea, or (2) NATO headquarters in Sarajevo.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The UK Government regularly discusses maintaining stability in the Western Balkans with our NATO Allies and European partners. The UK provides support for EUFOR ALTHEA through NATO (the operation is carried out with recourse to NATO assets and capabilities) and coordinated bilateral exercising. The UK will support the renewal of EUFOR's UN Security Council mandate, due by November.
The UK already has military personnel deployed to NATO's headquarters in Sarajevo.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks associated with any increase in (1) the duration, (2) the proximity, and (3) the intensity, of military exercising undertaken by (a) NATO, (b) Russia, and (c) Belarus, in and around Belarus; and what steps are being taken to reduce those risks.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Ministry of Defence monitors all military exercising taking place in and around Belarus. Any increase in duration, proximity and intensity of military exercising in or near Belarus only serves to increase regional tensions. The UK and NATO take the appropriate steps to reduce any risks when conducting military exercises near Belarus and where necessary, alter training due to the associated risks.
The UK and Belarus maintain a cooperative relationship; particularly in the areas of arms control and the de-escalation of tensions in the Eastern Neighbourhood. This policy of transparency helps to build confidence and reduce risks associated with any increases in duration, proximity or intensity of military exercises. Though the UK has suspended Defence Engagement with Belarus we still maintain dialogue in order to reduce risks from all sides.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the written answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Defence on 13 July (68798), how many of the 535 incidents referred to in the "Tracker" database record a civilian harm incident as a "mistake" by the Saudi-led coalition.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
As explained by the International Trade Secretary on 7 July 2020, all of the allegations recorded on the Tracker have been subject to detailed analysis by reference to the relevant principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and in the light of all the information and intelligence available. An evaluation has then been made, in respect of each incident, whether it is possible that it constitutes a breach of IHL or whether it is unlikely that it represents a breach. The assessment of whether it is possible that an incident constituted a breach of IHL uses all available sources of information, including some that are necessarily confidential and sensitive. We are therefore not able to go into the details of individual assessments.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to affirm their commitment to the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC); and what consideration they have given to the UK’s future membership of the ISTC as a state party.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Government recognises that the ISTC has played a valuable role in preventing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction-related scientific and technical expertise from former Soviet programmes, and mitigating broader chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risks. However, HMG currently funds only a small number of projects through the ISTC. After careful consideration, we have therefore concluded that the recent and currently anticipated level of UK engagement with the ISTC would not warrant the expected costs of future UK membership of the ISTC as a Funding Party. The UK will continue to play a leading international role in countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related expertise, and mitigating CBRN risks, including funding projects through the ISTC, where appropriate.