Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) the Service Delivery Wrap, and (2) the Global Interconnect Network, still form part of the Skynet acquisition and tender process.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
It is confirmed that both the Service Delivery Wrap and the Global Interconnect Network form part of the ongoing SKYNET 6 Acquisition Programme.
Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding has been allocated to each of the Spearhead programmes of (1) land command and control (C2), (2) joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and (3) anti-submarine warfare; and how this will change the way the MoD purchases systems and services.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Her Majesty's Government has approved a one-year Approved Budgetary Limit of £34.8 million to the Spearhead programmes: £8.9 million for Land Command and Control (C2), £9.6 million for joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), and £16.3 million for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). The total planned spend over the seven-year portfolio is £544.1 million to the Spearhead programmes: £73.9 million for C2, £74.2 million for ISR, and £395.9 million for ASW.
This initiative does not obviate the need for an Equipment Programme of major units, procured in the traditional manner, in order to deliver defence tasks. What it seeks to do is to address known risks and issues with the current force, leveraging emerging technology and innovation in order to enable us to remain ahead of our adversaries.
Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the Air Support to Defence Operational Training programme.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Tender submissions for the contracted service provision element of the Air Support to Defence Operational Training programme have been received and are currently being assessed.
Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their current policy regarding trade with Algeria; and what support they provide to companies doing business there.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
The UK-Algeria trading relationship was worth £1.9 billion in 2017, an increase of 41.7% on 2016.
The Department for International Trade’s (DIT) team in Algiers provides support to British businesses, assisted by the Africa Trade Services Unit. DIT Algeria organises trade missions for UK businesses, frequently led by my noble Friend Lord Risby, the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Algeria.
UK Export Finance (UKEF) has significant capacity to support UK exports to Algeria, with risk appetite of up to £3bn.
The UK’s trade policy framework with Algeria is currently covered by the EU-Algeria Association Agreement. The Government is seeking continuity for existing EU free trade agreements as we leave the EU and to replicate the effects of existing agreements as far as possible.
Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to implement the public sector exit payment cap and regulations as provided for in Part 9 of the Enterprise Act 2016.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Government is committed to making exit payments fairer to the taxpayer. The public sector exit payment cap was legislated for in the last parliament and requires further consultation before coming into force. We continue to engage with key departments on exit reforms.
Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many panel display screens have been purchased for army vehicles in the last five years; and at what cost.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total cost of the extension to the Sentry Whole Life Support Programme, awarded in October 2016.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The cost of the Sentry Whole Life Support Programme (WLSP) contract extension, which was awarded to Northrop Grumman in October 2016, is £309 million.
The WLSP programme will provide technical and maintenance services to the Sentry E-3D airborne early warning aircraft until 2025. The extension takes the total cost of the programme to £1 billion.
Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report from the Prime Minister’s Holocaust Commission, published in January 2015, which identified three prospective sites for the intended Holocaust Memorial, for what reasons, and by what means, was a different site in Victoria Tower Gardens chosen.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Holocaust Commission's report was clear that the three potential sites it identified were “not the only possible sites”. As the cross-party body advising Government on taking forward the recommendations of the Holocaust Commission, the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation was tasked with finding the most appropriate location for a national memorial to the Holocaust and an accompanying education centre. The Government agrees with the Foundation’s recommendation that Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament, is considered the most appropriate of the almost 50 sites examined, including those identified by the Commission in Lambeth and at Millbank. The option of locating at Potters Field referred to in the Holocaust Commission report no longer exists.
Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 3 April (HL6359), what was the average cost per flying hour for the C130 fleet for each year since 2005–06; and what was the total cost of running the C130 fleet for each of those years.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many personnel serving in the Parachute Regiment or supporting arms attached to Parachute Regiment Battalions, are not qualified as military parachutists and have not completed the required parachute training.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The table below sets out the number of Regular and Reserve personnel serving in the Parachute Regiment or supporting arms attached to the Parachute Regiment Battalions who have not completed the Army Basic Parachute Course as of 1 April 2017.
| Part qualified | Not qualified |
Parachute Regiment | 180 | 230 |
Attached personnel | 10 | 10 |
Part qualified personnel are those who have completed 90 per cent of the course and are therefore considered to be Limited Combat Ready. Unqualified personnel will have successfully completed the Pre-Parachute Selection process and await upload to parachute training.
Central information is not held to this level, therefore figures are locally produced management information. The figures provided have been rounded to the nearest 10 to limit disclosure and ensure confidentiality.