Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Government will cease the licensing of the export of (a) arms and (b) security equipment to Israel.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
All applications for export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.
The Government continues to monitor closely the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, and if extant licences are found to be no longer consistent with the Criteria, those licences will be revoked.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the total cost to the public purse of the military aid supplied by the UK to Ukraine this year.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently undergoing cost capture processes on what is an ongoing situation and is unable to provide an answer at this time. Following the necessary accounting activity at the end of the financial year (FY) and publication of the Department's Annual Report and Accounts, I will write to the hon. Member with the cost of the military aid supplied by the MOD to Ukraine in FY 2021-22.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, to which units in the armed forces of Ukraine have UK supplies of anti-tank weapons been sent.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK has issued anti-tank weapons to the armed forces of Ukraine on the understanding they will be used at the point of greatest need. These defensive weapons have already been used to good effect by regular units of the Ukrainian Army. To list specific units would be a potential breach of Ukrainian operational security.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of the bespoke military skills facility the Government is building in Yaounde, Cameroon; and through which budget is that facility being funded.
Answered by James Heappey
The bespoke military skills facility the UK is building in Yaoundé costs £250,000 and is funded from the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Minister for the Armed Forces had discussions on Marshall Aerospace’s contract with the air force of Cameroon on his visit to that country in 2021.
Answered by James Heappey
I did not discuss the Marshall Aerospace maintenance contract during my visit in 2021.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Human Rights Watch report of abuses by Cameroon’s Battalion d'Intervention Rapide published in December 2021.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK is committed to working with regional allies in West Africa to tackle violence in the Lake Chad area. We directly work with Cameroonian forces on capacity building to tackle violent extremist groups in the Far North. Our training includes a focus on international human rights standards.
We are aware allegations of abuses attributed to the Battalion d'Intervention Rapide (BIR). We have emgaged with the BIR on this incident. The BIR recently reaffirmed assurances that any forces accused of human rights violations will be investigated and those found guilty will be punished. We will monitor the outcome of any investigation, and we are keeping our security cooperation in the Far North of Cameroon under constant review.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the exchange of notes that provides for UK jurisdiction and carriage of weapons in the far north of Cameroon.
Answered by James Heappey
It is not Ministry of Defence policy to disclose our arrangements with other nations.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of the training facility the UK is currently building in Salak for Cameroon's Battalion d’Intervention Rapide; and who is paying for that facility.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK has been providing training to the Battalion d'Intervention Rapide (BIR) since 2018. Since January 2021, we have been training the BIR in Salak in the Far North of Cameroon. In the last financial year, all capacity building cost £1.365 million, including the cost of the training village in Salak (£250,000).
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK is building a security training facility near Yaounde in Cameroon.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK is building a bespoke military skills facility in Yaounde, which enables us to deliver more effective training tailored to those operating in the Far North of Cameroon.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether UK armed forces are providing (a) training and (b) advice to (i) Sudanese security services, (ii) Sudanese armed forces or (iii) Sudan’s rapid support force; and how his Department plans to measure the outcome of support provided by UK armed forces to that country.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence is not providing any training or advice to the Sudanese security services, the Sudanese Armed Forces, or Sudan's Rapid Support Forces.