Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when HMS Audacious is planned to begin (a) sea trials and (b) service.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
AUDACIOUS commenced manufacture in 2007 and is expected to enter sea trials later this year. ANSON commenced manufacture in 2010 and is expected to enter sea trials in the early 2020s. The planned in-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long HMS Anson has been in a construction phase.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
AUDACIOUS commenced manufacture in 2007 and is expected to enter sea trials later this year. ANSON commenced manufacture in 2010 and is expected to enter sea trials in the early 2020s. The planned in-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when sea trials of HMS Anson will commence; and when she will be in service.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
AUDACIOUS commenced manufacture in 2007 and is expected to enter sea trials later this year. ANSON commenced manufacture in 2010 and is expected to enter sea trials in the early 2020s. The planned in-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 11 July 2018 to Question 161188 on Radar: Scotland, what steps are being taken by his Department with the onshore wind farm industry to ensure that consented onshore wind developments in Scotland which require the implementation of a Military Radar Mitigation Scheme are brought forward into construction and operation.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Developers are responsible for proposing Radar Mitigation Schemes (RMS) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has developed a three-phase mitigation process to assist and address their aspirations. Due to the uncertainties of unproven mitigation technologies, success cannot be guaranteed where wind farms have a proven, adverse impact upon radars, impairing their performance in safety-critical operations.
To date, RMS agreements with two developers have been signed, resulting in the trial and implementation of their proposed solutions in parallel with wind farm construction. A third developer has been unable to identify a suitable mitigation solution. No other onshore developers have formally applied to the MOD for mitigation.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 11 July 2018 to Question 162083 on Radar: Scotland, if he will (a) review the efficacy of the work of Aquila in engaging with the onshore wind farm industry and (b) take steps to ensure the timeliness of Aquila's engagements with that industry relating to the development of radar mitigation schemes.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) regularly monitors the performance of its contractors, including Aquila. To address developers' concerns and enable construction and mitigation activities to proceed in parallel, the MOD has developed a three-phase approach. Wind farm developers are not required to use Aquila for phases one (identifying potential solutions) and two (trialling) but as the MOD's supplier of Air Traffic Control services (under Project Marshall), the company must be able to operate the solution without undermining the safety of the services it is contracted to provide.
Should developers decide to contract with their own competent suppliers for phases one and two, this must be agreed with the MOD to ensure radar mitigation is provided to satisfy defence requirements.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 11 July 2018 to Question 162083 on Radar: Scotland, if he will meet with developers to discuss the (a) time being taken by his Department in developing radar mitigation solutions and (b) associated investment risks and impacts incurred by developers and investors as a result of that time being taken.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
There has been proactive engagement between the Ministry of Defence (MOD), wind farm developers, other Government Departments, the Scottish Government and trade bodies. However, to date, there is no proven solution to mitigate the effects of wind farms on military Air Traffic Control (ATC) radar.
The MOD has, therefore, implemented temporary concessions to minimise, where possible, delays for developers to successfully deliver Radar Mitigation Schemes.
The MOD must primarily assure the safety of its operations and is committed to a programme of replacing ATC equipment under Project Marshall. Whilst there may be some flexibility in the replacement schedule, the Marshall equipment programme has some operational constraints that must be preserved.
The MOD and Aquila, the Project Marshall prime contractor, may not therefore be able to accommodate the time constraints sought by a specific wind farm developer.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 11 July 2018 to Question 161188 on Radar: Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the potential effect on the Government's commitment to delivering subsidy free onshore wind in Scotland of the time being taken by his Department in developing radar mitigation solutions.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Ministry of Defence regularly engages with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about wind farm developments, consents and mitigation proposals, as well as reviewing the relative challenges of mitigation (by geographic area) to inform future development initiatives.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timetable is for the implementation of the air traffic control radar mitigation scheme at RAF Lossiemouth in relation to consented but unbuilt onshore wind farms.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Ministry of Defence has no agreements with onshore wind farm developers to implement an air traffic control radar mitigation scheme at RAF Lossiemouth. However, we remain committed to continue working with the wind farm industry and other stakeholders in Scotland on the implementation of any such schemes they may propose.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to support the delivery of consented onshore wind developments in Scotland which require the implementation of a Military Radar Mitigation Scheme; and if he will prioritise seeking an immediate solution for developers and investors whose projects have paused because of associated delays.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Ministry of Defence remains committed to working with the wind farm industry on the development of enduring technologies that will mitigate the effects to Air Traffic Control and Air Defence radars; to ensure the safety of military and civil airspace users and the effectiveness of defence operations. This commitment includes, where possible, supporting temporary mitigation measures while enduring solutions are explored by industry.
Asked by: Douglas Chapman (Scottish National Party - Dunfermline and West Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Royal Navy (i) submarines, (ii) ships and (iii) personnel and (b) RAF (A) aircraft (B) personnel took part in the recent NATO exercise Dynamic Mongoose.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The United Kingdom did not participate in the NATO Exercise DYNAMIC MONGOOSE 2018.