Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) intelligence the Government is sharing with Israel on the potential location of remaining UK national hostages in Gaza and (b) other intelligence the Government is sharing with Israel gathered from surveillance flights from RAF Akrotiri.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The unarmed UK surveillance aircraft are employed solely to support hostage rescue. Only information relating to hostage rescue will be passed to the relevant Israeli authorities responsible for hostage rescue.
We are unable comment further on detailed intelligence matters for operational security reasons.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of Israel's use of surveillance data provided by the UK on the UK's role in ensuring adherence to international law.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The unarmed UK surveillance aircraft are employed solely to support hostage rescue. Only information relating to hostage rescue will be passed to the relevant Israeli authorities responsible for hostage rescue.
We are unable comment further on detailed intelligence matters for operational security reasons.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the (a) cost and (b) projected in-service date for each of the new build projects in the Devonport Royal Dockyard site development plan.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Devonport Submarine Infrastructure Programme will involve the investment of approximately £2.5 billion to provide new and refurbished facilities at HM Naval Base Devonport. The Department expects to gain beneficial use of the facilities currently under construction in 2024 (9, 14 and 15 Docks) and 2027 (10 Dock). The estimated costs for each project are commercially sensitive but they fall within the overall estimate of £2.5 billion.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the parent project for each of the new build projects in the Devonport Royal Dockyard site plan; and what recent estimate he has made of the cost of each parent project.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Devonport Submarine Infrastructure Programme will involve the investment of approximately £2.5 billion to provide new and refurbished facilities at HM Naval Base Devonport. The Department expects to gain beneficial use of the facilities currently under construction in 2024 (9, 14 and 15 Docks) and 2027 (10 Dock). The estimated costs for each project are commercially sensitive but they fall within the overall estimate of £2.5 billion.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was of the Long Overhaul Period and Refuel (LOP(R)) for HMS Vanguard.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
I am withholding the estimated cost of HMS Vanguard's Deep Maintenance Project (Refuel) as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 25 February 2020, HCWS125 on Nuclear Deterrent, when final approval was given to build a new replacement warhead; and who approved that decision.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
To ensure we can continue to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, the Government, led by the Prime Minister, made the decision to replace the nuclear warhead. Details were announced in the Written Ministerial Statement laid in Parliament by the Secretary of State for Defence on 25 February 2020.
As the right hon. Member will recall, in July 2016 Parliament debated and voted in support of maintaining Continuous At Sea Deterrence and renewing the nuclear deterrent by a significant majority of 355 votes (472 Ayes, 117 Noes).
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on plans for a new replacement warhead (a) prior to his written statement of 25 February 2020 and (b) to date.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
As the replacement warhead is in its early preliminary phases it is too early at this stage to provide a cost estimate. I am however able to provide information relating to completed financial years. The Ministry of Defence spent £116 million up to the end of the financial year (2018-19). A total of £98 million was spent on the Replacement Warhead readiness phase over the subsequent two financial years (2019-20 and 2020-21).
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost of building a new replacement warhead.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
As the replacement warhead is in its early preliminary phases it is too early at this stage to provide a cost estimate. I am however able to provide information relating to completed financial years. The Ministry of Defence spent £116 million up to the end of the financial year (2018-19). A total of £98 million was spent on the Replacement Warhead readiness phase over the subsequent two financial years (2019-20 and 2020-21).
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the hourly cost is of an RAF Chinook flying on Operation Newcombe; and what the cost of repairing those aircraft has been since July 2018.
Answered by James Heappey
The cost of flying hours and repairs for Operation Newcombe are not held separately from overall RAF Chinook costs. Equipment repair costs in theatre are about £2.5 million per annum. Fuel and other related flying costs (e.g. consumables and stock used in theatre) for the hours flown are about £10.8 million per annum.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British personnel on Operation Newcombe sustained injuries from (a) enemy and (b) friendly action.
Answered by James Heappey
No injuries have been sustained by UK Service personnel on Operation Newcombe from either enemy or friendly action.