Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on bringing the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers into service.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH sailed from Rosyth on 26 June to commence contractor sea trials off the north-east coast of Scotland. HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH is by far the most powerful warship ever built in Britain enabling us to tackle changing threats around the globe.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what non-lethal military support his Department has provided to Tunisia in each year since 2012.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK strongly supportsTunisia's democratic transition and we are working to assist the Tunisian authorities as they deliver change. Since 2012, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has provided the following support to the Tunisian Armed Forces:
In June 2012 the MOD and Department for Transport delivered Explosive Detection Equipment Training to the Tunisian Armed Forces in Tunisia;
In May 2012, Tunisian military delegates attended an Economic Exclusion Zone course in the UK;
In January 2014, a small team delivered a presentation to the Tunisian Armed Forces on the UK's approach to Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR);
There are currently two Tunisian students enrolled on the International Sub Lieutenant's course in the UK.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what non-lethal military support his Department has provided to Libya in each year since 2012.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Since 2012 the UK has provided advice, training and Defence Education to Libya.
An advisory team was established in Tripoli in 2012 to support the UK / Libya relationship and provide advice through a number of personnel embedded in the Libyan Ministry of Defence, Navy, Air Force, Land Forces and Border Security Force.
In 2013 the advisory team was renamed the Defence Advisory and Training Team (DATT) to reflect the variety of support programmes, including strategic communication, developing explosive ordnance disposal schools, supporting the creation of a joint operational planning staff and naval training. The DATT currently numbers 34 personnel which includes a Senior Disarmament Advisor working with the Government of Libya, the UN and international partners on disarmament issues. The DATT also provides the platform for Short Term Training Team deployments from the UK.
In 2013 HMS Echo surveyed the coast off Tripoli including a number of ports and in February 2014 the Libyans signed a data sharing agreement with the UK Hydrographic Office.
Libyan personnel have undergone defence education and training in the UK including: English Language Training, Initial Officer Training, Economic Exclusion Zone Protection Officers courses and Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context.
In November 2013 the UK also established a Defence Section within the British Embassy, Tripoli with a Defence Attaché.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what non-lethal military support his Department has provided to Algeria in each year since 2012.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK provides military support to the Algerian Armed Forces mainly through the provision of academic and specialised UK based courses. In 2012, 31 Algerian students from the Algerian Armed Forces attended UK military courses, and in 2013 seven students came to the UK for training. The courses attended since 2012 are:
Royal College of Defence Studies
Initial Naval Training (Officers) at BRNC Dartmouth
RAF Initial Officer Training at RAF Cranwell
Economic Exclusion Zone Protection Officer Course (one in 2012 delivered in the UK, one in 2013 delivered in Gibraltar)
Stabilisation and Peace Support Operation
Board and Search Training
English Language Training
HM Common Time course
International Principal Warfare Officers' Course
RIB training
International Air Battle Management Course
Multinational Peace Support Operations Instructor Training Course
Design and Evaluation of Peace Support Operations Training
In addition to this, in 2013, delegations from the Algerian Armed Forces visited the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, and the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury. In March 2014, a delegation from the Ministry of Defence's Surgeon General's department visited Algiers to discuss potential areas for cooperation with the Algerian military medical services.