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Written Question
Afghanistan: Refugees
Tuesday 14th November 2023

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applicants are assigned to each caseworker for the ARAP Scheme.

Answered by James Heappey

Caseworkers are tasked according to operational priorities. The number of applicants per caseworker is therefore variable.


Written Question
Russia: Arms Trade
Tuesday 19th April 2022

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his officials' recent visit to the March 2022 World Defence show in Saudi Arabia, what assessment he has made of global access to arms produced by Russian manufacturers currently sanctioned by the UK Government.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

Russian equipment was present at the World Defence Show (where there was also a Ukrainian stand). Russia’s arms sales are not constrained by any legal restrictions other than those arising from UN arms embargoes. As such, most countries can currently choose to purchase Russian arms.

In these circumstances we believe that a senior UK presence at such events is important to impress upon potential purchasers that alternatives may exist to acquiring Russian weapons. In doing so we hope to deter support for the Russian Arms industry, economy, and potentially Armed Forces.


Written Question
Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade
Tuesday 19th April 2022

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the March 2022 World Defence Show.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

The Secretary of State for Defence was represented at the World Defence Show but could not attend personally due to other Departmental priorities. No discussions were held at the event with the Saudi Defence Secretary.


Written Question
Military Aid
Monday 13th July 2020

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for which countries the armed forces provided training for in (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20; and which armed service provided the training for each of those training programmes so provided.

Answered by James Heappey

The information requested has been placed in the library of the House.


Written Question
Iraq: Cluster Munitions
Monday 18th May 2020

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which munitions the RAF dropped on Iraq in April 2020; what the cost of each munition was; how many enemy combatants were killed from those munitions; whether and (d) whether any death or injury was caused to civilians from those munitions.

Answered by James Heappey

In April 2020, fourteen Paveway IV and one GBU-12 munitions were released in Iraq by the RAF. The weapon release mission reports indicate an estimate of three enemy killed in action. There are no reports of civilian causalities associated with the weapon release events.

Missile procurement costs are dependent on the quantity of missiles being procured, customer priorities and market conditions at the time. Specific cost details are commercially sensitive and therefore are not disclosed by the Ministry of Defence.


Written Question
Syria: RAF Akrotiri
Monday 18th May 2020

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions did RAF (a) C-17s, (b) C-130s and (c) A400M’s departing from RAF Akrotiri land in Syria in April 2020.

Answered by James Heappey

The safety of military personnel on operations and UK assets in the Middle East is of great importance to Her Majesty's Government, which has a duty to protect sensitive information the release of which could jeopardise UK security. It is therefore Ministry of Defence, and wider Government, policy to not comment on or disclose details of operational movements, including the details which you have requested.


Written Question
RAF Akrotiri
Monday 11th May 2020

Asked by: Sam Tarry (Labour - Ilford South)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason RAF Akrotiri refuels BAE Systems’ weekly freighter flight between Warton Aerodrome in Lancashire and Ta’if in Saudi Arabia; whether his Department is aware of the contents of the freight being delivered on those flights; and for what reason those flights have been assessed as essential during the covid-19 lockdown.

Answered by James Heappey

These BAE Systems operated flights provide logistics support for UK-supplied aircraft and systems operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force, which play a key role in the defence and security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These flights night-stop at RAF Akrotiri, both inbound and outbound from Saudi Arabia, for the wellbeing of the crew, to refuel and to assure the security of the aircraft and its cargo.

These flights do not carry passengers, nor is cargo loaded or off-loaded at RAF Akrotiri. During the present Covid-19 crisis the crews are provided with dedicated on-base accommodation, which allows them to be isolated fully from RAF Akrotiri personnel.