Oral Answers to Questions

Stuart Andrew Excerpts

Monday 14th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Peter Luff]

Although it is far too early to decide where that work will be conducted, I would be delighted to try to accommodate such a visit in my diary, if that proves possible. The hon. Gentleman’s constituents have certainly done a first-rate job.

[Stuart Andrew (Pudsey) (Con)]

19. What recent assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the security situation in the middle east and north Africa.

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Dr Liam Fox)]

In response to the changing security situation in the middle east and north Africa, work is under way to understand the implications that the changing environment will have on our policies in the wider region.

[Stuart Andrew]

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that answer. Will he give an assurance that our regional basing and overflight rights will ensure that we can effectively deploy ground attack aircraft in the region if necessary?

[Dr Fox]

The assumption that we made in the SDSR was that we had sufficient basing and overflight rights to be able to project air power where required. Nothing has happened in recent days to change that assumption.