Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when Royal Saudi Air Force Typhoon pilots last undertook training in air-to-ground attacks in the UK where that training took place; and what munitions those pilots fired.
Answered by James Heappey
Royal Saudi Air Force Typhoon pilots only undertake air to ground training in a simulator and through a classroom brief; therefore, no munitions have been fired.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Saudi Arabian pilots trained in the UK have undertaken missions for the Royal Saudi Air Force in the war in Yemen.
Answered by James Heappey
The utilisation of trained Royal Saudi Air Force aircrew is not monitored by or otherwise confirmed to the UK.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK military (a) personnel and (b) advisers are operating in targeting centres in Saudi Arabia.
Answered by James Heappey
We have a very small number of liaison officers in Saudi Armed Forces headquarters. The role of the liaison officers is to provide the UK with greater insight into Saudi processes and operations. All UK military personnel in Saudi Arabia remain under UK command and control. More specifically, as my predecessor said in his reply to Question 228123, our liaison officers working in the Saudi Air Operations Centre observe Saudi-led coalition air operations in Yemen to help the UK support Saudi compliance with International.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the (a) dates on which the 90 Saudi military personnel received Typhoon training at RAF Coningsby in 2019, (b) course curriculum and (c) ranks and roles of those military personnel who received that training.
Answered by James Heappey
Please see table below for the various dates and courses on which Saudi military personnel received Typhoon training at RAF Coningsby. It should be noted that the 90 personnel did not all attend the same courses.
Course Name | Start Date | Finish Date |
|
|
|
Typhoon OPCON | November 2018 | May 2019 |
Typhoon OPCON | March 2019 | August 2019 |
Typhoon OPCON | September 2019 | March 2020 |
Typhoon Maintenance Consolidation Training | January 2019 | July 2019 |
Typhoon Maintenance Consolidation Training | July 2019 | December 2019 |
The roles of personnel being trained is a matter for the Royal Saudi Air Force. Therefore, we do not hold information relating to specific roles. However, the courses are attended by technicians and aircrew.
I am withholding the information relating to course curriculum as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice both commercial interests and international relations between the United Kingdom and another State.
Additionally, I am withholding the ranks of the personnel under our obligations in relation to the protection of confidentiality when handling a small data set.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the (a) dates on which the 180 Saudi military personnel attended training at the Defence College of Technical Training at RAF Cosford in 2019, (b) course curriculum and (c) ranks and roles of those military personnel who received that training.
Answered by James Heappey
Please see the table below for the various dates and courses on which Saudi military personnel received training at the Defence College of Technical Training at RAF Cosford. It should be noted that the 180 personnel did not all attend the same courses.
Course Name | Start Date | Finish Date |
|
|
|
Aircraft Mechanical Technician Course Mechanics (M20) | November 2017 | January 2019 |
Aircraft Mechanical Technician Course Mechanics (M21) | December 2017 | February 2019 |
Weapons Technician Course (W13) | October 2017 | February 2019 |
Avionics Technician Course (AV19) | January 2018 | March 2019 |
Aircraft Mechanical Technician Course Mechanics (M22) | March 2018 | April 2019 |
Weapons Technician Course (W14) | February 2018 | May 2019 |
Aircraft Mechanical Technician Course Mechanics (M23) | May 2018 | July 2019 |
Aircraft Mechanical Technician Course Mechanics (M24) | August 2018 | August 2019 |
Avionics Technician Course (AV20) | October 2018 | September 2019 |
Avionics Technician Course (AV21) | December 2018 | November 2019 |
Weapons Technician Course (W15) | August 2018 | December 2019 |
Aircraft Mechanical Technician Course Mechanics (M25) | May 2019 | August 2020 |
Engineer Officer Foundation Course (56) | January 2019 | July 2019 |
Engineer Officer Foundation Course (57) | March 2019 | October 2019 |
The roles of personnel being trained is a matter for the Royal Saudi Air Force. Therefore, we do not hold information relating to specific roles. However, the courses are attended by technicians.
I am withholding the information relating to course curriculum as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice both commercial interests and international relations between the United Kingdom and another State.
Additionally, I am withholding the ranks of the personnel under our obligations in relation to the protection of confidentiality when handling a small data set.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Saudi pilots have been trained at RAF bases in the UK in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by James Heappey
The number of Saudi pilots who have started a training course or programme in each of the last 10 years is detailed in the table below. It should be noted that as some of the programmes can last up to four years there are currently pilots still in training.
Year | Number of Saudi Pilots starting training in UK |
2010 | 3 |
2011 | 4 |
2012 | 0 |
2013 | 24 |
2014 | 24 |
2015 | 16 |
2016 | 23 |
2017 | 10 |
2018 | 0 |
2019 | 0 |
2020 | 0 |
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard advises the latter on operations related to the conflict in Yemen.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The British Military Mission to Saudi Arabia do not advise the Saudi National Guard on operations in Yemen.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the internal security training provided by the British military mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard comprises; and whether riot control is included in that training.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The British Military Mission provides a variety of training to the Saudi Arabian National Guard, including occasional internal security training which includes a public order element.
The British Military Mission provides training in appropriate and proportionate use of force, the rules of engagement, human rights compliance and de-escalation procedures in line with the principles of Her Majesty's Government's Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessment.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the agreement between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia governing the British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The 1964 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia governs the British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard. This is a confidential agreement between two sovereign states which the United Kingdom Government is unable to publish without the permission of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are not prepared to authorise the publication of bilateral MOUs.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to fulfil the commitment to provide military assistance to Saudi Arabia made in the Written Statement of 23 May 2019, Official Report HCWS716.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 April 2019 to Question 237783.