Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2019 to Question 232090 on Saudi Arabia: Military Aid, if his Department will provide the figures requested in that Question.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
No BAE Systems employees or RAF personnel on secondment to the company, operating under the long-standing Government-to-Government arrangements, provide direct support for Royal Saudi Air Force operational squadrons when engaged in the war in Yemen. They do not prepare aircraft for operations, do not load weapons, and do not get involved in the planning of operational sorties.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 232090, on Saudi Arabia: Military Aid, how many RAF personnel have been employed on secondment to BAE Systems providing routine engineering and generic training support for UK-supplied aircraft and aircrews assigned to operational squadrons of the Royal Saudi Air Force in 2013-14 and each year since.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
It will take time to confirm if Ministry of Defence holds this information and I will write to the hon. Member.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 232090 on Saudi Arabia: Military Aid, how many RAF personnel are currently employed on secondment to BAE Systems providing routine engineering and generic training support for UK-supplied aircraft and aircrews assigned to operational squadrons of the Royal Saudi Air Force.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
There are six RAF personnel on secondment to BAE Systems providing routine engineering and generic training support for UK-supplied aircraft and aircrews assigned to operational squadrons under long-standing Government-to-Government arrangements.
These personnel do not provide direct support for Royal Saudi Air Force operational squadrons when engaged in the war in Yemen. They do not prepare aircraft for operations, this includes a prohibition on the loading of weapons, and they are not involved in the planning of operational sorties."
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 232090 on Saudi Arabia: Military Aid, what records his Department holds on breaches of the prohibitions on RAF personnel (a) loading weapons and (b) planning operational sorties.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
None.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 232090, on Saudi Arabia: Military Aid, whether employees of BAE Systems are subject to the same restrictions as seconded members of RAF personnel on (a) loading weapons and (b) planning operational sorties.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Yes.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2019 to Question 229818, whether there are any RAF personnel or workers under contract to the UK Government that are trained as targeteers and operating in Saudi Arabia.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
No RAF personnel or workers under contract to the UK Government, even if trained as targeteers, are using their targeting skills or training in their roles in Saudi Arabia.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) RAF personnel and (b) BAE Systems personnel seconded under Government-to-Government agreements work in direct support of Royal Saudi Air Force operational squadrons engaged in the war in Yemen; what the functions are of those personnel; and what restrictions are placed on their support for active operations.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
UK personnel provide routine engineering and generic training support for UK-supplied aircraft and aircrews assigned to operational squadrons under long-standing Government-to-Government arrangements.
These personnel do not provide direct support for Royal Saudi Air Force operational squadrons when engaged in the war in Yemen. They do not prepare aircraft for operations, this includes a prohibition on the loading of weapons, and they are not involved in the planning of operational sorties.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2019 to Question 228159 on Saudi Arabia: Military Aid, whether UK military personnel alerted the chain of command of any suspected violations of international humanitarian law by the Royal Saudi Airforce since the March 2015 intervention in the civil war in Yemen.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) monitors incidents of alleged international humanitarian law (IHL) violations arising from airstrikes reportedly conducted by the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen using all available information, including from government sources, foreign governments, the media and international non-governmental organisations.
In cases where UK military personnel receive information that riases concerns in relation to suspected violations of IHL by the Royal Saudi Airforce, this is considered as part of the MOD monitoring process. Since March 2015, no UK military personnel in Saudi Arabia have reported witnessing suspected violations of international humanitarian law.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 124 of the High Court judgement of 10 July 2017, what (a) processes and (b) procedures are used by Saudi Arabia for UK and Saudi officials to report potential violations of international humanitarian law up the chain of command.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Paragraph 123 (not 124) of the High Court judgement of 10 July 2017 refers to "targeting procedures and processes", and the insight that UK liaison officers in the Saudi Arabian military HQ may have. However, UK liaison officers do not have insight into internal Saudi Arabian procedures that initiate any reports of potential international humanitarian law (IHL) violations.
All UK military personnel are required to report suspected violations of international humanitarian law to their command chain wherever and whenever they occur.
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 RAF targeteers working in the Saudi Combined Air Operations Centre are on loan or on secondment to the Saudi Arabian armed forces.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The RAF personnel in the Saudi Air Operations Centre are liaison officers, not 'targeteers'. They play no part in the targeting processes of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. They are not on loan terms of service nor are they seconded to the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. They are under UK command and control.