| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Strategic Defence Initiative
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the 1985 Strategic Defence Initiative Memorandum of Understanding. [114325]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 14 March 2000]: No. I am withholding this information under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Scientific Research Projects
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those scientific research projects on which his Department is collaborating with other European countries. [114328]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 14 March 2000]: Details of specific projects could be provided only at disproportionate cost but, under bilateral or multilateral arrangements relating to research, my Department has significant numbers of joint programmes or information exchanges with the following countries or organisations:
| Country/organisation | Number of programmes |
|---|---|
| France | 85 |
| Sweden | 26 |
| Netherlands/Norway | 25 |
| Germany | 17 |
| WEAG(1)/EUCLID(2) | 30 |
| GARTEUR(3) | 8 |
| Miscellaneous | 10 |
(1) Western European Armaments Group: informal grouping of European Defence Ministers providing policy direction for armaments and research issues
(2) European Cooperation for the Long-term in Defence (EUCLID) based on competition and contracts placed on lead contractors, usually with some industrial funding
(3) European aerospace forum involving UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Italy
International research collaboration also takes place under the umbrella of NATO. Details are not included as NATO also includes non-European countries.
Many technologies are involved, including:
21 Mar 2000 : Column: 491W
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the scientific areas covered by his Towers of Excellence initiative. [114327]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 14 March 2000]: As part of our strategy for defence science and technology, the Ministry of Defence has been developing an approach known as the "Towers of Excellence" model. The intention, in partnership with industry, is to identify areas in which technological excellence might best be concentrated and defence-specific technologies enhanced to the level required to produce world class equipment for our Armed Forces.
To do this on a systematic basis requires a comprehensive view of industrial capabilities and aspirations. There must be sufficiently coherent clusters of technology to enable UK industry to continue to be able to bid for a substantial proportion of UK defence equipment. These towers must therefore align with industry's own plans. We expect this alignment to be informed by the defence industries' own technology strategy which they have prepared to complement that of MOD.
Industry and MOD have agreed on a process for bringing their respective strategies together and defining priorities for constructing technological "towers of excellence" within available resources. Work is likely to continue through to the end of 2000.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for the use of HMS Birmingham; and if he will make a statement. [114767]
Dr. Moonie:
HMS Birmingham is no longer operational and is currently awaiting disposal.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to fit further Royal Navy ships with Sonar 2087; and if he will make a statement. [114803]
Dr. Moonie:
We plan to fit Sonar 2087 to all Type 23 frigates. In the longer term it might also be a contender for fitment to the Future Surface Combatant.
Mr. Wilkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the sum invoiced to his Department by Air Foyle Ltd. for the charter of an Air Foyle Antonov 124-100 aircraft to Transport four Royal Air Force Puma helicopters from RAF Brize Norton to South African Air Force Base Heudspruit on Friday 3 March. [114744]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 15 March 2000]: I am withholding details of the sum invoiced to the MOD by Air Foyle Ltd. for the charter of an Antonov 124-100 under Exemption 13 (Third party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. Wilkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the maximum number of RAF Puma helicopters which can be carried in (a) Hercules C130K, (b) Hercules C130J, (c) Boeing C17 and (d) Antonov
21 Mar 2000 : Column: 492W
124-100 transport aircraft; and how many refuelling stops each aircraft requires, carrying its respective maximum complements of Puma helicopters, on a flight from RAF Brize Norton to South African Air Force Base Heudspruit. [114745]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 15 March 2000]: The Hercules C130K Mk1 cannot carry the Puma helicopter. Both the Hercules C130K Mk3 and the C130J can carry one Puma helicopter and would normally require three en-route stops to complete the flight from Brize Norton to SAAF Base Heudspruit.
According to information publicly available the Boeing C17 is capable of carrying three Puma helicopters and would normally require two en-route stops to complete the flight.
The AN124-100 is capable of carrying four Puma helicopters and would normally require two en-route stops to complete the flight.
The degree to which the Puma is dismantled dictates whether or not the maximum number of airframes can be loaded into transport aircraft. The requirement for en-route stops can vary according to prevailing weather conditions.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the facilities being offered to Railtrack for training by his Department; what is the length of time for the course; where it is taking place; and what facilities exist for re-charging Railtrack for these facilities. [115085]
Mr. Spellar:
The Army has provided Railtrack with limited assistance in the form of presentations and involvement in a Railtrack seminar. Discussions have also been held at working level with the company on the possible provision of Logistic Planning Workshops by the Royal Logistics Corps. The presentations and attendance have lasted around two days and Railtrack have paid the full costs of this help. Any further assistance provided will be charged for at appropriate rates.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 March 2000, Official Report, column 828W, on peat compost, when his officials began their assessment of the full impact of phasing out the use of peat on his Department's estate; and if he will make a statement. [115234]
Dr. Moonie:
My officials began their formal assessment on 7 February 2000.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer on 10 March 2000, Official Report, column 828W, on peat compost, if he will list all his Department's estate gardens; and if he will make a statement. [115235]
Dr. Moonie:
This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what experts from outside the Department he
21 Mar 2000 : Column: 493W
consulted in preparing rebuttal arguments relating to the views of Professor Hooper at the meeting of the Independent Panel on Gulf War Illnesses on 29 March 1999; if he will place copies of the Government's evidence to the Panel in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [115540]
Mr. Spellar:
No outside experts were consulted. The Panel is briefed on the current state of interactions research at its meetings and has therefore received copies of MOD papers on Gulf veterans' illnesses, copies of which are already in the Library of the House.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will decide on the contracts for the (a) beyond visual range air-to-air missile and (b) future transport aircraft. [115128]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 17 March 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence hopes to announce decisions on both of these projects in the next few weeks.
Energetic Materials and Plasmas
Structural Materials and Structural Effects Analysis
Sensor Systems
Computer Applications and Information Processing
Design Aspects--Platforms and Weapons
Photonic/Optical Materials and Devices
Electronic and Electrical Devices
Signature Control and Signature Reduction
Computing Technologies
Operating Environmental Issues
Communications and CIS Related Technologies
Integration and other Systems Issues
Guidance and Control Systems (Weapons and Platforms)
Propulsion and Powerplants
Electronic Materials
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |