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21 July 2009 : Column 1204Wcontinued
It is normal for there to be considerable variation between monthly "planned" and "actual" flying hours. "Planned" hours are based on the total amount of flying that could be supported by the Platform Project Teams for a given aircraft type and are not broken down by individual airframe. There is no requirement to hold data on average flying hours. The figures are agreed in Joint Business Agreements (JBAs) between Front Line Commands (FLCs) and the Defence Equipment and Support organisation, and are forecast up to a year ahead. The month by month Profile is to enable forward resource planning within the overall total for the year, not a definitive prediction of requirements, which will vary during the year.
"Actual" hours are the total of all hours flown for training and on operations.
The reasons why actual hours may be less than planned include aircraft unavailability through routine maintenance, running repairs, essential upgrades and modification programmes; air crew unavailability through recuperation, absence on training courses, and leave; changes in training schedules; adverse weather; or cancellation of tasking. Taskings on operations clearly depend on mission requirements at any given time, which are difficult to predict several months ahead.
Flying hours required for training are managed within this framework by the FLCs but priority is given to operations.
"Planned" flying hours not consumed may be carried forward into subsequent months. Hours flown on operations in excess of the year's JBA total flying hours may be funded by the reserve.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the merits of equipping UK military helicopters with air-to-air refuelling capabilities. [288202]
Mr. Quentin Davies: While we keep our helicopter capabilities under review, there is currently no requirement to equip our helicopters with air-to-air refuelling capabilities.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on UK membership of the NATO Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. [286946]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The United Kingdom is fully supportive of this Estonian-hosted Cyber Defence initiative and its endeavours in this important area. However, given the need to co-ordinate Cyber Defence with a number of other Government Departments and allies, the MOD's preferred means of support is by participation in specific mutually beneficial workstreams rather than attaching personnel permanently to Estonia. The United Kingdom is not formally a sponsoring nation of this Centre of Excellence but this position will be kept under review.
Both the current Head of the MOD Defence Security and Assurance Service and his predecessor, as well as other senior officers, have visited the Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, participated in its conferences, and provided additional assistance to its development over the past two years.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what drug seizures were made by Royal Navy vessels since 1997; where the seizures took place; what the value of each seizure was; and if he will make a statement. [271390]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I will write to the hon. Member.
Substantive answer from Bill Rammell to Nick Harvey:
In my predecessor's written answer, on 12 May 2009, (Official Report, column 753W), it was undertaken to write to you regarding
your request for a list of the drug seizures made by Royal Naval vessels since 1997; where the seizures took place; and what the value of each seizure was. In the course of this research, US officials have been consulted, who have kindly shared information from their own very detailed records.
As you will recognise, disrupting illegal trafficking of weapons and narcotics is among the many important tasks we ask our Armed Forces to conduct. The Royal Navy conducts Flag State Verification procedures on Gulf Region Shipping and has also provided significant support to US counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean. Further disruption operations are conducted whenever opportunities arise during the Royal Navy's standing patrol tasks, including within UK territorial waters, in support of operations led by the Serious Organised Crime Agency. These operations have contributed to the seizure of large quantities of illegal narcotics which otherwise might have ended up on UK, US and European streets. A comprehensive list of seizures since 1997 is set out below. This information updates previous estimates and draws on additional information provided by US law enforcement officials.
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