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21 July 2009 : Column 1204W—continued


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.

NATO Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence

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.


21 July 2009 : Column 1205W

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.

Navy: Drug Seizures

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:


21 July 2009 : Column 1207W

21 July 2009 : Column 1208W
Year Month Unit Location Quantity Est v alue (£)

1997

Apr

HMS York

Home Waters

4 tonnes cannabis

11.5 million

June

HMS Edinburgh

Home Waters

3 tonnes cannabis

8.6 million

1998

June

HMS Monmouth

Home Waters

2 tonnes cannabis

8 million

1999

Mar

HMS Marlborough

Caribbean

0.5 tonnes (assessed) jettisoned

20 million

May

HMS Marlborough

Caribbean

4.7 tonnes

188 million

May

HMS Marlborough

Caribbean

4.6 tonnes

184 million

Aug

HMS Northumberland

Caribbean

0.45 tonnes (assessed) jettisoned

18 million

Oct

HMS Northumberland

Caribbean

0.85 tonnes (assessed) jettisoned

34 million

Nov

HMS Northumberland

Caribbean

2.12 tonnes; 7 Kgs of heroin

85 million

2000

Jun

HMS Manchester

Caribbean

0.85 tonnes (assessed) jettisoned

34 million

2001

Sep

HMS Coventry

Belize

1200 Kgs cocaine

48 million

2002

Jul

HMS Newcastle

Caribbean

100 bales marijuana

note 2

Jul

HMS Newcastle

Caribbean

23 bales cocaine

note 2

Sep

HMS Grafton

Caribbean

21 bales marijuana

note 2

Oct

HMS Grafton

Caribbean

750 Kg cocaine

30 million

Nov

HMS Grafton

Caribbean

7 bales marijuana (5 bales lost)

note 2

2003

May

HMS Cumberland

Home Waters

3800 Kgs cocaine

152 million

Jun

HMS Iron Duke

Caribbean

131 bales/3275Kg cocaine

131 million

Sep

RFA Wave Knight

Caribbean

116lbs marijuana

152,000

Oct

HMS Manchester

Caribbean

1052 Kgs cocaine

42 million

2004

Jan

RFA Wave Knight

Caribbean

650Kgs cocaine

26 million

Nov

RFA Wave Ruler

Caribbean

1.8 tonnes cocaine

72 million

2005

Jan

RFA Wave Ruler

Caribbean

1.8 tonnes cocaine

72 million

Jan

RFA Wave Ruler

Caribbean

1.7 tonnes cocaine

68 million

Mar

RFA Wave Knight

Caribbean

1.5 tonnes (assessed) cocaine jettisoned by smugglers

40 million

Feb

RFA Wave Ruler

Caribbean

0.93 tonnes cocaine

37 million

May

HMS Liverpool/RFA Wave Knight

Caribbean

400 lbs cannabis; 0.998 tonnes cocaine; further 0.3 tonnes (assessed) jettisoned by smugglers

53 million

Jun

HMS Liverpool

Caribbean

850 lbs cannabis; 0.3 tonnes (assessed) cocaine jettisoned by smugglers.

13 million

Jul

RFA Wave Ruler

Caribbean

3.0 tonnes (assessed) cocaine jettisoned by smugglers

120 million

Sep

HMS Cumberland

Caribbean

1.5 tonnes (assessed) cocaine jettisoned by smugglers

60 million

Oct

HMS Cumberland/RFA Wave Knight

Caribbean

1.756 tonnes cocaine

70 million

2006

Feb

HMS Southampton/RFA Grey Rover

Caribbean

2.223 tonnes cocaine; a further 2.0 tonnes (assessed) jettisoned by smugglers.

169 million

Sep

RFA Wave Ruler

Caribbean

2.5 tonnes cocaine

100 million

Oct

RFA Wave Ruler

Caribbean

2.789 tonnes cocaine

112 million

Oct

HMS Argyll/RFA Gold Rover

Atlantic (West Africa)

1.5 tonnes cocaine

60 million

Nov

HMS Argyll/RFA Fort Austin 849 NAS

East Atlantic

1.33 tonnes cocaine

53 million

Nov

RFA Wave Ruler

Caribbean

4.0 tonnes cocaine

160 million

Nov

RFA Wave Ruler

Caribbean

2.04 tonnes cocaine

82 million

Dec

HMS Lancaster

W Africa

3.5 tonnes (assessed) cocaine jettisoned by smugglers

140 million

HMS Iron Duke

East Atlantic

2007

May

HMS Ocean

Caribbean

12 bales cocaine

note 2

Jun

HMS Ocean

Caribbean

329 Kgs cocaine; 20 Kgs heroin

14 million

Oct

HMS Portland/RFA Wave Knight

Caribbean

3.3 tonnes (assessed) cocaine jettisoned by smugglers

132 million

Dec

RFA Largs Bay

Caribbean

1.125 tonnes cocaine

45 million

2008

Mar

HMS Edinburgh

Middle East

7 tonnes hashish

20 million

Apr

HMS Montrose

Middle East Waters

6-10 tonnes hashish (assessed) jettisoned by smugglers.

17 million-29 million

Mar

HMS Edinburgh

Middle East-Waters

3.5 tonnes hashish

10 million

Apr

HMS Montrose

Middle East Waters

10 tonnes hashish

29 million

Apr

HMS Chatham

Middle East Waters

6 tonnes hashish

17 million

Jun

HMS Iron Duke

Caribbean

1.125 tonnes cocaine

45 million

Jul

HMS Iron Duke

Caribbean

1.2 tonnes (assessed) cocaine jettisoned by smugglers

48 million

Jul

HMS Iron Duke

Caribbean

2477 coca field plants from helicopter survey.

n/a

Sep

HMS Argyll RFA/Fort Austin

Home Waters

100 kg cocaine

4 million

Oct

HMS Northumberland

Middle East

20 Kg Hashish; 1000 Kg (assessed) jettisoned

2.9 million

Dec

HMS Portland

Middle East

1.4 tonnes hashish

4 million

2009

Feb

HMS Richmond

Middle East Waters

80-90 bales (approx 2000kg) of hashish jettisoned by smugglers

5.7 million

Apr

HMS Portland

Middle East

27 bales (each of 31 Kgs) hashish (837 Kgs)

2.4 million

Notes:
1. SOCA estimates, as at June 2009, of UK street values have been applied to all seizures.
2. Where only the number of bales is known/estimated, but not their weight, no street value can be estimated retrospectively.

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