Lord West of Spithead

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the primary factor in the choice of F35B variant as the United Kingdom’s new attack aircraft was the requirement for the aircraft to be operated from the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the harmony rules for RAF personnel serving in the new F35B squadrons will be brought into line with their Royal Navy equivalents.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what size of fixed wing airgroup will be embarked, as a standard, by the operational Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether new money has been provided from the contingency funds of HM Treasury or the Ministry of Defence to run the second aircraft carrier or whether the Royal Navy has been told to do so within present funding boundaries.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to introduce a communications data bill in this Parliament.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the Birmingham Policy Commission's report The Security Impact of Drones; and whether they will make a statement on a national policy on the use of lethal drones.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have incorporated a policy regarding use of lethal drones in British Defence Doctrine.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the savings accrued from the disposal of the United Kingdom Harrier Force after the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the expected cost of fitting Brimstone missiles to the United Kingdom Typhoon Force and enabling them to be used.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many close encounters between Russian and NATO aircraft and ships took place in (1) 2012, (b) 2013, and (3) 2014 to date.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any representations to the government of Russia about the number of close encounters between Russian and NATO aircraft and ships.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any plans to allow air to air transfer of fuel between F35B aircraft in the United Kingdom inventory.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many independent schools have responded to Major-General Crackett's letter about change in funding arrangements; and how many have said they expect their Combined Cadet Force units to have to close.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the change in funding arrangements for Combined Cadet Force units in independent schools will await the outcome of the review into the Ministry of Defence's way ahead over Cadet Forces by Major-General Tom Beckett.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is any United Kingdom legislation that applies to the use of drones of less than 20 kilograms.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many F35B aircraft the United Kingdom will have purchased by 7 May 2015.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have a policy on the use of lethal autonomous weapons systems and a definition of meaningful human involvement in drone operations.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any of Her Majesty’s ships have had to cancel planned operations due to shortage of trained manpower over the last 12 months.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect that HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales will each proceed to sea under their own power for the first time.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what planning assumptions are in place for the Red Arrows when the current fleet of aircraft are due for replacement; and what aircraft type, if any, will replace them.