HC Deb 10 April 2001 vol 366 c521W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times officials from his Department have held meetings with the United States Department of Defence under the information exchange agreement on non-lethal weapons systems signed on 2 February 1998 under the US-UK Master Information Exchange Memorandum of Understanding on non-lethal weapons; when and where each meeting was held; and with which section of the United States Department of Defence each meeting was held. [157343]

Mr. Hoon

Five formal meetings have been held:

  • 13–14 May 1998 at Farnborough (UK)
  • 18–19 November 1998 at San Antonio
  • 29–30 April 1999 at Quantico, Virginia
  • 21 January 2000 at Quantico, Virginia
  • 1 December 2000 in London.

Under the auspices of the Master Information Exchange Memorandum of Understanding on Non-Lethal Weapons there have also been a series of non-lethal weapons-related wargames, now completed, as follows:

  • 19–20 January 2000 at Quantico, Virginia
  • 11–14 April 2000 at quantico, Virginia
  • 13–16 June 2000 at Carlisle (US)
  • 12–15 September 2000 at Newport (US)
  • 29–30 November 2000 in London.

All these meetings were held with the US Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate.

Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many information exchanges have been signed under the US-UK Master Information Exchange Memorandum of Understanding on non-lethal weapons since 18 November 1994; on what date and at what location and with which section of the US Department of Defense each information exchange was signed. [157301]

Mr. Hoon

One Annexe to the Master Information Exchange Memorandum of Understanding on non-lethal weapons has been signed: UK-RN-N-97–5951 on Non-lethal Weapons Systems. This was signed on 2 February 1998, with a duration of five years, at Quantico, Virginia with the US Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate.