§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy vessels have recently been fitted with(a) general purpose machine guns and (b) other weapons systems suitable for close range defence. [91237]
§ Mr. IngramThe majority of Royal Navy vessels are, and always have been, fitted with general purpose machine guns, and also with larger calibre weapons for the purposes of close range defence. The fitting policy for these weapons, including the number of weapons carried by each platform, is reviewed on a regular basis and is subject to change as a result of changes to the threat or operational tasking of the units concerned. The fitting policy of weapons, the numbers and types carried by each vessel and the outcome of any reviews is classified information and I am, therefore, withholding that information under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice (Defence. security and international relations).
Principal deployments 1998 RM Peacekeeping Republic of Congo—contingency deployment for possible non-combatant evacuation RM Peacekeeping Albania—contingency deployment for possible non-combatant evacuation. RM Anti-Terrorist Arabian Gulf—Maritime Interdiction RN/RM 1999 Peacekeeping East Timor RM Peacekeeping Sierra Leone RN/RM Humanitarian Ops Honduras and Nicaragua—Hurricane disaster relief RN/RM 2000 Peacekeeping Sierra Leone RN/RM Peacekeeping Kosovo RM