§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will publish regulations governing the disposal of surplus military equipment; [153004]
(2) whether surplus military equipment with a security classification of restricted and above is disposed of by sale or auction; and what safeguards are applied; [153005]
(3) what safeguards there are on the end use of surplus military equipment disposed of by sale or auction. [153006]
§ Mr. IngramThere are many regulations governing the disposal of surplus military equipments ranging from internal Ministry of Defence procedures focusing on the supply chain decision-making process to those national and international regulations such as the Basel Convention. Particular procedures would be dependent on the type of equipment involved and there are numerous disposal instructions in existence. This information is not held centrally and, without being more specific, could be provided only at disproportionate cost. National and international procedures are in the public domain.
The MOD ensures that most sensitive surplus military equipment is destroyed. However, certain classified material may be resold by the MOD's Disposal Services Agency (DSA) either directly on a Government-to-Government basis, to the original equipment manufacturer or via some of the DSA's marketing agreements with industry. Safeguards are in place to ensure that all exports (direct or subsequent via a marketing agreement) are covered by an appropriate export licence. The DSA's contractors that hold classified material (for sale) will have appropriate MOD security clearance and, additionally, the Official Secrets Act would apply. No such material would be sold at auction.
1328WAll surplus equipment sold directly by the DSA on a Government-to-Government basis contain conditions that require the end user Government to seek MOD approval prior to subsequent resale to a third party.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) ships, (b) aircraft and (c) military vehicles have been disposed of by (i) sale and (ii) auction in the past six years. [153007]
§ Mr. IngramThe major former Royal Naval ships (named capital ships) sold by the Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Agency (DSA) in the last six years are listed as follows. None was sold by auction.
- Financial year1998–99
- HMS Soberton
- HMS Egeria
- HMY Britannia
- Financial year1999–2000
- HMS Kellington
- Financial year 2000–01
- HMS Wilton
- HMS Bicester
- HMS Orkney
- HMS Birmingham
- HMS Beaver
- RFA Olwen
- RFA Olna
- Financial year 2001–02
- HMS Bulldog
- HMS Berkeley
- HMS Orwell
- HMS Herald
- Financial year 2002–03
- HMS Beagle
- HMS London
- HMS Coventry
- HMS Shetland
- HMS Alderney
- HMS Anglesey
- HMS Lindisfarne
- HMS Guernsey
- HMS Sheffield
- Financial year 2003–04
- None
Surplus aircraft sold by the DSA in the past six calendar years are set out in the following table, broken down by sale and auction.
1329W
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Jet Provost — — 1 — — 5 Sale — — 1 — — 5 Auction — — 0 — — 0 Jetstream — 2 — — — — Sale — 2 — — — — Auction — 0 — — — — Meteor 1 — — — — — Sale 0 — — — — — Auction 1 — — — — — 1330W
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Schleicher Valiant Glider — — 4 — — — Sale — — 0 — — — Auction — — 4 — — — Varsity 1 — — — — — Sale 0 — — — — — Auction 1 — — — — — Victor 2 — — — — — Sale 1 — — — — — Auction 1 — — — — — Andover 1 — — — — — Sale 0 — — — — — Auction 1 — — — — — BAC 1–11 — — 1 — — — Sale — — 0 — — — Auction — — 1 — — — BAE 146 — — — — 1 — Sale — — — — 1 — Auction — — — — 0 — Buccaneer 1 — 3 1 — — Sale 1 — 1 1 — — Auction 0 — 2 0 — — Bulldog — 6 28 73 — — Sale — 0 17 39 — — Auction — 6 11 34 — — Chipmunk — — 3 — — — Sale — — 0 — — — Auction — — 3 — — — Canberra 1 — — — 3 2 Sale 0 — — — 3 2 Auction 1 — — — 0 0 Chieftan 1 — — — — — Sale 0 — — — — — Auction 1 — — — — — Devon 1 — — — — — Sale 0 — — — — — Auction 1 — — — — — Gnat — — 1 — — — Sale — — 0 — — — Auction — — 1 — — — HS 125 2 — — — — 1 Sale 2 — — — — 1 Auction 0 — — — — 0 Harrier 2 6 — 2 11 2 Sale 2 6 — 2 11 2 Auction 0 0 — 0 0 0 Hunter 2 2 7 — 1 — Sale 1 2 1 — 1 — Auction 1 0 6 — 0 — Jaguar 4 — — 3 2 — Sale 3 — — 3 2 — Auction 1 — — 0 0 — Schempp-Hirth Janus-C — — 1 — — — Sale — — 0 — — — Auction — — 1 — — — Javelin 1 — — — — — Sale 0 — — — — — Auction l — — — — —
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Gazelle 4 2 8 20 4 12 Sale 2 2 4 10 4 12 Auction 2 0 4 10 0 0 Lynx Helicopters — — — — 3 — Sale — — — — 3 — Auction — — — — 0 — Sioux Helicopters — 1 — — — — Sale — 1 — — — — Auction — 0 — — — — Wessex Helicopters 14 2 4 3 6 7 Sale 7 2 2 2 6 7 Auction 7 0 2 1 0 0 Whirlwind 1 1 2 — — 2 Sale 1 1 2 — — 2 Auction 0 0 0 — — 0 VC10 — — 1 — — 1 Sale — — 1 — — 1 Auction — — 0 — — 0 Lightning 1 — — — — — Sale 1 — — — — — Auction 0 — — — — — Shackleton 1 — — — — — Sale 1 — — — — — Auction 0 — — — — — Tornado — 1 2 7 15 4 Sale — 1 2 7 15 4 Auction — 0 0 0 0 0 Puma — — — — — 1 Sale — — — — — 1 Auction — — — — — 0 Hercules — — — 2 — 2 Sale — — — 2 — 2 Auction — — — 0 — 0 Sea King — — — — 1 — Sale — — — — 1 — Auction — — — — 0 — Viking Glider — — — — 1 — Sale — — — — 1 — Auction — — — — 0 — Phantom 4 — 6 10 — — Sale 4 — 6 10 — — Auction 0 — 0 0 — — Merlin 1 — — — — — Sale 1 — — — — — Auction 0 — — — — — As there were approximately 23,000 surplus military vehicles sold in the last six years, itemised sales figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.