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Written question asked by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Conservative) on Wednesday, 28 November 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 30 November 2012. It was answered by Chloe Smith (Conservative) on Tuesday, 4 December 2012 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Cabinet Office was asked to reply.


Unmanned Air Vehicles

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the potential threat to national security of the (a) acquisition and (b) use of drones by (i) governments and (ii) non-state actors.

[131235]

Answer

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

The 2010 National Security Strategy was informed by a National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) which provides a comprehensive assessment and prioritisation of all major extant and emerging risks which seriously threaten the UK's national security interests. Due to the NSRA's strategic focus it does not include a specific risk of drone acquisition or their use but does include a range of more generic state-led and non-state led threats to our national security interests. The employment of an array of offensive technologies, including drones, was considered when assessing these generic threat scenarios.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
131235; 554 c703W
Session
2012-13
Related items
Unmanned Air Vehicles
Monday, 17 December 2012
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Unmanned air systems
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk