Research Briefing
EU bibliographies: Defence equipment Directives
This note brings together documents relevant to legislation and the draft directives on EC defence equipment.
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Research Briefing
NATO: The Chicago Summit
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) holds its Heads of State and Government summit in Chicago on 20-21 May 2012. The main themes of the summit are Afghanistan, capabilities and partnerships.
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Research Briefing
The Defence of the Falkland Islands
This note looks at the UK defence presence in the Falkland Islands and reviews the current debate about whether the Islands are adequately defended in the event of future aggression.
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Research Briefing
Military balance in Southeast Asia
This paper examines the military balance of power in Southeast Asia and specifically at the military capabilities and priorities of six regional actors: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore.
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Research Briefing
EC Defence Equipment Directives
In 2009 two EU directives were adopted relating to the procurement of defence and security related goods and services, and the intra-EU transfer of defence goods. Both of those directives must be transposed into UK law in 2011. This note examines the background to these Directives, the specific provisions in each of them and current plans for transposition.
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Research Briefing
Bribery allegations and BAE Systems
BAE Systems was accused of corruption, specifically making bribes, in regard to the Al Yamamah arms agreement with the Saudi Arabian Government. This was investigated by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) following the leaking of a letter from the then Director of the SFO to the former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence. The SFO discontinued its inquiry in December 2006, citing the need to safeguard national and international security, a move which was supported by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair. A legal challenge that the SFO's decision was unlawful was not successful. In addition to the allegations surrounding Al Yamamah, parallel SFO investigations were also conducted into a number of other BAE defence contracts in South Africa, Chile, the Czech Republic, Romania, Tanzania and Qatar. In February 2010, BAE Systems reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to plead guilty of conspiring to make false statements to the US Government in connection with certain regulatory filings and undertakings, including the Al Yamamah agreement as well as contracts with the Hungarian and Czech governments. In March 2010, BAE Systems pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States by impairing and impeding its lawful functions, to make false statements about its Foreign Corrupt Practices Act compliance program, and to violate the Arms Export Control Act and International Traffic in Arms Regulations. It was given a $400 million fine and agreed to take measures in order to stay within US and foreign laws concerning corruption and the exports of arms. The company also agreed to retain an independent compliance monitor for three years to assess its compliance program and to make a series of reports to the company and the DoJ. This Standard Note is referred to in the Research Paper, The Bribery Bill (RP 10/19).
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Research Briefing
Recent developments at the Atomic Weapons Establishment
This note provides details on the Government's new investment programme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) and examines the new ownership arrangements at AWE Management Ltd (AWEML), the consortium which manages AWE on behalf of the government, which resulted from the decision by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) to sell their one-third stake in AWEML to the US-based Jacobs Engineering Group on 18 December 2008.
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Research Briefing
Trident and the future of the British nuclear deterrent: frequently asked questions
This paper is now out-of-date and has been replaced by Commons Library Briefing CBP7353, Replacing the UK's Trident Nuclear Deterrent, 26 October 2015
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Research Briefing
In brief: The Trident White Paper
This paper is now out-of-date and has been replaced by Commons Library Briefing CBP7353, Replacing the UK's Trident Nuclear Deterrent, 26 October 2015
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Research Briefing
Defence White Paper:future capabilities
The Defence White Paper: future capabilities. House of Commons Library Research Paper 04/72.
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Research Briefing
UK Defence Procurement Policy
UK Defence Procurement Policy. House of Commons Library Research Paper 03/78
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Research Briefing
Defence Statistics – July 2002
Defence Statistics - July 2002. House of Commons Library Research Paper 02/48.
Total results (page 13 of 14)