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Ship Deployments
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the latest deployment of (a) HMS Kent, (b) HMS Hermione and (c) HMS Jupiter. [1826]
Mr. Soames: HMS Kent's last operational deployment was in an exercise in the eastern Atlantic in the spring of 1980. She then became the fleet training ship (static) in Portsmouth harbour from June 1980 to March 1983. Following that she became the cadet forces accommodation and training ship from March 1983 until March 1993. She was then placed on the disposal list.
HMS Jupiter's last operational deployment was in the south Atlantic from October 1991 to February 1992. She returned to the UK via the West Indies, arriving on 31 March 1992. She was placed on the disposal list on 1 May 1992.
HMS Hermione's last operational deployment was on Armilla patrol from October 1991 to February 1992. She returned to the UK via the Mediterranean, arriving on 26 March 1992. She was decommissioned on 30 June 1992 and then placed on the disposal list.
All three vessels remain on the disposal list.
23 Nov 1995 : Column: 258
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Guatemalan officers are being trained in Britain; what courses they are following; and at what establishment the courses are based. [1342]
Mr. Soames:
Details of the military assistance provided to other countries are confidential between Governments.
Mr. Foulkes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Jaguar aircraft are to be upgraded to GR.1B standard; and if he will list the additional capabilities of the GR.1B aircraft. [1289]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
We plan to have upgraded all 65 Jaguar GR aircraft to GR1B standard by mid-1997. This upgrade improves the operational effectiveness of Jaguar, and provides a TIALD--thermal imaging and laser designation--capability.
Mr. Foulkes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF Jaguar aircraft are to be upgraded with the Adour 804 engine; what is the cost of the programme; and what is the planned service entry date for (a) the first and (b) the last such upgraded aircraft. [1290]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
A proposal to upgrade the Jaguar Adour Mk 104 engine is being considered.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the verification regime to police the South Pacific nuclear-free zone treaty. [1504]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
We have announced our intention to sign the protocols to the treaty of Raratonga which was drawn up by the South Pacific states. The treaty's control regime provides for information exchanges, consultations, a complaints procedure and the conclusion of safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Authority in respect of peaceful nuclear activities. The Government have full confidence in the effectiveness of the IAEA safeguards system and its ability to detect diversion of nuclear material from the purposes declared for it.
Mr. Livingstone:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many technical panels and action groups currently exist within sub-group E of the technical co-operation programme between Britain, the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Canada; and what is the remit of each of these technical panels and action groups. [1559]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
Sub-group E of the technical co-operation programme currently contains four technical panels and three action groups. The titles, which describe the remits of each panel and action group are as follows:
23 Nov 1995 : Column: 259
Mr. Foulkes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on plans to provide Tornado aircraft, with Royal Air Force crews on secondment, to the United Arab Emirates. [1303]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
My department has no current plans to provide Tornado aircraft, with Royal Air Force crews on secondment, to the United Arab Emirates.
However, British Aerospace is among the competitors to meet the United Arab Emirates' next combat aircraft requirement and its bid has the full and active support of Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Foulkes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force Harrier GR.7 aircraft have had their inertial navigation system modified to 1075G standard; what plans he has to apply this modification to the entire Harrier GR.7 fleet; and what is the total cost of the programme. [1287]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
Twenty-nine of the 1075 standard inertial navigation system sets, as fitted to the Harrier GR7, were converted to the 1075G standard at a total cost of approximately £600,000. There are no plans to convert any more sets to the 1075G standard.
Mr. Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he expects to receive information from his United States counterpart on the hydronuclear tests announced by the United States administration to be ordered at the Nevada test site in 1996. [1586]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
I assume the hon. Member is referring to US plans to conduct hydrodynamic tests which do not involve any nuclear yield. There are long-standing arrangements allowing for the exchange of nuclear weapons--related information between the US and UK where the two parties believe that it would be mutually beneficial.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Royal Ordnance having an office in the procurement division of his Department and a stand with exhibits on permanent exhibition in his Department's main building; and if he will make a statement. [1047]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
In certain circumstances, main defence contractors may be allocated office space within MoD buildings; any such requests are considered on their merits. Royal Ordnance has an office on the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency site at Fort Halstead, but it does not have an office within the procurement executive, and there are no plans to provide one.
There is no permanent exhibition of Royal Ordnance products within my Department's main building.
23 Nov 1995 : Column: 260
Mr. Redmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason parliamentary written questions 8851G, 8854G-56G, 8863G, 8869G, 8874G, 8876G, 8878G-8886G, 8888G-8889G; from the hon. Member for Don Valley were not published in the Official Report on 23 October as advised; on what date they will be published in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement. [404]
Mr. Soames:
The written answers referred to by the hon. Member were given on 24 October and passed to the Official Report in the usual way but I am informed by the Editor that there is no record of them having been received. The answers were published as an addendum to the Official Report on 22 November 1995.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on recruitment to the TAVR. [471]
Mr. Soames:
An active programme of recruitment is being undertaken to provide the annual intake necessary to meet the Territorial Army's establishment of 59,000 personnel. This programme includes national advertising campaigns on television and in the national press, and regional campaigns geared to local circumstances.
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Defence Agency status for the Army's technical branches and authorities. [2475]
Mr. Soames:
The Army's technical branches and authorities--aircraft branch REME, electronics branch REME, vehicles and weapons branch REME, Army scaling and cataloguing authority and the land systems technical publications authority--were subject to an internal management study in 1993. The study concluded the Army's technical branches and authorities, which provide a range of technical support services for the Army and other services, would operate more effectively as a defence agency. In the period since the study a chief executive (designate) has been appointed and a detailed analysis of technical support business has been undertaken to determine how the agency would operate.
On 16 October 1995 I agreed to the formation of the Army Technical Support Agency as a defence agency from the former technical branches and authorities. ATSA will remain part of MOD but the chief executive will have delegated executive powers to discharge his responsibilities.
ATSA comprises a headquarters in Andover and currently occupies six main sites at Middle Wallop, Malvern, Chertsey, Woolwich--two sites and Chilwell. It employs some 1,250 staff, 900 of which are civil servants, with the balance being military. A major strategy within the ATSA initiative is to reduce the number of main sites and a study is now examining the options for collation. I will be making a further announcement in due course to advise the hon. Member of developments.
23 Nov 1995 : Column: 261
ATSA contributes to the operational capability of the armed forces by providing technical advice and services, which promote efficiency in equipment support and enhance availability and supportability in the design of front-line military equipment.
ATSA has been set demanding targets. These are largely based on satisfying the customer requirement, whether it be for MOD's integrated logistic support managers working in the procurement executive, equipment support managers or the field force. The targets for the first 18 months to March 1997 are:
ETP4--Medical Countermeasures against biological agents
ETP9--Hazard Assessment
ETP10--Detection of biological agents
ETP11--Low burden, integrated protective clothing
EAG38--Gene Probes
EAG39--Medical Countermeasures against vesicant agents
EAG40--Adsorbents.
Key target 1--Be effective in influencing the design of an equipment through its life.
By 31 March 1996 establish a baseline and develop the target to measure ATSA's effectiveness in influencing equipment design.
By 31 March 1997 meet the target set.
Key target 2--Produce effective scales of spare parts.
By 31 March 1996 develop a methodology to measure effectiveness of scales covering range, depth and cost.
By 31 March 1997 meet the target set.
Key target 3--Be responsive to ad hoc (help line) technical queries.
By 31 March 1996 achieve 80 per cent. of queries resolved on receipt or within 2 working days with the remaining 20 per cent. acknowledged with a plan on how the query will be resolved.
By 31 March 1997 achieve 82 per cent.
Key target 4--Be responsive to demands for technical publications (between receipt of a demand and despatch of a publication).
By 31 March 1996 achieve an average of 10 days.
By 31 March 1997 achieve an average of 9 days.
Key target 5--Deliver a timely ATSA technical project service.
By 31 March 1996 establish a baseline and develop the target to measure the timeliness of ATSA's work.
By 31 March 1997 meet the target set.
Key target 6--Deliver a timely ATSA service by reducing the administrative lead time (ALT) to complete initial spares provisioning lists.
By 31 March 1996 achieve an average ALT of 11 months.
By 31 March 1997 achieve an average ALT of 10 months.
Key target 7--Satisfy the customer when undertaking technical projects.
By 31 March 1996 establish a baseline and develop the target to measure customer satisfaction.
By 31 March 1997 meet the target set.
All the targets will encourage continuous improvement in ATSA services or efficiency which will be achieved by rationalisation and by improving processes.
Key Target 8--Increase efficiency by managing additional commitments within a declining budget while maintaining the programme by volume with no degradation in the quality of the service.
Improve efficiency by 4 per cent. in 1996-97 over previous year.
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