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Ministerial Visits
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many ministerial visits have been undertaken by each Minister in his Department between 6 July and 1 December; and how many and what percentage of these have involved the Minister travelling abroad. [4226]
Mr. Curry: I undertook 17 ministerial visits between 6 July and 1 December this year, of which one involved travelling outside the United Kingdom. The Secretary of State undertook 29 visits, of which seven involved travelling outside the UK. My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside, Earl Ferrers, undertook 10 visits, of which two involved travelling outside the UK. The Minister for Construction, Planning and Energy Efficiency, my hon. Friend the Member for West Hertfordshire (Mr. Jones) undertook 20 visits, of which three involved travelling outside the UK. The Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon Central (Sir Paul Beresford) undertook 16 visits, none of which involved travelling
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outside the UK. The Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) undertook 20 visits, of which three involved travelling outside the UK.
DEFENCE
Rucker Report
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects to publish the Rucker report on the guarding of MoD establishments; [3333]
(2) what consultations have so far taken place on the Rucker report. [3334]
Mr. Soames: Details of our proposals for the future of Defence police and guarding structures are being published today. Copies of the consultative document are being sent to staff associations and trade unions. Copies will also be placed in the Library of the House.
Bosnia
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the charter of transport facilities for British troops being deployed to Bosnia. [4351]
Mr. Soames: No transport facilities have been chartered to move British troops to Bosnia as this task is being undertaken by the RAF's air transport force. Two US Navy ships have been chartered to move the equipment for United Kingdom forces. Other shipping will be chartered as necessary.
Dr. Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been given to the members of the armed forces serving in Bosnia who are in situations where alleged war criminals are present. [4352]
Mr. Soames: UNPROFOR troops are not mandated to arrest individuals indicted for war crimes by the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. NATO is actively examining how the peace implementation force can help the work of the tribunal, although its principal tasks will be monitoring the ceasefire and the separation forces.
Dr. Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the rules of engagement for British troops participating in the Bosnian peace implementation force. [4350]
Mr. Soames: It is not our policy to comment in detail on rules of engagement. However, I can confirm that United Kingdom troops will operate under NATO rules of engagement which will be consistent with the requirement for self-defence and will ensure that they can carry out their mission effectively.
Defence Cost Study Reports
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the titles of each defence cost study report. [4357]
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Mr. Soames: The information requested is contained in the Ministry of Defence memoranda "Front Line First" of 14 July 1994 and "Front Line First--A Year On" of 30 June 1995. Copies of both are available in the Library of the House.
Cannabis
Dr. Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy concerning the recruitment of personnel who have a criminal record for using cannabis; and if he will make a statement. [4353]
Mr. Soames: All applicants to the armed forces who have a conviction for the sale, possession or abuse of controlled drugs are deemed to be unsuitable for military service.
Experimentation with class B "soft" drugs, such as cannabis, is not a bar to entry to the armed forces in itself, but the attitude to drugs is of prime importance. A young person who has used cannabis on a one-off basis will not be automatically rejected.
Personnel Statistics
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees there are in (a) the armed forces, (b) Ministry of Defence civilian staff, (c) Ministry of Defence agencies and (d) Ministry of Defence contractorised agencies. [4355]
Mr. Soames: Regular service and civilian personnel strengths are given in table 2.1 of "UK Defence Statistics 1995", a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library. Personnel numbers in Defence agencies are given in table 2.20 of the same publication.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ministerial visits have been undertaken by each Minister in his Department between 6 July and 1 December; and how many and what percentage of these have involved the Minister travelling abroad. [4241]
Mr. Soames: Ministers carry out many visits in the course of their official duties. During the period in question the numbers of official visits overseas by Defence Ministers were as follows:
Secretary of State: 7
Minister of State (Armed Forces): 4
Minister of State (Defence Procurement): 2
Under-Secretary of State: 1.
Army Recruitment
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what actions he has taken to improve his Department's recruitment for the British Army. [4354]
Mr. Soames: We are conducting a vigorous campaign to increase recruiting to the British Army and plan to spend an additional £5 million on recruit advertising in this financial year. We are also reviewing the planned number and location of Army careers offices to take account of the need for increased recruiting. These
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recruiting initiatives are matched by additional retention incentives to encourage soldiers to stay longer in the Army. We are also considering other ideas for recruitment to the armed forces.
Armed Service Pensions
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are currently in receipt of armed service pensions. [4356]
Mr. Soames: As at 31 October 1995, pensions were being paid to 319,251 people under the armed forces pension scheme.
Ministry Police
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the annual report on the MoD police, for what reasons a shortfall of 195 posts in the Ministry of Defence police has occurred. [3335]
Mr. Arbuthnot: A manning deficit was maintained by the chief constable to reflect known base closures and anticipated manpower reductions resulting from base security reviews at the time the 1994-95 annual report was published.
Consultants
Mr. Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those (a) consultants, (b) outside organisations and (c) individuals employed by his Department in each year since 1990, indicating the
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purposes of their employment and the total payments made to them. [3960]
Mr. Soames: Budget-holders throughout the Ministry of Defence have delegated authority to engage external advisors, on a paid consultancy basis or otherwise, to conduct independent reviews of aspects of the Department's work. Information on such studies is not collected centrally, and the details requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information relating to individuals employed by the Department are contained in the civil service staff post summary tables, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Individuals employed by the Department are engaged in assisting the Department to attain its aims and objectives as set out in the departmental report.
Territorial Army
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army and Army Reserve are to be called out for service with NATO implementation force in former Yugoslavia. [4836]
Mr. Soames: Following further planning work, a requirement for about 460 TA and Army reservists has been identified in the UK's contribution to the NATO implementation force. In order to allow a margin for those who prove to be medially unfit or otherwise unsuitable for service, I have authorised the call-out of up to 550 members of the Territorial Army and Army Reserve. All are volunteers for the operation. They will report to the infantry training centre, Catterick for medical screening, and selection and acceptance into service. Those who deploy will undertake refresher training before joining their units.
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