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RAF Finningley (Houses)
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the price paid by the Hodge group to acquire the houses sold at RAF Finningley; and what tendering process was involved. [5882]
Mr. Soames: The surplus houses at RAF Finningley were sold by sealed tender and the price achieved is a matter of commercial confidentiality between the Department and the successful purchaser, Hodge and Co.
Gulf Veterans
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans are planned to be examined
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under the Gulf veterans medical assessment programme in the next six months; and, of these, how many are planned to receive examination for the first time. [5319]
Mr. Soames [holding answer 11 December 1995]: The numbers to be seen over the next six months cannot be forecast as this will depend on factors outside my Department's control, such as the rate of new referrals and the need for second and subsequent examinations. However, appointments will be available for the 28 individuals currently waiting for initial assessment to be seen by the end of January.
Dr. Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans have been examined under the Gulf veterans medical assessment programme in the last six months; and, of these, how many received examination for the first time. [5320]
Mr. Soames [holding answer 11 December 1995]: A total of 152 Gulf veterans have been examined under the medical assessment programme in the last six months. Of those, 81 were examined for the first time.
Married Quarters
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the average level of rent charged for a married quarters housing stock unit in each of the last five years. [6544]
Mr. Soames: The average weekly charges for service families accommodation owned by the Ministry of Defence are as follows, and are based on furnished accommodation in England, Scotland and Wales and of the most commonly occupied type of accommodation.
| 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Officers | 37.17 | 40.67 | 41.30 | 43.12 | 47.04 |
| Other ranks | 23.87 | 26.04 | 26.46 | 27.74 | 29.68 |
Additionally, all service personnel pay a contribution in lieu of council tax. Some of the quarters are occupied by civilians and these charges are based on market rents which are assessed by local defence lands service offices.
Dr. Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what methods are currently used to collect rent on the married quarters housing stock owned by his Department; and what plans he has to review these methods. [6542]
Mr. Soames:
Accommodation charges for service personnel and entitled MOD personnel are deducted directly from pay accounts, and there are no plans to review this method of payment. With regard to other personnel, various payment methods are employed. The defence housing executive is currently reviewing these methods of payment, with a view to recommending that all should be made by standing order or direct debit.
Dr. Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the marketable value of the married quarters housing stock owned by his Department. [6546]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
Our assessment of the value of the married quarters estate under the terms of the proposed sale is commercially confidential.
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Dr. Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people employed by his Department lived in the married quarters housing stock owned by his Department in each of the last five years; and how many do so currently. [6541]
Mr. Soames:
Total occupancy of the married quarters stock owned by my Department on 31 March in each of the last five years and on 30 September, which is the most recent information available, was as follows:
Dr. Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total rent collected by his Department on the married quarters housing stock in each of the last five years. [6545]
Mr. Soames:
Information is readily available only for the last four financial years. The total rent collected for married quarters was as follows:
Information on the number of these quarters which were occupied by service and civilian personnel employed by my Department is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The figures include a significant number of people not employed by my Department, for example, irregular occupants, foreign service personnel, and contractors' staff.
31 March 1991: 63,351
31 March 1992: 62,929
31 March 1993: 62,687
31 March 1994: 61,230
31 March 1995: 59,776
31 September 1995: 59,549
Dr. Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the criteria used to set rent levels for the married quarters housing stock owned by his Department. [6543]
1991-92: £129.33 million
1992-93: £132.54 million
1993-94: £147.08 million
1994-95: £145.64 million
Mr. Soames: Accommodation charges for service personnel are recommended annually by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body. It traditionally bases its recommendations on local authority rents, with an abatement to reflect the disadvantages of living in service accommodation when compared with local authority housing. The subject of service accommodation charges is currently under review by the AFPRB as part of the 1996 programme of work. In addition, some of the quarters are occupied by civilians employed by MOD, and their charges are based on market rents which are assessed by local Defence lands service offices.
Service Officers (Business Appointments)
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 December, Official Report, column 475, what were the restrictions imposed on nine of the applications made under the business appointments procedure; and what period of time elapsed in each case between applications and acceptance. [6596]
Mr. Soames: Seven applications were approved subject to waiting periods. The other two applications were approved subject to bans on the involvement of the applicant in particular projects or areas of work. There is
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no requirement under the business appointment rules for staff to report to the department whether or not appointments are taken up. It is not possible to say, therefore, what time elapsed between application and acceptance.
Dr. Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 December, Official Report, column 475, how many of the former serving officers listed by rank as making applications under the business appointments procedure were approved (a) immediately and (b) within two years of making such an application. [6595]
Mr. Soames: The business appointment rules apply for two years after an individual leaves Crown service. All the officers concerned made their applications within that period of time, and they were informed of the Department's decision as soon as it had been reached. In the shortest case this was within one week of the date of application and in the longest 15 weeks.
Surplus Explosives
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records his Department holds regarding surplus stocks of conventional explosives brought from RAF Great Orton to Royal Ordnance establishments in Wales for disposal between 1946 and 1948; what current environmental monitoring is conducted by his Department on these disposal sites; and if he will list locations of all land and off-shore sites in and around Wales used for such disposal. [6436]
Mr. Soames: Any surviving records on the operation of RAF Great Orton will be held in the Public Records Office. Surplus munition stocks from this unit would have been allocated for sea disposal at Beaufort's dyke or transferred to the Royal Ordnance factory, Pembrey, south Wales for breakdown and reduction to scrap. Land burial was not an authorised final disposal route for surplus munitions or explosives. The only disused sea disposal sites adjacent to the Welsh coast are off Milford Haven. My Department has no plans to monitor disused munition sea dumping grounds.
Kit Suppliers
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which companies provide (a) uniforms and (b) general kit for the armed forces. [5321]
Mr. Arbuthnot [holding answer 11 December 1995]: This is a matter for the Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency--DCTA--under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, DCTA, to write to the hon. Member.
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