| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Helicopters
Mr. Allason: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the ratio of support and maintenance technicians for helicopters in support of the Army between those operated by the Royal Air Force and the Army air corps. [24130]
Mr. Soames: The Army air corps has an aircraft establishment of 260 helicopters, with 43 reserves. These receive first and second-line technical support from 1,022 aircraft engineering officers and men, and 293 contractors' personnel. The Royal Air Force has an aircraft establishment of 138 support helicopters, with 35 reserves. These are supported by 1,708 aircraft engineers, and 230 contractors' personnel. Third-line support of these helicopters is provided under tri-service arrangements. It would be misleading to draw a direct comparison between these two sets of figures. The technical complexity of the helicopters involved is very different, as are the levels of maintenance carried out at the second line by the two services.
Cyprus (Discipline)
Mr. Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many violent incidents were recorded by
3 Apr 1996 : Column: 263
the British Army in Cyprus which occurred off base and involved the civilian population in each of the last five years. [24076]
Mr. Soames: Until recently, this information has not been held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. For the period 1 January 1995 to 1 January 1996, there were 16 cases of grievous bodily harm involving members of the British Army in Cyprus. Of these, seven were between soldiers, seven were attacks on soldiers by civilians, and two were attacks on civilians by soldiers.
Mr. Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the legal costs so far for the defence of riflemen of the Royal Green Jackets for all the charges relating to the attack and killing of Louise Jensen on Cyprus in 1994 for (a) the pre-trial stage of the proceedings taken against them by the authorities in Cyprus and (b) the trial. [24132]
Mr. Soames: The bills presented for legal aid have not differentiated between pre-trial and trial costs. Bills presented to 31 December 1995 have amounted to £170,000. We estimate that additional bills to date yet to be presented will add a further £30,000 approximately.
RAF Bentwaters
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to ensure the integration into the local economy of the development of the vacant site at RAF Bentwaters; and if he will make a statement. [24372]
Mr. Soames: Over a period of two years, my Department has liaised extensively with the local authorities, Suffolk county council, and Suffolk Coastal district council and the Department of the Environment to agree a planning brief for this site. That brief has now been adopted in the structure and local plans, and will form the basis on which detailed planning applications from the purchaser are determined.
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the bids received for the recently vacated site of RAF Brentwaters; and if he will make a statement. [24373]
Mr. Soames: It is not our practice to disclose the bids received for surplus property as this information is commercially confidential.
RAF Woodbridge
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the bids received for the recently vacated site of RAF Woodbridge; and if he will make a statement; [24375]
- (2) what plans he has to ensure the integration into the local economy of the development of the vacant site at RAF Woodbridge; and if he will make a statement. [24374]
Mr. Soames: RAF Woodbridge was taken into the Army estate on a phased basis between 1993 and 1995. It is currently being used for training and as accommodation. The only vacant site at Woodbridge barracks is the former USAF technical site, no bids for which have been invited. Its future use is being considered
3 Apr 1996 : Column: 264
by a firm of civilian consultants. The opinions, views and concerns of the local authorities and communities will be taken into consideration before any decisions are made.
Gulf War Syndrome
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that the research conducted by Dr. Howard Urnovitz into the effects of oral polio vaccines administered to service and medical personnel serving in Operation Granby is referred to his Department's continuing review of the origins and consequences of Gulf war syndrome. [24291]
Mr. Soames: My Department will consider all relevant research material on the health problems experienced by Gulf veterans.
Patriot Missiles
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evaluation has been made of the effectiveness of patriot missiles during the Gulf war. [24199]
Mr. Soames: It is not our practice to comment on the effectiveness of military equipment used by allies, unless it is also in service with our own forces.
Defence Accounts Agency (Visits)
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what visits on official business staff of the defence accounts agency have undertaken in the last 12 months; what was the date and purpose of the visits in each case; how many members of staff the agency has working in non-United Kingdom locations for periods in excess of three months; and in which countries they are located. [24190]
Mr. Arbuthnot: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Pay and Personnel Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from M. A. Rowe to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 3 April 1996:
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about visits on official business and overseas working as the matters referred to fall within my responsibilities as Chief Executive of the Pay & Personnel Agency.
The Pay & Personnel Agency, in common with its predecessor the Defence Accounts Agency, does not maintain records in the detail you ask, and to assemble the necessary statistics would entail the expenditure of disproportionate time and cost. It is, however, Agency practice that all such visits are properly scrutinised before they take place and are only undertaken when alternative arrangements are not practical.
The Pay & Personnel Agency employs six people in a non-United Kingdom location. These are civilian staff locally employed in Malta, administering the pension entitlements of Maltese nationals who were at one time employed by the United Kingdom Government.
Alcohol Awareness Policy
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the alcohol awareness policy for the armed forces (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) in Cyprus and (c) in other overseas ports; and if he will make a statement. [24473]
3 Apr 1996 : Column: 265
Mr. Soames: The armed forces have a comprehensive alcohol awareness policy. Each service has in place a comprehensive system of education and training on alcohol-related problems. Pamphlets, films and lectures are used to make all personnel aware of the dangers of abuse. Education on alcohol abuse is given to all new recruits on entry and this is continued in units regularly and prior to deployment overseas. Commanding officers are encouraged to limit the number of bars in their units, and opening hours are controlled and monitored. Instructions are published regularly in unit orders to remind personnel of their responsibilities in these matters and the pursuit of sport and other leisure activities is actively encouraged as a means of preventing personnel becoming bored and spending too much time in bars. Officers and non-commissioned officers are trained to recognise symptoms of abuse and all three services offer rehabilitation programmes for those with alcohol-related problems.
Misconduct in relation to alcohol is dealt with as a disciplinary issue. Drunkenness is a specific offence under the Service Discipline Acts and charges are brought where appropriate.
The policy applies equally at home and overseas, but local commanders may carry out additional awareness training as may be necessary to cover local conditions.
In Cyprus all new arrivals, service, civilians and dependants over 18, as well as all visiting personnel and units, are briefed on the dangers of alcohol abuse. This message is reinforced regularly through a rolling programme of alcohol abuse briefings, through routine orders and other orders and the chain of command. The Soldiers, Sailors and Air Force Association further reinforces this message through an active command health promotion programme. The commander, British forces Cyprus keeps the policy on alcohol abuse under constant review, imposing, as necessary, restrictions such as out-of-bounds arrangements or requirements for personnel to sign out and sign in when leaving and returning to barracks in off-duty time. In the wake of the Louise Jensen trial, the commander, British forces Cyprus has begun a full and radical review of what more might be done.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the problem of non-recognition by computers of the year 2000 with regard to his Department's computers and those for which it is responsible. [24411]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
The capability of the Ministry of Defence's existing computer systems to recognise the year 2000 date change is already under investigation and an initial impact survey has been carried out to give an indication of the likely extent of the problem.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |