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Defence Sales
Sir George Young: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the status of United Kingdom defence sales contracts. [6648]
Mr. Spellar: Contracts for the export of defence equipment are a commercial matter between the exporting company and the customer. The exporter has to apply for an export licence where the goods covered by the contract are licensable under the Export of Goods Control Order 1994 or regulations concerning the export of dual use goods.
Indonesia
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of the UK military officers attached to the armed forces of Indonesia.[6747]
Dr. Reid: It has been the practice in the past not to release details of military assistance provided to other countries on the grounds that this information is confidential between governments and disclosure would risk damaging our international relations. This practice is now being reviewed against the background of the government's commitment to openness. I will write to the hon. Member once the review is complete.
Roll-on/roll-off Ferries
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if contracts have been signed for the purchase of two roll-on/roll-off ferries by his Department. [6758]
Mr. Spellar: No contracts have been signed for the purchase of roll-on/roll-off ferries in support of the Joint Rapid Deployment Force (JRDF). Discussions with industry are underway and an announcement will be made as soon as possible once a decision is reached.
Regimental Complement
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, for each regiment, the number by which it was below complement on 30 April; and what plans he has to bring each up to its complement. [6817]
Dr. Reid:
The manning level against the complement in each of the Regiments within the Household Cavalry, Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) and Infantry at 1 May 1997 is provided at Table 1. Corresponding information for the rest of the Army is not available by regiment but is provided by Arm or Service at Table 2. The Government fully recognises the seriousness of the situation we have inherited. To improve levels of manning the Army has introduced a number of initiatives; Recruitment, Retention and Re-enlistment bounties, the
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introduction of NVQs, and the formation of an Army Foundation College from September 1998. In the short term, Gurkha Re-inforcement Companies have been deployed to minimise undermanning in areas of particular concern.
The figures shown at Table 1 exclude the re-inforcement by the Gurkha Re-inforcement Companies (GRC) which number some 400 men.
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| Army Service | Number surplus deficit |
|---|---|
| Household Cavalry/Royal Armoured Corps | -80 |
| Royal Artillery | -644 |
| Royal Engineers | +183 |
| Royal Signals | -782 |
| Infantry | -2,156 |
| Army Air Corps | -41 |
| Royal Logistics Corps | -1,137 |
| Royal Army Medical Corps | -175 |
| Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers | -323 |
| Adjutant General's Corps | -57 |
| Intelligence Corps | -79 |
| Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps | -107 |
| Corps of Army Musicians | -91 |
| Others(9) | +21 |
| Total | -5,468 |
(9) Includes Royal Army Veterinary Corps, Small Arms School Corps, Royal Army Dental Service, Army Physical Training Corps, Long Service List.
Figures at Table 2 represent total soldier numbers serving in the listed capbadges.
Figures at Table 1 only show soldiers serving with their parent units.
Export Credit Guarantees
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Department of Trade and Industry, (b) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (c) the Department of International Development about the level of export credit guarantees. [6666]
Mr. Spellar:
As a member of the Export Guarantee Committee chaired by H.M. Treasury, the Ministry of Defence has regular discussions about export credit guarantees with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the International Development Department together with the Export
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Credits Guarantee Department. This committee reviews whether countries should be on or off cover and discusses the level of export credit guarantees that should be made available.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library his Department's 10-year long-term costings. [6754]
Dr. Reid:
The Ministry of Defence's long-term costing is the process by which the Department re-costs its internal plans and adjusts them. The product of this process is not contained in any single document. It has been the policy of successive governments not to publish detailed information on the outcome of the long term costing. The Department's internal plans represent projections and assumptions which inform advice to Ministers on the affordability of particular elements of the Defence programme. Accordingly, I am withholding the information requested, which constitutes internal discussion and advice, under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. In addition, disclosure of some elements of this information could harm national security and international relations, prejudice the competitive position of the Department in future negotiations with contractors and reveal commercially confidential data. Accordingly, exemptions 1, 7 and 13 of the Code also apply.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the date and title of the oldest document or archival unit retained by his Department which has not been passed on to the Public Records Office for release for public inspection. [7206]
Dr. Reid:
Service personnel records are routinely retained for about seventy five years so that my Department can respond to any administrative matters that may arise such as, for example, pension entitlement. The oldest such documents are Royal Naval ratings ledgers covering the period 1892-1923. These records will be assigned to Public Record Office class ADM 188 with transfer taking place during 1998.
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