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Joint Service Command and Staff College
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of military and civilian students at the Joint Service Command and Staff College (a) under the proposals in the defence costs study, Front Line First and (b) currently attending. [8193]
Dr. Reid: The current year is unrepresentative because a number of courses were cancelled or truncated to facilitate the closure of single service colleges and moves to interim JSCSC accommodation. Figures are therefore also provided for 1998.
| Front Line First | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Military students at JSCSC | (17) (18) 1,625 | (19) 1,452 | (19) 1,587 |
| Civilian students | 9 (and see(18)) | 18 | 20 |
| Total | 1,634 | 1,470 | 1,607 |
(17) Includes underlying assumptions for Junior Division numbers, on which no specific recommendations for change were made in Front Line First.
(18) Includes 60 places for "officers from overseas and selected civil servants" on the ACSC as well as around 40 places for overseas officers on Junior courses. The precise number of civilians on the ACSC was agreed after the publication of Front Line First.
(19) Includes 130 places for overseas students.
Mission Statement
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the exact date is when he intends publishing his Department's mission statement. [8190]
Dr. Reid:
I have nothing at this stage to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 16 June, Official Report, column 14.
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Mr. Walter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce a medal to recognise the service given by National Service men during peacetime. [8323]
Mr. Spellar:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 5 June, Official Report, column 222.
Mr. Forth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for the Strategic Defence Review (a) the expected completion date and (b) the cost of conducting the review. [8234]
Dr. Reid:
We expect the work of Strategic Defence Review to be completed around the turn of the year. Although maximum use will be made of existing structures to conduct the review, extra costs will be incurred, including in the process of outside consultation. It is too early to predict the total additional cost.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary for Defence if he will list the names and appointments of those military and civilian personnel in his Department working in the Strategic Defence Review section. [8191]
Dr. Reid:
The Strategic Defence Review is making maximum use of existing structures. It is being co-ordinated by the Directorate of Defence Policy, but a large number of military and civilian personnel across the Department are involved in work relating to the review.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which departmental assets and funds he will in future be allocating to support the work of the Department for International Development. [8187]
Dr. Reid:
It is my Department's policy to assist the work of the Department for International Development (DFID) whenever it is practicable to do so. My Department is not voted funds for this purpose and any extra costs involved are recovered from DFID. The military assets involved depend on the nature of the task; no element of our Armed Forces is specifically maintained to provide this support.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has completed his review of all aspects of the disposal of RAF 14 MU. [8127]
Mr. Spellar:
I have examined the progress of the disposal of 14 MU RAF Carlisle and am satisfied that the MOD should negotiate with the local councils over how the future use and ownership of the site can be determined to the benefit of both the taxpayer and the local economy. I believe in the special circumstances of this case that the councils should be given the option of acquiring the core of the site with the remaining outlying areas being sold on the open market.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the defence budget in (a) cash
16 Jul 1997 : Column: 237
and (b) percentage terms is taken up by the cost of maintaining the Army and RAF in Germany in the current financial year. [8134]
Dr. Reid:
The estimated operating costs of the Army and RAF in Germany for the current financial year are £1,163 million and £184 million respectively. These costs represent about 5.3 per cent. of the Defence budget in the case of the Army and 0.8 per cent. for the RAF.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the ethnic minorities are currently serving in the Civil Service in his Department at grade 5 and above. [7828]
Mr. Spellar:
The number of permanent civilian staff in my Department and its agencies at grade 5 level and above who have indicated that they are of ethnic minority origin in the MOD's ethnic origin survey is 10.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel have been administratively discharged in each year since 1990 for reasons of homosexuality or lesbianism. [7830]
Dr. Reid:
The number of Armed Forces personnel who have been administratively discharged each year since 1990 is as follows:
| Male | Female | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 39 | 26 | 65 |
| 1991 | 23 | 19 | 42 |
| 1992 | 30 | 23 | 53 |
| 1993 | 32 | 21 | 53 |
| 1994 | 29 | 21 | 50 |
| 1995 | 53 | 9 | 62 |
| 1996 | 43 | 22 | 65 |
| 1997(20) | 20 | 7 | 27 |
| Total | 417 |
(20) Figures as at 30 June 1997.
Joint Rapid Deployment Force
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sum is allocated to maintaining the Joint Rapid Deployment Force in the current financial year; and what it is as a percentage of the defence budget. [8184]
Dr. Reid: The Joint Rapid Deployment Force (JRDF) is not a standing force. Rather, it brings together existing forces and equipment from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force to form the most appropriate joint force for the circumstances. It is not however possible to determine what proportion of their costs might be attributable to JRDF roles, since this fluctuates over time.
The Chief of Joint Rapid Deployment Force Operations is the peacetime focus for the JRDF and as such is separately identifiable. He and his staff, who are embedded within the Permanent Joint Headquarters and would form the core of a deployed headquarters, together cost some £1.5 million per year. As this represents only a
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single, small element of the JRDF concept, it is not sensible to compare their costs to the overall Defence Budget.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to the Millennium celebrations; and what the cost to his Department will be. [8186]
Dr. Reid:
My Department intends to give the Millennium celebrations its fullest support both in the United Kingdom and, where possible, overseas. It is represented on the Millennium Co-ordinating Group chaired by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and has tabled a number of alternative proposals for consideration.
Until a choice has been made on the options offered, it is not possible to provide a meaningful estimate of cost to the Department.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will assess the advantages of introducing a United Kingdom equivalent of the American Ministry for ex-Service Affairs; and if he will make a statement. [7495]
Dr. Reid:
The Government are giving very careful and detailed consideration to the proposals for an ex-Service Affairs Unit and will be looking into the matter in some detail.
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