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Navy Surface Vessels
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those surface vessels of the Royal Navy which will need replacing in the next five years; and what the estimated replacement costs are. [8182]
Mr. Spellar: Over the next five years, we plan to bring into service three type 23 frigates to replace two type 22 frigates, HMS Boxer and HMS Beaver, and one type 42 destroyer, HMS Birmingham. The value of the contract for these vessels is estimated at around £450 million. We will also bring into service two auxiliary oilers at the turn of the century. These vessels, for which the contract is worth around £200 million, will replace the aging O class fuel replenishment ships, RFA Olna and RFA Olwen. The two amphibious ships, HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid, will be replaced early next century by HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark; the value of the contract for these vessels is estimated at £450 million.
We are considering how to replace the capabilities currently provided by the survey vessels HMS Herald, HMS Roebuck, HMS Bulldog and HMS Beagle and by two of our landing ships logistic, RFA Sir Geraint and RFA Sir Percivale.
HMY Britannia will be decommissioned at the end of this year. The Government are currently considering the requirement for a replacement royal yacht and will announce their decision in due course.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Defence Export Services Organisation will be included in the strategic defence review. [6840]
Mr. Spellar:
Consideration of the support to defence exports will form part of the strategic defence review.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the British contribution to NATO's Allied
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Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps is in cash terms in the current financial year; and what it is as a proportion of the defence budget. [8185]
Dr. Reid:
The estimated cost of UK forces assigned to the ARRC, and the headquarters costs, is some £2 billion in the current financial year, or some one tenth of the defence budget. These forces include 1 and 3 Divisions, 24 Airmobile Brigade and support troops, which could contribute to a number of missions, under both NATO and non-NATO command, in support of the Government's security and defence policies.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the ethnic minorities have been appointed to the ranks of one, two, three or four-star officers in the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Marines, (c) Army and (d) Royal Air Force since 1967. [7829]
Mr. Spellar:
There is currently one one-star officer from the ethnic minorities in the RAF and none in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines or Army, although a one-star officer recently retired from the Army. This reflects the under-representation of the ethnic minorities in the armed forces, a position we are seeking to redress. A new management-led, self-classification survey of the ethnic origin of serving personnel was introduced in July 1996. Prior to this date records cannot be relied on.
Ms Squire:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by the Ministry of Defence in the Rosyth and Pitreavie area are currently vacant; of these how many have been vacant for (a) less than six months, (b) six to 12 months, (c) up to two years and (d) over two years; and what are his Department's plans for the disposal of these properties, and over what period. [8990]
Mr. Spellar:
All but one of the 81 houses of the service families accommodation site at Pitreavie are empty, due to the closure in July 1996 of RAF Pitreavie Castle and RAF Turnhouse. Forty-three houses have been empty for 12 months and 37 for 18 months.
The Ministry of Defence originally planned to market the houses with the RAF station as a package. More recently, and because no prospective purchaser has been found, it has been decided to market the houses individually and sales will proceed as quickly as possible.
The Rosyth estate comprises 269 houses of which 147 are empty. One hundred and four have been empty for between one and two years and 43 have been empty for over two years. A total of 108 of the 147 are currently being advertised for sale in blocks or on an individual basis. These sales will take place as market demand permits.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many payments he has made to employers following call-out or recall of reserves in the last year for which figures are available. [9417]
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Mr. Spellar:
Provisions for making payments to the employers of reservists were introduced under regulations which came into force on 1 April this year. Since then, 10 payments have been made to employers, and a further 12 are being processed. Up to 16 July, claims had been agreed for some £7,000. Further claims amounting to some £14,000 are being considered.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current strength of the reserve forces by type. [9418]
Mr. Spellar:
The most recent complete figures are for 1 April 1997. These are as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Royal Fleet Reserve | 8,900 |
| Royal Naval Reserve | 2,700 |
| Royal Marines Reserve | 900 |
| Army Reserve | 190,100 |
| Territorial Army | 57,600 |
| Air Force Reserve | 45,300 |
| Royal Auxiliary Air Force | 1,400 |
Employment Advertisements
Ms Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often since 1992 his Department has been responsible for employment advertisements which contained age restrictions on those who could apply. [9507]
Mr. Spellar: It is my Department's policy that age limits must not appear in external recruitment advertisements for civilian personnel. Exceptions to this rule are references to retirement ages or where a minimum recruitment age can be fully justified in terms of allowing the Department time to benefit from the expected training investment. The Department does not hold a central database of employment advertisements for civilians and it is therefore not possible, except at disproportionate cost and effort, to check whether any of these may have contained an age restriction other than the permitted exceptions.
As a general principle, the armed forces require recruits aged between 16 and 26 years, although in some trades older applicants are acceptable. Approximately 90 per cent. of advertising for recruiting individuals into the services make references to these age restrictions.
Land Mines
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the location of each of the 12 British anti-personnel land mines known still to be in Iraq following the Gulf conflict; what is their type and specification; what steps he is taking to ensure they are cleared; and what estimate he has made of the total number unaccounted for in Iraq. [9665]
Dr. Reid:
According to currently available information, 12 C3A1 anti-personnel land mines, commonly known as Elsies, were used in Iraq and not subsequently recovered. Consistent with the provisions of international law current at the time, details of their precise locations were not recorded in view of the nature of the operations. Given the current circumstances in Iraq, it would not be practical
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to attempt now to clear them. My Department is trying urgently to establish whether any further anti-personnel land mines used by British forces in the Gulf conflict remain unaccounted for.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service men and women have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in road traffic accidents while serving in Bosnia since the end of hostilities following the Dayton accord. [9315]
Dr. Reid:
Since the deployment of the implementation force on 20 December 1995, three British soldiers have died and six have been listed as seriously ill or very seriously ill as a result of road traffic accidents in Bosnia. With treacherous weather and poor roads, conditions are very challenging, demanding a high degree of skill from drivers. Those military personnel required to drive vehicles in Bosnia undertake pre-deployment driving training to prepare them for the conditions there. The dangers are taken very seriously and an active information campaign ensures that all personnel are reminded of the need to drive with great care.
Court Delays
30. Mr. Stunell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures he proposes to reduce delays in the criminal justice system; and if he will make a statement. [7530]
Mr. Hoon: The introduction of plea and directions hearings in the Crown court continues to reduce delays. In the magistrates courts, the Magistrates' Courts (Procedure) Bill introduced recently by the Lord Chancellor will speed up the progress of half a million minor motoring cases per year. Generally, the Government are considering the scope for reductions in delays in the criminal courts suggested by the review of delay in the criminal justice system, and there will be a further announcement in due course.
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