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Territorial Army
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on (a) the Territorial Army's and (b) the cadets' role in recruiting regulars for the army; and if he will list the recruitment figures for regulars by region in each of the last three years. [69327]
Mr. Doug Henderson: Neither the Territorial Army nor the cadet forces have a specific role in recruiting to the regular Army. However, a number of members of both organisations go on to join the regular Army. The numbers of recruits to the regular Army, by region, in each of the last three years are as follows.
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8 Feb 1999 : Column: 17
The regions are as defined in the publication "Regional Trends" published by the Office for National Statistics. The figures reflect numbers recruited by Army/Armed Forces Careers Office in the regions in question. They do not necessarily indicate individuals' region of origin.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson) on 21 January 1999, Official Report, column 529, if he will list the year of submission of each claim for compensation on the grounds of (a) post-traumatic stress disorder and (b) physical injury, with the geographical region where it is alleged the injuries were sustained. [69607]
Mr. Spellar:
The years in which my Department received the (a) post traumatic disorder claims and (b) physical injury claims to which my hon. Friend refers are set out in the table.
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Information regarding the geographical region where the alleged injuries were sustained could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Patrols (Northern Ireland)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) foot and (b) mobile patrols were carried out in support of the RUC, broken down by approximate district council constituency between (a) 11 May and 8 June 1998 and (b) 9 November and 7 December 1998; [69884]
- (2) how many patrols were carried out by each battalion stationed in Northern Ireland broken down by police division and approximate district council constituencies between (a) 11 May and 8 June 1998 and (b) 9 November and 7 December 1998. [69883]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
It is not possible to differentiate between foot and mobile patrols as many patrols are a combination of both. The information requested about patrols in general is set out in the table.
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(3) Included the Drumadd Roulement Battalion whose Squadrons supported other battalions in 3 Infantry Brigade's are until 16-17 November 1998 when it was re-located to the mainland.
(4) Includes one company of the Province Reserve Battalion.
(5) Includes one company of the Rural Reinforcement Battalion for the period 11 May-8 June only. It was re-located to the mainland on 23 September 1998.
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8 Feb 1999 : Column: 19
A patrol is defined as any foot or mobile patrol in support of the RUC regardless of size or duration. Patrols conducted by the Army for local security around bases are not included.
Some battalions operate in more than one Police Division.
Police Divisions are not co-terminous with District Council boundaries. These delineations are therefore only approximate and in some cases a Council area may be covered by more than one Battalion, e.g Lisburn.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on policing MoD areas 24 hours a day; what was his Department's budget for such policing for (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97, (c) 1997-98 and (d) 1998-99; what assessment he has made of such policing (i) nationally and (ii) in Gloucestershire; what discussions he has had with RAF Command Security about this issue; and if he will make a statement. [69505]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The Ministry of Defence Police provide a civilian policing service to the Ministry of Defence and are available to provide a response 24 hours a day from police officers based at MOD establishments, mobile Area Police Teams, and other specialist services.
My Department's expenditure on MOD police has been as follows:
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 134 |
| 1996-97 | 130 |
| 1997-98 | 134 |
The forecast expenditure for 1998-99 is £137 million.
The requirement for Ministry of Defence Police is kept under continual assessment both nationally across the Department and at individual Establishments and geographical areas of the Defence Estate. Gloucestershire is included in these assessments. RAF Command Security are fully involved in these discussions.
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Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which countries' armed forces pension schemes have been studied as part of the UK Armed Forces Pension Scheme Review announced on 23 September 1998. [67127]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
In undertaking the Review of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme the MOD will be looking at examples of good practice in other pension schemes. The Review is in its early stages and we have not yet finalised which foreign Armed Forces pension schemes we shall examine. We would, however, expect to consider the schemes of major NATO allies and other Western Armed Forces.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned in-service date for the ASTOR programme; and what changes to that date have taken place since May 1997. [69026]
Mr. Spellar:
The In Service Date, ISD, in May 1997 was 2003. Since then the bidders for the Airborne Stand-Off Radar, ASTOR, programme have been asked to review the feasibility of this in their bids for the Full Development and Production phase of the programme.
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