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DEFENCE
Firearms Training (Young People)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the types of (i) public and (ii) private institution falling within his area of responsibility in which individuals aged under 18 years may be trained in the use of firearms; and if he will estimate the numbers of individuals receiving such training in each type of institution in each of the last five years. [81136]
Mr. Doug Henderson: Individuals under 18 years of age undertake firearms training in the Regular Forces, Reserves and Cadets. Institutions which carry out such training include recruit schools for initial firearms training, various military units for specific and refresher training and local establishments in the case of Cadets. The three Services do not keep centralised records of such training and, therefore, it is not possible to provide accurate figures of numbers of under 18s who undertake firearms training. Even an estimate could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces (Under 18s)
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if under 18 year olds are currently being deployed in the UK armed forces in the former Yugoslavia. [81437]
Mr. George Robertson: There are currently 22 service personnel aged under 18 deployed in the UK armed forces in the former Yugoslavia.
Military Hospitals
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was (a) paid and (b) rebated to his Department by each of the health trusts in which MDHUs operate for the treatment of civilian personnel by the military in each of the last three years. [80573]
Mr. Doug Henderson: Until 31 March 1999, the contribution made by military clinical staff serving in MDHUs to the treatment of civilian patients was treated as a "free good" from my Department to the NHS. Accordingly, no payments were made to my Department by the host Trusts, either directly or by way of a rebate on other charges, for the treatment of civilian personnel by the military.
Ministerial Meetings (US)
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 22 March 1999, Official Report, columns 17-18, how many times Ministers in his Department met their counterparts in the US Administration between 1 January 1998 and 1 June 1998, indicating the dates and locations of each meeting, the Ministers involved and the name of the US counterpart. [80824]
Mr. George Robertson:
I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
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Ms Julie Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if British military personnel have visited the School of the Americas training establishment at the United States Army base at Fort Benning, Georgia, in each of the last eight years. [81375]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
There have been no visits to the School of the Americas training establishment by UK-based military personnel during the last five years, the period for which we have been able to establish figures. The previous British Liaison Officer at Fort Benning, Georgia, made one visit to the School of the Americas training establishment during 1997 as part of his liaison responsibilities. He undertook no training.
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to remove the differences within the War Pensions Scheme as between former officers and other ranks. [81485]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The War Scheme is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security. The MOD and DSS are currently reviewing arrangements for compensating service personnel or their bereaved where disablement or death is due to service in the Forces. The aim is to make proposals for a new compensation scheme that could replace the current War Pension Scheme and the attributable provisions of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. The War Pension Scheme would remain available for those who have already left the forces including current war pensions.
At present former officers and other ranks received the same level of War Disablement Pension or Gratuity under the War Pension Scheme for the same degree of assessed disablement and regardless of rank. The level of War Widow's Pension, however, is still related to the rank held by the deceased husband in service.
A separate review is also being conducted of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. This review is examining all the main provisions of that Scheme, including the continuing justification for any differences of treatment between officers and other ranks.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what value of stationery, signage and documentation formerly owned by the Defence Estates Organisation will not be used by Defence Estates, established on 29 March; [81628]
Mr. Spellar:
I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current proportion of (a) the Army and (b) Land Command (i) committed and (ii) warned to deploy for operations. [81668]
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Mr. Doug Henderson:
As at 15 April, the figures requested were as follows:
(2) what was the cost of the relaunch of the Defence Estates Organisation. [81629]
| Percentage | ||
|---|---|---|
| Committed to Operations | Warned to deploy on operations | |
| Army personnel | 36.1 | 22.5 |
| Land Command personnel | 55.3 | 34.5 |
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the TA is (i) deployed and (ii) warned to deploy for operations in the Balkans. [81664]
Mr. George Robertson: 420 members of the Territorial Army (TA) are currently deployed to the Balkans, the majority in Bosnia, and these represent some 0.74 per cent. of the overall TA. It is likely that a further 80 will be deployed shortly, representing a further 0.14 per cent. of the TA.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Army's armoured infantry battalions and mechanised infantry battalions are (a) currently employed on operations and (b) warned to deploy for operations. [81660]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Three such battalions are currently deployed on operations, and two are warned to deploy.
22 Apr 1999 : Column: 634
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what units from 19 Brigade have reinforced 4 Armoured Brigade for its deployment to Macedonia. [81663]
Mr. George Robertson:
One company from the 1st Battalion The King's Own Royal Border Regiment, including 30 personnel each from the 1st Battalion The Highlanders and 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, is currently deployed to the Balkans as part of the 4th Armoured Brigade. In addition, 19 Brigade Provost Unit (Royal Military Police) is currently in the process of returning to the United Kingdom from the Balkans.
Public Appointments
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80755]
Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 15 April 1999]: The information on appointees who receive an annual remuneration or salary is listed in the following table. Some other appointees may receive a daily remuneration (pro-rated where necessary) where the public body has the statutory power to make such a payment.
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(2) The Secretary of State for DCMS only has an approving role in these appointments.
(3) Remuneration is shown as a range where it is depending on changeable factors (membership of committees etc).
(4) Remuneration not claimed.
(5) Pro rata
(6) Per day
Note:
Except where specified, all remuneration is shown on an annual basis.
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