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DEFENCE
Smart Procurement
10. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the performance of the smart procurement initiative in improving value for money in procurement. [90208]
Mr. George Robertson:
I am confident that the Smart Procurement Initiative will produce improved value for money through faster, cheaper and better acquisition of defence capability. We are on track to achieve the savings
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of £2 billion to which we are committed, and early indications are that substantial further savings are in prospect.
11. Mr. Brazier:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of personnel in the (a) infantry, (b) Royal Armoured Corps and (c) Royal Engineers are currently engaged in, or working up for, unaccompanied tours. [90209]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Twenty eight per cent. of the Infantry, 47 per cent. of the RAC and 67 per cent. of the Royal Engineers are currently engaged in, or working up for, unaccompanied tours. In view of the current level of commitment of the Royal Engineers, I have decided that our plans to create a fifth engineer logistic squadron following the Strategic Defence Review, should be brought forward two years from 2002 to 2000. This enhancement to the Royal Engineers will be achieved by establishing a second Queen's Gurkha Engineer Squadron to be based at Invicta Barracks, Maidstone. The nucleus of the new squadron will be formed immediately and the squadron will be available for operational tasking towards the end of next year.
12. Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the structure of the Territorial Army. [90210] R
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The assumptions underpinning the reform of the Territorial Army, announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of state for Defence to the House on 17 November 1998, Official Report, columns 749-71 remain valid. There are therefore no plans at present to revisit this reform, nor to initiate a further review of the structure of the TA.
16. Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department takes to encourage serving personnel to meet their family responsibilities as required by the CSA. [90215]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Financial support by Service personnel for their dependants is essentially a private matter for the individuals. However, Service personnel are subject to child support legislation and where an individual fails, or refuses, to fulfil this requirement, my Department will make deductions from pay to meet child maintenance assessments when requested to do so by the Child Support Agency.
17. Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are to be kept on the Kosovo military campaign; and where they are to be located. [90216]
Mr. George Robertson:
Records of every aspect of the campaign are kept. They will be drawn upon in work undertaken as lessons to be learned and subsequently archived in accordance with the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967.
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18. Mr. Casale:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current security situation in Kosovo. [90217]
24. Dr. Naysmith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current security situation in Kosovo. [90223]
Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security situation in Kosovo. [90213]
Mr. George Robertson:
The Security situation in Kosovo continues to improve as KFOR becomes larger and increasingly well established. While incidents such as looting and murder are still occurring, Serb and KLA compliance with their respective undertakings has been satisfactory so far. Around 700,000 refugees have returned and are vigorously rebuilding their lives. This is due in no small part to the efforts of KFOR troops who continue to do an excellent job.
Improvements in the security situation, and the continuing arrival in theatre of troops from other nations, make it possible for me to announce some further withdrawals of British troops from Kosovo. Between August and October, we will be bringing home the 1 PARA, 1 Royal Gurkha Rifles, and the Irish Guards battle groups together with their supporting elements.
These withdrawals, together with the withdrawals of units of the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy announced last month, will go a long way to help relieve the overstretch in the Armed Forces. Further withdrawals, including that of HQ Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, will follow.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution he and his Department are making to (a) the United States and (b) NATO post-Kosovo reviews. [91576]
Mr. George Robertson:
The Ministry of Defence is looking at the lessons learned from the Kosovo conflict, and is contributing to similar work at NATO. I and my Department will continue to have contacts with Allies, including the US, on a wide range of issues, including lessons learned.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops Russia has committed to Operation Joint Guardian; how many Russian troops have been deployed; what is the deadline for the deployment of Russian troops to Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [91571]
Mr. George Robertson:
The total number of Russian forces committed to Operation Joint Guardian will not exceed 3,600. Five battalions (approximately 2,850 troops) will be deployed in the three sectors, and up to 750 troops for airfield and logistics base operations. There will also be 16 liaison officers.
There is no NATO deadline for the deployment of Russian troops to Kosovo. As of 15 July 1999, 713 members of the Russian armed forces were deployed in Kosovo.
NATO allies welcome the Russian contribution to Operation Joint Guardian. NATO and Russia have worked together successfully in Bosnia and look forward to doing the same in Kosovo.
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Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel and at what grade or rank are currently reviewing the Strategic Defence Review following the Kosovo conflict. [91575]
Mr. George Robertson:
I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave on 10 May 1999, Official Report, column 8, to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Sir S. Chapman).
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if all Serbian paramilitary forces have left Kosovo; [91591]
Mr. George Robertson:
COMKFOR declared on 20 June 1999 that all Serbian military and paramilitary forces had left Kosovo.
Mr. Syms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the proportion of Serb armour in Kosovo which survived the bombing campaign. [90211]
Mr. George Robertson:
Now that K-FOR troops are deployed in Kosovo, a full assessment of the damage inflicted on Yugoslav forces, and the proportion of Serb armour in Kosovo that survived the campaign, is underway. This will take some time to complete.
19. Mr. Wilkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the delay in the entry into operational RAF squadron service of the Eurofighter 2000 Typhoon aircraft as against its first publicly announced projected in-service dates. [90218]
Mr. George Robertson:
Since the start of the Eurofighter development programme in 1988, there has been slippage of 42 months against the original estimated entry into service date, defined as delivery of the first aircraft to the Royal Air Force. The current date is June 2002.
21. Mr. Day:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) Regular and (b) Territorial Army units are not at full strength. [90220]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Approximately 75 per cent. of Regular Army Arms and Services are currently under strength to varying degrees against their trained requirement. The Territorial Army, on the other hand, is generally over strength as the full impact of the Strategic Defence Review drawdown has not yet taken effect. I will place full details of each in the Library of the House.
22. Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review conditions of service for Gurkhas in the armed services. [90221]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
As I announced to the House on 1 July 1999, Official Report, column 471, I have set up a group to examine Gurkha pensions and gratuities. I will chair the group which will take into account all
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aspects of Gurkha pensions and gratuities within the context of the Tri-Partite Agreement between Nepal, India and the UK. I expect the work to be completed by the end of the year.
(2) how many members of (a) the Yugoslav army, (b) the SAJ anti-terrorist police and (c) the PJP combat police forces he estimates have left Kosovo. [91572]
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