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Army (Medical Refusals)
Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the medical grounds on the basis of which admission to the Army may be refused; and if he will give the reasons in each case. [90420]
Mr. Doug Henderson: The Army, in common with the Naval Service and the Royal Air Force, applies medical standards that entrants must meet. I am placing a copy of the medical standards in the Library of the House.
Medical selection criteria are imposed to ensure, as far as possible, the ability of recruits to undertake military training and to operate in all Service environments, many of which may be hostile. Furthermore, the armed forces have a duty of care to avoid causing deleterious effects on any pre-existing condition which would be detrimental to the long term health and welfare of the individual. The bar on certain medical conditions also exists to minimise any liabilities which could arise from allowing individuals with known medical conditions into environments which have a high risk of adverse outcome for them.
Service Personnel (Council Tax)
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the regulations for payment of council tax by service personnel; and if he will make a statement. [91569]
Mr. Doug Henderson: Service personnel living in private accommodation pay council tax under the same arrangements as civilians.
When occupying service accommodation service personnel pay my Department a Contribution in Lieu of Council Tax (CILOCT) as part of their accommodation charge. My Department then pays the relevant local authority an annual sum equivalent to the council tax for properties of the type occupied.
These arrangements have been put in place to minimise administration for local authorities and individuals, that would otherwise be necessary in view of the fact that service personnel and their families are often necessarily obliged to move house to meet service obligations.
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Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new regulations he has introduced about leave entitlement following postings outside the UK; and if he will make a statement. [91567]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
On 19 July we announced the rationalisation of our forces in Kosovo, and are also introducing a number of welfare enhancements for personnel serving on operations in the Balkans and elsewhere. Among these is a guaranteed period of leave when personnel return from operational detachment. In the case of the Army, for instance, personnel who have completed a six month detachment will receive 20 working days post operational tour leave over and above their normal leave allowance.
Personnel in the other services will also be given extra time off, the period being governed by the time spent on detachment and the conditions under which they have worked. This will ensure that personnel returning from operations can spend time with their families and be fully rested before undertaking further duties.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the subject of each gender impact assessment drawn up by his Department since June 1997, stating in each case whether the outcome has been (a) put out to consultation and (b) published. [91686]
Mr. Spellar:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Women, on 14 July 1999, Official Report, House of Lords, column 636.
As part of the Government's commitment to ensuring that its policies are relevant to the lives that people live today, my Department is working closely with the Women's Unit to develop good practices for carrying out gender impact appraisal.
We have no historical records of gender impact assessments undertaken to date.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors he will take into account in his decision on the procurement of a future large aircraft capability; and if he will make a statement. [92083]
Mr. George Robertson:
As with all defence procurement projects, we will be taking a range of factors into account when making a decision on our future strategic airlift capability. These include performance, long-term cost effectiveness and industrial implications.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements the Government have made to monitor the transport of nuclear materials (a) in the European Union and (b) internationally. [91694]
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Mr. Doug Henderson
[holding answer 20 July 1999]: My Department monitors all movements of defence nuclear materials, for which it is responsible. All movements of such materials are carried out by fully trained and equipped personnel in accordance with the highest standards of safety and security.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Ministry of Defence sites that were surveyed by English Nature in the 1994 national Sites of
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 700
Special Scientific Interest sample survey of lowland heathland, indicating in each case the condition and area of the site. [92212]
Mr. Spellar:
The national Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) sample survey of lowland heathland was one of several pilot surveys undertaken by English Nature to develop a methodology for determining the condition of habitats on SSSIs, based on a sample of sites. The sample survey undertaken in 1994 and 1995 covered 93 lowland heathland SSSIs out of a possible 385 sites.
A number of sites owned or used by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) were included in this survey.
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| SSSI name | Site name | Condition assessment |
|---|---|---|
| West Lizard, Cornwall | Predannack | Favourable |
| Ham Common, Dorset | Hamworthy (Poole) | Unfavourable: no change |
| Hurn Common, Dorset | Hurn (St. Leonards) | Unfavourable: declining |
| Eelmoor Marsh, Hampshire | Farnborough | Unfavourable: no change(8) |
| Sutton and Hollesley Heaths, Suffolk | Woodbridge | Unfavourable: no change |
| Grimes Graves, Norfolk | Stanford | Unfavourable: declining |
| Kelling Heath, Norfolk--2 locations | Stanford | i. Unfavourable: recovering |
| ii. Unfavourable: declining |
(8) In 1998, the Defence Evaluation Research Agency Farnborough Conservation Group received an English Nature SSSI award for commitment to the positive management of the Eelmoor Marsh SSSI.
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 699
RAF Scampton
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans for the future of RAF Scampton. [92468]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 700
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the (i) name, (ii) length, (iii) weight, (iv) type, and (v) displacement of the largest ship to have docked at the (a) Portsmouth Naval Base and Dockyards, (b) Rosyth Dockyard and (c) Devonport Dockyard; and if he will make statement. [92372]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The information requested is in the table. Accurate records are available only for the last 15 years.
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| Name | Length (metres) | Weight/ Displacement (tons) | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth Naval Base/Dockyard (9) | USS Iowa | 270 | 57,000 | Battleship |
| Devonport Naval Base (10) | RFA Brambleleaf | 170 | 40,870 | RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) |
| Devonport Dockyard | HMS Invincible | 209.1 | 20,600 | Aircraft Carrier |
| HMS Illustrious | 209.1 | 20,600 | Aircraft Carrier | |
| RFA Bayleaf | 170.7 | 37,747 | RFA | |
| RFA Orangeleaf | 170.7 | 37,747 | RFA | |
| Rosyth Dockyard | HMS Ark Royal | 209.1 | 20,600 | Aircraft Carrier |
| RFA Brambleleaf | 170 | 40,870 | RFA |
(9) Portsmouth Dockyard ceased to be a fully fledged dockyard in 1984. The Fleet Maintenance Repair Organisation (FMRO) became its successor organisation. FMRO Portsmouth transferred to commercial management on 28 February 1998.
(10) Information for Devonport Naval Base has been included for completeness.
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Royal Tournament
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 July 1999, Official Report, column 426, on the Royal Tournament, when the first Military Festival to be performed in Colchester is planned to take place; and how many performances there will be. [92630]
Mr. George Robertson:
The first military festival will be based on the Royal Navy's Festival of the Sea to be held in 2001 at Portsmouth. No decision has yet been taken as to where it will be held thereafter.
23 Jul 1999 : Column: 700
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 July 1999, Official Report, column 426, on the Royal Tournament, what will be the principal differences between the Military Tattoo to be staged at Horse Guards Parade and the Military Festival to be held outside London. [92628]
Mr. George Robertson:
The new military tattoo will be an evening event on Horse Guards Parade in London. It will build on the traditions of the Royal Tournaments, involving ceremonial, massed bands and pageantry. The new military festival will be an all-day experience, enabling spectators to see a wide range of military
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activities, view the latest military equipment, meet personnel and participate in interactive displays. It will be held at varying locations outside London, starting in 2001 at Portsmouth.
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