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Depleted Uranium
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much depleted uranium has been authorised for use by his Department in each of the last three years. [104265]
Mr. Spellar:
The UK has not fired DU ammunition during the course of any of the operations it has undertaken over the last three years.
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Mr. Davidson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps will be taken to ensure that United States Forces using the Ministry of Defence range at Cape Wrath later this year do not use depleted uranium shells. [104877]
Mr. Spellar:
Any nation using the ranges at Cape Wrath must abide by our Standard Operating Regulations. These regulations preclude the use of depleted uranium shells.
Mr. Davidson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if depleted uranium shells have been used by British forces during live-firing exercises at the range at Cape Wrath. [104878]
Mr. Spellar:
Depleted uranium shells have not been used at Cape Wrath by British forces.
Angela Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on whose authority permission is given to non-military personnel to have access to his Department's land on Salisbury Plain; and what criteria are used. [104392]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
My Department has a presumption in favour of access wherever this is consistent with military activities, environmental and conservation considerations, the health and safety of the public and the interests of our tenants. Formal applications to use Ministry of Defence land are considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure that none of the above constraints are compromised. All applications for the use of Salisbury Plain are vetted by the Commandant Army Training Estate Salisbury Plain's staff to ensure that live firing, manoeuvre or general military training is not taking place. The primary criterion when assessing access for non-military personnel onto the military estate is their personal safety.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total annual cost of operating Ministry of Defence hospital units in each of the last 10 years. [104414]
Mr. Spellar:
The first Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (MDHU) was opened on 1 April 1995. For the three financial years 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 the total annual operating costs for MDHUs are as set out. These costs represent, in the main, pay and allowances for military personnel and support staff.
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 16.936 |
| 1997-98 | 18.185 |
| 1998-99 | 18.500 |
Costs are not available for the year 1995-96.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the (a) budgeted and (b) actual cost in each of the last two years, of running his Department's hospital unit in Germany; [104412]
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Mr. Spellar:
Following the market testing of the health function in Germany, the provision of all secondary health care for both the Army and the RAF is provided under contract with five designated German provider hospitals. There are no MDHUs in Germany. The budget set aside to meet these costs was £30.028M (DM65.953m @ £=DM 2.1958) in 1997-98 and £23.853M (DM65.245m @ £=DM2.7353) in 1998-99. The number of cases treated in each of these years was 27,831 and 40,539 at a cost of £30.668M (DM67.341m) and £29.171M (DM79.791m) respectively.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the expenditure was on Ministry of Defence hospital units in each of the last two years. [104417]
Mr. Spellar:
The amounts paid to MDHU host NHS Trusts for the treatment of military personnel in each of the last two years are as follows. The sums shown are the net payment, taking into account the abatement of charges for the contribution of military clinical staff serving in the MDHU to the treatment of Service patients.
Mr. Spellar:
Information is not routinely collected on tertiary transfers to the Royal Hospital Haslar. Any patients whose care might need to be transferred to another consultant outside a Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit would normally be referred to other local or regional NHS hospitals with the specialist units required.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are awaiting (a) initial hospital appointments and (b) consultant appointments at Ministry of Defence hospital units; how many of them have been waiting for more than six months; and what assessment he has made of the cost implications of delays. [104410]
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. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been paid annually to the NHS to cover NHS treatment in lieu of Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit treatment. [104831]
Mr. Spellar:
Nil. Members of the Armed Forces are entitled to NHS hospital treatment on the same basis as civilians if appropriate military provision is not available. This understanding pre-dates the creation of MDHUs.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been made to the Government in respect of training for Indonesian service
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personnel within the United Kingdom over the past 12 months; and how many are currently in training in the UK. [104418]
Mr. Spellar:
A number of representations have been made to the Government in respect of training for Indonesian service personnel within the United Kingdom over the past 12 months. There are currently no Indonesian military personnel training in the UK at military training establishments or in non-military educational establishments at HMG's expense.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he was first informed of problems in communications between British ground forces in Kosovo; what steps he took; and if he will make a statement. [104407]
Mr. Spellar:
The limitations of the CLANSMAN tactical radio system are well understood and it is due to replaced by the BOWMAN system. MOD reacted swiftly to concern regarding the capability of CLANSMAN on operations in Kosovo. Two programmes were run under Urgent Operational Requirement procedures. Project POLYGON provided a commercial handheld radio system for the battalion operating in the Pristina area and entered service in September 1999. Project POLYGON PLUS will shortly extend this commercial system, giving all UK troops in theatre access to the protected tactical system.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters are provided at the Colchester Garrison; how many are currently occupied by non-service personnel; and how many are empty. [104583]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
The total number of married quarters in Colchester Garrison is 1,361. There are 55 currently occupied by non-service personnel. These are: four housing MOD police/MOD civilian families; 36 leased to Colne Housing and 14 occupied by irregular occupants ie estranged service spouses or ex-service personnel. There are currently 164 empty properties awaiting either modernisation or the arrival of incoming service families.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the meeting between representatives from the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the environmental monitoring programme of the test-firing of depleted uranium shells at the Kirkcudbright test range, held on 29 November 1999. [104702]
Mr. Spellar:
The meeting on 29 November 1999 was hosted by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency at East Kilbride. No formal minutes of the meeting were produced. Only working notes recording actions were made for future reference.
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Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) future and (b) existing requirements for air-to-air refuelling of helicopters there are; and to what extent that requirement has been included in the European Staff Requirement against which the Future Transport Aircraft requirement is being assessed. [104648]
Mr. Kilfoyle
[holding answer 13 January 2000]: The MOD is considering a possible need to enable part of the future support helicopter fleet to conduct air-to-air refuelling operations. Final decisions to procure such a capability have yet to be taken.
The European Staff Requirement for the Future Large Aircraft includes an essential requirement for the aircraft to be capable of being re-roled as an air-to-air refuelling tanker, with a desirable requirement for it to be capable of refuelling helicopters.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason there has been a delay in a decision on the selection of the Future Transport Aircraft. [104647]
Mr. Kilfoyle
[holding answer 13 January 2000]: We are continuing to assess the proposals for the Future Transport Aircraft. A full technical and commercial assessment is being carried out, focusing on value for money and taking account of all relevant factors such as aircraft performance, cost, risk and industrial factors. We hope to be in a position to make a decision early this year.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the Defence Procurement Agency will adopt the practices of smart procurement in relation to the Future Transport Aircraft requirement; [105171]
(3) what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the requirements for airlift and air portability being used by his Department in its assessment of the Future Transport Aircraft contenders with those in the European Staff Requirement. [105173]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
(2) how many service personnel in Germany have been treated in facilities other than MOD medical services in each of the last two years; and what was the cost of this treatment. [104415]
1997-98: £6.505 million
1998-99: £7.379 million
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many patients have been transferred from Ministry of Defence hospital units to the Royal Hospital Haslar in each of the last two years; for what reasons; and at what cost to his Department. [104409](2) what procurement practices the Defence Procurement Agency has adopted with regard to the Future Transport Aircraft selection; [105174]
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