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Missile Systems
35. Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made in assessing future requirements for beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile systems. [104571]
Mr. Kilfoyle: We are currently assessing final bids received from two companies, Matra BAe Dynamics and Raytheon Systems Ltd, to meet the RAF's requirement for a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile. Assessment is almost complete and we hope to be in a position to announce the outcome of this competition early this year.
Merchant Ships
36. Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the agreements between British merchant shipping companies and his Department on the availability of merchant ships for defence purposes. [104572]
Mr. Spellar: There are no agreements between my Department and British merchant shipping companies on the availability of merchant ships for defence. As my hon. Friend is aware the Ministry of Defence enjoys a close and productive relationship with the UK Chamber of Shipping and the DETR on defence issues, primarily through the auspices of the Shipping Defence Advisory Committee.
Navy Manpower
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the projected levels of Navy manpower for the next three years. [104555]
Mr. Spellar: The Strategic Defence Review addressed shortages in the Services and set a target for the Naval Service to bring overall strengths into line with requirements by 2002. It is on course to do so. The forecast requirement for 1 April 2002 is for 38,900 personnel. Our aim is to provide the trained strength needed to meet requirements.
Eurofighter
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current in-service date of the Eurofighter. [104568]
Mr. Hoon:
The in-service date of Eurofighter, which is defined as delivery of the first aircraft, is June 2002.
24 Jan 2000 : Column: 56W
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likely effectiveness of the Eurofighter when deployed from aircraft carriers. [104915]
Mr. Hoon
[holding answer 18 January 2000]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 24 January 2000:
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Eurofighter will become operational with its full complement of air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry. [106566]
Mr. Hoon:
As the date when Eurofighter will become fully operational could provide a useful indicator about our defence capability to potential adversaries, I am withholding it in accordance with Exemption 1 (Defence, Security, and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. Ivan Henderson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the Royal Navy regarding the timescale for awarding the PFI contract for the Joint Rapid Reaction Force Roll-On Roll-Off vessels. [104089]
Mr. Spellar:
One the aims of Smart Procurement has been to define more clearly the needs of the customer (in this case the Royal Navy) and to empower them within the procurement process. Members of the Royal Navy are closely involved in the project on a day to day basis and contribute fully to the discussion and resolution of all issues related to the Roll-On Roll-Off ship project.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are waiting for NHS hospital and consultant appointments relating to illnesses or accidents which interrupt their military service; how many have been waiting for more than six months; and what estimate he has made of the cost implications of delays. [104411]
24 Jan 2000 : Column: 57W
Mr. Spellar:
Members of the Armed Forces are entitled to full use of NHS hospitals on the same basis as civilians if appropriate military provision is not available. The MOD does not maintain overall records of those Service personnel who require secondary medical care in NHS hospitals.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the states supporting the A400M aircraft project have indicated that they would purchase the aircraft; how many each would purchase; and when the first aircraft could be in service with the RAF. [104405]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
None of the seven nations involved in the A400M project has made a contractual commitment to purchase the aircraft although two nations have declared a preference for the A400M. Each of the nations is addressing, within their national assessment programmes, the issue of the number of aircraft needed to fulfil their national air transport requirements but have not yet made firm decisions. We expect the aircraft selected to fulfil our Future Transport Aircraft requirement to enter service with the RAF in the latter half of this decade.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement on the A400M project. [105555]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
We continue to aim to reach a decision in the early part of this year on our Future Transport Aircraft requirements. A400M is one of the aircraft under consideration.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's (a) civil servants by grade and (b) service men and women by rank are (i) currently on gardening leave and (ii) have been on gardening leave for two months or more; and at what cost to his budget. [104468]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
Civilian staff on gardening leave are individuals who are genuinely surplus because there is no suitable employment for them, or because their circumstances prevent them from taking up that employment. My Department monitors the position routinely and the latest available figures, excluding the Meteorological Office and Defence Evaluation and Research Agency are set out as follows:
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what assessment has been made of the likely effectiveness of the Eurofighter when deployed from aircraft carriers. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
A 'navalised' version of the Eurofighter is one of the options being assessed to meet the Future Carrier Borne Aircraft (FCBA) requirement. FCBA is due to replace the Royal Navy Sea Harrier and the Royal Air Force Harrier forces, and will be required to operate from the two new carriers.
A contract has been placed with BAe Systems, to study launch and recovery design issues that would arise from the development of the Eurofighter aircraft for carrier operations. The outcome of this work, together with MOD operational effectiveness studies on the option, will be used to inform the decision on the choice of FCBA aircraft.
(13) As of November 1999
(14) Includes two part-time staff
24 Jan 2000 : Column: 58W
The approximate cost of these staff to the MOD budget this financial year, calculated on the basis of the length of time on gardening leave, is £314,000.
| Total | Total 2 months or more | |
|---|---|---|
| Commodore | 2 | 0 |
| Captain RN | 2 | 0 |
| Commander | 2 | 0 |
| Lieutenant Commander | 6 | 1 |
| Lieutenant Colonel RM | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 13 | 1 |
The estimated cost calculated on the basis of the length of time on gardening leave is £62,952.18.
| Total | Total 2 months or more | |
|---|---|---|
| Major General | 2 | 1 |
| Brigadier | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 3 | 1 |
The estimated cost calculated on the basis of the length of time on gardening leave is £26,481.79.
| Total | Total 2 months or more | |
|---|---|---|
| Air Vice Marshal | 1 | 0 |
| Air Commodore | 1 | 0 |
| Group Captain | 2 | 0 |
| Warrant Officer | 1 | 0 |
| Flight Sergeant | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 6 | 0 |
24 Jan 2000 : Column: 59W
The estimated cost calculated on the basis of the length of time on gardening leave is £15,452.36.
| Total | Total 2 months or more | |
|---|---|---|
| Major General and equivalent | 3 | 1 |
| Brigadier and equivalent | 4 | 0 |
| Colonel and equivalent | 5 | 0 |
| Lieutenant Colonel and equivalent | 2 | 0 |
| Major and equivalent | 6 | 1 |
| Warrant Officer | 1 | 0 |
| Staff Sergeant and equivalent | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 22 | 2 |
The total estimated cost of these personnel is £104,886.33.
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