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European Peacekeeping Corps.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned operational range of the European Peacekeeping Corps. [106394]
Mr. Hoon: Member states of the European Union have expressed their determination to be able to act in support of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. They have set themselves a headline goal describing the level of capabilities they wish to achieve by 2003. They are not setting up a standing peacekeeping corps. The scale and range of possible future operations will depend on circumstances.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specialised British sub-units will be tasked to the European Peacekeeping Corps. [106193]
Mr. Hoon: At the Helsinki European Council, EU member states committed themselves to improving their military capabilities, including a specific headline goal of being able to assemble, deploy rapidly and sustain up to 50,000-60,000 troops for Petersberg Tasks, including peacekeeping. There is no intention to create a Standing European Peacekeeping Corps.
EU member states have not yet defined their national contributions towards the headline goal. In the event of an EU-led crisis management operation, the make-up of
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any UK contribution would depend on the specific circumstances of the operation and UK commitments elsewhere.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals within the teaching and management staff of the Department of Specialist Ground Training (air force) and comparable training establishments within the Army and Royal Navy are members of professional engineering institutions; and if he will identify those roles which require individuals to be chartered engineers. [106424]
Mr. Spellar:
The number of individuals within the teaching and management staff of the Department of Specialist Ground Training who are members of professional engineering institutions is 34. The number of posts which require individuals to be chartered engineers is two.
Based on current information supplied by the Army, the number of individuals within the teaching and management staff at the Royal School of Military Engineering at Chatham and Minley (plus associated schools) who are members of professional engineering institutions is 13, and there are nine posts/roles that require chartered engineers. At the Royal Electrical and
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Mechanical Engineers Training Group at Arborfield and Bordon, the figures are respectively 72 and seven. At the Royal School of Signals, Blandford, the figures are 12 and zero respectively.
The Royal Navy do not hold figures on the number of teaching and management staff at RN engineering training establishments who are members of professional engineering institutions. RN training is designed to enable individuals to qualify for the relevant engineering institution. Membership of institutions is encouraged and supported, but it is currently up to each individual whether he or she applies for membership.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the compatibility of armed services engineering training courses validation and quality procedures with those of higher education colleges. [106428]
Mr. Spellar:
Wherever possible, Armed Forces engineering courses are linked to civilian academic or vocational qualifications. Where such qualifications are awarded, in addition to the individual Service's own validation and quality procedures, the training is also subject to validation by the appropriate civilian body in the same way as equivalent qualifications awarded by higher education colleges and universities. This validation is extensive and can include, for example, in the case of NVQs, external verification and inspection by awarding bodies, National Training Organisations (NTOs) and/or the standard setting bodies of the industry concerned, the Training Standards Council and the local TEC.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to offer training courses in engineering to private sector businesses. [106426]
Mr. Spellar:
The Armed Forces already offer places on their engineering training courses to private sector business, by offering available spare capacity, wherever possible. To reduce the overhead costs of training, the three Service Training Agencies are continuously seeking to develop these opportunities further.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evaluation he has made of training course validation processes (i) within each of the armed services and (ii) between the armed services. [106425]
Mr. Spellar:
The Armed Forces employ the "Systems Approach to Training" methodology for the quality management of the development and delivery of their training courses. This conforms to current best practice in other NATO Armed Forces and is designed primarily to ensure that Service personnel are trained in a cost-effective manner to meet the high standards of performance required in operational situations.
All three Services allocate resources to the development of validation processes and to their application to training courses. In this context, validation involves confirming that courses meet their stated aims and that students have met the prescribed standards, and confirming that the course aims continue to reflect operational needs.
The three Services co-operate closely in the development of these processes and take account of best practice in both military and civilian training
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organisations. They have recently published a joint approach to a quality standard based on the "Systems Approach to Training" which confirms common standards for the management of training across all three Services, while taking account of the differing training requirements of each individual Services.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to merge the training functions of the armed services. [106427]
Mr. Spellar:
A number of training functions are already being delivered on a joint service or lead service basis. The scope for further rationalisation of training between the three Services and the Civil Service is being examined as part of the wide ranging and fundamental review of defence training and education announced in the House by my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Robertson, the then Secretary of State for Defence, on 22 July 1999, Official Report, columns 612-13W.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to conduct and publish research into the environmental effect of sonar weapons on marine mammals. [105315]
Mr. Kilfoyle
[holding answer 20 January 2000]: The Ministry of Defence does not use sonar weapons and has not, therefore, undertaken any primary research into the environmental effects of such devices on marine mammals. We do use active and passive sonars as sensors and all MOD research involving the use of active sonars is assessed to ensure that it complies with the European Union Habitat Directive and Joint Nature Conservancy Council guidelines. The output from any such research is published via international journals and as conference papers in accordance with normal scientific practice.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to develop a long-range low-frequency sonar system for use on marine vessels. [105314]
Mr. Kilfoyle
[holding answer 20 January 2000]: We are currently developing a low frequency sonar which we plan to fit to the Type 23 Frigate.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent proposals his Department has put to the Treasury to alleviate the effect of overstretch on the armed forces. [106004]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 20 January 2000]: We announced, before Christmas, enhancements to the Longer Separated Service Allowance and Longer Service at Sea Bonus in recognition of the sacrifices of those who spend long periods away from home. We have also reduced the numbers of personnel on operations in the Balkans, Gulf and Falkland Islands.
Mr. Oaten:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many press releases his Department issued in each year from 1995 to 1999. [106121]
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| Year | Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 149 |
| 1996 | 176 |
| 1997 | 221 |
| 1998 | 294 |
| 1999 | 416 |
British Forces Post Office
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future location of the UK base of the British Forces Post Office. [104562]
Mr. Spellar: The future location of the UK base of the British Forces Post Office is currently under review as part of my Department's Strategic Development Plan for Greater London.
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