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TIALD System
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Tornado GR/4's have a fully operational TIALD system; what percentage of the GR/4 fleet this represents; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the TIALD system; and if he will make a statement. [107546]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 2 February 2000]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.
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Letter from John Howe to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 11 February 2000:
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the cost of the works for making safe The Keep, Imphal Barracks. [109443]
Mr. Spellar:
The Keep is currently unoccupied, although some basement rooms are used for storage. It is safe for the light foot traffic that the building is restricted to, and therefore needs no additional work other than routine maintenance. As for the cost of maintaining the building, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 7 February 2000, Official Report, column 29W.
Mr. Donaldson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the feasibility study carried out on behalf of his Department for the provision of married quarters at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn. [110043]
Dr. Moonie:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 February 2000, Official Report, column 164W, to the hon. Member for South Down (Mr. McGrady) .
Mr. Donaldson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of the contract awarded to Waldwin Ltd. under the PFI scheme for the provision of married quarters at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn. [110044]
Dr. Moonie:
The contract for the provision of married quarters at Lisburn has not yet been signed.
Mr. Donaldson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to sell off land within Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn for (a) public and (b) private housing development. [110045]
Dr. Moonie:
There are no plans to sell off land within Thiepval Barracks for public or private housing development.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Territorial Army Voluntary Reserve rifle range at Altcar is Crown property. [106450]
Dr. Moonie:
The West Lancashire Territorial Association purchased Altcar Ranges in July 1912. The Reserve Forces are considered an integral part of MOD, therefore the land owned and occupied by TAVRA and used for military purposes is regarded as Crown land.
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Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which member states, associate member states, associate partner states and observer states of the Western European Union are parties to the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. [109760]
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 February 2000, Official Report, column 590W, on computers, what type of classified information was accessed by his Department's staff in each hacking incident; and what grades or type of staff would normally have access to this information. [109458]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 10 February 2000]: Internal hacking incidents are categorised into eight different types of misuse and the classification of the information involved may not be relevant to the type of incident. During the past two years, none of the internal hacking incidents involved the theft or disclosure of classified information. Access to classified information is determined by the post held by the staff member and also on a need to know basis. The grade of the staff member is not relevant.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 February 2000, Official Report, column 590W, on computers, what action has been taken to reduce the number of internal incursions into computer files containing classified information. [109457]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 10 February 2000]: My Department is continuously reviewing, and seeking ways to improve, both the procedural and electronic security of its systems. Electronic measures include the identification and authentication of users and audit of user activities. Before any IT system is allowed to operate it must obtain a security approval known as accreditation. All MOD staff are required to read and agree to comply with the Security Operating System for the system that they will use.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 February 2000, Official Report, column 590W, on computers, how many of his Department's staff have been disciplined for hacking incidents; and what disciplinary action was taken in each case. [109456]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 10 February 2000]: The incident recording system in use for the past five years does not carry details of disciplinary action taken. The recording system has however recently been modified to record when disciplinary action has been initiated but not the precise details of that action.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of cost-efficiency comparisons between conventional build and PFI contracts for the planned junior ratings accommodation in HMS Nelson [109475]
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Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 10 February 2000]: I have not yet received advice on any rebuild of junior ratings single living accommodation in HMS Nelson.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the standard of accommodation provided for junior ratings and other ranks in Her Majesty's Royal Naval Shore Establishments in the retention of these personnel in the Royal Navy. [109473]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 10 February 2000]: We are conscious that dissatisfaction with living accommodation may have an effect on retention and so we have in place a programme of improvements to single living accommodation for all service personnel, including naval ratings.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the condition and fitness for purpose of accommodation provided for junior ratings in each of Her Majesty's Royal Naval Shore Establishments. [109500]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 10 February 2000]: The Strategic Defence Review recognised that the Armed Forces' single living accommodation estate should be improved. As a result, all junior naval ratings single living accommodation has been assessed against a common standard in order to determine what improvements are needed and in what order of priority the improvements should be addressed.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a new accommodation project for junior ratings at HMS Nelson was first approved; and when contracts for construction, operation and maintenance will be let. [109476]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 10 February 2000]: The junior ratings single living accommodation forms part of the establishment of HMS Nelson, which incorporates a number of wider functions as a Fleet Accommodation Centre. My Department is currently undertaking a study into the means of delivery of a number of functions in HMS Nelson, including the junior ratings accommodation. The further prospect of a wider PFI within the Naval Base as a whole is also a consideration. I have yet to receive advice on this work and no decisions have been taken.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which warships are currently deployed in the South Atlantic; and what plans he has to replace them at the end of their tour of duty. [109865]
Mr. Spellar:
The Type 23 Frigate HMS Somerset is currently returning from the South Atlantic via the West African coast. Her replacement as the Falkland Islands Guardship is the Type 42 Destroyer HMS Southampton, which will arrive in Falkland Islands waters shortly.
The ice patrol ship HMS Endurance and the Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Dumbarton Castle are currently deployed in the South Atlantic. HMS Endurance will return to the UK at the end of the austral summer, as is normal practice, and will redeploy to the South Atlantic
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in austral summer 2000-01. HMS Dumbarton Castle is scheduled to remain in the South Atlantic until 2001 when she will be relieved by her sister ship HMS Leeds Castle.
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked how many Tornado GR4s have a fully operational TIALD system; what percentage of the GR4 fleet this represents; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the TIALD system. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
TIALD is a fully operational and very effective system fitted to a proportion of the Tornado GR1 fleet. Technical problems have delayed completion of the integration of TIALD onto GR4 aircraft but full operational clearance is expected to be achieved in late 2000.
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