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RAF Maintenance Group Defence
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) those targets of the RAF Maintenance Group Defence for 1998-99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement. [111741]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 6 March 2000]: The RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency (MGDA) no longer exists and was, in large measure, absorbed into the new Defence Aviation Repair Agency on 1 April 1999. Performance against the targets was covered in the 1998-99 MGDA Annual Report, which was placed in the Library of the House. Only one target for 1998-99 was not fully achieved.
- To achieve 98 per cent. of the aero-systems and electronics maintenance task to standard and on time
- Achievement 96.6 per cent. There were minor problems with spares and delays in receiving repair information.
The targets fully achieved were:
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 202W
Mr. Alexander:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people from (a) Paisley, South, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK are serving in Her Majesty's armed forces. [113553]
Mr. Spellar:
Examination of available personal records of currently serving personnel 1 has revealed the following information:
To keep within the agency's allocated budget
Achieved.
To achieve the efficiency targets specified in the Logistics Command Management Plan
Achieved.
To achieve planned reductions in Service manpower totals
Achieved.
| Area | Naval Service | Army | RAF |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Paisley | 26 | (8)-- | (9)70 |
| (b) Scotland | 2,552 | 21,374 | 5,769 |
| (c) UK | (10)42,902 | 108,926 | 51,450 |
(7) Naval Service data are based on current place of residence. About 29,000 Naval Personnel (some 67 per cent. of total strength) personal records include reference to current place of residence. Army and RAF details are based on nationality at birth taken from personal records of all Army and RAF personnel.
(8) Army records do not show this level of detail.
(9) RAF figures cover Paisley as a whole and not just Paisley, South.
(10) Naval Service total strength as at 1 February 2000 was 42,902, but this includes an unspecified number of Commonwealth citizens and Republic of Ireland nationals.
Bowman VHF System
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the impact on (a) the cost to his Department and (b) the time scale for completion of the contract of ITT's take-over from Racal of the Bowman VHF system; and if he will make a statement. [113906]
Dr. Moonie: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 15 March 2000:
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about Bowman cost and timescale. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
ITT Defence has been selected by Archer Communications Systems Ltd (ACSL) as preferred supplier to provide the VHF radio as part of ACSL's preparations to bid for the main production contract later this year. Precise details of the selection process are a matter for the Prime Contractor. However, the selection was made with a view to meeting the requirement at minimum cost, minimum risk and maximum speed of programme.
Radios
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many AN/PRC-138 125W HF radios his Department plans to acquire; and if he will make a statement. [113960]
Dr. Moonie: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 15 March 2000:
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 203W
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence on how many AN/PRC-138 125W radios the Department plan to acquire. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA).
The DPA has procured a total of ninety AN/PRC-138 patrol radio equipments. Of these, sixty-nine were procured with 125W amplifiers, three were procured with 150W amplifiers and eighteen were procured in their patrol (20W) configuration. The Department has no immediate plans to acquire any more AN/PRC-138 radios (in any configuration) though these equipments could be considered for future programmes if they were technically suitable and represented the best value for money.
Transport Aircraft
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Puma helicopters the (a) Antonov 124-100 and (b) C-17 can carry; [114090]
- (2) what is the range of the (a) C-17 and (b) Antonov 124-100 with full payload, without refuelling. [114092]
Dr. Moonie: 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. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 15 March 2000:
I am replying to your questions to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you ask how many Puma helicopters the Antonov 124-100 and Boeing C-17 aircraft can carry and what is the range of the Boeing C-17 and Antonov 124-100 with a full payload, without refuelling. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
We have carried four Puma helicopters in the Antonov An 124-100 and on the basis of information publicly available the Boeing C-17 is capable of carrying three, although some disassembly of the helicopters is required in both cases.
On the basis of information publicly available, the C-17 has an approximate un-refuelled range of 2400nm, at a maximum payload capability of 77 tonnes and the military limit of 2.25g, whereas the Antonov An 124-100 has an un-refuelled range of 1790nm, at a maximum payload capability of 120 tonnes and the civil limit of 2.5g.
Relief Operation (Mozambique)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if (a) the US C-17 and (b) the C5A Galaxy aircraft were available to support the UK relief operation in Mozambique. [114093]
Mr. Hoon: We concluded, from recent experience, that these aircraft would not be available in sufficient time for the UK relief operation in Mozambique.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria were used in making the decision to use the Antonov 124-100 to carry supplies to Mozambique. [114089]
Mr. Hoon: No request was received to carry supplies to Mozambique. The request was for the movement of four Puma helicopters for rescue purposes. There are only three aircraft types able to carry Puma without the necessity to remove significant components from the helicopter; of these, we judged that only the Antonov An 124-100 was available within the required timeframe.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he gave to leasing the C-17 for the Mozambique operation. [114091]
15 Mar 2000 : Column: 204W
Mr. Hoon:
It is only possible to purchase or lease the C-17 from the manufacturer or to charter from the United States Air Force. Our recent experience of such options suggested that there was insufficient time for any of them to have been exploited for the Mozambique operation.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military aircraft exercises in the South of Scotland Tactical Training Area in the last five years which have involved aircraft from air forces other than the RAF. [114188]
Mr. Spellar:
None of the three Tactical Training Areas in the United Kingdom is made available for use by foreign air forces.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when HMS 'Dumbarton Castle' is due to end her service with the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement. [114506]
Mr. Spellar:
HMS 'Dumbarton Castle' is due to end her service with the Royal Navy in 2012.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on future naval deployments in the south-west Atlantic. [114505]
Mr. Spellar:
We will continue to conduct regular Naval patrols in the South West Atlantic.
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