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Teacher Training
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what factors he took into account in setting recruitment targets for 1999-2000 for recruitment into initial teacher training for secondary school teachers of (a) mathematics, (b) science, (c) languages and (d) technology. [112978]
Ms Estelle Morris: Targets for recruitment to initial teacher training use teacher supply models which take into consideration: future demand for teachers; projected flows of teachers into and out of the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sectors, split by age and gender.
Further details of assumptions used in the Teacher Supply Models can be found in 'Teacher Supply and Demand Modelling: A technical description', published in July 1998, copies of which are available in the Library.
DEFENCE
Chemical Protection Programme
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish information about the United Kingdom's chemical protection programme. [117307]
Mr. Spellar:
The UK's chemical protection programme is designed to protect against the use of chemical weapons. Such a programme is permitted by the Chemical Weapons Convention, with which the United Kingdom is fully compliant. Under the terms of the
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Convention, we are required to provide information annually to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. In accordance with the Government's commitment to openness, I am placing in the House of Commons Library a copy of the summary which has been provided to the Organisation outlining the UK's chemical protection programme for 1999.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what proposals he has for moving infantry units to the north of Scotland; [116781]
(3) when Major General Anthony Palmer's report on location changes for Army units will be (a) published and (b) evaluated by Ministers. [116782]
Mr. Gerald Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the Aldershot military garrison. [116783]
Mr. Spellar:
An internal discussion document entitled, "The Strategic Development of the Army Training and Recruiting Agency" has been prepared by the Chief Executive of the Agency. The document does not address the location of trained units of the Field Army but rather outlines a possible future strategy for the Agency and covers training establishments only. The report constitutes internal discussion and advice and will not be published under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
The work is at a very early stage and recommendations will not be made to Ministers until detailed staffing at an official level has taken place.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to acquire Primary Casualty Receiving ships. [116452]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 27 March 2000]: Our current requirement for a Primary Casualty Receiving ship capability was identified in the Strategic Defence Review and is based on the provision of two ships at different states of readiness each capable of carrying a 200 bed hospital. We hope to place a contract for this in 2002 with the ships being available from 2005.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the upgrading of afloat medical support facilities. [116450]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 27 March 2000]: The three vessels whose medical support facilities are to be upgraded are the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries Argus, Fort George and Fort Victoria. The design work necessary to upgrade the facilities is well advanced and the procurement of equipment has commenced. We plan to carry out the installation work on Argus and Fort George in 2001 and on Fort Victoria in 2002, during scheduled maintenance periods.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the expected in-service date is for the Royal Navy survey ships which will replace HMS Beagle and HMS Bulldog; [116454]
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(3) what plans he has to procure new survey ships for the Royal Navy. [116456]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 27 March 2000]: The existing Royal Navy Hydrographic Survey Squadron includes HMS Herald, HMS Bulldog, HMS Beagle, and HMS Roebuck (HMS Hecla was taken out of service in December 1996). The first three of these vessels are planned to leave service between mid 2001 and early 2002 with HMS Roebuck being maintained into 2003.
To meet our future requirements, we plan to replace these ships with new, more capable, multi-role survey vessels, backed by a long-term in-service support contract. These new vessels will provide both hydrographic and oceanographic military surveying data, as well as a combat survey and mine warfare support capability. Balance of investment considerations, including the number of vessels to be acquired, are ongoing, as are contractual negotiations with the preferred bidder, Vosper Thornycroft. We plan to place a contract in the next few months, with new vessels entering service from 2002.
Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost of each Type 45 destroyer. [116449]
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. Iain Duncan Smith, dated 30 March 2000:
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what civilian use he envisages for the new roll-on, roll-off ferries on order for his Department. [116132]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 27 March 2000]: 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. Robert Key, dated 30 March 2000:
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Mr. Duncan Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will place a contract for the Alternative Landing Ships Logistic Programme; and at which shipyard the work will be carried out. [116458]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 27 March 2000]: 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.
(2) what plans he has to assess proposals for the closure of the Aldershot infantry base; [116784]
(2) when he will withdraw from service (a) HMS Roebuck, (b) HMS Hecla and (c) HMS Herald; [116455]
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the cost of the Type 45 destroyer. This matter falls to me to answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
The total programme cost for the twelve currently planned Type 45 warships including their missiles is approximately £6Bn. This includes approximately £1.2Bn for the development, design and build of the first of class ship and £1Bn for the development and initial production of the Principal Anti Air Missile System (PAAMS). The balance contains funding for further missile procurement and allows for the incremental acquisition of the combat system. As a result, the platform design will incorporate significant growth margins. The actual cost per individual ship is thus difficult to assess but the average is expected to be within a target cost of about £270M excluding missiles.
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking whether civilian use is envisaged for the roll on roll off ships that will be provided to meet the MOD's strategic sealift requirements. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
MOD is currently proposing to meet its strategic sealift requirement through Private Finance Initiative arrangements, with the objective of maximising value for money and affordability. Rather than procuring ships ourselves we plan, instead, to procure sealift capability in the form of a service. This will comprise a number of vessels (with crews) at differing readiness periods designed to meet our needs, including those of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force. This approach will afford the ship-owner the opportunity to use the vessels for commercial trading when they are not required by MOD. The extent of such commercial use of any underused capacity will depend upon the service provider. Selection of a preferred bidder will be made in late Spring.
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