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MPs' Visits

Mr. Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the visits by hon. Members to his Department's establishments in Wales since May 1997 and (b) invitations declined by local hon. Members to visit establishments in their constituencies. [116348]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 27 March 2000]: The visits by hon. Members of Parliament to Ministry of Defence (MOD) establishments in Wales since May 1997 are listed in the table. It is not however possible to list the invitations declined by local hon. Members to visit establishments in their constituencies, as such records are not comprehensively maintained.

Date of visitLocation/unitMP/Constituency
6 February 1998DERA PendineMr. Nick Ainger MP (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)
5 March 1998HQ 160 (Wales) Brigade and Infantry Training Centre, BreconThe right hon. Sir George Young MP (North West Hampshire)
8 March 1998C Flight 22 Squadron RAF ValleyThe right hon. Dr. John Reid MP (Hamilton North and Bellshill)
18 May 19983 Royal Welsh Fusiliers, WrexhamMr. Martyn Jones MP (Clwyd South)
The right hon. Barry Jones MP (Alyn and Deeside)
Dr. John Marek MP (Wrexham)
26 May 19983 Royal Welsh Fusiliers, WrexhamMr. Gareth Thomas MP (Harrow West)
2 June 1998DERA PendineMr. Nick Ainger MP (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)
19 June 19983 Royal Welsh Fusiliers, CaernarfonThe right hon. Dafydd Wigley MP (Caernarfon)
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones MP (Ynys Mon)
25 June 1998C Flight 22 Squadron, RAF ValleyMr. Brian Donohoe MP (Cunninghame South)
Mrs. Ann Keen MP (Brentford and Isleworth)
1 July 1998Royal Marine Commando Logistic Regiment, Castlemartin RangeMr. Michael Fabricant MP (Lichfield) Mr. Stephen Hepburn MP (Jarrow)
Hon. Lindsay Hoyle MP (Chorley)
Mr. Sydney Rapson MP (Portsmouth North)
2 July 1998Senneybridge Training CampMr. John Spellar MP (Warley)
10 July 19983 Royal Welsh Fusiliers, WrexhamMr. Elfyn Llwyd MP (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy)
19 July 199814 Signal Regiment, BrawdyMrs. Jackie Lawrence MP (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
3 August 1998Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, MonmouthMr. Huw Edwards MP (Monmouth)
16 September 19983 Royal Welsh Fusiliers, QueensferryThe right hon. Barry Jones MP (Alyn and Deeside)
22 September 1998Pennally Training CampMr. Peter Hain MP (Neath)
13 November 19981223 (Machen) Detached Flight Air Training CorpsThe right hon. Ron Davies MP (Caerphilly)
14 November 19983 Royal Welsh Fusiliers, WrexhamMr. Martyn Jones MP (Clwyd South)
25 November 19981358 (Pontardwe) Squadron Air Training Corps (ATC)Mr. Peter Hain MP (Neath)
4 December 1998Army Careers Information Office, RhyllMr. Chris Ruane MP (Vale of Clwyd)
18 January 1999Defence Aviation Repair Agency, St. AthanMr. Anthony Coleman MP (Putney)
Mr. Dan Morris MP (Wansdyke)
25 January 1999Defence Aviation Repair Agency, SealandMr. Anthony Coleman MP (Putney)
Mr. Dan Morris MP (Wansdyke)
11 March 1999RAF Valley--Search and RescueMr. Ieuan Wyn Jones MP (Ynys Mon)
7 April 1999Defence Aviation Repair Launch Day, St. AthanMr. John Spellar MP (Warley)
Mr. John Smith MP (Vale of Glamorgan)
The right hon. Barry Jones MP (Alyn and Deeside)
Mr. Peter Viggers MP (Gosport)
26 May 1999C Flight 22 Squadron, RAF ValleyMr. Iain Coleman MP (Hammersmith and Fulham)
Mr. Stephen McCabe MP (Birmingham Hall Green)
Mr. Dan Norris MP (Wansdyke)
10 June 1999104 Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers), CardiffMr. Martin Bell MP (Tatton)
17 June 1999101 Battalion REME (Volunteers), WrexhamHon. Lindsay Hoyle MP (Chorley)
4 August 19996 Cadet Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, SwynnertonThe right hon. Dafyyd Wigley MP (Caernarfon)
1 September 1999Defence Storage and Distribution Centre, LlangennechThe right hon. Denzil Davies MP (Llanelli)
11 September 1999104 Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers), Royal Artillery Range, ManorbierMrs. Jenny Jones MP (Wolverhampton South West)
29 September 1999RAF ValleyMr. Lembit Opik MP (Montgomeryshire)
20 January 2000RAF DARA SealandThe right hon. Barry Jones MP (Alyn and Deeside)
25 January 2000DERA AberporthMr. Gareth Thomas MP (Clwyd West)
28 January 2000DERA PendineMr. Nick Ainger MP (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)

Notes:

1. The Under-Secretary of State for Defence approves the visits of MPs to establishments. However, it is possible that MPs may have visited local establishments or cadet units on public open days and such visits are not included in the list.

2. There is no requirement for the Department to keep records of such visits and some establishments only have records available since March 1998. The list should therefore not be viewed as exhaustive.


3 Apr 2000 : Column: 303W

Tritium

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of tritium have been produced at the Chapelcross nuclear facility in each month since April 1995; and what percentage of the tritium produced by this facility has been exported to Governments and agencies outside the United Kingdom. [116592]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 28 March 2000]: To reveal such information would be contrary to national defence and security interests and I am therefore withholding details under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Defence Diversification Council

Mr. Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the establishment of a defence diversification council. [116713]

Dr. Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones) on 22 March 2000, Official Report, column 566W.

Workplace Parking

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many workplace car parking spaces are available at the buildings used and controlled by his Department. [116773]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 30 March 2000]: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The provision of parking facilities is being addressed in the development of my Department's corporate Environmental Management System, which incorporates Travel Plans.

Gulf War Illnesses

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many meetings officials from the Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit held with the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs between 15 October and 31 December 1999, indicating the date and location

3 Apr 2000 : Column: 304W

of each meeting and the section of the Department of Veterans' Affairs in which the officials who attended each meeting worked. [117092]

Mr. Spellar: During the period 15 October to 31 December 1999, an official from my Department's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit in London attended two meetings at which officials from the US Department of Veterans' Affairs, Veterans Health Administration Section, would have been present. One meeting was on 20 October and the other was on 21 October. Both meetings took place in Washington DC.

In addition to the above, a member of the Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit based in Washington DC maintains a continuous dialogue with United States Department of Veterans' Affairs colleagues.

Mr. Roger Crooks

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which occasions (a) Vice Admiral Alan West and (b) Major Peter Hicks have met Roger Crooks since 1995. [116930]

Mr. Spellar: Vice Admiral Sir Alan West, the current Chief of Defence Intelligence, has never met Mr. Crooks. Major Peter Hicks served as a Military Liaison Officer with the Defence Intelligence Staff from 1994-98. He deployed to Sierra Leone on three occasions to support contingency planning for the evacuation of UK and other foreign nationals. In 1997, he directly assisted in a civilian evacuation from Sierra Leone. He had no professional contact with Mr. Crooks and recalls only one occasion at which he may have briefly met him socially.

Service Personnel

Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people (a) left and (b) joined the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Navy, (iii) Royal Air Force, (iv) Royal Marines, (v) Territorial Army, (vi) Royal Naval Reserve and (vii) Royal Auxiliary Air Force in each of the last six months. [117564]

Mr. Spellar: The latest available figures on a consistent basis across all Services are as follows. They include both trained and untrained personnel.

3 Apr 2000 : Column: 303W

(a) Number of people who left in the month of:

August 1999September 1999October 1999November 1999December 1999January 2000
Army1,2191,3551,4621,3261,0631,557
Royal Navy288425476412370396
Royal Air Force387437433352332392
Royal Marines72144128989186
Territorial Army6989198639575441,214
Royal Naval Reserve504506311436
Royal Auxiliary Air Force243849262321

3 Apr 2000 : Column: 303W

(b) Number of people who joined in the month of:

August 1999September 1999October 1999November 1999December 1999January 2000
Army1,2161,9081,3901,5836392,280
Royal Navy8754832045044413
Royal Air Force228406453314289390
Royal Marines6215110611159101
Territorial Army4715311,779712474607
Royal Naval Reserve233363699431
Royal Auxiliary Air Force134028371625

3 Apr 2000 : Column: 303W

3 Apr 2000 : Column: 305W

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in updating guidance to the Services on the values and standards expected of Service personnel; and if he will make a statement. [117640]

Mr. Spellar: The Army and RAF have revised and updated the guidance given to their personnel on the values and standards of each Service and the standards of behaviour and conduct to which they are expected to adhere. This underpins Service ethos and so helps to sustain the operational effectiveness of the armed forces.

The revised guidance is set out in publications entitled "Values and Standards of the British Army" and "Core Values and Standards of the Royal Air Force" which are being widely distributed in the Services. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.


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