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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.
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.
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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
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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. 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.
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.
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| August 1999 | September 1999 | October 1999 | November 1999 | December 1999 | January 2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army | 1,219 | 1,355 | 1,462 | 1,326 | 1,063 | 1,557 |
| Royal Navy | 288 | 425 | 476 | 412 | 370 | 396 |
| Royal Air Force | 387 | 437 | 433 | 352 | 332 | 392 |
| Royal Marines | 72 | 144 | 128 | 98 | 91 | 86 |
| Territorial Army | 698 | 919 | 863 | 957 | 544 | 1,214 |
| Royal Naval Reserve | 50 | 4 | 50 | 63 | 114 | 36 |
| Royal Auxiliary Air Force | 24 | 38 | 49 | 26 | 23 | 21 |
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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.
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