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Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the use his Department, its agencies and public bodies will make of the powers relating to the authorised obtaining of communications data in Part I, Chapter II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill once the Bill is enacted. [119522]
Dr. Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 19 April 2000, Official Report, column 509W, by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
2 May 2000 : Column: 13W
RAF Staxton Wold
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when RAF Staxton Wold was first identified as a radar station suitable for downgrading to remote operation only; [119161]
- (2) when he was first advised that RAF Staxton Wold should be downgraded to remote operation. [119162]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 18 April 2000]: I understand that formal consideration of the possibility of remote operation of the radar at RAF Staxton Wold was first given during the Departmental budgetary planning process which culminated in February 1997. This option was not pursued because a wider review of the then UK Air Defence Ground Environment (UKADGE) was started during the Strategic Defence Review.
Ministers in this Administration have never been advised that the radar at RAF Staxton Wold should be downgraded to remote operation. My predecessor was, however, advised in July 1998 that it would be possible to draw down the Station to minimum manning. Since the overall review of the UKADGE (now Air Surveillance and Control System--ASACS) was still being carried out at the time, he wished to await the outcome of this work and consider any wider implications before making a decision. I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 9 August 1999 as soon as I had taken a decision (subject to consultation) on our plans for RAF Staxton Wold.
Balkans
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost so far for United Kingdom operations in (a) Bosnia and (b) Kosovo, since forces entered the region; and if he will make a statement. [119166]
Mr. Spellar: The additional expenditure incurred each year by my Department in Bosnia and Kosovo is as follows:
| £ million | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Bosnia | Kosovo |
| 1993-94 | 26.6 | 0 |
| 1994-95 | 33.9 | 0 |
| 1995-96 | 91.0 | 0 |
| 1996-97 | 247.3 | 0 |
| 1997-98 | 196.5 | 0 |
| 1998-99 | 147.1 | 13.9 |
| 1999-2000(1) | c.105 | c.340 |
(1) Estimate
Fatal Accident, Mr. Konjic Grad
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what satellite photographs exist of the fatal accident that took place on 7 July 1997 involving a Foden Thompson Carmichael MWD near Mrkonjic Grad. [118431]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 17 April 2000]: The Department does not have any satellite photographs of the accident. However, a number of aerial photographs exist and I am arranging for these to be placed in the Library of the House.
2 May 2000 : Column: 14W
Relocation
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what relocation companies his Department uses when relocating civil servants and armed forces personnel. [119856]
Dr. Moonie: The Department uses Countrywide Mobility (HCR plc) to provide Service personnel with rented family and single accommodation in Great Britain on those occasions when there is a shortage of publicly funded accommodation. The Department uses three relocation companies, Cendant Relocation UK Ltd., Countrywide Mobility (HCR plc) and Morton Fraser Relocation to provide assistance to civil servants who have an entitlement to a move of home at public expense.
Helicopters
Mr. Martin Bell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the causes of the uncommanded flying control movements that have been reported on Chinook aircraft since 1994; [120103]
- (2) what visual flying rules applied to support helicopters in June 1994. [120102]
Mr. Spellar: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Serle's House
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what public access conditions have been agreed in relation to the sale of the remembrance garden at Serle's House. [119822]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 20 April 2000]: At present, none.
Plutonium Transfers
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the authorities in the United States which his Department consulted in order to draft paragraph 12 on United Kingdom-United States barter arrangements for plutonium transfers, contained in the report "United Kingdom's Defence Nuclear Programme", published on 14 April. [120253]
Mr. Spellar: The US Department of Energy was consulted on this report prior to publication.
KFOR
Mr. Donald Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial contribution each NATO and EU country has made to the cost of KFOR. [120087]
Mr. Spellar: My Department does not hold the information requested. The UK's costs are estimated to be £342 million for the financial year 1999-2000.
MOD Police (Sickness Absence)
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the rate of staff absences due to sickness for his Department's police for the last three years; and what assessment he has made of the rate relative to that of other public services. [120631]
2 May 2000 : Column: 15W
Mr. Spellar: Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) sickness figures have been collected in hours since 1 April 1997 in order to give a truer measure of lost output. Since then the figures have been:
| Average number of sickness hours per officer | |
|---|---|
| 1997-98 | (2)113.08 |
| 1998-99 | 114.86 |
| 1999-2000 | 120.85 |
(2) The figures for 1997-98 includes civilian staff. The police and civilian support staff figures were collected separately only from 1 April 1998
The figures for 1998-99 and 1999-2000 are equivalent to 14.4 and 15.1 respectively days absence per officer per year. In 1998-99, the last year for which complete figures are available, the average number of working days lost to sickness per Home Department Police Officer in England and Wales was 11.7. It should be noted, however, that comparisons between forces are problematic owing to differences in methods of counting sick absence.
In recognition of the level of sick absence within the MDP, a sickness strategy was put into place early last year aimed at significantly reducing productive hours lost through sickness.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the use his Department, its agencies and public bodies will make of the powers relating to the authorised obtaining of communications data in Part I, Chapter II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill once the Bill is enacted. [119521]
Mr. Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 19 April 2000, Official Report, column 509W.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent (i) directly and (ii) indirectly on asylum seekers in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, (d) 1998 and (e) 1999; and what estimate has been made of expenditure in the year 2000. [119488]
Mr. Mandelson: The Home Office will be responding to this question on behalf of the Government as a whole, using information that we have provided to them.
RUC/Army Base (Fermanagh)
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated repair cost is in respect of damage to the joint RUC/Army base at Annaghmartin, Roselea, County Fermanagh, as a result of the attack on 2 April. [119030]
2 May 2000 : Column: 16W
Mr. Spellar: I have been asked to reply.
We estimate that £70,000 is the minimum amount necessary to repair the damaged base.
PRIME MINISTER
Active Aging
Ms Perham: To ask the Prime Minister when he intends to publish the report on Active Aging. [118008]
The Prime Minister: The Performance and Innovation Unit's report "Winning the Generation Game" was published on 27 April. Copies of the report have been placed in the Vote Office and the Libraries.
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