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Armed Forces Exercises
Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) Army, (b) Navy, (c) RAF and (d) TA exercises cancelled for budgetary reasons in (i) 1999-2000 and (ii) 2000-01. [125707]
Dr. Moonie: The following table sets out the Royal Navy exercises cancelled for budgetary reasons in the specified period.
No Army, RAF or TA exercises have been cancelled for budgetary reasons during 1999-2000.
No Navy, Army, RAF or TA exercises planned to take place during financial year 2000-01 have been cancelled (or are expected to be cancelled) for budgetary reasons.
20 Jun 2000 : Column: 131W
| Serial/name of exercise | Dates |
|---|---|
| 1 FLOTEX (Flotilla Exercise) | November 1999 |
| 2 CADENCE BRAKE (Royal Marine winter driving training in Norway (precursor to serial 4)) | November 1999 |
| 3 ASWEX 2000 (Ship, Submarine, Helicopter Anti-submarine warfare exercise) | January 2000 |
| 4 Royal Marine Winter Deployment (Arctic warfare training in Norway) | January 2000 |
20 Jun 2000 : Column: 131W
Defence Intelligence and Security Centre
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current year's budget and staff establishment of the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre. [125201]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 12 June 2000]: The cash allocation for Financial Year 2000-01 is £18.448 million. The Defence Intelligence and Security Centre's current staff establishment is as follows:
20 Jun 2000 : Column: 132W
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Army Officers | 41 |
| Army Solders | 166 |
| Navy Officers | 9 |
| Navy Rating | 28 |
| RAF Officer | 14 |
| RAF Airmen | 49 |
| Civilian Non Industrial | 122 |
| Civilian Industrial | 25 |
| Total | 454 |
20 Jun 2000 : Column: 133W
BOWMAN Project
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the cost has been to date of the BOWMAN project; [125783]
(2) what alternatives to the BOWMAN project he has (a) considered and (b) evaluated; and when he will make a decision on the future of the project. [125784]
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. Robert Key, dated 20 June 2000:
- I am replying to your questions to the Secretary of State for Defence about the BOWMAN communication project. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
- As part of the BOWMAN project, we have examined a number of alternative technical options, and have reviewed whether the basic approach to BOWMAN remains valid in the light of rapid developments in the mobile communications field. The analysis demonstrates that BOWMAN can be a robust solution to the military requirement. Our primary effort has been directed to working with Archer Communications Systems Limited (ACSL), the nominated BOWMAN contractor, to establish whether an adequately de-risked solution can be provided on taut contractual terms. In parallel, study contracts were placed earlier this year with Computing Devices Canada and Thomson CSF to ascertain whether suitable alternatives to the current ACSL solution for BOWMAN might be available. These studies have reported and are being evaluated.
- A decision on the way ahead for BOWMAN is expected later this Summer. At 31 March 2000, expenditure on BOWMAN which included work that would be relevant to solutions other than that being developed by ACSL, was some £260M at outturn prices.
DERA Public-private Partnership
Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the inclusion of DERA West Freugh in the DERA public-private partnership. [125950]
Mr. Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 April 2000, Official Report, columns 366-67W, to my hon. Friend for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman), which outlined our proposals for the DERA public private partnership. These are described in more detail in the consultation document, a copy of which can be found in the Library of the House and on the internet at www.mod.uk/commercial/ppp/dera/.
Under current proposals, we envisage that the capabilities provided by West Freugh will form part of the NewDERA company. It is, therefore, likely that West Freugh would transfer to the private sector.
Our proposals are designated to secure a long-term future for both NewDERA and those elements to be retained within the Ministry of Defence. The new freedoms proposed for NewDERA will open up a range of commercial opportunities not previously available and help secure jobs in the longer term.
No final decisions on the PPP will be taken until all the inputs received during the consultation exercise, which ended on 9 June, have been fully analysed. We hope to be in a position to make an announcement on the way ahead for DERA before the summer recess.
20 Jun 2000 : Column: 134W
Sierra Leone
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons army doctors during the recent deployment in Sierra Leone and Senegal did not carry sufficient supplies of (a) mefloquine and (b) savarine; and if he will make a statement. [126055]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 15 June 2000]: The normal anti-malarial drugs for Sierra Leone are mefloquine, or chloroquine and proguanil tablets for aircrew. Supplies of these drugs were readily available. The reasons why some personnel deployed to Sierra Leone without supplies of mefloquine are being investigated by the Ministry of Defence. The French anti-malarial drug savarine, which is a combination of chloroquine and proguanil, was acquired locally as an interim measure and distributed within 24 hours of personnel arriving in theatre. Personnel who had deployed without supplies of mefloquine were transferred to mefloquine within four days of arrival in theatre.
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on medical preparedness of (a) the spearhead battalions of the Rapid Reaction Corps and (b) other armed forces personnel in all three Services, with particular reference to Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [126056]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 15 June 2000]: It is the Ministry of Defence's policy that all Service personnel should be up to date with routine vaccinations and that members of the Joint Rapid Reaction Forces should be up to date with certain additional vaccinations, depending on their degree of readiness. Personnel deploying to high risk areas should receive further vaccinations specific to the risks they face. Other aspects of medical preparedness will depend on the role of the deploying forces and the geographical location to which they are deploying.
Service Personnel (Medical Records)
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are kept (a) centrally, (b) in theatre and (c) on individual service personnel relating to (i) inoculations, (ii) prophylactic drugs and (iii) other medications. [126053]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 15 June 2000]: Details of inoculations, prescribed prophylactic drugs and other medications are recorded in individuals' personal medical records known as Form F Med 4. These records are normally held by the individuals' parent units. Information may also be held on medical centre computer systems. Any medical treatment administered to personnel in-theatre is recorded for each individual in an operational medical record (Form F Med 965). This information is incorporated into F Med 4s on return. In addition, the Army records the nature and date of vaccinations given to individuals centrally on personnel information systems. A central record has been maintained on vaccinations given to personnel while deployed on Operation Palliser.
Land (Caversfield)
Mr. Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will enforce the agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Hodge (Eastern) Ltd. on recreational land at Caversfield in Oxfordshire. [126663]
20 Jun 2000 : Column: 135W
Dr. Moonie: The former Ministry of Defence land at Caversfield, sold to Hodge (Eastern) Limited in December 1996, included two areas of 'bare' land, which the clawback clause in the transfer refers to as
- open space either for playing fields or agricultural purposes.
RAF Feltwell
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a Minister from his Department last visited RAF Feltwell. [126648]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 19 June 2000]: Since 1 May 1997 no Minister of this Department has visited RAF Feltwell.
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