11 Jul 2000 : Column: 445W

Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 11 July 2000

DEFENCE

Shipbuilding

Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reviews of British shipbuilding capabilities and capacity he is conducting; and if he will make a statement. [128770]

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. Quentin Davies, dated 11 July 2000:


11 Jul 2000 : Column: 446W



Personal Weapons

Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personal weapons, and of which types, have been procured in each of the past five years; and how many are planned to be procured in the next five years. [128772]

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. Quentin Davies, dated 11 July 2000:



11 Jul 2000 : Column: 445W

Weapon type199519961997199819992000
Sub-machine guns--8--2--36
Shotguns------100----
Pistols--------491--
Specialist rifles----------139
New special forces small arm----------1,380
Total per year--8--1024911,555

11 Jul 2000 : Column: 445W


Search Systems

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what his Department's plans are for the incremental acquisition of new equipment on to the Nimrod MRA4; and if he will make a statement; [128711]

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.

11 Jul 2000 : Column: 446W

Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Paul Keetch, dated 11 July 2000:





11 Jul 2000 : Column: 447W

BNFL (Berkeley Centre)

Mr. David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the work for his Department being undertaken at the BNFL magnox facility at Berkeley Centre in Gloucestershire. [130418]

Mr. Spellar: The work undertaken for the Department by BNFL Magnox, Berkeley Centre, has been very successful, but it did not commence until June 1999 and has taken longer than anticipated because of problems developing the experimental apparatus.

11 Jul 2000 : Column: 448W

Further examination of spent fuel is taking place and it is now planned that the site will revert to its fully safeguarded status by 30 September 2000.

RAF Personnel Management Agency

Ms Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the RAF Personnel Management Agency for the Financial Year 2000-01. [130366]

Mr. Spellar: Key Targets set for the RAF Personnel Management Agency for the Financial Year 2000-01 are set out in the table.

11 Jul 2000 : Column: 447W

Performance indicatorTarget (percentage)
Key target 1--Peacetime manning The percentage of available trained personnel either filling established posts or on diversions for which there is an approved Manning and Training Margin92.75
Key target 2--War, crisis and MOD authorised unestablished commitments The percentage manning level of war, crisis and MOD authorised unestablished tasks> 98
Key target 3--Career management The percentage of PMA's customers who are either satisfied or not dissatisfied with the service provided by the PMA80
Key target 4--Manpower planning Percentage variation between actual trained strength and the authorised trained strength taken as an average over the financial yearNo greater than ±1
Key target 5--Finance, efficiency and business practice Containment of operating costs within resources allocatedCash allocation not exceeded

11 Jul 2000 : Column: 447W

RAF Training Group Defence Agency

Ms Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Key Targets have been set for the RAF Training Group Defence Agency for the financial year 2000-01. [130367]

Mr. Spellar: Key Targets set for the Chief Executive of the Training Group Defence Agency for the Financial Year 2000-01 are set out as follows.

Key Target 1--training output

The number of RAF trainees who graduateTarget
KT1a--quantity of output (ab initio flying training)
Fast Jet Pilots59
Multi-Engine Pilots56
Rotary Wing Pilots33
Fast Jet Navigators28
Multi-Engine Navigators8
Rotary Wing Navigators10
Airman Aircrew97
KT1b--quantity of output (ab initio ground training)
Officer Initial Specialist Training265
RAF Tradesman Training2,014
RAF Regiment Induction272

Key Target 2--training places

The number of training course places providedTarget
KT2a--training places (flying)
Flying Training(1)824
Flying Training(2)83
Key Target 2b--training places (ground)
RAF Pre-Employment and Career Development Training31,607

(1) RN, Army Central Flying School RAF Refresher

(2) Foreign and Commonwealth courses


11 Jul 2000 : Column: 448W

Key Target 3--quality of output

KT3--quality of outputTarget
Satisfaction with the quality of graduate trainees as measured by the Agency's customer satisfaction matrixSatisfactory Rating

Key Target 4--cost management

KT4--cost managementTarget
Output based managementDeliver restricted Prototype of a Financial Management and Accounting system


Next Section Index Home Page