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Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) core and (b) non-core training and training support activities and services which will be included in the competition to seek a long-term strategic partner to run the Army Training Estate; and if he will indicate the website where these competitions have been advertised. [124362]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 5 June 2000]: The Department's core and non-core training and training support activities and services provided in support of the Army Training Estate are as follows:
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None of the core functions will be included in the competition. All of the non-core functions will be considered for inclusion in the competition for a strategic partner. Some non-core work may be included in other Ministry of Defence (MOD) competitions.
The competition for the strategic partner has not yet been advertised as MOD is currently engaged in consultation with the Trade Unions.
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the cost of the personal role radios that his Department intends to buy; [127608]
(3) if he intends to hold a competition for the BOWMAN requirement; [127609]
(4) if the personal role radios to be procured will be compatible with both section and platoon nets; [127606]
(5) what (a) was the original and (b) is the current budget for the BOWMAN requirement. [127610]
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 13 July 2000:
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Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of (a) Beating the Retreat and (b) Trooping the Colour for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [128787]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 3 July 2000]: Costs were not collected for the Queen's Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour) and Beating the Retreat until 1996 and were not identified separately until this year. The total costs between 1996 and 1999 were:
£ | |
---|---|
1996 | 33,400 |
1997 | 34,300 |
1998 | 35,200 |
1999 | 36,000 |
For this year, the cost of the Queen's Birthday Parade was £31,200 and for Beating the Retreat £7,420, giving a total of £38,620.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees of his Department and its agencies have been recruited from the New Deal; and what percentage this represents of total staff. [129093]
Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney) on 6 July 2000, Official Report, column 286W.
The number of New Dealers within my Department and its executive agencies represents 0.06 per cent. of total civilian staff.
During the financial year ending March 2000, a target of 1 per cent. in respect of the recruitment of New Deal candidates into the appropriate grades was set. Actual achievement was 2.3 per cent.
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Tornado GR4's capability to launch Sea Eagle missiles; how much has been spent on enabling the Tornado GR4 to launch Sea Eagle missiles; and if this element of the upgrade programme is planned to continue. [129805]
Mr. Spellar: Software development work to allow the Sea Eagle missile to be launched by Tornado GR4 aircraft was incomplete at the time the missile was withdrawn from service and further work was halted. This development work was part of the overall software upgrade programme for the GR4 and the costs are not separately identifiable.
Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the facilities (a) in the United
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Kingdom and (b) elsewhere which (i) manufacture the chain gun and (ii) are capable of manufacturing the chain gun. [129669]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 7 July 2000]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigations his Department's police fraud squad is conducting into allegations of accounting irregularities and financial malpractice on the Tornado maintenance programme; when the investigations began; when they will be completed; and if he will make a statement. [129043]
Mr. Spellar: This is an operational policing matter. I understand however that the Ministry of Defence Police Fraud Squad began investigating allegations of malpractice connected with the Tornado maintenance programme last month. At this stage it is not possible to say when the investigation will be completed.
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the proposed Centre for Defence Medicine will be sited; when the centre is due to open; and if he will make a statement. [130092]
Dr. Moonie: The Centre for Defence Medicine will be located in Birmingham and is being developed in association with the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust (UHB) and its academic and clinical partners. The Centre is due to open as planned on 1 April 2001. Defence medical personnel will be working at the UHB's Queen Elizabeth and Selly Oak sites and some will be working very closely with the University of Birmingham and other academic partners. We continue to be extremely pleased with the way the project is developing and with the enthusiasm and commitment of our partners in Birmingham.
Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which ships have fulfilled the role of the West Indies guard ship in the past 18 months; and if he will list the dates during which the ships have been on station. [130447]
Mr. Spellar: The ships that have fulfilled the role of the Atlantic Patrol Task (North) (previously known as the West Indies Guard Ship) in the past 18 months are as set out:
Ship | On station |
---|---|
HMS Marlborough | 29 January 1999 to 17 June 1999 |
HMS Northumberland | 17 June 1999 to 23 November 1999 |
HMS Manchester | 15 February 2000 to 26 June 2000 |
HMS Cardiff | 26 June 2000 to est. end November 2000 |
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