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Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how recruitment policy for the armed forces will be affected by the incorporation into UK law of the European Convention on Human Rights. [135159]
Mr. Spellar: The incorporation into UK law of the European Convention on Human Rights on 2 October 2000 will not affect recruitment policy into the armed forces.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the war graves located within the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency. [135059]
Dr. Moonie: This is a matter for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who have responsibility for the maintenance in perpetuity of war graves from the two World Wars. However, I will arrange for the Commission to be informed of this request and ask that they respond with the necessary information direct, and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on proposals by the War Graves Commission to cut overseas allowances. [135047]
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Dr. Moonie: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an autonomous body subject to Royal Charter and as such has responsibility for formulating its own pay and allowance system, which includes a package of allowances to help cover the additional costs (for UK-recruited staff) of living abroad.
The changes are not the result of any reduction in funding by the UK Government; the Ministry of Defence will continue to contribute to the Commission in proportion to its number of war graves and there are no plans to reduce the current contribution of £23 million. The Government will ensure, in conjunction with the Commission, that the highest standards in tending war graves will be maintained and that our war dead will continue to be afforded the utmost respect.
The Commission has announced that they have decided to hold an independent review of the allowances. There will be full consultation with the staff and their representatives. Any changes will be delayed until the review has been completed. Baroness Dean of Thorton-le-Fylde has agreed to conduct the review; it would be inappropriate to comment further until the review has concluded.
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the environmental effects of ionospheric research; and if he will make a statement. [134230]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 30 October 2000]: My Department has undertaken no such assessment. However, we are not aware of any evidence that would point to significant environmental damage as a result of ionospheric research projects undertaken for the Department.
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to the Scientific and Technological Options Assessment Panel's investigation into the local, global and public health risks of ionospheric research. [134235]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 30 October 2000]: My Department has not contributed to any investigation by the Scientific and Technological Options Assessments Panel of the European Parliament into the local, global and public health risks of ionospheric research.
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the ionospheric research projects in which his Department is involved, stating in each case (a) the number of personnel involved, (b) the duration of the project and (c) the yearly and total project cost to his Department; and if he will make a statement. [134229]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 30 October 2000]: The table provides the information requested in respect of two ionospheric research projects. I am withholding information on other ionospheric research projects undertaken for the Department under Exemption 1 (Defence, security and international relations) of the Code of Access to Government Information.
(5) Estimate
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Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to (a) the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Programme and (b) the European Incoherent Scatter Radar Project, stating in each case the (i) nature, (ii) duration and (iii) purpose of the contribution, including how many staff were attached to the projects and what financial support was given. [134231]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 30 October 2000]: My Department has not contributed to these projects.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the recent contacts he has had with representatives of the Survivors Association for HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales. [135140]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 30 October 2000]: My Department has received a substantial amount of correspondence from the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse Survivors Association.
Mr. Nicholls: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will publish his conclusion on the report into whether the sites of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse should be designated under the provisions of the protection of the Military Remains Act 1986. [135074]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 30 October 2000]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his actions to protect HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales as war graves. [135139]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 30 October 2000]: A review of policy on wrecked military vessels is being undertaken at present. I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House when the review is complete.
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total value of the contracts awarded is for the design of the future generation of aircraft carriers. [133600]
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Mr. Hoon [holding answer 30 October 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 30 October 2000, Official Report, column 269W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Halton (Mr. Twigg).
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the changes will be made to the armed forces pension scheme to introduce pensions for life for armed forces attributable widows. [135938]
Mr. Hoon: I am very pleased to announce that the amendments to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme have now been approved with an effective date of 31 October 2000. This means that those in receipt of an attributable armed forces widow(er)'s pension will keep their pension should they remarry or begin to cohabit on or after this date.
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former employees of his Department and the armed forces have a position on the board of directors at British Aerospace. [135480]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 30 October 2000]: There are no former employees of the Ministry of Defence currently on the Board of BAE Systems. However, two individuals who have previously worked in the Ministry of Defence on secondment from BAE, one during the 1980s and the other in the 1990s, are now members of the BAE Systems Board.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the costs have been to date of the UK training teams deployed in Sierra Leone under Operation Basilica. [135922]
Mr. Hoon: There have been three Short Term Training Teams deployed in Sierra Leone working with the Sierra Leone Army. The cost so far has been some £1.9 million. In addition equipment has been provided to the SLA worth a further £1.6 million.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops have been deployed under the UN from each country in Sierra Leone; what the timetable plan has
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been for their deployment in each case; and what the numbers and timetable are for future deployment for each country's troops. [135923]
Mr. Hoon: The latest figures we have for the number of troops deployed in support of UNAMSIL are as follows:
Country | Number |
---|---|
Nigeria | 3,201 |
Kenya | 878 |
Ghana | 774 |
India | 3,059 |
Guinea | 777 |
Jordan | 1,825 |
Zambia | 777 |
Bangladesh | 780 |
Russia | 112 |
The numbers fluctuate on a daily basis as individuals in each contingent move in and out of the country. In addition, there are 260 UN Military Observers deployed in support of UNAMSIL from a variety of countries including the UK.
The deployment timetable for these troops, and any future troops, is an issue for the United Nations.
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