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Rail Network (Skills Training)

Mr. Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action he intends to take to improve the level of skills training on the rail network. [140414]

Mr. Wicks: I wrote to Sir Alastair Morton, the Chairman of the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, on 16 November to invite him to discuss using the regulatory and franchising framework to ensure that the current and future skill needs of the rail industry are met.

27 Nov 2000 : Column: 414W

Modern Apprenticeships

Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (a) males and (b) females have been placed on modern apprenticeships since the introduction of the scheme. [140484]

Mr. Wicks: 500,000 people had started modern apprenticeships in England up to end June 2000 (the latest period for which information has been published), 51 per cent. of which were male.

Modern apprenticeships consist of Advanced Modern Apprenticeships (AMA) and Foundation Modern Apprenticeships (FMA). At end June 2000 there had been 360,000 starts on AMA (54 per cent. male), and 140,000 starts on FMA (54 per cent. female).

DEFENCE

European Security

19. Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the NATO Secretary General to discuss European security. [138590]

Mr. Hoon: I last met the NATO Secretary General, along with other EU Defence Ministers, during the Capabilities Commitment Conference that took place on 20 and 21 November.

A400M

20. Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress on the procurement of the A400M aircraft. [138592]

Dr. Moonie: A400M partner nations announced on 27 July that they intend to procure, in an initial order, numbers of aircraft sufficient to launch the programme. We are pressing ahead with the programme, in co-operation with our partners, and continue to expect the aircraft to enter service with the Royal Air Force in the latter part of this decade.

Flooding (Armed Forces)

21. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans his Department has made for the armed forces to provide assistance to communities affected by flooding. [138593]

24. Mrs. Lawrence: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans his Department has made for the armed forces to provide assistance to communities affected by flooding. [138597]

Mr. Spellar: Armed forces support to communities threatened by flooding or other natural disasters is provided through contacts between local military headquarters, the emergency services, and local authorities, using tried and tested procedures. Local commanders have the authority to respond immediately to requests for assistance if they believe lives to be in danger, or if the emergency services have no alternative to military assistance. These procedures worked very effectively during the recent floods with more than 60 units of the armed forces providing support to the emergency services in 15 different counties. In addition, personnel from TA units also provided valuable assistance.

27 Nov 2000 : Column: 415W

Departmental Spending Plans

25. Mr. Savidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on changes to his Department's spending plans as a result of the comprehensive spending review. [138598]

Mr. Spellar: As a result of the Spending Review settlement announced earlier this year the Defence Budget will increase in real terms by 1 per cent. between 2000-01 and 2003-04. This substantial funding increase will, over the period, provide £1,250 million of new money for defence, after allowing for inflation. The settlement builds on the Strategic Defence Review and sends an important signal about the Government's intention to sustain the capabilities of the armed forces. We are now looking at the priorities for further expenditure, particularly housing and accommodation, as part of our annual planning process, which will culminate early next year.

Armed Forces (Retention)

27. Mr. Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the steps being taken to improve retention in the armed forces. [138600]

Mr. Spellar: Retention is being tackled as a high priority. A key outcome of the Strategic Defence Review was a widespread recognition of the need for an Armed Forces Overarching Personnel Strategy (AFOPS) as part of the 'Policy for People', which was introduced to give more emphasis to personnel issues. The strategy, which was implemented in April this year, is a key element in showing our continuing commitment to our personnel and their families, and reinforces the message that we place people at the centre of our plans. The AFOPS is, in turn, underpinned by personnel strategies in each of the Services.

There have been welcome signs of improvement in retention in recent months. We have sought to mitigate the impact of overstretch upon Service personnel and to make improvements to the welfare of those who are deployed on operations.

Measures include: more free telephone calls home; wider access to the internet for personal communication; a guaranteed period of post-operational tour leave for those returning from operations. In addition to these measures, a number of single Service retention positive initiatives have or are being introduced, for example, Financial Retention Incentives have been introduced to stop the outflow of Leading Rate Operator Mechanics and Royal Signallers in the Navy and Army respectively, and the RAF has introduced the 'Link-Up' Scheme to fund Civilian Pilots licences in return for longer service.

Smart Procurement

28. Mr. St.Aubyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what savings his Department expects to realise from the Smart Procurement programme. [138601]

Dr. Moonie: Over the three successive annual planning rounds since the inception of the Smart Procurement Initiative, we have identified costing reductions attributable to Smart Procurement which total £2 billion over the 10-year period to 1998 to 2008. We expect to improve on this in current and future planning rounds.

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Army Capabilities

29. Ms Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase spending on defence capabilities for the Army. [138602]

Mr. Spellar: As a result of the Spending Review settlement announced earlier this year the Defence Budget will increase in real terms by 1 per cent. between 2000-01 and 2003-04. This substantial funding increase will, over the period, provide £1,250 million of new money for defence, after allowing for inflation. We have as a result already been able to announce some measures to address lessons learned from the operation in Kosovo and we are now looking at other proposals, particularly housing and accommodation, for further expenditure as part of our annual planning process.

Armed Forces (Education and Training)

30. Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recent developments in education and training for the armed forces. [138603]

Mr. Spellar: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart).

Reserve Forces

31. Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current strength is of each of the reserve forces. [138604]

Dr. Moonie: The latest available figures for the strength of each of the reserve forces as at 1 October are:

	Number
Royal Naval Reserve/Royal Marine Reserve	4,686
Royal Fleet Reserve	9,913
Territorial Army	40,382
Regular Army Reserve	34,189
Royal Auxiliary Air Force	1,724
Royal Air Force Reserve	14,939

US National Missile Defence

33. Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representation he has had, or made to the US Government, on the proposed National Missile Defence system. [138606]

Mr. Hoon: We continue to discuss regularly the proposed US National Missile Defence system with the US Government, and with our other NATO Allies and others.

Sierra Leone

34. Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the deployment of British armed forces in Sierra Leone. [138607]

Mr. Spellar: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, East and Saddleworth (Mr. Woolas) and the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath), Official Report, column 624.

27 Nov 2000 : Column: 417W

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which occasions his Department's officials met Mr. Mikhail Karacostas during Mr. Peter Penfold's period as UK High Commissioner in Sierra Leone. [138756]

Mr. Hoon: I am not aware of any meetings between officials of the Ministry of Defence and Mr. Karacostas during Mr. Penfold's period in office as UK High Commissioner.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what briefing his Department has provided since 1997 to newspaper editors on matters relating to (a) police corruption, (b) terrorist activities, (c) arms trafficking and (d) Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [138791]

Dr. Moonie: Press officers for the Ministry of Defence give oral briefings to journalists every day in response to inquiries on all matters relating to defence. In addition, they provide collective briefings for journalists on a regular basis on issues of topical interest.

No central record is kept of briefings for journalists.

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