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RAF Buchan
29. Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received regarding the possible closure of RAF Buchan; and if he will make a statement. [100982]
Mr. Spellar: In addition to a letter from the hon. Member of 4 October 1999, I have received a letter regarding the future of RAF Buchan from the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Campbell) as well as correspondence from MSPs. My Department has also received three letters from local authorities and agencies and one from a former MP for Banff and Buchan. In addition, I received a delegation of representatives from Aberdeen Council on 20 October 1999. Some of the issues raised during consultation require further investigation before a final decision can be made on the future of RAF Buchan. I would hope to be able to make an announcement on this subject in the new year.
Service Families
30. Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by the Service Families Task Force in promoting welfare and support provision for service families; and if he will make a statement. [100983]
Mr. Spellar:
The Service Families Task force has made good progress. The needs of service children are now recognised in the Department for Education and Employment's Codes of Practice on Schools Admission and Appeals. Service Children's Education, a Defence agency, now sits on key local education authority admission forums. The Department of Health has established incentive schemes for NHS dentists in 24 areas where there are large numbers of service families. The Department for Social Security and the Department for Social Security (Northern Ireland) have established simpler procedures for transferring claims for child benefit when moving to and from Northern Ireland.
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We are now working with the Department for Education and Employment to address the eligibility of service children for student loans, and with the same Department and the Department for Social Security to address the rules for claiming Jobseekers' Allowance.
31. Mr. Kidney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department is making in developing green transport plans. [100984]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
Green Transport Plans are being taken forward as part of my Department's development of a corporate Environmental Management System. Plans are being prepared for sites across the Defence Estate where the potential impacts on travel patterns are thought likely to be significant. Initially, 23 sites have been asked to develop plans. Plans for headquarters buildings in London have not been drawn up due to the refurbishment of Main Building and the planned reduction in the number of other buildings.
32. Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the anticipated date in service of the new HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark. [100985]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, the two Landing Platform Dock (Replacements), were planned to enter service in 2002 and 2003 respectively. These dates have, however, slipped due to industrial loading problems at the BAe Systems shipyard at Barrow. The current estimate of the slippage indicates delays to the in service dates of around one year for the first ship and some nine months for the second ship. Discussions with the company continue, with the aim of reducing these delays.
33. Mr. Paterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recruitment to the Territorial Army. [100986]
Mr. Spellar:
I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Members for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) and for Guildford (Mr. St. Aubyn) earlier today, official Report, columns 7-8.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army are currently serving (a) in Kosovo, (b) in Bosnia and (c) elsewhere overseas. [100976]
Mr. Spellar:
As of 3 December 1999, there were 288 members of the Territorial Army serving in Bosnia, 229 serving in Kosovo and two serving elsewhere overseas.
34. Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the European strategic defence initiative. [100987]
36. Mr. Ernie Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the European security and defence identity. [100989]
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Mr. Hoon:
At the Helsinki European Council, EU member states committed themselves to strengthening their military capabilities so that European nations will be able to assemble, deploy rapidly and sustain more effective forces for specific NATO or EU-led operations. EU member states also agreed to develop the military structures necessary for the EU to decide and act on crisis management operations.
These aims are complementary to work under way in NATO and the Western European Union, all of which will have the effect of strengthening the European contribution to NATO.
38. Mr. Burnett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his review of Gurkha pensions. [100992]
Mr. Spellar:
The examination of Gurkha pensions and gratuities is still continuing. We hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of adding the Raven 2V frequency-hopping digital radios and the ROVIS digital harnesses to the Scimitar and Sultan command vehicles. [99413]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
There are no plans to fit the Raven 2V frequency-hopping radio or the ROVIS digital harnesses into operational Scimitar or Sultan command vehicles. However, as part of a series of studies, my Department was provided with, free of charge, Raven radios and a ROVIS harness for trials involving Scimitar and Sultan. These trials, the result of which were shared with industry, were to improve the Department's ability to evaluate digitisation technology. As part of the partnership arrangement with industry, BAe carried out the installation and its cost is therefore not available to MOD.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many United Kingdom aircraft the Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing Systems will be installed; and if he will make a statement. [101658]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
The Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing System requirement is for all current RAF fast jets to be capable of operating with the system.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the operational life of the Royal Air Force's Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing System. [101660]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
The Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing System requirement is for a system operational life of 20 years with each pod having a life of 8,000 flying hours.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of installing Marconi Electronic Systems' Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing Systems on an aircraft. [101657]
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Mr. Kilfoyle:
We are currently in the process of tender evaluation of competing proposals for Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing Systems and it would be inappropriate to comment on aircraft installation costs at this time.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of the most recent Royal Air Force Tornado crash. [101662]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
I await the report of the Board of Inquiry convened following the crash of an RAF Tornado F3 from RAF Conningsby on 17 November 1999. A summary of the Board of Inquiry's findings will be placed in the Library of the House once this is completed.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Royal Navy he expects to be (a) at sea and (b) in a non-United Kingdom post on 25 December 1999, 31 December 1999 and 1 January 2000; what percentage of overall strength of the Royal Navy this represents; and if he will make a statement. [101729]
Mr. Spellar:
Projections of the number of personnel serving overseas or at sea cover the Christmas period as a whole and are not available on a day-to-day basis. During the period 25 December 1999 to 1 January 2000, it is expected that some 647 Naval Service personnel will be at sea. Some 964 personnel will be serving in non-UK posts over the same period. The combined figure of 1,611 represents approximately 4.2 per cent. of the Naval Service Trained Strength.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Royal Navy were (a) at sea and (b) in a non-United Kingdom post on (i) 25 December 1998, (ii) 31 December 1998 and (iii) 1 January 1999; and what percentage of overall strength of the Royal Navy that represented. [101713]
Mr. Spellar:
Statistics on the number of personnel serving overseas or at sea cover the Christmas period as a whole and are not available on a day-to-day basis. During the period 25 December 1998 to 1 January 1999, 594 Naval Service personnel were at sea. A further 948 personnel were serving in non-UK posts. The combined figure of 1,542 represented approximately 3.9 per cent. of the Naval Service Trained Strength.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of (a) the RAF, (b) the Army and (c) the Royal Navy were serving (i) abroad accompanied, (ii) abroad unaccompanied and (iii) deployed in front-line duties on (1) 25 December 1998, (2) 31 December 1998 and (3) 1 January 1999; and what percentage of overall strength of each force this represented. [101711]
Mr. Spellar:
Statistics on the number of personnel serving overseas cover the Christmas period as a whole and are not available on a day-to-day basis. During the period 25 December 1998 to 1 January 1999, the RAF had 4,403 married personnel serving abroad, 1,574 single personnel serving abroad and 2,382 personnel deployed on front-line duties. The combined figure of 8,359 represented 16.1 per cent. of the RAF's Trained Strength.
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During the same period, the Army had 14,404 married personnel serving abroad, 10,034 single personnel serving abroad and 5,197 personnel deployed on front-line duties. The combined figure of 29,635 represented 30.7 per cent. of the Army's Trained Strength.
Also during the same period the Naval Service had 703 married personnel serving abroad, 143 single personnel serving abroad and 696 personnel deployed on front-line duties at sea and ashore. The combined figure of 1,542 represented 3.9 per cent. of the Naval Service's Trained Strength.
Information on whether married personnel were accompanied or unaccompanied is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Keetch:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of (a) the RAF, (b) the Army and (c) the Royal Navy he expects to be serving (i) abroad accompanied, (ii) abroad unaccompanied and (iii) deployed in front-line duties on (1) 25 December 1999, (2) 31 December 1999 and (3) 1 January 2000; what percentage of overall strength of each force this represents; and if he will make a statement. [101712]
Mr. Spellar:
Projections of the number of personnel serving overseas cover the Christmas period as a whole and are not available on a day-to-day basis. During the period 25 December 1999 to 1 January 2000, it is expected that the RAF will have 3,641 married personnel serving abroad, 1,160 single personnel serving abroad and 2,252 personnel deployed on front-line duties. The combined figure of 7,053 represents 13.8 per cent. of the RAF's trained strength.
During the same period, the Army is expected to have 12,851 married personnel serving aboard, 14,544 single personnel serving abroad and 5,800 personnel deployed on front-line duties. The combined figure of 33,195 represents 34.4 per cent. of the Army's trained strength.
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