| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Reserves
Mr. Viggers:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the categories of reserves, indicating in each
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 215W
case (a) the name of the category, (b) the numbers of (i) men and (ii) women in the category, (c) the amount of training obligations for the category, (d) the number of (i) men and (ii) women who fulfilled that training obligation in the last year, (e) the call-out commitment of the category and (f) the number of personnel in the category with whom there has been written communication in the last year to confirm (i) addresses and other personal particulars and (ii) continued availability for call-out commitment. [102828]
Mr. Spellar:
I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what type of manned and unmanned aircraft or air vehicles were lost during operations over Kosovo in 1999; and what is their replacement value. [101862]
Mr. Hoon:
Over the 78 days of Operation Allied Force, the UK lost 12 Phoenix Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) although only two of these were lost to direct enemy air defence activity. Additionally, one RAF C-130 Hercules was lost outside Yugoslav airspace.
The approximate capital cost of the RAF C-130 aircraft is £15 million at 1998 prices. The original cost of the 12 Phoenix UAVs was in the region of £3.5 million. No final decision has yet been made on whether to replace these UAVs on a like for like basis but, if we were to do so, replacement costs would be subject to negation with the prime contractor.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the health and safety record of nuclear-related plants managed by Lockheed Martin in the USA; and if they have incurred fines or had plants closed for health and safety reasons by the Department of Energy. [101863]
Mr. Hoon:
The health and safety record of a US contractor operating under a US regulatory regime is a matter for the US authorities. I can confirm that the AWE Management Limited consortium, which will operate the Atomic Weapons Establishment from 1 April 2000 and of which Lockheed Martin is a member, will be subject to strict supervision by the Ministry of Defence and close regulation by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the items of equipment and furniture and their cost that (a) have been stolen and (b) are otherwise unaccounted for from his Department and its agencies during the last 12 months, identifying items valued at £5,000 or more, and separately identifying information technology material. [102836]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
My Department makes a statement on losses in its annual Appropriation Accounts. The Accounts for financial year 1998-99 will be published shortly. The detailed information requested is, however, not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 216W
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the decision was taken to stand down the Research Unit of the Army Intelligence Corps; and if he will make a statement. [101865]
Mr. Spellar:
I am withholding this information under Exemption 1a of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the past two years legal action has been taken to collect fees levied for use of badges, crests and insignia of Her Majesty's armed forces; and what penalties have been imposed for infringement of Crown copyright in such cases. [101870]
Mr. Spellar:
Over the past two years it has not been necessary to initiate legal proceedings in connection with the non-payment of fees for the reproduction of badges, crests and insignia of Her Majesty's Armed Forces.
Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for publishing a Defence White Paper. [103043]
Mr. Hoon:
I will publish a Defence White Paper on Monday 20 December.
Shona McIsaac:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement on the CHARM 3 training ammunition competition; and if he will make a statement. [103042]
Mr. Kilfoyle:
I am please to announce that, following a competition and subject to the negotiation of satisfactory terms and conditions, we have decided to award a contract to Royal Ordnance for the development and initial production of 120mm training ammunition for the Challenger 2 tank. This is good news for the company and will provide the Army with training ammunition to match Challenger 2's excellent performance and capability.
In addition, discussions between MOD and Royal Ordnance on a possible Partnering Arrangement are progressing very well. We signed a Partnering Principles document on 8 October, which defined our mutual objectives, including the achievement of improved value for money for the MOD as customer, and profitability for the company. Negotiations are continuing and I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly. In the event that an agreement is reached, the intention is that CHARM 3 Training Round would be included within the scope of any such Agreement.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many patrols were carried out by each battalion stationed in Northern Ireland in the last month for which figures are available, broken down by police district and approximate district council constituencies. [101868]
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 217W
Mr. Spellar:
The number of patrols that were carried out by each battalion stationed in Northern Ireland in November 1999, broken down by each police district and
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 218W
approximate district council constituencies are set out in the table:
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 217W
| Battalion | Police division | Approximate district council boundaries | Number of patrols |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Infantry Brigade | |||
| Armagh Roulement Battalion | H | Armagh, Newry and Mourne | 247 |
| East Tyrone Roulement Battalion | K | Cookstown, Dungannon | 160 |
| Ballykinler Battalion | G | Down, Ards, Newry and Mourne | 12 |
| 3rd Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment | J | Craigavon, Lisburn, Banbridge | 185 |
| 8tsuph; Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment | H | Armagh | 228 |
| 8 Infantry Brigade | |||
| Ballykelly Battalion | N | Limavady, Strabane | 12 |
| Londonderry Battalion | N | Londonderry, Strabane | 0 |
| Omagh Battalion | L | Omagh, Dungannon, Fermanagh | 104 |
| 4th Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment | L | Fermanagh | 305 |
| 5th Royal Irish Regiment | O | Magherafelt, Limavady, Coleraine, Moyle, Larne, Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney | 11 |
| 39 Infantry Brigade | |||
| Belfast Roulement Battalion | B | Belfast | 0 |
| Holywood Battalion | D | North Down, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey | 0 |
| 7th Royal Irish Regiment | A and E | Belfast, North Down, Castlereagh | 0 |
| 9th Royal Irish Regiment | D and B | Lisburn, Antrim | 0 |
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 217W
A patrol is defined as any foot or mobile patrol in support of the RUC regardless of size or duration. Patrols conducted by the Army for local security around bases are not included.
Some battalions operate in more than one Police Division. Police Divisions are not coterminous with District Council boundaries. These delineations are therefore only approximate and in some cases a Council area may be covered by more than one Battalion, e.g. Lisburn.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the overall strength in September (a) 1998 and (b) 1999 was of military forces in Northern Ireland, broken down into the numbers attached to the (i) RAF, (ii) Royal Navy (iii) RIR, (iv) RIR part-time and (v) others. [101866]
Mr. Spellar:
The information requested is set out in the table.
(15) Includes the Province Reserve Battalion and the Urban Reinforcement Battalion which are fully committed to Northern Ireland although only one company of each was deployed to the Province as at 30 September 1998. Also includes the Rural Reinforcement Battalion which was committed but not deployed at that time.
(16) Includes the three Northern Ireland Reinforcement Battalions (Urban, Rural and Drumadd) which are fully committed to Northern Ireland but as of 17 November 1998 were all rear-based on the Mainland. It also includes the Province Reserve Battalion which is also fully committed to the Province but had only one company in Northern Ireland as at 30 September 1999.
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 218W
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Army regiments currently deployed in Northern Ireland, indicating (a) the numbers attached to each and (b) the estimated duration of their tour of duty; and if he will make a statement on planned deployment during the next 12 months. [101867]
Mr. Spellar:
The British Army General Service Infantry Battalions currently deployed in Northern Ireland are listed in the table, along with their strength and tour length:
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 217W
| Unit | Strength | Length of Tour |
|---|---|---|
| The 1st Battalion the Scots Guards | 604 | 2 years--until April 2000 |
| The 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh Fusiliers | 608 | 2 years--until August 2000 |
| The 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment | 595 | 2 years--until May 2001 |
| The 1st Battalion the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment | 639 | 2 years--until December 2001 |
| The 1st Battalion The Royal Green Jackets | 590 | 2 years--until March 2001 |
| The 1st Battalion the Coldstream Guards | 531 | 6 months--until March 2000 |
| The 1st Battalion the Grenadier Guards | 500 | 6 months--until December 1999 |
| The 1st Battalion the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire | 443 | 6 months--until May 2000 |
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 219W
Apart from one company of The 1st Battalion The King's Regiment, the following are fully committed to
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 220W
Northern Ireland under control of the GOC but are not currently deployed to the Province.
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 219W
| Unit | Strength | Length of Tour |
|---|---|---|
| The 1st Battalion the King's Regiment | 579 | 2 years--until April 2001 |
| 12 Regiment Royal Artillery | 335 | 6 months--until April 2000 |
| The 2nd Battalion The Light Infantry | 335 | 6 months--until December 1999 |
| 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery | 425 | 6 months--until January 2000 |
Note:
Figures as at 3 December 1999
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 219W
In addition there are six Home Service Battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, totalling 4,377 soldiers, comprising both full-time and part-time members, which are wholly committed to service to Northern Ireland, but not shown in the above table.
Details of future deployments to the Province are being withheld under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 220W
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Irish Regiment patrols were (a) accompanied by the RUC and (b) unaccompanied in the last month for which figures are available. [101869]
Mr. Spellar:
The number of Royal Irish Regiment patrols accompanied by a member of the RUC and those unaccompanied for the month of November 1999 are set out in the table:
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 219W
| Number of patrols | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battalion | Accompanied by RUC | Unaccompanied by RUC |
| 3rd Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment | 61 | 124 |
| 4th Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment | 305 | 0 |
| 5th Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment | 11 | 0 |
| 7th Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment | 0 | 0 |
| 8th Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment | 73 | 155 |
| 9th Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment | 0 | 0 |
15 Dec 1999 : Column: 219W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |