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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 9 April 2001
DEFENCE
Logistic Information Systems Agency
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future status of the Logistic Information Systems Agency. [157803]
Mr. Spellar: As part of the restructuring of the Defence Logistics Organisation, the Logistic Information Systems Agency will cease to be a Defence Agency with effect from 1 April 2001. Its functions will then become part of the unified Logistic Applications Integrated Project Team (IPT) within the Defence Communication Services Agency. The removal of Agency status will avoid potential complications in the management arrangements for the new IPT. This is largely an administrative measure and will not, in itself, result in any geographical relocation or redundancies for staff.
Porton Down
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will order a public inquiry into the programme of human experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down. [157299]
Dr. Moonie: No. A public inquiry could not answer the central question of whether volunteers had suffered unusual mortality or illness. Only an epidemiological study can do that. Advice from the Medical Research Council has been sought for the feasibility of such a study. Furthermore, Wiltshire Police are conducting an investigation into aspects of this programme. We already make available to the volunteers any information we possess which is relevant to their individual cases. We also plan to conduct further work as outlined in my answers to the hon. Member on 25 January 2001, Official Report, column 655W, 5 March 2001, Official Report, column 20W and on 26 March 2001, Official Report, column 525W.
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has received a report from the Operation Antler team of the Wiltshire Police regarding its inquiries into allegations that the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment had experimented on NHS patients during the 1960s; and if he will make a statement. [157306]
Dr. Moonie: Allegations dating from 1970 that the Chemical Defence Establishment conducted experiments during the 1960s on old and sick NHS patients who were subsequently put to death were thoroughly investigated at the time. The then Minister for Defence Equipment and the Prime Minister both refuted these allegations on 30 January and on 19 February 1970 respectively. Following inquiries by the Wiltshire police in January 2001, the Operation Antler inquiry advised
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my Department's officials that these allegations were in one case fabricated, and in another case did not involve Ministry of Defence staff.
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former service volunteers have visited the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down to inspect records of their experiments and discuss their tests with member of staff since 1 January 1998. [157300]
Dr. Moonie: All former service volunteers who inquire about their participation in studies at the Chemical Defence Establishment are invited to visit Porton Down to view the original record books and discuss their experiences with current members of Porton Down staff.
In the period 1 January 1998 to 6 April 2001, 25 former service volunteers have visited to inspect the records of the studies they were involved in.
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times since 1 March 1998 the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down has supplied information about former volunteers to the War Pensions Agency in response to a claim by such. [157329]
Dr. Moonie: Since 1 March 1998, the staff at the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector at Porton Down have supplied information in response to 29 requests from the War Pensions Agency.
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer on 22 March 2001, Official Report, column 300W, regarding Porton Down, if he will request the Medical Research Council to consult the Operation Antler team of Wiltshire police regarding its advice on an independent epidemiological study for service personnel who took part in experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down. [157342]
Dr. Moonie: No. The Medical Research Council are aware of the Wiltshire police investigation and should they wish to consult the Operation Antler team, they will do so.
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals have contacted the Porton Down Volunteers Helpline since February 1998. [157345]
Dr. Moonie: Since February 1998, the Porton Down helpline has received 626 inquiries in the form of telephone calls and letters.
Procurement
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the (a) original in-service date, (b) current in-service date, (c) estimated or actual cost, (d) years of peak expenditure and (e) prime contractor for (i) BOWMAN, (ii) Ptarmigan, (iii) Euromux, (iv) Cyprus Fixed Telecommunications System, (v) Fixed Telecommunications System (Germany), (vi) Falkland Islands Trunk System, (vii) BRINTON, (viii) Brunhilde, (ix) Telephone Exchanges Worldwide, (x) Cyprus Fixed Telephone System, (xi) Deployable Local Area Network, (xii), ADLBS MLU & IADS Interface, (xiii) UKADGE ICCS, (xiv) UKADGE CMP, (xv) P-JFACHQ Deployable Air C2, (xvi) P-JFACHQ Receive Only Link 11 System, (xvii) P-JFACHQ Deployable Air C2 Incremental Assessment Demonstration and
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Manufacture, (xviii) P-JFACHQ Deployable Shelter System, (xix) P-JFACHQ Quick Win 1, (xx) P-JFACHQ Increment, (xxi) Initiative Local Data Communications Network (LDCN), (xxii) Hourglass, (xxiii) Lambeth, (xxiv) PABX Transportable JAPNMS Facility, (xxv) Tactical Air Control Centre, (xxvi) Ship-Shore-Ship Buffer Tranche 2, (xxvii) Ship-Shore-Ship Buffer Tranche, (xxviii) HF Broadcast Modernisation, (xxix) ITACC LFS, (xxx) RN HF Ship-Shore-Ship Modernisation and NATO Interoperability Programme, (xxxi) Falcon, (xxxii) Saturn, (xxxiii) Cormorant, (xxxiv) Successor Interrogator Friend or Foe, (xxxv) VHF ICAO, and (xxxvi) Defence HF System; [157519]
- (2) if he will list the (a) original in-service date, (b) current in-service date, (c) estimated or actual cost, (d) years of peak expenditure and (e) prime contractor for the (i) Sonar 2087, (ii) PAAMS-Principal Anti-Air Missile System, (iii) Sonar 2193, (iv) Improved Ammunition, (v) Sea Dart IR Fuze, (vi) Seawolf MLU, (vii) T967M Interference Mod, (viii) Seawolf CA/CD, (ix) T911 Interference Mod, (x) Seawolf VL CACD Read ACross; Radar T996, (xi) Radar T996 AVIMP, (xii) LFE; LFB, (xiii) LFC, (xiv) Seawolf Enhanced Low Level Fuze, known as the Seawolf Mk 4 Fuze, (xv) Remote Influence Minesweeping System, (xvi) DLH; Seawolf Telemetry Kits, (xvii) Seawolf PADT, (xviii) Gun System Automatic 8 & General purpose Electro Optical Director, (xix) T23 Frigate Command System, (xx) Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, (xxi) Seawolf Block 2, (xxii) Harpoon, (xxiii) Harpoon Mod and (xxiv) SWELL Mk 4 Fuze; [157494]
(3) if he will list the (a) original in-service date, (b) current in-service date, (c) estimated or actual cost, (d) years of peak expenditure and (e) prime contractor for the (i) Eurofighter, (ii) Merlin HC Mk 3, (iii) Hercules Rolling Replacement Tranche 1-C-130J, (iv) Future Carrier Borne Aircraft, (v) Future Offensive Air System, (vi) Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft, (vii) Future Organic Airborne Early Warning system, (viii) Support Amphibious battlefield Rotorcraft, (ix) Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance and Attack Aircraft Mk 4, (x) Merline HM Mk 1, (xi) Attack Helicopter Crew and Special-To-Arm Collective Training, (xii) Watchman Middle Wallop, (xiii) Watchman Wattisham, (xiv) Attack Helicoper and (xv) Sea King Airborne Early Warning Mission System Upgrade (MSU)-Sea King AEW Mk 7; [157490]
(4) if he will list the (a) original in-service date, (b) current in-service date, (c) estimated or actual cost, (d) years of peak expenditure and (e) prime contractor for (i) Guided Multiple Launched Rocket System, (ii) Next Generation Light Anti-Armour Weapon, (iii) Area Defence Weapon, (iv) Light Forces Anti-Tank Guided Weapon, (v) SA80 Modifications, (vi) Aimed Controlled Effect Anti-Tank Munition, (vii) AS90 Training System, (viii) Battlegroup Thermal Imaging, (ix) Future Ground Based Air Defence, (x) Air Defence Command Information System, (xi) CHARM 3 Training Round, (xii) Integrated Ground Based Air Defence, (xiii) Extended Range Ordnance Modular Charge System, (xiv) High Velocity Missile System, (xv) MLRS Future Fire Control System, (xvi) Indirect Fire Precision Attack, (xvii) Tubed Artillery Conventional Ammunition System, (xviii) Advanced Sound Ranging Programme, (xix) Light Mobile Artillery Weapon System, (xx) Man-Portable Surveillance Target Acquisition Radar, (xxi) Mid-Life Improvement,
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- (xxii) Joint Fire Support Battlefield Information System Application, (xxiii) Counter Battery Radar, (xxiv) Automatic Pointing System, (xxv) Mobile Artillery Monitoring Battlefield Radar, (xxvi) Fire Control Battlefield Information System Application, (xxvii) Future Integrated Training System, (xxviii) Field Electrical Power Supplies, (xxix) 4.5kW Genset, (xxx) Lighting Towers, (xxxi) Temporary Field Accommodation, (xxxii) Pumpsets Dewatering, (xxxiii) Filter Water Separator 2000 Litres Per Min, (xxxiv) Refrigerated ISO Container and (xxxv) Field Bulk Refuelling Equipment 680 Litres Per Min; [157586]
(5) if he will list the (a) original in-service date, (b) current in-service date, (c) estimated or actual cost, (d) years of peak expenditure and (e) prime contractor for the (i) Crusader 21, (ii) Mk 5 EOD Suit, (iii) Re Mine Suit/Suit Combat EOD, (iv) CS 95 LT WT trousers, (v) CS 95 field jacket, (vi) CS 95 underwear, (vii) CS 95 glove, (viii) RN improved action working dress and (ix) RN improved foul weather clothing; [157492]
(6) if he will list the (a) original in-service date, (b) current in-service date, (c) estimated or actual cost, (d) years of peak expenditure and (e) prime contractor for the (i) Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, (ii) Microwave Landing System, (iii) RAIDS, (iv) Bomb Enhancement Kits-Precision Guided Bomb, (v) TIALD, (vi) Beyond Visual Range Air-To-Air Missile, (vii) Saturn Lynx Mk 8, (viii) Additional Towed Radar Decoys for Tornado F3, (ix) Active Search Sonobuoy System, (x) Ship Helicopter Operating Limits Instrumentation System, (xi) Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR), (xii) SMGS, (xiii) Conventionally Armed Stand-Off Missile, (xiv) Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids and (xv) Directional Infra-Red Countermeasures; [157491]
(7) if he will list the (a) original in-service date, (b) current in-service date, (c) estimated or actual cost, (d) years of peak expenditure and (e) prime contractor for the (i) Joint Tactical Information Distribution System for Sea Harrier FA2 and Sea King AEW Mk 7, (ii) RN Joint Tactical Information Distribution System, (iii) Satellite Tactical Data Link NATO Improve Link Eleven and (iv) Modular Field Catering System; [157493]
(8) if he will list the (a) original in-service date, (b) current in-service date, (c) estimated or actual cost, (d) years of peak expenditure and (e) prime contractor for the (i) Roll-On Roll-Off Strategic Sealift, (ii) Future Attack Submarine, (iii) Future Surface Combatant, (iv) Type 45 Anti-Air Warfare Destroyer, (v) Alternative Landing Ships Logistic, (vi) Primary Casualty Receiving Ship, (vii) Future Naval Nuclear Fuel, (viii) Type 23 Frigates, (ix) Hydrographic and Oceanographic Survey Vessels and (x) T23 Helicopter Deck Handling Equipment (PRISM). [157495]
Dr. Moonie: The majority of the information requested is not held centrally and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I have already undertaken to provide the hon. Member with information on a number of the projects listed.
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