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RAF Chinook ZD576

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a member of the AAIB was present when the engines of RAF Chinook ZD576 were strip examined at Textron Lycoming's Stratford Connecticut plant. [6289]

Mr. Ingram: Yes. I also refer my right hon. Friend to the answer the then Minister of State for the armed forces gave to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 23 April 2001, Official Report, column 99W.

20 Jul 2001 : Column: 712W

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on what date the engineering member of the RAF Board of Inquiry into RAF Chinook ZD576 completed the Manager's Course for Chinook Mk2; [6287]

(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the after flight servicing certificate for ZD576 for 1 June 1994 and the before flight servicing certificate for ZD576 for 2 June 1994. [6288]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to my right hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

European Rapid Reaction Force

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the commitment he proposes making from UK forces, broken down by service and composition of units, to the proposed European Rapid Reaction Force. [5701]

Mr. Hoon: There is no standing European Rapid Reaction Force. The UK has identified a pool of forces and capabilities which would enable it to make a significant contribution to operations in support of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy, where NATO as a whole is not engaged. UK participation in any particular operation, and the nature of our contribution, would be matters for decision by the UK Government in the light of circumstances at the time.

In the maximum scale operation envisaged at Helsinki—a corps level deployment of up to 60,000 troops—the UK component could be around 12,500 strong. Maritime and air deployments of up to 18 warships and 72 combat aircraft could be made in addition.

The pool of forces identified by the UK provides for an element of choice in order to cater for differing operational, political or geographical circumstances. The full details of the forces identified are confidential, but the major elements are as follows:

Land

Either an Armoured or Mechanical brigade, each of which could be sustained for at least a year; or an Air Assault brigade which could be deployed for up to six months. Combat Support enabling capabilities such as Artillery, and Short Range Air Defence, and Attack Helicopters could be deployed in addition, supported by the appropriate complement of logistic enablers and national support troops.

Maritime

Maritime forces comprising one aircraft carrier, two nuclear- powered submarines, deployment of up to four destroyers/frigates, support vessels; and an amphibious task group, including one helicopter landing platform and submarines could not necessarily be sustained continuously for a whole year.

Air

Up to 72 combat aircraft (including Sea Harriers), with associated support aircraft including strategic transport. This number would be available for six months to cover initial theatre entry. For a longer term commitment the total would reduce.

The development of the EU Headline Goal and the commitment of EU member states to delivering the capabilities required are important steps in a wider

20 Jul 2001 : Column: 713W

process of improving European defence capabilities. They will reinforce efforts being made nationally and multinationally, in particular, in response to NATO initiatives and in so doing strengthen the European contribution to the Alliance.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if RAF units based in Moray will be part of a UK commitment to the European Rapid Reaction Force; and if he will make a statement. [5702]

Mr. Hoon: There is no standing European Rapid Reaction Force. The UK has identified a pool of forces and capabilities from which it could contribute to EU-led operations in support of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy, where NATO as a whole is not engaged.

The pool includes RAF elements based in Moray.

Service Personnel

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state for the most recent year the number of (a) civilian, including agency staff and (b) service personnel based in (i) each region or nation of the UK and (ii) on service overseas broken down by location; and if he will make a statement. [5704]

Mr. Ingram: The estimated number of civilian and UK Regular forces personnel in each Government office region of the UK, at 1 July 2000, is as follows:

	Service(66)	Civilian(67)	Total
United Kingdom	170,295	94,692	264,986
England	143,039	75,344	218,382
Wales	3,223	4,919	8,142
Scotland	15,080	9,329	24,409
Northern Ireland	8,387	3,195	11,582
Unknown	566	1,905	2,471
England(68)
North East	1,421	484	1,905
North West	1,904	2,106	4,010
Yorkshire and the Humber	13,055	2,904	15,959
East Midlands	8,812	2,588	11,400
West Midlands	6,720	7,969	14,689
East of England	17,309	6,347	23,656
London	6,428	7,165	13,593
South East	49,620	23,360	72,980
South West	37,770	22,420	60,190

⁽⁶⁶⁾ Service figures are for UK Regular forces only so they exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service personnel, Mobilised Reservists and the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment.

Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel on board ships in home waters are included in the region of their ship's home port.

The figures estimating the service personnel in each Government office region are obtained from a different source from that used to obtain the number of personnel in overseas regions. Consequently, the sum of these two groups does not match the total number of UK Regular forces.

⁽⁶⁷⁾ Comprises UK based permanent civilian personnel counted on a full time equivalence basis

Due to rounding, totals may not match the sum of their constituent parts.

⁽⁶⁸⁾ By Government office region.

The number of civilian and UK Regular forces personnel abroad, at 1 April 2001, is as follows:

20 Jul 2001 : Column: 714W

	Service	Civilian	Total
Overseas region	38,898	4,317	43,215
Continental Europe	26,717	1,304	28,021
Gibraltar	485	58	543
Cyprus	3,659	279	3,938
Elsewhere in Mediterranean, Near East and Gulf	1,864	33	1,897
Far East	301	20	321
Other locations	5,872	2,623	8,495

Notes:

1. Includes service personnel who are on loan to countries in the areas shown and Naval service and civilian personnel at sea.

2. All defence attaches and advisers and their staff are included under "other locations" and not identified within specific areas.

Precision-guided Missiles

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many precision-guided missiles the UK is proposing to procure from the USA; and at what cost. [5925]

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence intends to procure the Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) from the USA to equip Eurofighter. The cost of the AMRAAM procurement is expected to be in the region of £110 million. Disclosure of the information on missile numbers would harm UK defence and, accordingly, I am withholding it under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

A competition is also in progress to select a solution for the Light Forces Anti Tank Guided Weapon Capability. One candidate is a US solution. The cost of the procurement will depend on the option selected. These systems are also under consideration to meet other anti-tank requirements and the final quantities procured will depend on the outcome of Balance of Investment studies.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what NATO policy is with regard to precision- guided missile availability; and how many such missiles he anticipates being available to NATO via its member countries (a) including the USA and (b) excluding the USA, in each of the next two years. [5927]

Mr. Hoon: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the UK was approached to join the Netherlands-led consortium for the procurement of precision-guided missiles from the USA; and what the response was and the reasons for it. [5926]

Dr. Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Defence Diversification Agency

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is for recovering costs for services provided by the Defence Diversification Agency. [5930]

Dr. Moonie: The Defence Diversification Agency (DDA) makes no charge to the companies, mostly small and medium enterprises, with which it has dealings in support of the following DDA aims: extending technology

20 Jul 2001 : Column: 715W

and expertise within the defence sector to civilian use; fostering partnerships and joint development programmes; and informing and assisting with diversification planning. In its dealings with other organisations, the DDA charges for additionally requested services on a full-cost basis, recovering all costs incurred, including an element for administration and overheads.

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