| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Stevens Inquiry
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former members of the Force Research Unit (a) have been interviewed by the Stevens Inquiry team, (b) have refused to be interviewed and (c) are prevented from being interviewed by (i) legal and (ii) other impediments. [7115]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence is fully supportive of the Stevens Inquiry and will continue to provide it with whatever assistance it can. It would, however, be inappropriate for me to comment further on an ongoing police inquiry.
Departmental Properties
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number, value and location of properties newly leased in each of the last five years by his Department, including and distinguishing between the Department itself, its next step agencies and its non-departmental public bodies, differentiating between purchases made as a result of the creation of new bodies and those purchases made by established bodies. [7811]
Dr. Moonie: My officials are currently investigating the information requested. I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Armaments Procurement Contracts
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which armaments procurement contracts, with a value greater than £1 million, will (a) go out to tender and (b) have contracts signed, in the next financial year; [6954]
- (2) if he will list the current armament procurement contracts in respect of which there is a delay in (a) delivery date and (b) anticipated date of entry into service of more than (i) six months, (ii) one year and (iii) two years; and what additional costs have arisen from such delays. [6955]
Dr. Moonie: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Nuclear Weapons Accident Response Exercises
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many exercises to test procedures for dealing with accidents involving nuclear weapons will be held in 2001; what the (a) dates and (b) locations are of each of these exercises; what the titles and scenarios are of each of these exercises; and how many of these exercises involve the US Government. [6573]
Mr. Hoon: The following table gives the current date, name and location of nuclear weapon accident response exercises for 2001. I am withholding details of the exercise scenarios under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. I can confirm that none of the exercises involves US participation.
15 Oct 2001 : Column: 954W
| Month | Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| May | NW Convoy Group Standardisation | Lincolnshire |
| June | Exercise Bowline | Coulport |
| July | RAF Station NAR team Standardisation(49) | Wiltshire |
| September | MOD Police Nuclear Weapon Convoy Standardisation | Lincolnshire |
| October | RAF Station NAR team Standardisation(49) | Suffolk |
| October | Bronze Endeavour | Norfolk |
| November | RAF Station NAR team Standardisation(49) | Oxfordshire |
| November | Exercise Senator | Bedfordshire |
(49) RAF Station Nuclear Accident Response (NAR) teams provide immediate response forces for the air transportation of nuclear weapons
RAF Menwith Hill
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value is of contracts let in connection with RAF Menwith Hill in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001; how many such contracts have been let; to whom they have been let; and what percentage of contracts have been let to UK firms. [6259]
Mr. Ingram: The value and numbers of contracts let by the Ministry of Defence in connection with RAF Menwith Hill were as follows:
| Financial years | Contracts let | Value £ million |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 199 | 3,168 |
| 1999–2000 | 313 | 4,747 |
| 2000–01 | 414 | 3,296 |
| 1 April 2001 to 14 September 2001 | 242 | 2,798 |
Note:
Figures are exclusive of VAT
Details of individual contracts have been withheld under exemption 14 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and the names of individual contractors have been withheld under exemption 4e of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The majority of contracts have been awarded to UK Prime Contractors, but this work may be sub-contracted to UK or other companies.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the complement was of Ministry of Defence police at RAF Menwith Hill on (a) 1 January and (b) 15 July; and what percentage of the cost of these personnel on each date was met by the US Government. [6258]
Mr. Ingram: I am withholding details of the MDP complement (on 1 January 2001 and 15 July 2001) at RAF Menwith Hill in accordance with exemption 1 (defence, security and international relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. I can, however, confirm that staffing levels have been significantly increased in recent months.
The financial arrangements governing the MDP presence at RAF Menwith Hill are covered by a memorandum of understanding between the UK and US Governments. The costs incurred by HMG for the MDP presence at RAF Menwith Hill are reimbursed by the US Government, except where overtime is occasioned by the activities of protesters, which is a direct cost to the UK.
15 Oct 2001 : Column: 955W
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many alleged breaches of security have occurred at RAF Menwith Hill in each year from 1990 to date. [6263]
Mr. Ingram: Central records of incursions at RAF Menwith Hill were not kept prior to 1996. Since then, the figures are:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 17 |
| 1997 | 51 |
| 1998 | 30 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000–01 | 1 |
The noticeable drop since 1999 reflects the erection of a perimeter security fence at the site.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many MoD personnel at RAF Menwith Hill are under the operational control of US visiting forces. [6260]
Mr. Ingram: As at 1 October 2001, 257 Ministry of Defence personnel employed at RAF Menwith Hill are under the line management of the United States visiting force as part of their day-to-day duties.
Defence Research and Development Projects
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the projects and European countries involved in collaborating with the MoD on specific defence research and development projects. [7336]
Dr. Moonie: Under bilateral or multilateral arrangements relating to research, the Ministry of Defence has significant numbers of joint programmes or information exchanges with the following countries or organisations:
| Country/organisation | Number of programmes |
|---|---|
| France | 60 |
| Sweden | 28 |
| Netherlands/Norway | 31 |
| Germany | 20 |
| WEAG(50)/EUCLID(51) | 38 |
| Miscellaneous | 10 |
(50) Western European Armaments Group: informal grouping of European Defence Ministers providing policy direction for armaments and research issues.
(51) European Co-operation for the Long-term in Defence (EUCLID) based on competition and contracts placed on lead contractors, usually with some industrial funding.
International research collaboration also takes place under the umbrella of NATO. Details are not included as NATO also includes non-European countries.
Many technologies are involved, including:
- Energetic Materials and Plasmas
Structural Materials and Structural Effects Analysis
Sensor Systems
Computer Applications and Information Processing
Design Aspects—Platforms and Weapons
- Photonic/Optical Materials and Devices
Electronic and Electrical Devices
Signature Control and Signature Reduction
15 Oct 2001 : Column: 956W
Computing Technologies
Operating Environmental Issues
Communications and CIS Related Technologies
Integration and other Systems Issues
Guidance and Control Systems (Weapons and Platforms)
Propulsion and Powerplants
Electronic Materials
Manufacturing Processes/Design tools/Techniques.
Weather Modification Experiments
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on weather modification experiments undertaken on behalf of his Department. [8009]
Dr. Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Roving Sands Exercise
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Lewes, of 16 July 2001, Official Report, column 7W, what scenario was assumed in this year's Roving Sands exercise. [6356]
Mr. Ingram: This year, exercise Roving Sands was based on the scenario of a multi-national coalition of air defence assets in a high-intensity conflict.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |