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Terms of Service

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what respects the terms of service of (a) regular servicemen and (b) reservists, including members of the Territorial Army, on full-time service differ. [22109]

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

Regulations

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regulations his Department has proposed to Parliament since June; what regulatory impact assessments have been made for those regulations his Department has implemented in 2001; and what plans his Department has to reduce the number of regulations affecting small businesses. [21973]

Dr. Moonie: As a non-regulatory Department, the Ministry of Defence has not proposed any regulations to Parliament since June and no regulatory impact assessments have been made.

RAF Menwith Hill

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his Department's policy to draw up a specific memorandum of understanding governing the presence of the USVF at RAF Menwith Hill. [22149]

Mr. Ingram: The presence of the United States Visiting Forces at all bases made available to them in the UK is governed by the NATO Status of Forces Agreement of 1951 and additional confidential arrangements. A separate memorandum of understanding governing the presence of the USVF at RAF Menwith Hill is not required.

Promotions

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) executive and (b) administrative officers in his Department may be promoted at the age of 58 years or over. [22335]

Dr. Moonie: Executive and administrative officers aged 58 years or over in the Ministry of Defence may apply and be selected for promotion opportunities.

Age Equality

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the compulsory retirement age is for (a) executives and (b) administrative officers in his Department, if the MOD's policy on retirement of (i) executive officers and (ii) administrative officers, complies with (A) the Government's Code of Practice on Age Diversity in employment and (B) the EU Employment Directive on Equality; if his policy is the same as other Government Departments; and if he will make a statement. [22336]

Dr. Moonie: The normal retirement age in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is 60 for executives and 65 for administrative support staff. Like other Government

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Departments, the MOD has delegated authority to frame its retirement polity to meet its business needs, compliant with the Code of Practice, and there are differences between Departments.

The MOD is reviewing its retirement policy in light of the Code, and the Performance and Innovation Unit's report on "Winning the Generation Game". This review will also take into account the implementation in the UK of the EU Equal Treatment Directive.

Departmental Staff (Home Working)

Mr. Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to encourage staff to work from home; and how many staff do so on a regular basis. [21833]

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to the work/life balance of its civilian staff. A range of flexible working patterns, including part-time working, flexible working hours, job sharing and homeworking, is available to staff by agreement with their managers. The MOD publicises its policy on flexible working and encourages managers to respond positively to requests as part of its commitment to diversity.

97 staff are formally registered as homeworkers and many others have the opportunity to work at home occasionally. Funding is available to provide equipment to enable staff to work from home on a full or part-time basis. A pilot scheme has been established to explore more formally the practical issues of working from home, and the lessons learned will be used to publicise and promote homeworking.

Defence Sites, Corsham

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed in the Basil Hill and Copenacre sites in Corsham by (a) the Defence Communication Services Agency and (b) other units; how he expects the totals to change in the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [21933]

Dr. Moonie: The number of Ministry of Defence (MOD) directly employed military and civilian staff employed at the Basil Hill and Copenacre sites is:

(a) Defence Communication Services Agency (DCSA): 527

(b) Other MOD Units: 219.

In addition, the Rudloe site, which forms an integral part of the Corsham estate, is home to the Joint Support Unit (JSU) Corsham with a strength of 240. The JSU is a sub unit of the DCSA.

There are also 130 staff of business partners working with the DCSA employed in these locations.

The total number of MOD staff on the Corsham estate is therefore 1,116.

As a result of work carried out for the Corsham Development Project, it is expected that the present on-site numbers will change in the next five years as follows:

(a) DCSA inclusive of the JSU: 1,380

(b) Other MOD Units: 194

(c) Business Partners: 280.

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Cruise Missiles

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cruise missiles have been used in the conflict in Afghanistan by (a) Britain and (b) the United States. [21652]

Mr. Hoon: UK submarines have launched a small number of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles. I am withholding details of the precise number launched in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The number of cruise missiles fired by the United States is a matter for them.

Far East Prisoners of War

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the definition of "British" as it applies to civilian former prisoners of the Japanese was clarified; when the need for clarification was identified; and when and how the new criteria were first made public. [22308]

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

Army Cadet Force

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reinstate the use of barrack trousers as part of the Army Cadet Force standard uniform; and if he will make a statement. [20980]

Dr. Moonie: There are no plans to issue barrack dress trousers to members of the Army Cadet Force.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures there are to increase cadet participation in Regular and Territorial Army exercises. [20979]

Dr. Moonie: Generally, cadets do not participate in Regular and Territorial Army exercises. If, however, there is activity that is deemed appropriate by the County Commandant—such as acting as casualties during first aid training—the cadets may participate. My hon. Friend may like to note that any such participation must be properly supervised and carried out in accordance with the rules laid down for cadet activities.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cadets in the Army Cadet Force there have been in each year since 1997; and how many Army Cadet Force units have been (a) opened and (b) closed since 1997. [20981]

Dr. Moonie: The numbers of cadets in the Army Cadet Force in each year since 1997 are shown in the table. These figures represent average numbers across each year.

Year	Strength
1997	40,047
1998	40,707
1999	42,550
2000	42,491
2001	40,573

Between 1 January 1997 and 1 November this year a total of 45 ACF detachments have closed and 66 have opened.

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Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the procedure that is to be taken when promoting an army cadet within the Army Cadet Force; and what qualifications a cadet must have to achieve a higher rank in the organisation. [20982]

Dr. Moonie: Promotions in the cadets are granted in accordance with regulations contained in the Army Cadet Force manual; they depend entirely on merit and are achieved usually when cadets have qualified for the appropriate stars. The achievement of stars is linked to the successful completion of certain skills tests at various levels (such as fieldcraft, drill and skill at arms).

To achieve promotion to Cadet Lance Corporal the cadet must have passed 1 star, for Cadet Corporal he or she must have passed 2 star, for Cadet Sergeant he or she must have passed 3 star and for Cadet Warrant Officer he or she must have passed 4 star.

Cadets with exceptional or outstanding service may also be appointed as a Master Cadet or a Lord Lieutenant Cadet. Both appointments are made on the recommendation of the County Commandant.

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