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Cluster Munitions
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been carried out by his Department into alternatives to cluster munitions for replacement of the BL 755 when it reaches the end of its service life. [31633]
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence keeps under continuous review its capability requirements in this area. To date, studies have concluded that the roles currently met by BL 755 are likely to be carried out by a range of different weapons in the future. Some of the roles will be met by existing or planned systems such as Maverick and Brimstone. This work has also concluded that cluster bombs will still retain some utility, particularly against area targets such as storage depots and concentrations of lighter armoured vehicles. No other weapon is currently available to meet the same military objectives. To fulfil the same role as cluster bombs with unitary bombs would require a far greater weight of explosives, which would risk far greater damage than using cluster bombs.
Afghanistan
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether guidance on the handling of prisoners in Afghanistan is issued by each coalition member for its own armed forces; and what standardisation has taken place. [31636]
Mr. Hoon: Guidance on the handling of prisoners is properly a matter for the individual detaining power. There has therefore been no standardisation of guidance within the coalition.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance has been given to HM forces on the status to be given to any persons they capture and detain in Afghanistan. [32295]
Mr. Hoon: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave on 17 January 2002, Official Report, column 392, to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen).
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Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the guidance on the handling of prisoners in Afghanistan issued by his Department takes into account the 1977 Additional Protocols to the 1949 Geneva Conventions. [31635]
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether members of Her Majesty's armed forces are operating in areas of Afghanistan subject to recent attacks with cluster bombs; and what guidance has been issued to personnel on safety in relation to unexploded submunitions. [31632]
Mr. Ingram: Years of conflict have left a wide variety of unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan. Before deployment, members of the armed forces are routinely given advice about the types of munitions they may encounter.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether guidance on the handling of prisoners in Afghanistan was updated after the uprising at Qala-I-Jhangi fort. [31634]
ASRAAM
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what extra expenditure has been incurred by his Department as a result of the failure of the advanced short-range air-to-air missile to achieve its original in-service date; and if he intends to claim back the extra expenditure from the manufacturer; [31099]
- (2) what the new in-service date for the advanced short-range air-to-air missile is; and if he will make a statement. [31098]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 29 January 2002]: The Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) entered service in January 2002. As a result of a delay in the In Service Date, the Ministry of Defence has incurred additional costs of approximately £7 million. These include extra intramural expenditure and costs arising from the need to maintain Sidewinder missiles in service.
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During the period in question we have also been without the additional capability provided by the ASRAAM missile. Liquidated damages associated with the late delivery of the missiles are being claimed from the manufacturer. Overall, the total procurement cost of ASRAAM remains less than the original approved cost.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the series of improved software releases to enhance MBDA's advanced short-range air-to-air missile will cost; when the final improved software releases are expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [32156]
Dr. Moonie: The cost of the additional software releases to achieve ASRAAM's Full Operational Capability will be borne by the contractor, MBDA UK Ltd. (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics), and is a matter for them.
The company's aim is to deliver the required missile performance by the end of 2003. If that is not achieved, our agreement with MBDA Uk allows for a further software release.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the UK owns nuclear weapons other than the SLBMs. [31707]
Mr. Hoon: No. As the 1998 Strategic Defence Review (Cm 3999) made clear, Trident is our only nuclear weapons system.
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what US nuclear weapons are in the United Kingdom. [31708]
Mr. Hoon: Some US nuclear weapons remain based in the UK in accordance with long-standing NATO policy. Nuclear forces based in Europe and committed to NATO provide an essential political and military link between the European and North American members of the Alliance. I am withholding any further details under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of a replacement to the Trident deterrent when it goes out of service. [31709]
Mr. Hoon: We have no current plans for a replacement for Trident, and no decision on any possible successor system is yet needed.
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many SLBMs the UK owns; and how many warheads are contained in each missile. [31705]
Mr. Hoon: The 1998 Strategic Defence Review concluded that the 58 Trident missile bodies already purchased from the USA would be sufficient to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent posture. While I am withholding information on the number of warheads deployed on each missile under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, I can confirm that, when on deterrence patrol, Trident submarines carry 48 nuclear warheads.
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National Missile Defence
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent meetings he has had with European colleagues regarding US National Missile Defence. [31762]
Mr. Hoon: I met with many of my European counterparts at the NATO ministerial meetings in December last year. We discussed a range of issues, including missile defence.
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the US National Missile Defence. [31761]
Mr. Hoon: I refer my hon. Friend to the remarks made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 16 January 2002, Official Report, columns 137–42WH.
NCOs (Premature Voluntary Release)
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many NCOs who had applied for premature voluntary release had not left the Army as at 1 December 2001. [31801]
Mr. Ingram: Thirty-two Non-Commissioned Officers are recorded as having applied for premature voluntary release and had not been discharged from the Army or transferred to the Reserve prior to 1 December 2001.
Astute Class Submarines
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the projected in-service dates of the new Astute Class of fleet attack submarines for the Royal Navy are. [31806]
Dr. Moonie: The first Astute Class submarine is due to enter into service in June 2005. The remaining two submarines of the Class currently on order will follow at approximately two year intervals.
Armoured Vehicles
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Challenger II tanks, (b) Warrior, (c) Saxon, (d) FV430, (e) Sabre, (f) Scimitar, (g) Striker, (h) Spartan, (i) Sultan, (j) Samson, (k) Samaritan armoured vehicles, (l) Challenger recovery vehicles, (m) Stormer, (n) Shielder, (o) Fuchs NBC vehicle, (p) AS 90, (q) MLRS and (r) M578 were fully operational in (i) the quarter ending 31 December 2001, (ii) the first three quarters of 2001, (iii) each quarter of 2000 and (iv) each quarter of 1999; what percentage of fleet size this represents; and if he will make a statement. [29844]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 31 January 2002]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
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