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Pensions

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made with Paymaster to ensure that all recipients of armed forces pensions can receive benefits in cash from April 2000. [32555]

Dr. Moonie: No arrangements exist for pensioners to receive benefits in cash under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. From April 2002, however, the weekly Payable Order Book method of payment applicable to some 2 per cent. of all pensioners, will cease. Under the new arrangements they will have the option of having their pension credited to a bank of building society account, or by a voucher sent to their home address encashable through a bank or building society. Both options allow payments to be made on a weekly or monthly basis.

Defence Agencies (Assets)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list defence agencies and (a) the total value of their fixed assets and (b) the value of their fixed assets in Scotland. [32453]

Dr. Moonie: Information on Defence Agencies and their fixed assets is contained in the Ministry of Defence (Section 7) of the National Asset Register, published by HM Treasury in July 2001. The region and location of assets is shown where this is relevant. A copy is available in the Library of the House.

Atomic Weapons Establishments

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed at each of the atomic weapons establishments in the UK. [32442]

Dr. Moonie: As at 31 December 2001, the number of people employed at each of AWE's sites in the UK was as follows:

	Number
AWE Aldermaston	3,320
AWE Burghfield	369
AWE Cardiff	4
Total	3,693

The figures quoted are staff employed by AWE plc. They do not include contractors, Ministry of Defence staff or the MOD Police.

1 Feb 2002 : Column 604W

HMNB Clyde

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civil and (b) military personnel are employed at HMNB Clyde. [32438]

Dr. Moonie: The number of civilian and military personnel employed at HMNB Clyde is as follows:

Civilian: 3,700


Military: 1,119.

Defence Industry (Employment)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department calculates the number of people employed (a) in and (b) by defence and defence- related industries in the regions of the UK; what multiplier is used; and what the regional totals are. [32447]

Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 November 2001, Official Report, column 766W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Ann McKechin). We are currently reviewing our methodology on the estimation of employment figures dependent on UK defence expenditure and exports. An outline of the existing methodology was provided in Defence Statistics Bulletin No. 3. I am arranging for a copy of this publication to be placed in the Library of the House.

The latest available direct regional employment figures (which are subject to review) for the Ministry of Defence equipment contracts have been estimated to be:

Thousand

	1998–99
United Kingdom	81
England	73
North-east	3
Yorkshire and Humberside	5
East midlands	3
Eastern	2
London and South-east	31
South-west	14
West midlands	5
North-west	11
Scotland	6
Wales	1
Northern Ireland	1

Source:

UK Defence Statistics 2000

"Direct" employment refers to that occurring directly from equipment contracts placed with UK contractors by MOD. It does not include employment, which is created in sub contractors, and others who supply the main contractor; this is referred to as "indirect" employment.

The minor differences (shown in the table) between "regions totals" and the "UK total" are due to rounding anomalies.

Royal Dockyards

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilian and (b) military personnel are employed at (i) the Royal Dockyard, Rosyth and (ii) the Royal Dockyard, Devonport. [32441]

1 Feb 2002 : Column 605W

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 December 2001, Official Report, columns 968–69W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Baillieston (Mr. Wray) detailing numbers of people employed by the privately owned Royal Dockyards at Rosyth and Devonport. Some 183 Ministry of Defence civilian employees and 15 military are also based at Rosyth Dockyard. In addition, 1,546 civilian and 2,000 military personnel are based at the Devonport Naval Base, which is adjacent to Devonport Dockyard. These figures exclude naval personnel serving on ships and submarines, visiting them or undergoing maintenance at these facilities.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Religious/Sectarian Hate Crime

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he has taken to consult on how best to tackle religious hate crime and sectarian hatred as an aggravating factor in a range of criminal offences; and what steps he will take to ensure an independent and lay dimension to his review. [29942]

Mr. Browne: I intend to consult shortly on how best to tackle the problems of offending motivated either by racial or religious hatred in Northern Ireland. I understand that an evaluation of the provisions in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which created categories of racially aggravated offences, is soon to be published, and would like participants in the consultation exercise to be able to draw on the findings in that evaluation when considering their responses. In order to ensure the broadest scope of opinions for consideration, the consultation exercise will include as wide a range of participants as possible, including organisations and individuals working in the statutory, non-statutory and voluntary sectors.

Police/Defence Lawyers Directive

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress the Chief Constable has made in circulating a new directive to cover the role of police and defence lawyers based on the UN Declaration on the role of lawyers; how many copies have been printed; by what means the directive has been distributed; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [29781]

Jane Kennedy: The Police Service of Northern Ireland have been engaged in a consultative process on a new direction covering the role of police and defence lawyers. The direction will draw on a range of sources including the Police and Criminal Evidence (NI) Order 1989, Codes of Practice created under the Order, the Human Rights Act 2000 and the UN Declaration.

It is hoped to issue the direction in the near future. A decision will be made at that time about the extent of publication.

Code of Ethics (Police Service)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made by the Chief Constable towards the publication of a Code of Ethics for the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and if he will place a copy of the draft Code in the Library. [29779]

1 Feb 2002 : Column 606W

Jane Kennedy: As required by section 52(3) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, the Chief Constable submitted a draft of the Code of Ethics to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, on 31 December 2001. As the Act makes clear, publication of the Code of Ethics is a matter for the Policing Board.

Before issuing or revising the code the Board must consult the Police Association, the Secretary of State, the ombudsman, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and any other person or body appearing to the Board to have an interest in the matter. I understand that the Board began the formal consultation process on 24 January and that the closing date is 1 April. The Board have kindly permitted me to lay a copy of the draft Code in the Library.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Salary Costs

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit in 2001–02 will be accounted for by salary costs and pension contributions. [32003]

Mr. Leslie: Approximately 40 per cent. of the Cabinet Office departmental expenditure limit (DEL) for 2001–02 (resource and capital) announced on 28 November is budgeted salary costs and pension contributions.

This estimate of the proportion of 2001–02 DEL accounted for by salary costs and pension contributions could change. Further details of DEL and staff costs for 2001–02 will be published in the forthcoming spring Supplementary Estimate. Actual outturn on staff costs will be published in the forthcoming spring Supplementary Estimate. Actual outturn on staff costs will be published in the Resource Accounts for 2001–02.

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