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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
British Detainees
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he consented to British nationals detained in Afghanistan being transferred to Guantanamo Bay prior to the determination of their status. [32294]
Mr. Bradshaw: We have had many discussions with the US authorities about the detention of British nationals. The US authorities informed us in advance that three British detainees would be transferred from Afghanistan to Guantanamo Bay on 11 January. They also informed us in advance of the transfer of a further two British detainees on 11 February. As the detaining power, it is for the US authorities to decide on the handling and status of the detainees.
Plain English Campaign
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact his Department has had in the last year with the Plain English Campaign, and if he will make a statement. [35849]
Peter Hain: The Plain English Campaign have written to me in connection with my efforts to explain the Government's policy on Europe to the British public. I am aware of their excellent work.
Ispat International
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he
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has received from employees or directors of Ispat International between May 1997 and December 2001; and if he will list them by date and subject. [33113]
Mr. MacShane: [holding answer 4 February 2002]: I receive representations from many groups eager to press their case.
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list meetings between (a) departmental Ministers and (b) senior departmental officials and representatives of Ispat International between May 1997 and December 2001, indicating the date of each meeting. [33114]
Mr. MacShane [holding answer 4 February 2002]: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and analysis. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists. Some of these discussions take place on a confidential basis, and in order to preserve confidentiality, it is not the normal practice of Governments to release details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies.
DEFENCE
Overseas Trips
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each of the overseas trips made by himself and other members of his ministerial team in each of the last four years, specifying the purpose and cost of each trip. [30184]
Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 4 February 2002, Official Report, column 707W.
Bloody Sunday Inquiry
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department is of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. [35339]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 January 2002, Official Report, columns 2–3W, to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Blunt).
Former Service Personnel
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what systems are in place to monitor the number of former members of the armed services who become homeless within 18 months of leaving the armed forces. [35271]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence does not itself monitor homelessness among those who have left the services but we are able to keep track of the number of rough sleepers with an ex-service background through work with the Rough Sleepers Unit (RSU). The Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) report published in 1998 identified that between one quarter and one fifth of rough sleepers had been in the armed forces at some stage, predominantly some years before as national service men. The MOD has
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since been working in partnership with the RSU and the charitable sector to reduce some of the most acute cases of homelessness, those sleeping rough on the streets.
The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions have confirmed that interim analysis of rough sleeping data collected in November 2001 shows that the percentage of rough sleepers with an armed forces background has decreased markedly since the 1998 SEU report. This is clearly good news and provides strong evidence of the success that can be achieved by Government working in partnership with the voluntary sector.
Improvements that have been delivered by this partnership include the establishment of the Single Person Accommodation Service for Ex Service (SPACES) project at Catterick Garrison in 1999 which has already provided a range of housing and other support services to over 550 vulnerable people leaving the services. This exceeds the first target of 400.
We recognise there is further work to be done in this area and, as part of the Veterans' Initiative we are looking at improvements to resettlement arrangements for the most vulnerable service leavers. This will include addressing the risk of homelessness.
HMS Vengeance
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many missiles were collected by HMS Vengeance in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001. [32709]
Mr. Ingram: I am withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to defence, security and international relations.
Golden Jubilee Medal
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal to be awarded to those members of the Retired Officers' Corps who are serving with HM forces. [33492]
Dr. Moonie: The Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal will be awarded to those serving members of the armed forces, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the emergency services who meet the stipulated eligibility criteria. Members of the armed forces who are recruited to the retired officer grades in the Ministry of Defence at the conclusion of their service become civil servants. They are no longer serving in the armed forces and nor are they members of the emergency services. As is the case for civil servants generally, they are not eligible to receive the medal.
Contracts
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the (a) number and (b) value of contracts awarded by his Department to (i) Arthur Andersen, (ii) Deloitte Touche, (ii) Ernst and Young, (iv) KPMG and (v) PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants in each year since 1997. [34998]
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has awarded the following numbers of contracts to the above-named companies since 1997.
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| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Anderson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Deloitte Touche | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Ernst and Young | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| KPMG | 6 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 11 |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers | 3 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
The values of individual contracts are withheld under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information but the total values of contracts awarded to each company is approximately as follows:
| £million | |
|---|---|
| Arthur Andersen | 2.5 |
| Deloitte Touche | 1.3 |
| Ernst and Young | 1.7 |
| KPMG | 54.8 |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers | 13.9 |
Working Conditions and Practices
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in his Department; how much compensation has been paid to employees; how many work days have been lost due to work-related stress, and at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress, and at what cost, in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [35924]
Dr. Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the effect of the Working Time Directive on his Department's employees; how many employees are working in excess of 48 hours per week; what steps he is taking to reduce this number; and if he will make a statement. [35886]
Dr. Moonie: It is the Ministry of Defence's policy to encourage civilian staff, at all levels, to move away from the long hours culture. Ten members of the senior civil service have signed opt outs. Officials are trying to establish the number of civil servants, other than senior civil servants, who have signed the voluntary opt out.
I will write to the hon. Member when this work is complete and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
RAF Eurofighters
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which squadron will be the Operational Evaluation Unit for Eurofighter; and if he will make a statement. [35648]
Mr. Ingram: The operational evaluation unit for the Eurofighter will be 17 Squadron.
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