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Fair Trade Goods

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 November 2001, Official Report, column 13W, on Fair Trade goods, if he will increase the amount of fairly traded goods used in his Department. [35459]

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Dr. Moonie: My answer of 19 November remains extant because EU rules dictate that we seek the best price in the open market, consistent with our quality standard. If Fair Trade goods meet the necessary criteria, they will be considered in competition with similar products from other countries.

Type 45 Destroyer

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the armament of the Type 45 Destroyer will be; and what plans there are for a land attack capability for surface warships. [35719]

Dr. Moonie: With reference to the Type 45's armament, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 24 April 2001, Official Report, column 232W to the hon. Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies).

We are considering whether a contribution to land attack capability is required from the Type 45 Anti-Air Warfare Destroyer (which might be provided through a larger calibre gun or land attack missiles), and in the longer term from the Future Surface Combatant. This is in the context of the land attack capability of our submarines, and the marked increase in maritime offensive air power planned with the introduction of the Future Aircraft Carrier and Future Joint Combat Aircraft.

RAF Chilmark

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of (a) decontamination and (b) other identified works at the site of former RAF Chilmark. [36154]

Dr. Moonie: The cost of clearing explosive ordnance over five years since the closure of the former RAF Chilmark is approximately £1.7 million. The average annual cost of providing maintenance works and upkeep to those parts of the former RAF Chilmark still owned by the Ministry of Defence is £100,000.

Directed Energy Weapons

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evaluation has been made of directed energy weapons; what joint studies on the development of such weapons have taken place; and if he will make a statement. [36953]

Dr. Moonie: The importance of utilising technology to create battle winning forces is a key theme of the Strategic Defence Review. Directed Energy Technology offers a potentially significant military enhancement to our forces but it is just one area of technology development currently being assessed.

This assessment is taking place within the boundaries laid down by conventions and international law.

The MOD investigate Directed Energy Weapons in order to identify potential technologies that may meet joint capability requirements. Details of programmes are classified and I am therefore withholding disclosure of this information under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

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Floor Covering Contracts

(Military Installations)

Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what tendering process was employed prior to the award of contracts to supply floor coverings to military facilities with effect from the end of 2001. [36765]

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has used OGCbuying.solutions as its contracting agent for a range of stores including floor coverings since 1991. OGCbuying.solutions (formerly The Buying Agency) awards all its contracts on the basis of rigorous competitive tendering which is compliant with legislative requirements, fitness for purpose, defined performance standards and best value for money.

Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason a single contract for the provision of carpeting to all military installations in the United Kingdom and overseas was awarded. [36766]

Dr. Moonie: There is no single contract for the provision of carpeting to all military installations in the UK and overseas.

Future Command and Liaison Vehicle

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in introducing the Army's Future Command and Liaison Vehicle; and if he will make a statement. [36552]

Dr. Moonie: The Future Command and Liaison Vehicle is in its assessment phase. Work is continuing, in conjunction with industry, to identify and reduce areas of risk, and to finalise the requirement. Once the trials are complete and the results have been assessed, we plan to issue an Invitation to Tender later this year.

Post-combat Trauma

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the paper published in the British Medical Journal of 8 February concerning post-conflict trauma. [36467]

Dr. Moonie: The paper "Post-combat Syndromes from the Boer War to the Gulf War: A Cluster Analysis of their Nature and Attribution" is a valuable contribution to understanding post-combat health. The researchers concluded that all modern conflicts have been associated with post-combat disorders characterised by unexplained medical symptoms and that the form that these assume, the terms used to describe them and the explanations offered, seem to be influenced by advances in medical science, changes in the nature of warfare and underlying cultural forces. These findings will be taken into account as we continue to evolve our policies, procedures and practices for managing health issues in the armed forces.

Heavy Lift Aircraft

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether heavy lift aircraft in use by the RAF are equipped with defensive aids and counter measures; and whether he intends that heavy lift aircraft (a) leased and (b) purchased for the RAF in future programmes will be equipped with defensive aids and counter measures. [37289]

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Mr. Ingram: Aircraft are equipped with a defensive capability commensurate with the assessed level of threat of the environment in which they are expected to operate. However, disclosure of detailed information about the defensive capabilities of aircraft would be operationally sensitive. I am therefore withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 1a of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to national security and defence.

Territorial Army (Scotland)

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army reside in Scotland; and what the equivalent figure was in each of the last five years. [37387]

Dr. Moonie: The number of Territorial Army personnel currently residing in Scotland as at 1 January 2002 is shown in the table.

Officers	Soldiers	Total
565	4,178	4,743

I regret that the Ministry of Defence does not hold equivalent historical data in the form required by the hon. Member.

Low Flying (Wind Farms)

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions his Department was notified of wind-power developments proposed within low-flying training areas; and on how many occasions his Department (a) took no action and (b) prevented the proposal proceeding in the last five years. [37255]

Dr. Moonie: During the last five years the Ministry of Defence have been consulted on a total of 44 windfarm proposals within tactical training areas (where military fast jet and Hercules transport aircraft may fly down to 100 ft minimum separation distance from the ground or any other object). A full appraisal has always been carried out on each proposal. Of the 44 proposals submitted we have had no objections to 10 and have objected to 34.

Firing Range Safety

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the minimum safe distance between a live firing range and a public road. [37385]

Mr. Ingram: The minimum safe distance between a live firing range and a public road is determined by the type of live firing activity on the range.

A safe distance between a live firing range and a public road is maintained by applying the appropriate danger area for the live firing activity and ensuring that any hazard is contained well within the range boundary. If there is a public road within a range boundary, it is closed to the public for the duration of any hazard caused by the live firing.

Surplus Equipment

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what surplus military equipment the UK has

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(a) given and (b) sold at discount values to (i) Estonia and (ii) Slovenia in the last three years; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [37120]

Dr. Moonie: No surplus military equipment has been given or sold at discount values by the United Kingdom to either Estonia or Slovenia during the past three years.

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