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MOD Estate
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what method is used to share the financial benefits of third party commercial use of MOD (a) airfields and (b) other property. [48008]
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Dr. Moonie: It is the Ministry of Defence's policy to exploit spare capacity, on a commercial basis, in order to generate income. There may be occasions where we use an agent or partner and on these occasions the fee will be negotiated on a case by case basis.
Planning Applications, RAF Halton
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what regard he has had to DETR Circular 02/99 in submitting planning applications for the development of the Princess Mary hospital site, RAF Halton. [46313]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 26 March 2002]: The Ministry of Defence has had full regard to Circular 02/99 in submitting the planning applications for the development of Princess Mary's hospital site at RAF Halton, including seeking formal guidance from Aylesbury Vale district council on the application of the regulations concerning Environmental Impact Assessments and Environmental Statements.
Performance Targets
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new initiatives his Department has taken in 2001–02 to assist in achieving its Public Service Agreement targets. [47177]
Dr. Moonie: A summary of progress made in 2001–02 against the Ministry of Defence's Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets will be included in the Government's expenditure plans 2002–03 to 2003–04 for the MOD, due to be published in the spring. A full account of MOD performance in 2001–02, including details of new initiatives to support the achievement of PSA and other internal targets, will be published in the MOD performance report this autumn.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to improve the response time to parliamentary questions. [47722]
Dr. Moonie: In its response to the Public Administration Select Committee's Second Report of Session 2000–01 on ministerial accountability and parliamentary questions, the Government made clear their commitment to providing prompt and accurate answers to parliamentary questions. This continues to be the Government's position.
West Freugh Airfield
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date fire service cover at West Freugh airfield was withdrawn; and what contingency cover is available for future emergency use of the airfield. [46975]
Dr. Moonie: Fire service cover was withdrawn at West Freugh airfield on 28 March when full-time operation came to an end. The airfield is now in care and maintenance but can be reactivated for exercises or other short term use. In such a case military users will provide air traffic control and fire cover to suit specific circumstances.
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Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations from (a) QinetiQ, (b) Serco and (c) DERA were received prior to the decision to close West Freugh airfield for routine operations. [46974]
Dr. Moonie: The former DERA was, as previously announced, subsumed in QinetiQ and DSTL in July 2001. Both QinetiQ and Serco have raised issues pertaining to the site but neither company objected to the cessation of full-time airfield operations at West Freugh.
Relocation
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to relocate executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies under the remit of his Department to Scotland. [47935]
Dr. Moonie: None of the Ministry of Defence agencies nor any of the MOD-sponsored non-departmental public bodies has any plans to relocate to Scotland.
War Pensions
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those granted a medical discharge from the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) RAF over the last five years have succeeded on appeal in obtaining a war pension; and if he will make a statement. [46670]
Dr. Moonie: Data are not recorded in a format which can provide information relating to the success of appeals in respect of ex-service personnel who were granted a medical discharge from the armed forces. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Medical Discharges
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those people granted a medical discharge from the armed forces in the last five years have been granted a war pension; and if he will make a statement. [46797]
Dr. Moonie: In the last five years, war pensions have been awarded to 3,048 people who have been granted a medical discharge from the armed forces.
Deployments
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel from the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Army are on deployment to (i) NATO Headquarters in Brussels, (ii) NATO Southern Command and (iii) other NATO command centres; and if he will make a statement. [46668]
Mr. Ingram: The information requested is set out in the table.
| Command | RN | RAF | Army | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATO HQ | 16 | 20 | 23 | 59 |
| SHAPE | 50 | 136 | 161 | 347 |
| ACE southern region | 112 | 82 | 85 | 279 |
| ACE northern region | 58 | 312 | 323 | 693 |
| SACLANT (USA) | 36 | 12 | 3 | 51 |
| EASTLANT (UK) | 116 | 62 | 3 | 181 |
| SOUTHLANT (Portugal) | 31 | 11 | 0 | 42 |
| Total | 419 | 635 | 598 | 1,652 |
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Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel from the (a) Army, (b) RAF and (c) Royal Navy have been deployed at SHAPE in the last five years; how many of these have been deployed for a year or less; how many have been deployed between one and two years; how many have been deployed for more than two years; what the total cost is of family support and other benefits to those personnel on deployment; and if he will make a statement. [46647]
Mr. Ingram: In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, single service personnel administration systems are not programmed to hold manning figures for more than six months beyond an individual's tenure of a particular appointment; precise figures for the last five years are therefore not available. Data for UK personnel serving at SHAPE on 1 April 2002 are however given in the table, and broadly reflect the service ratio prior to NATO restructuring on 1 September 1999, when there were 360 UK military personnel at SHAPE.
| Service | Less than 1 year in post | 1–2 years in post | More than 2 years in post | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army | 71 | 63 | 27 | 161 |
| RAF | 44 | 47 | 45 | 136 |
| RN | 26 | 18 | 6 | 50 |
| Total | 141 | 128 | 78 | 347 |
In financial year 2001–02, the total cost of support for the UK SHAPE contingent, which includes associated UK civilian elements, is £8.907 million. Within that figure the cost of delivering family support to UK service personnel and dependants is estimated at approximately £7.9 million per annum. This figure includes: salaries for support unit staff; utilities; rents; property management and accommodation stores; staff training; administration; stationery and welfare.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel have been deployed to the US over the last three years; how many have been deployed between six months and two years; how many have been deployed for more than two years; how many are accompanied by families; what the total cost in each year for deployment of service personnel in the United States has been; what the cost of families accompanying service personnel has been in each of the last five years while on deployment in the US; and if he will make a statement. [46675]
Mr. Ingram: 464 military personnel have been posted to the US over the last three years. 357 of these have been accompanied by their families.
326 military personnel have been posted between six months and two years. 247 of these have been accompanied by their families.
231 military personnel have been posted for more than two years. 185 of these have been accompanied by their families.
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The approximate in-country cost for service personnel and their families was:
| Financial year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 14.5 |
| 2000–01 | 12.0 |
| 1999–2000 | 10.5 |
| 1998–99 | 10.0 |
| 1997–98 | 11.5 |
A breakdown of these costs between service personnel and their dependants could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel from the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF have been deployed to work with the EU defence projects in each of the last two years, including the current year; and if he will make a statement. [46671]
Mr. Ingram: The only EU military bodies created under ESDP are the EU Military Committee and the EU Military Staff. The Military Staff comprise fewer than 140 people, of which the UK contributes 16 military personnel—eight Army; four Royal Navy; and four RAF. The UK representative on the EU Military Committee is also our military representative to NATO.
Other military and civilian personnel within the Ministry of Defence will deal with aspects of ESDP within the course of their normal duties.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel have been deployed to the US within the military diplomatic system in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [46669]
Mr. Ingram: During the last five years since March 1997 there have been:
- Three Heads of the British Defence Staff.
Three Naval Attaches and three Assistant Naval Attaches.
Three Military (Army) Attaches and three Assistant Military Attaches.
Two Air Attaches and two Assistant Air Attaches.
Three Heads of British Defence Intelligence Liaison Services.
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