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BUPA Referrals
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been referred to BUPA consultants over the past two years; whether the number has increased over that time; and what the costs to the MoD were of those referrals. [46871]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Referrals have been made to BUPA under centrally led initiatives by the Royal Navy, the Army Training and Recruiting Agency and the Defence Secondary Care Agency, and locally by RAF Units. Under these arrangements, some 3,000 referrals have been made to BUPA since April 2000 at cost to date of some £2.7 million. The number of referrals is evenly spread across the two financial years.
Unexploded Ordnance
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much unexploded ordnance has been left on the ground following British Army training exercises in (a) Kenya and (b) in foreign countries other than Kenya, broken down by type. [49306]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 16 April 2002]: Wherever it trains, the British Army aims to destroy unexploded ammunition it uses as soon as possible after it has been fired—usually during the exercise itself. In Kenya, we also conduct an annual clearance exercise at the end of our exercise period in support of the Kenyan Authorities.
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Information about amounts of unexploded ordnance that may have been left on the ground following British Army training exercises is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much unexploded ordnance he estimates has been left by British forces in Kenya in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002; and if he will make a statement; [49991]
- (2) how much unexploded ordnance he estimates has been left by British forces; how much money has been spent by the Ministry of Defence in clearing unexploded ordnance in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001; and if he will make a statement. [49996]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 16 April 2002]: Wherever they train, British Forces aim to destroy unexploded ammunition as soon as possible after it has been fired—usually during the exercise itself. In Kenya, we also conduct an annual clearance exercise at the end of our exercise period in support of the Kenyan Authorities.
I have assumed that the hon. Member is seeking information about the amount of ordnance left unexploded following exercises by British Forces and the costs of clearing it, rather than operational deployments. These details are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Blue Danube Atomic Bomb
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what aspects of the Blue Danube atomic bomb continue to be covered by exemption 1 of the code of practice on access to Government information relating to defence, security and international relations. [51023]
Mr. Hoon: Certain specific aspects which might be of value to a potential nuclear weapons proliferator. For obvious reasons, it would not be appropriate to go into greater detail.
Computer Thefts
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 31 January 2002, Official Report, column 498W, on stolen equipment, if he will list the reported thefts and the related property code of (a) computer equipment and (b) computer data, indicating whether the property was recovered; which of those reported thefts are recorded as (i) no crime, (ii) closed detected and (iii) closed undetected; and if he will make a statement. [51195]
Dr. Moonie: Reported cases of stolen equipment are held centrally on a summary basis relating to suspected theft by Crown Personnel or contractors. Full details of computer property codes and recovery, including details related to computer data related to the suspected thefts identified in the answer on 31 January 2002, could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The same also applies in respect of outcomes recorded as no crime, closed detected, or closed undetected.
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Gulf War
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Gulf War troops have been medically examined by the Medical Assessment Programme. [51571]
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) was established in July 1993. Any Serviceman or Service woman, including those who have since left the UK armed forces, and Ministry of Defence civilians, who served in the Gulf at any time between August 1990 and July 1991, or who believe that their health has suffered as a direct result of the Gulf conflict can apply. Individuals who worked for contractors providing direct support to UK operations during the Gulf conflict may also be seen. All patients are seen following referral from their general practitioner or their armed forces medical officer. As at 19 April 2002, GVMAP consultants had physically examined 3,117 members and former members of the armed forces. This equates to 5.8 per cent of all UK armed forces deployed. Further information about the GVMAP can be obtained from my Department's web site: www.mod.uk/issues/gulfwar or by telephoning Freephone 0800 169 5401.
Voluntary Sector (Funding)
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire of 25 January, Official Report, columns 1185–6W, on Government funding of the voluntary sector, if he will list the grant schemes and other mechanisms by which his Department distributes funding to voluntary sector organisations. [51412]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 19 April 2002]: Funding to voluntary sector organisations by the Ministry of Defence is effected via the provision of grants in aid. These are grants from voted monies to particular organisations or bodies, which may include, but are not restricted to, voluntary sector organisations. The list of organisations for Financial Year 2001–2002 is as follows:
The Air Training Corps
The Army Sports Control Board
The Atlantic Council
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Millennium String of Pearls
The National Army Museum
The Royal Air Force Museum
The Royal Air Force Sports Board
The Royal British Legion
The Royal Hospital Chelsea
The Royal Marines Museum
The Royal Naval Museum
The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum
The Royal Navy Sports Board
The Royal Navy Submarine Museum
The Scott Polar Research Institute
The Victoria and George Cross Association
The Welfare Council
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Aircraft
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, by aircraft type, the Royal Navy's operational fleet; how many aircraft of each type are (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [52135]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 25 April 2002]: The numbers of aircraft in the RN operational fleet (which is entirely owned by the Department), listed by type as at 1 April 2002, are shown in the table below. The table includes those aircraft operated by Royal Navy personnel serving within Naval Air Squadrons within both Joint Force Harrier and the Joint Helicopter Command.
| Type/Class | Aircraft Type | No |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed Wing | Sea Harrier F/A2 | 29 |
| Harrier T8 Trainers | 4 | |
| Hawk | 12 | |
| Jetstream | 11 | |
| Rotary wing | Sea King | 66 |
| Lynx | 63 | |
| Merlin | 21 | |
| Gazelle | 8 |
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Ships
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, by ship type, the Royal Navy's operational fleet; how many ships of each type are (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [52134]
Mr. Ingram [holding answers 25 April 2002]: The strength of the Royal Navy Fleet (which is entirely owned by the Ministry of Defence), by ship type, as at 1 April 2002 is as follows:
| Type/Class | No. | Operational or engaged in preparing for service, trials or training | No. | Undergoing refit or held at a low level of readiness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submarines | ||||
| Trident | 3 | Vengeance, Victorious, Vigilant | 1 | Vanguard |
| Fleet | 6 | Talent, Tireless, Torbay, Trafalgar, | ||
| Triumph, Turbulent | 1 | Trenchant | ||
| 1 | Splendid | 4 | Sceptre, Spartan, Sovereign, Superb | |
| Aircraft Carriers | 2 | Illustrious, Ark Royal | 1 | Invincible |
| Landing Platform Dock | ||||
| Landing Platform Helicopter | 1 | Ocean | ||
| Destroyers | ||||
| Type 42 | 8 | Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, | ||
| Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham, | ||||
| Southampton, York | 3 | Liverpool, Gloucester, Manchester | ||
| Frigates | ||||
| Type 23 | 13 | Argyll, Grafton, Kent, Lancaster, | ||
| Montrose, Northumberland, | ||||
| Norfolk, Portland, Richmond, St | ||||
| Albans, Somerset, Sutherland, | ||||
| Westminster | 3 | Iron Duke, Monmouth, | ||
| Marlborough | ||||
| Type 22 | 5 | Campbeltown, Chatham, Cornwall, | ||
| Cumberland, Sheffield | ||||
| Offshore Patrol | ||||
| Castle Class | 2 | Leeds Castle, Dumbarton Castle | ||
| Island Class | 5 | Alderney, Anglesey, Guernsey, | ||
| Lindisfarne, Shetland | ||||
| Minehunters | ||||
| Hunt Class | 11 | Atherstone, Brecon, Brocklesby, | ||
| Cattistock, Chiddingfold, | ||||
| Cottesmore, Dulverton, Hurworth, | ||||
| Ledbury, Middleton, Quorn | ||||
| Sandown Class | 10 | Bangor, Blyth, Bridport, Grimsby, | ||
| Inverness, Pembroke, Penzance, | ||||
| Ramsey, Sandown, Walney | 1 | Shoreham | ||
| Patrol Craft | ||||
| Coastal Training Craft | 14 | Archer, Biter, Blazer, Charger, | ||
| Dasher, Example, Exploit, Explorer, | ||||
| Express, Puncher, Pursuer, Raider, | ||||
| Smiter, Tracker | ||||
| Gibraltar Search and Rescue Craft | 2 | Ranger, Trumpeter | ||
| Ice Patrol Ship | 1 | Endurance | ||
| Survey Ships | 3 | Gleaner, Roebuck, Scott |
As a result of the withdrawal from service of HMS FEARLESS announced on 7 March 2002 (Official Report, column 474W), there were no Landing Platform Docks in the strength of the Fleet as at 1 April 2002. However, two Landing Platform Dock replacements (HMS ALBION and HMS BULWARK) are planned to enter service in 2003.
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