29 Apr 2002 : Column 523W
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 29 April 2002
DEFENCE
Harrier GR7
14. Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the air defence capabilities of the Harrier GR7 are. [50953]
Mr. Ingram: The Harrier GR7 is optimised for offensive support operations, but possesses an air defence capability through its Sidewinder air to air missiles.
25. Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Indian Government concerning the sale of Royal Navy Sea Harriers; and if he will make a statement. [50964]
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Agency has not entered into any talks with the Indian Government with regard to the sale of Sea Harriers. However, as part of its marketing strategy for the sale of these aircraft, the DSA will follow up all expressions of interest subject, of course, to normal export controls.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the air defence capabilities of the Harrier GR7 are. [52448]
Mr. Ingram: The Harrier GR7 is optimised for offensive support operations, but possesses an air defence capability through its Sidewinder Air to Air missiles.
Fleet Air Arm
16. Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft are in service with the Fleet Air Arm. [50955]
Mr. Ingram: The total current number of aircraft in service with the Fleet Air Arm is 295. This figure includes those aircraft operated by Fleet Air Arm personnel serving in Naval Air Squadrons within both Joint Force Harrier and the Joint Helicopter Command.
Weapons of Mass Destruction
17. Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his assessment is of the threat to the United Kingdom from attack by weapons of mass destruction. [50956]
Mr. Hoon: As of today we assess that there is currently no direct threat of attack by weapons of mass destruction to the United Kingdom. We do, however, continue to monitor developments very closely, particularly as they might affect British forces deployed in other parts of the world.
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Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the type of weapons of mass destruction that are most likely to be used by countries he has defined as of concern to the UK; and if he will make a statement. [52285]
Mr. Hoon: We monitor continuously the capabilities of countries which possess, or are seeking to acquire, weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver or use them. Currently we assess that none of the countries we are monitoring has the specific intention to use them against the United Kingdom. Should a direct threat materialise, its exact nature will depend on the capabilities of the country concerned and the political and military context in which it arises.
Our assessment of the weapons of mass destruction programmes of a number of countries was included in our "Supplementary Memorandum to the House of Commons Defence Committee: The Ballistic Missile Threat" of 18 March 2002.
Ordnance
18. Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the production of ordnance in the UK. [50957]
Dr. Moonie: Royal Ordnance Defence, the UK's major producer of munitions to the armed forces, has been operating against a background of sharp decline in the world-wide demand for defence equipment over the last 15 years. Like any other commercial company competing in world markets, it has had to take the hard decisions necessary to optimise its manufacturing capacity to remain viable and competitive in this sector. The Ministry of Defence is aware that the company is currently conducting a manufacturing review, focusing particularly on its sites at Birtley, Bridgwater and Chorley.
While the final result of this review is not yet known, I am able to inform the House that Royal Ordnance Defence has recently announced that it intends to pursue a consolidation option at the Birtley site. Although, regrettably, there will be some job losses over a period of years, the company expects that this option will secure the future of the site as part of its core business.
They have also informed MOD that they intend to invest heavily in a number of sites across the United Kingdom. Royal Ordnance Defence are retaining expertise in the crucial areas of propellant charge design at Bishopton, ordnance engineering design at Leicester, and small arms ammunition design and manufacture at Radway Green near Crewe, as well as investing substantially in its filling, assembly and packaging plant at Glascoed. There is no doubt that the company does possess and plans to retain world-class research and development personnel and production facilities in the United Kingdom.
Armed Forces (Retention)
19. Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to improve retention in the armed forces; and what progress has been made in the last 12 months to address the shortfall in numbers for each of the services. [50958]
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Mr. Ingram: The achievement of manning balance is being tackled as a matter of the highest priority. In particular we have introduced a number of initiatives aimed at improving retention. Although there are variations between the Services, the overall manning position is stabilising.
Our aim is to achieve higher levels of retention through policies that genuinely reflect the priorities of our people and their families.
27. Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the net inflow/outflow of trained service personnel was in 2001. [50966]
Mr. Ingram: The net inflow outflow of trained service personnel in 2001 is as follows:
| Service | Naval Service | Army | RAF | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflow | 2,844 | 11,535 | 3,005 | 17,384 |
| Outflow | 4,026 | 11,660 | 4,018 | 19,704 |
| Net Flow | -1,182 | -125 | -1,013 | 2,320 |
Afghanistan
20. Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the UK peacekeeping force in Kabul. [50959]
Mr. Hoon: The United Kingdom has led, and has made a substantial contribution to, the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul since its inception. Our troops have been widely praised for their work in helping the Interim Administration to maintain security and stability in Kabul as the Afghans begin the rebuilding of their shattered country.
23. Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the duties of British soldiers in Afghanistan are. [50962]
Mr. Hoon: British troops in Afghanistan have been carrying out both security assistance and combat tasks.
The United Kingdom has led, and has made a substantial contribution to, the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul since its inception. Our troops have been widely praised for their work in helping the Interim Administration to maintain security and stability in Kabul as the Afghans begin the rebuilding of their shattered country.
A battlegroup formed around 45 Commando Royal Marines has been deployed to Bagram to contribute to the international coalition's continuing operations to defeat the remnants of al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
31. Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his NATO colleagues on the operations in Afghanistan. [50971]
Mr. Hoon: I continue to have regular discussions with my NATO colleagues about operations in Afghanistan. All members of the coalition are committed to the fight against international terrorism, and to supporting the Afghan Interim Administration as the Afghans begin the rebuilding of their country.
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32. Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many air transport sorties in support of British forces' operations in the Afghanistan theatre have been flown in chartered Antonov heavy lift aircraft. [50973]
Mr. Hoon: As at 18 April, there have been 95 direct and 23 indirect Antonov sorties in support of British forces' operations in the Afghanistan theatre.
33. Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on British service personnel deployed in Afghanistan. [50974]
Mr. Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Brennan), at column 649.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are being employed in Afghanistan to minimise the risk to British troops of friendly fire incidents. [52472]
Mr. Hoon: The planning for operations in Afghanistan included detailed work to establish a number of clear, reliable measures to minimise the risks of friendly fire incidents. All coalition forces operate in accordance with strict Rules of Engagement and British forces operate in their own area of responsibility with equipment to ensure that they have accurate positioning information. Additionally, individuals and vehicles are clearly marked using indicators that are visible by day and at night through night vision aids.
There is also a close working relationship between coalition forces, with liaison officers placed at all levels in headquarters and in lower formations. Procedures to co-ordinate fire and air support have been established at the Coalition Combined Air Operations Centre and at Divisional and Brigade Headquarters and several lines of communications are also in place (including satellite- based equipment) to allow close co-ordination between headquarters, troops on the ground and aircraft to ensure deconfliction.
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