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Private Gray

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when civilian authorities were advised of the death of Private Gray in Deep Cut camp on 17 September 2001; who was advised; by whom; and if he will make a statement. [51162]

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Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 24 April 2002, Official Report, columns 260–61W and 8 May 2002, Official Report, column 179W.

Recruitment

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many net additional staff his Department has recruited in each month since June 2001 at (a) executive officer level and (b) administrative level. [52430]

Dr. Moonie: The information requested is given in the following table:

	Executive Officer level		Administrative level
Month/ Type of staff	Headcount	FTE	Headcount	FTE
June 2001
Permanent	8	7.8	39	40.7
Casual	-2	-2.0	85	80.3
Total	6	5.8	124	121.0
July 2001
Permanent	-5	-4.4	86	82.9
Casual	-3	-1.6	277	274.8
Total	-8	-6.0	363	357.7
August 2001
Permanent	-28	-25.7	41	40.9
Casual	0	0.0	70	71.7
Total	-28	-25.7	111	112.6
September 2001
Permanent	6	5.6	39	34.3
Casual	5	5.0	-269	-272.0
Total	11	10.6	-230	-237.6
October 2001
Permanent	25	25.8	124	119.0
Casual	9	7.5	20	18.8
Total	34	33.3	144	137.7
November 2001
Permanent	21	20.3	78	70.9
Casual	8	7.5	45	42.0
Total	29	27.8	123	112.9
December 2001
Permanent	-17	-15.7	-8	-10.7
Casual	2	2.1	12	10.0
Total	-15	-13.6	4	-0.7
January 2002
Permanent	-11	-11.8	-215	-216.4
Casual	6	6.8	44	41.2
Total	-5	5.0	-171	-175.2
February 2002
Permanent	4	5.0	-78	-80.4
Casual	3	2.9	19	13.9
Total	7	7.9	-59	-66.4

Young People

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what subjects and on which dates his Department has consulted organisations representing young people; and if he will list such organisations. [52505]

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence is fully committed to consulting those children and young people to whom we provide services. For example, Cadet Force

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adult volunteer instructors initiate opportunities to obtain cadets views. The skill force initiative is structured so that participants are required to develop their own learning aims. Still within the MOD, the Service Children Education Agency has instigated in many of its schools "Circle Time". This gives young people the opportunity to express their feelings and concerns and to resolve relationship and behavioural issues.

The MOD also consults with organisations concerned with young people but the information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The MOD is committed to the new core principles for the involvement of children and young people published by the Minister for Young People in November 2001. The MOD will shortly be publishing an action plan setting out for the first time how it will implement these principles to extend the participation of children and young people in the design, provision and evaluation of policies and services that affect them.

Ministerial Training

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much has been spent by his Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years; [52723]

(2) how much has been spent by his Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years; [52716]

(3) how much has been spent by his Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years. [52718]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 26 April 2002]: Training in leadership skills is an extremely important part of development activities in the Ministry of Defence, for both military and civilian staff. Its importance—emphasised within the "Modernising Government" initiative—was reflected in the recent defence training review. As a result the defence leadership centre has been established as part of the new defence academy to provide a nationally recognised centre of excellence. In addition, there are many other areas of the MOD where leadership features in both general management and more specific training. The Defence Procurement Agency, for instance, has provided leadership masterclasses and the important new area of smart acquisition has introduced a specific scheme designed to help develop integrated project team leaders.

I am not aware of any training undertaken by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts on behalf of Ministers or officials.

The MOD does provide some training in media interview skills, which includes factors such as voice tone and stance. This training is available to all staff and on occasions has been undertaken by Ministers.

In addition, Ministers are able to take advantage of the "Programmes for Ministers" organised by the centre for management and policy studies (CMPS) in the Cabinet Office.

Information on costs for leadership or media training is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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Digital Equipment

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many digital radios are owned by his Department for use in departmental buildings from which Ministers work; and what the (a) cost and (b) date of purchase of each radio was. [52864]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 26 April 2002]: The information is not held centrally in this format and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I can confirm that no such equipment has been purchased for use in Ministers' offices.

Press Subscriptions

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the newspapers subscribed to (a) Monday to Saturday and (b) on Sunday by his Department, stating for each subscription the (i) number of copies taken and (ii) annual cost; [52825]

(2) if he will list the magazines and periodicals subscribed to by his Department, stating for each subscription the (a) number of copies taken and (b) annual cost. [52826]

Dr. Moonie [holding reply 26 April 2002]: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Solar Panels

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed. [53490]

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence fully supports the Government's commitment to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and promoting the use of renewable energy technologies by utilising "through life value for money" renewable energy supply opportunities. The current MOD policy on the development and siting of different kinds of renewable energy generation plant is to assess options on a case-by-case basis.

No central register is kept of the locations of solar panels installed in or on buildings on the defence estate. However, recently publicised examples include two active solar thermal systems at RM Norton Manor camp, Taunton, and a new "ambient energy" heat pump system at the Works Services office and stores at Royal Marines Condor, Tayside, Scotland. In addition, the Defence Procurement Agency building at Abbey Wood, Bristol, which has been in service for a number of years, makes use of a passive solar thermal system in order to minimise energy consumption.

Active solar thermal systems are also extensively used on the overseas estate where these are cost effective.

Territorial Army

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial provision has been made for the training of Territorial Army units in the Greater London area in 2002–03; and if he will list each financial provision. [54631]

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Dr. Moonie: The total financial provision made for the training of Territorial Army units in the Greater London area in 2002–2003 is just over £14 million. To list each provision separately could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

C-17s

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was (a) the estimated purchase price, (b) the overall contract price to lease the aircraft for five years, (c) the number of original target flying hours in the lease contract, (d) the actual target flying hours used to date, (e) the estimated number of target flying hours for the full five years and (f) the estimated additional cost for exceeding the target flying hours for the C-17s of 99 Squadron; and if he will make a statement. [54646]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 8 May 2002]: The overall cost of the seven-year lease and all supporting arrangements for the four C-17 aircraft is in the order of £750 million. The detailed lease costs and the underlying aircraft price are commercially sensitive and I am withholding this information under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

The lease contract does not specify either a target number or a limit on flying hours. However, funding for support of the aircraft was modelled on a total of 3,000 flying hours per full year for the fleet of four aircraft. In the first part year of operations the C-17 fleet exceeded the modelled hours by about 60 per cent. The additional support costs arising from this level of flying were in the order of £4 million. There are no additional lease costs associated with increased levels of flying activity. Future support costs will vary in line with the operational demands made of the aircraft over the lease period.

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