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Porton Down

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animal experiments, broken down by recorded category, were carried out at Porton Down in 2001. [59716]

Dr. Moonie: Dstl Porton Down submits annual returns to the Home Office detailing the number of procedures undertaken which involve the use of animals.

In the year 2001 a total of 12,955 procedures were returned to the Home Office by Dstl Porton Down. As defined in the Home Office recorded category of primary purpose: 7,074 of these procedures were undertaken for fundamental biological research; 5,674 of the procedures for applied studies—human medicine; 108 procedures for the protection of man, animals and the environment and 99 procedures for direct diagnosis.

Chinook ZD576

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the parameters provided to Boeing for its simulation of the final five seconds of Chinook ZD576. [60391]

Mr. Ingram: Boeing was provided with data extracted from navigation equipment on the aircraft, data from the report of the Air Accidents investigation Board report, and information about the aircraft and its load.

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he estimates that the heading and track of Chinook ZD576 was represented with complete accuracy in the simulation conducted by Boeing; and if he will make a statement. [60503]

Mr. Ingram: The Boeing simulation assumed a straight flight path at an angle of 20 degrees climb and with 30 degrees nose up pitch altitude.

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's estimate is of the speed and rate of climb of Chinook ZD576 (a) 30 seconds prior to the initial point of impact, (b) five seconds prior to impact and (c) at the point of impact; and if he will make a statement. [60501]

Mr. Ingram: The Board of Inquiry considered data extracted from the aircraft's systems, the AAIB technical report, the flight path simulations from Boeing Helicopters and a separate investigation from the Defence Research Agency Bedford, together with witness evidence. The board concluded that it was most likely that while approaching the Mull of Kintyre the aircraft was established in a steady climb, with a ground speed of between 160 and 275 kts, until approximately four seconds before impact. The aircraft then flared to an attitude of 30 degrees nose up, and finally impacted with a ground speed of 147 kts.

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he estimates that the all-up weight of Chinook ZD576, including variables, was represented with complete accuracy in the simulation conducted by Boeing; and if he will make a statement; [60502]

(2) what his Department's estimate is of the all-up weight of Chinook ZD576, including variables and passengers, baggage and fuel, at (a) 30 seconds prior to

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the initial point of impact, (b) five seconds prior to impact and (c) at the point of impact; and if he will make a statement. [60504]

Mr. Ingram: The estimated all-up weight of Chinook ZD576 at take off was 38,720 lbs, which included fuel weighing 6,776 lbs. At impact the estimated all-up weight of the aircraft was 37,620 lbs. The weight of the aircraft at any given point during the flight reflects the amount of fuel used by that point. Boeing conducted their simulation of the last five seconds of flight against a gross aircraft weight figure of 37,700 lbs at this point.

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's estimate is of the heading and track of Chinook ZD576 (a) 30 seconds prior to the initial point of impact, (b) five seconds prior to impact and (c) at the point of impact; and if he will make a statement. [60500]

Mr. Ingram: The flight plan indicated a route to the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse and then a course change to port on a track following the western shore of the Mull. The first waypoint or landmark the pilots entered on the on-board navigation computer was the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse. At 0.95 nautical miles, or about 20 seconds from impact the crew released the computer from the fix on the lighthouse and set it to indicate the bearing and distance to the next waypoint at Corran 87 miles to the north. The preserved data held by the navigation system indicated that the aircraft was very close to the direct track from RAF Aldergrove to the lighthouse when the waypoint change was made. There is no evidence of any significant change of course before the impact.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement setting out the reasons why a simulation was commissioned for the investigation into the final flight of Chinook ZD576. [60103]

Mr. Ingram: As part of the investigations into the crash of Chinook ZD576, Boeing the aircraft manufacturers were asked to conduct simulations to model the likely flightpath profiles during the final seconds prior to impact. The House of Lords Select Committee was critical of certain aspects of these simulations, which did not include full FADEC parameters. As part of our promised full response to the Select Committee's report, Boeing have been tasked to revisit their original analysis to include a full FADEC simulation.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will publish the information, other than the parameters issuing from the AAIB technical report, that was provided to Boeing for the purposes of the simulation of the final seconds of the flight of ZD576; [60102]

(2) what level of accuracy Boeing stated it achieved in its simulation of the manoeuvres of the final five seconds of flight of Chinook ZD576, in the outline report Boeing presented to his Department to accompany the simulation results; [60106]

(3) if he will place in the Library copies of the information that was provided to Boeing by the (a) MOD, (b) RAF Board of Inquiry and (c) AAIB for the purposes of constructing a simulation of the final seconds of the flight of Chinook ZD576; [60101]

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(4) what values were used by Boeing for matching to the final aircraft attitude in its simulation of the final five seconds of the flight of Chinook ZD576; and if he will list the values established as 100 per cent. verifiable from the wreckage of the aircraft in respect of (a) rotor speed, (b) rotor torque, (c) rudder pedal and (d) initial rate of climb set by the pilots. [60105]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who commissioned the original Boeing simulation of the final seconds of the flight of ZD576. [60104]

Mr. Ingram: The Air Accidents Investigation Branch for the RAF Board of Inquiry.

Canberra PR9

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the replacement of the capabilities provided by the Canberra PR9. [59791]

Mr. Ingram: The Canberra PR9 reconnaissance aircraft is an important element of our overall capability. We are currently looking at ways in which the aircraft's particular capabilities can be provided in the future. Our thinking will be informed by the Strategic Defence Review New Chapter work.

Israel

Tony Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what British-made military equipment has recently been supplied to Israel. [54730]

Dr. Moonie: Information relating to exports of new and surplus military equipment in major categories to individual countries is published in Part III of the Government's annual reports on strategic export controls, copies of which are available from the Library of the House. The 2001 report is currently being prepared.

Afghanistan

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his Department received reports and representations from the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the conditions of fighters held in Shibergan prison in Afghanistan; and what action his Department has taken. [58828]

Mr. Hoon: We have not received such reports from the International Committee of the Red Cross, although we understand the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have received the EU Special Representative's report on the camp. Security considerations have so far prevented British embassy staff in Kabul from visiting these prisons. But they are in contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross, which closely monitors the situation and welfare of all prisoners in Afghanistan.

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether aircrew and aircraft maintenance staff on non-UK aircraft leased for the transport and supply of UK forces in Afghanistan are security-cleared. [59725]

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Mr. Hoon: I am withholding details of security arrangements in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what acclimatisation measures are necessary for operations in mountain terrain; what acclimatisation measures were taken by Royal Marines in preparation for action in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [58865]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 24 May 2002]: Acclimatisation for operations in mountain terrain depends, in the first instance, on personal physical fitness. As the British armed forces mountain and cold climate specialists, the Royal Marines pay particular attention to this at all times. More specifically, they undertake annual mountain training in climbing, navigation and 'living' techniques, and every year a detachment spends three months training in Norway.

It is standard requirement for units to undertake pre- operational acclimatisation training. Prior to commencing operations, personnel of 45 Commando were deployed to Afghanistan for up to 10 days. This period ended with Operation Ptarmigan, which gave our forces vital experience of operating in Afghanistan.

As a result of this careful planning, the number of cases of ill-effects from altitude and cold reported by 45 Commando have been well within the predicted parameters.

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken to ensure that logistics and supply of forces in Afghanistan are not compromised by unserviceable C17 transport aircraft; what extra costs have been incurred as a result of unserviceable C17 aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [59233]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 24 May 2002]: Throughout operations in Afghanistan, C17 aircraft have flown missions continuously, performing fully up to our expectations and meeting predicted serviceability parameters. Consequently, no extra costs have been incurred as a result of unserviceable C17 aircraft.

Matthew Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians have been (a) killed and (b) injured in the military action in Afghanistan to date; how many of these have been children; and if he will make a statement. [60063]

Mr. Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 12 December 2002, Official Report, column 860W, to my hon. Friends the Members for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) and for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham).

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