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Elementary Flying Training
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to continue RAF involvement in (a) the Joint Elementary Flying Training Service and (b) university air squadrons; and if he will make a statement. [62278]
Mr. Ingram: [holding answer 17 June 2002]: The RAF's Director of Elementary Flying Training is, and will continue to be, responsible for the Joint Elementary Flying Training School (JEFTS). JEFTS provides elementary flying training (EFT) for all three services (except for RAF graduate entrants who have completed EFT at a university air squadron), flying grading for the Army and multi-engine aircraft lead-in training for the RAF. RAF EFT is undertaken at RAF Church Fenton, Royal Navy and Army EFT is undertaken at RAF Barkston Heath, multi-engine lead-in training is undertaken at RAF Cranwell and flying grading for the Army is undertaken at the School of Army Aviation at Middle Wallop.
JEFTS use Firefly aircraft to meet all their training needs and these aircraft are provided by Babcock HCS. The contract to provide these aircraft expires on 7 July 2003. There is a need for a short four-year replacement contract to allow for the potential change to the way flying training will be delivered under the United Kingdom Military Flying Training System project planned to commence in 2007. The cost-effective way to deliver the task for the next four years is to undertake the RAF element of the EFT task at university air squadrons, where the majority of RAF pilots already undertake their EFT. The university air squadrons can absorb this work with only a small increase in activity at individual air squadrons, and it will result in a significant overall saving on the cost of providing EFT. The balance of the JEFTS task has been completed and the new contract will be let shortly.
The RAF will continue to maintain university air squadrons under the command of the Director of Elementary Flying Training. The RAF have recently undertaken a review of RAF university air Squadron
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flying and ground training to recommend how university air squadrons could better meet the needs of the RAF and of undergraduates. The outcome of this review will be available soon and it is expected to recommend some improvements to the UAS operations, without making changes to the present structure.
Nepal
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has had from the Government of Nepal concerning the Maoist rebellion; what advice his Department has offered; and if he will make a statement. [62893]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 17 June 2002, Official Report, columns 3–5, to my hon. Friend the Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien) and the Members for Newark (Patrick Mercer) and for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth).
Jubilee Medal
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the membership of the ministerial group for the Queen's Golden Jubilee; and which members will receive the Golden Jubilee Medal. [61287]
Tessa Jowell: I have been asked to reply.
The membership of this group, which I chair, is being adjusted to reflect the recent changes of ministerial responsibilities. The previous membership was as follows:
- President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office
Secretary of State, Wales Office
Secretary of State, Scotland Office
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
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- Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Minister for Sport, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Minister of State, Cabinet Office
Financial Secretary, HM Treasury
Minister of State for the Armed Forces
Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department
Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Parliamentary Secretary, Home Office
Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions
First Minister, Scottish Executive
First Minister, National Assembly for Wales
Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Northern Ireland Executive
Private Secretary to Her Majesty The Queen
The Mayor of London
Head of the Golden Jubilee Office.
NATO
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his meeting with his NATO counterparts on 14 and 15 May in Reykjavik, Iceland. [59821]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
The NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Reykjavik was an important step in the Alliance's preparation for the NATO Summit in Prague in November. Ministers agreed on the need further to adapt the Alliance to enhance its capacity to provide defence against the threat of terrorism; on the need to develop new defence capabilities; on the process for the enlargement of NATO; on the creation of a new security relationship with Russia; and on the development of NATO's relationships with Ukraine and its other partners.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Credit Unions
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will authorise Consignia and Post Office Counters to act as collection points for credit unions; and if she will make a statement. [61372]
Mr. Timms: Neither Consignia or Post Office Ltd. require the authorisation of the Secretary of State to act as collection points for credit unions. Whether they do so is a commercial matter for Consignia and Post Office Ltd.
Employment Tribunal Cases
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employment tribunal claims, where a deposit at a preliminary hearing was required as a condition of proceeding, were proceeded to a full hearing in (a) 2001 and (b) to date; and in how many such cases the (i) claimant won, (ii) case was withdrawn and (iii) case was settled before a full hearing. [62696]
Alan Johnson: The information requested is displayed in the table.
| 2001 | (3)2002 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cases which withdrew after a PHR deposit order | 43 | 14 |
| Number of cases which settled after a PHR deposit order | 4 | 3 |
| Number of cases which proceeded to a full hearing after a PHR deposit order | 17 | 0 |
| Of which, successful at full hearing | 0 | 0 |
(3) Only covers the period from 1 January 2002 to 30 April 2002
Source:
Employment Tribunals Service
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in employment tribunal cases in 2001 where parties were required to pay a deposit, what the mean average deposit was at preliminary hearings as a condition of continuing to proceed with the case. [62694]
Alan Johnson: The mean average deposit required at a pre-hearing review as a condition of continuing to proceed with the case was £133.40 for 2001.
Arms Exports
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what licences have been granted for equipment on the military list to Israel in each month of 2002, including military list and dual-use ratings; what equipment is covered under these licences; and if she will make a statement. [60627]
Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 11 June 2002]: The number of Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) covering items on the military and dual use lists, issued to end users in Israel in each month since January 2002, is set out in the table. Individual licences might cover a range of items with various ratings. Where this is so, the licence is included in the tables in the total for all of the relevant ratings.
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| Rating | No. of SIELS issued for Israel | No. of OIELS issued for Israel |
|---|---|---|
| January 2002 | ||
| ML4 | 1 | — |
| ML5 | 4 | — |
| ML9 | 1 | — |
| ML11 | 1 | — |
| 0C004 | 2 | — |
| 1C350 | 1 | — |
| 2B230 | 1 | — |
| 3A001 | 1 | — |
| 6A001 | — | 1 |
| End use | 1 | — |
| February 2002 | ||
| ML5 | 4 | — |
| ML9 | 2 | — |
| ML10 | 2 | — |
| ML18 | 1 | — |
| ML22 | 1 | — |
| PL5031 | — | 1 |
| 1C202 | — | 1 |
| 2B350 | 1 | — |
| 5A002 | 1 | 1 |
| 5B002 | 1 | — |
| 5D002 | 1 | — |
| End use | 1 | — |
| March 2002 | ||
| ML4 | 4 | — |
| ML9 | 1 | — |
| ML10 | 1 | — |
| ML11 | 2 | — |
| ML15 | 2 | — |
| PL5031 | — | 1 |
| 0C004 | 1 | — |
| 1A002 | 1 | — |
| 1C202 | — | — |
| 1C352 | — | 1 |
| 2B230 | 2 | — |
| 2B350 | 2 | — |
| 3A001 | 1 | — |
| 5A002 | 1 | — |
| 7A103 | 1 | — |
| End use | 3 | — |
| April 2002 | ||
| ML11 | 1 | — |
| ML15 | 1 | — |
| PL5031 | 1 | — |
| 4A003 | 1 | — |
| 5A002 | — | 1 |
| 5B002 | — | 1 |
| 5D002 | — | 1 |
| 5E002 | — | 1 |
| 6A203 | 1 | — |
| May 2002 | ||
| PL5031 | 2 | — |
| 2B350 | 1 | — |
| 3A001 | 1 | — |
| 3B001 | — | 1 |
| 3D002 | — | 1 |
| 5A002 | — | 1 |
| 5D002 | 1 | — |
| 6A001 | — | 1 |
| End use | 3 | — |
The summary description of the items covered by these ratings will be published in the Government's 2002 Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, copies of which will be available in the Libraries of the House. In addition, Israel is a permitted destination on certain Open
19 Jun 2002 : Column 345W
General Export Licences, copies of which are also placed in the Libraries of the House. I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the reply from my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to him of 15 April 2002, Official Report, column 722–23W.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the policy of the Government on the granting of export licences for defence-related equipment to (a) India and (b) Pakistan. [62034]
Nigel Griffiths: I refer the hon. Member to the statements made by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 15 March 2002, Official Report, columns 1296–98W and by my noble Friend the Lord Sainsbury of Turville in another place on 28 May 2002, Official Report, House of Lords, columns 1147–149.
Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences for defence-related exports have been (a) granted and (b) refused to (i) Pakistan and (ii) India in each of the last five years. [62040]
Nigel Griffiths: The number of Standard Individual Export Licences and Open Individual Export Licences for defence-related exports that have been granted and refused to Pakistan and India in each of the last five years is published in the Government's annual reports on strategic export controls. Copies of the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 annual reports are available in the Libraries of the House. The 2001 annual report will be published soon.
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licences have been granted since 2 May 1997 for the export of (a) Accuracy International sniper rifles and (b) sniper rifles to Switzerland where the final end-use destination was a different country. [62016]
Nigel Griffiths: The export of sniper rifles is controlled under entry ML1 in Part III of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended. Between 2 May 1997 and 6 June 2002 no Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were issued covering the rating ML1 where the consignee was Switzerland and the end-user was in a different country.
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